Central Ohio sending four teams to state tournament
Central Ohio will be well represented in the OHSAA boys basketball state tournament. In fact, the Columbus area has qualified more teams for state than any of Ohio's other major regions.
Africentric, Harvest Prep, Pickerington Central and Ready will play in the semifinals Friday and Saturday at University of Dayton Arena. The finals are Sunday in Dayton.
Akron has two teams at state in Buchtel and Hoban, as does the Dayton area with Centerville and Chaminade Julienne. Greater Cleveland will be represented by Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, Richmond Heights and Rocky River Lutheran West.
Pickerington Central is the defending Division I state champion, while Richmond Heights won the Division IV title last season.
Two of the central Ohio team's semifinal matchups are rematches from last year's tournament. Central beat Centerville 55-48 for the big-school title, while Africentric lost to Ottawa-glandorf 5348 in a Division III semifinal.
Here is the OHSAA boys basketball state tournament schedule: Friday’s semifinals
● Division II: Rocky River Lutheran West vs. Dayton Chaminade Julienne, 10:45 a.m.
● Division II: Ready vs. Akron Buchtel, 2 p.m.
● Division IV: Berlin Hiland vs. Convoy Crestview, 5:15 p.m.
● Division IV: Russia vs. Richmond
Heights, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday’s semifinals
● Division III: Ottawa-glandorf vs. Africentric, 10:45 a.m.
● Division III: Harvest Prep vs. Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, 2 p.m.
● Division I: Centerville vs. Pickerington Central, 5:15 p.m.
● Division I: Akron Hoban vs. Toledo St. John's, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday’s finals
● Division II: 10:45 a.m.
● Division IV: 2 p.m.
● Division III: 5:15 p.m.
● Division I: 8:30 p.m. aresnik@dispatch.com @Dispatchpreps