Westerville North boys basketball loses Division II state final in OT
Westerville North's boys basketball team lost to Massillon Washington 68-63 in overtime in the OHSAA Division II state final March 22.
DAYTON – What looked like it might be another dominant win in a two-season run full of them for Westerville North’s boys basketball team turned out to be anything but in the Division II state final March 22. The Warriors led Massillon Washington by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, only for the Tigers to blitz North with the kind of run the Warriors have pulled off many times over the past two years, outscoring them 19-5 in a 6-minute span. Even then, the teams needed overtime, and Massillon regained the control it needed for both its first championship and a denial of North’s second in a row.
Gio Jackson Jr. ’s 17 points and nine rebounds, and Jadyce Thigpen's and Xavier Williams' 15 points apiece powered the Tigers to a 68-63 win at University of Dayton Arena . Thigpen’s jumper with 2:12 left put Massillon (27-1) ahead to stay, and Jackson Jr.
’s dunk moments later made it a five-point game. Junior forward Tony Cornett’s two free throws with 54. 2 seconds to go pulled North (26-2) to 64-63, but the Warriors never scored again.
Williams finished it off with a layup to provide the final margin. Senior guard Elijah McCree’s 21 points and six rebounds led North. Cornett had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and junior forward Damion King added 12 points and 17 boards.