State boys basketball: Crestview hits 30 FTs in D-IV semifinal win

CONVOY CRESTVIEW 69,

BERLIN HILAND 63

DAYTON — No. 5 Convoy Crestview (25-3) outscored Berlin Hiland 26-7 in the third quarter on the way to a 69-63 victory in the OHSAA Division IV state semifinal on Friday evening at the University of Dayton Arena.

The Knights were led by senior Mitch Temple who posted 25 points on 15-17 shooting at the free throw line and 2-3 from the three-point line as Crestview entered the half down by a point but smothered the Hawks in the third period and allowed just two makes on seven attempts by Hiland while hitting 9-of-14 from the field and out-rebounding the Hawks 8-2 across the eight minutes.

In the third quarter, Crestview went on a 14-0 run put the Knights ahead of the Hawks 46-32 heading into the final quarter. Hiland outscored Crestview in the fourth quarter 28-16 and brought the game to as close as six points, but was unable to erase the third quarter deficit.

Wren Sheets tallied 17 points, four rebounds and four blocks in the game, shooting 5-of-5 from the charity stripe in the first quarter alone, netting nine in the period. Carson Hunter also hit double figures for Crestview with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Crestview finished 30-of-41 at the free throw line for the game, coming up four freebies short of the Division IV semifinal record set by Lincolnview in 1997.

Hiland (19-10) finished its season after making its 13th state tournament appearance. The Hawks were led by senior Sammy Detweiler’s 19 points and four assists, as well as sophomore Nick Wigton and senior Carson Habeger with 10 points each. Alex Yoder chipped in eight points, six rebounds and two blocks.

The Knights will look to bring the third boys basketball state title (2014, 2019) back to Convoy on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Division IV state championship game against top-ranked Richmond Heights Lutheran East. The game marks a rematch of the 2019 state semifinals in Crestview’s march to a state title, which incidentally resulted in the Knights matching up with Berlin Hiland in the D-IV state finals, where they won 58-38.

RICHMOND HTS 66,

RUSSIA 51

DAYTON — No. 6 Russia rallied to within five points of top-ranked Richmond Heights in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell short against the powerhouse defending D-IV state champions in a 66-51 Richmond Heights win in the final state semifinal game of Friday’s OHSAA boys hoops state championships.

The Spartans (28-0) extended their winning streak to 48 straight games as the last remaining unbeaten team in the state of Ohio following Columbus Bishop Ready’s semifinal loss in Division II. Richmond Heights shook off a 3-11 shooting start after one quarter to make 20-of-36 for the rest of the game and overcome a 30-18 deficit on the boards against the sixht-ranked Raiders (25-4).

Sophomore Dorian Jones had 17 points, including four 3-pointers, and racked up seven steals in the win for Richmond Heights while fellow soph De’Erick Barber was 7-of-7 from the free throw line in a 14-point, four-assist effort. Hosea Steele Jr. had 16 points and four steals while Demarris Winters Jr. added 10 points and five boards.

Junior Brayden Monnin led all scorers with 20 points and four rebounds in the season-ending loss for Russia, which was making its first state tournament trip since finishing as D-IV runner-up in 2002. The magical run to Dayton for the Raiders came in a season where head coach Dave Borchers died following a car accident less than two weeks before the regular season began. Hayden Quinter put up 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Russia.

Richmond Heights is making its fourth straight state tournament trip and second straight appearance in the state final after defeating New Madison Tri-Village 50-29 in last year’s final. Botkins beat the Spartans 44-40 in the D-IV semifinals in 2021 while Crestview defeated RH 59-49 in the D-IV semifinals en route to the Knights’ state championship in 2021.

DIVISION II

ROCKY RIVER LUTHERAN WEST 56, DAYTON CHAMINADE JULIENNE 54

DAYTON — No. 5 Rocky River Lutheran West will play for the school’s first boys basketball state title after defeating No. 2 Dayton Chaminade Julienne 56-54 in the first Division II semifinal at the University of Dayton Arena on Friday morning.

After trailing for most of the game Lutheran West (25-3) came from behind with 38 seconds remaining in the game to tie it up at 54 points each with a layup by sophomore Joshua Meyer. After a missed front end of a bonus free throw by Chaminade Julienne (26-3) with 29 seconds left, Lutheran West wound down the clock and Meyer came up with the game winning bucket with three seconds left in regulation on a dunk, assisted by Derek Fairley. A last-second 3-pointer by Eagle star George Washington III was off the mark and propelled the Longhorns into their first state final in school history following a loss in the Division III semifinals in 1998. That Lutheran West team defeated Wayne Trace 75-70 in the regional championship at Savage Arena that season before falling 70-68 to eventual state champion Sparta Highland.

Lutheran West was led by junior Jayson Levis with 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists before fouling out. Sophomore Matthew Meyer added 16 points and eight rebounds for the Longhorns, who dealt Ottawa-Glandorf one of its three losses this season in November at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Chaminade Julienne (26-3) concluded its season after making its ninth appearance at the state tournament in school history. The Eagles were led by the senior duo of University of Michigan commit George Washington III and Evan Dickey with 14 and 13 points respectively. Washington’s younger brother B.B. added 10 points and five rebounds while Cal Weatherspoon had 10 points and three caroms.

AKRON BUCHTEL 60, COLUMBUS BISHOP READY 50

DAYTON — Akron Buchtel will play in its second boys basketball state final in school history and will look to win its first state championship after defeating top-ranked Columbus Bishop Ready 60-50 in the second Division II semifinal at the University of Dayton Arena.

Buchtel (22-6) had the lead for most of the game and went on a 10-point run in the middle of the fourth quarter to solidify their victory.

The Griffins racked up four players in double figures despite shooting just 3-of-15 from outside the arc, aided by 13 turnovers forced from Bishop Ready, which finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the final AP boys hoops poll with a school-record 28 victories entering the state tournament.

Sophomore guard Steven Diamond had 13 points to lead the way. Marcel Boyce and Purdue-Fort Wayne commit Khoi Thurman added a dozen points each, combining for eight rebounds while Amire Robinson, a Nevada commit, had 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Bishop Ready (28-1) finished its season after making its sixth state tournament appearance in school history and first in nine years. The 60 points allowed to Buchtel marked the most the Silver Knights have allowed in any game this season. Senior forward Charlie Russell led Bishop Ready with 19 points – including 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range – and four rebounds, while fellow senior Luke Ruth had 12 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Kayden Shaffer chipped in a dozen points in the setback.

Also of note, Wauseon’s Joe Allen and Archbold’s Tyson Schnitkey made up two of the three officials in the contest.