Experience, newcomers make good mix for regionals
The Division I girls basketball regional tournament features three programs that have been there before and one newcomer.
Dublin Coffman, Pickerington Central and Westerville South are used to getting this far, while Marysville will be making its first regional appearance.
South and Marysville tip off at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Westerville North, with Coffman and Central to follow. The winners meet in the regional final at 7 p.m. Friday at North.
Here are five storylines for the regional tournament in central Ohio, for divisions I-IV:
1. Marysville, South to collide in semifinal
South will play in its third regional tournament after winning district titles in 2018 and 2019.
The Wildcats (24-2) advanced by beating Olentangy Liberty 50-40 in one of four district finals Saturday at Ohio Dominican as senior point guard Tamara Ortiz led the way with 15 points. Sophomore forward Deziah Dupree and junior guard Zoe Guice each scored 12.
After losing in district finals the previous two seasons, Marysville earned its first district title, defeating defending state champion Reynoldsburg 5535. Junior guard Jojo Eberhart and junior forward Addy Tweed led the Monarchs with 13 points apiece and senior guard Ava Wilkerson added 10.
2. Coffman-central rematch
The Coffman-central contest will be a rematch of last season’s regional semifinal, which Coffman won 53-41. The Shamrocks went on to lose to Reynoldsburg 56-47 in the regional final.
Coffman (20-5) and Central (22-4) also met Feb. 7 at Coffman, with the Tigers winning 67-43.
Coffman made 16 3-pointers in a 6030 win over Grove City in a district final.
Senior guard Jenna Kopyar and junior guard Ava Collins led the Shamrocks with 17 points apiece and senior forward Tessa Grady scored 14.
Central pulled away in the second half to beat Dresden Tri-valley 63-30 for their eighth consecutive district title. Berry Wallace had 23 points and Olivia Cooper added 12 for the Tigers, who won the state title in 2018 and were runners-up in 2019.
3. Bexley earns first district title since 2004
Bexley is making its first Division II regional appearance in 19 years after beating North Union 49-35 in a district final Saturday.
The Lions (23-3) will face Cincinnati Purcell Marian, last year’s Division III state champion, in a regional semifinal Tuesday at Springfield.
“This team has the chance to do something special,” said Bexley coach Bryce Baugh, whose program is seeking its first state tournament berth. “They are such a close-knit group. They really are friends on and off the court. Our seniors are such great people that our underclassmen — even the freshmen on the (junior varsity) team — are friends with the seniors. They’re friends with everybody.”
The winner plays defending state champion Kettering Alter or Hamilton Badin in a regional final Friday at Springfield. Alter was ranked first in the final state poll, Purcell Marian was fourth and Badin tied Salem for ninth.
Bexley is led by senior forward Sydnie Smith, the niece of former Ohio State standout Katie Smith, who is averaging a team-high 14.8 points and 4.7 rebounds. Senior point guard Mikayla Williams is one of the team’s top defenders.
Granville (24-2) advanced to a regional semifinal for the third year in a row by beating Hartley 42-40 on Harper Annarino’s buzzer-beater Saturday at Capital. The Blue Aces play New Concord John Glenn on Tuesday at Zanesville, with the winner facing Proctorville Fairland or Chillicothe Unioto on Friday.
4. Africentric, Harvest Prep advance to D III regionals
Africentric will be making its first regional appearance in two years when it faces Cincinnati Country Day on Wednesday at Springfield. The winner plays Versailles or Sabina East Clinton on Saturday for the regional title.
“It doesn’t matter who we play,” Africentric coach Janicia Anderson said. “I’ll play Lebron James and the Lakers. Country Day is a very feisty team. They play really hard. They do a great job running in transition. They attack the offensive glass very hard. It’s a hardworking team that we’re going to have to come to play.”
Africentric (20-4) beat Fairbanks 4826 on Wednesday at Big Walnut for its 17th district title. The Nubians were ranked sixth in the final state poll.
Harvest Prep earned its first regional berth since 2011 and fourth overall by knocking off top-seeded and topranked Worthington Christian 43-42 on Wednesday at Big Walnut. Christyn Anthony had 15 points and Janiyah Wilson scored 11.
Harvest Prep faces Castalia Margaretta on Thursday at Elida, with the winner playing Ottawa-glandorf or Liberty Center for the regional title Saturday.
5. Fisher Catholic reaches Division IV regional
Winners of nine games in a row, the Irish (21-5) play Portsmouth Notre Dame on Thursday at Pickerington North, with the winner facing Berlin Hiland or Crown City South Gallia in the regional final Saturday. Notre Dame was sixth and South Gallia was 10th in the final state poll.