Division I District Finals preview
Previewing the four Division I district finals at Ohio Dominican on Saturday
District Final Saturday has arrived. There’s no better day for basketball during the course of the high school season than this day. Let’s take a look at an absolutely loaded slate of games in what might be the final four-game Division I District Final Saturday at Ohio Dominican.
#5 Hilliard Bradley (20-5) vs. #13 Westerville Central (16-8)
Last district final appearance: Hilliard Bradley (2023), Westerville Central (2021)
District titles per program: Hilliard Bradley (3, 2021, 2020, 2018), Westerville Central (2, 2021, 2020)
Regional titles per program: Hilliard Bradley (0), Westerville Central (1, 2021)
Last meeting: December 13, 2023 - Westerville Central win at Hilliard Bradley, 54-45
Scoring: Hilliard Bradley (58.2 points per game), Westerville Central (61 points per game)
Defense: Hilliard Bradley (41.3 points allowed per game), Westerville Central (53.4 points allowed per game)
Hilliard Bradley tournament path: 71-32 win vs. #43 Briggs, 65-27 win vs. #40 Westland, 57-37 win vs. #17 Olentangy Liberty
Westerville Central tournament path: 60-47 win vs. #28 Upper Arlington, 59-56 win vs. #14 Pickerington North
Premier players:
Hilliard Bradley - Cade Norris, 6-4 SR, first team all district; Jeb Bischoff, 6-1 SR, honorable mention all district; Ben Mirgon, 6-2 FR
Westerville Central - Devin Martin, 6-2 SR, honorable mention all district; Dallas Tucker 6-0 SR, honorable mention all district; Josh Henderson, 6-3 JR
A rematch of an early season non-conference banger where Westerville Central senior Dallas Tucker torched Hilliard Bradley for 28 points in a signature win for the Warhawks. The Jags will be looking for revenge as a much different team this time around. This game might offer the absolute best guard’s game of the weekend, with each team having a senior duo that has spent four years together learning the ropes and looking to go out with a district title after watching their seniors do it when they were both freshmen. Ironically enough, these teams last matched up in a game of this magnitude when Westerville Central beat Bradley in the 2021 regional semifinals. This game also gives us a look at two non-seniors in Hilliard Bradley’s Ben Mirgon and Westerville Central’s Josh Henderson who both might end up at the Division I level of college basketball one day. Strap in and get ready for a big-time matinee matchup to kick off the last Division I District Final Saturday as we know it.
#1 Olentangy Orange (24-1) vs. #8 Reynoldsburg (19-6)
Last district final appearance: Olentangy Orange (2023), Reynoldsburg (2022)
District titles per program: Olentangy Orange (1, 2023), Reynoldsburg (3, 2018, 2012, 2006)
Regional titles per program: None for either
Last meeting: February 25, 2017 - Reynoldsburg win vs. Olentangy Orange, 59-31
Scoring: Olentangy Orange (60.8 points per game), Reynoldsburg (71.2 points per game)
Defense: Olentangy Orange (42.7 points allowed per game), Reynoldsburg (58.4 points allowed per game)
Olentangy Orange tournament path: 79-17 win vs. #46 Whetstone, 71-26 win vs. #49 Independence, 67-53 win vs. #9 South
Reynoldsburg tournament path: 94-54 win vs. #42 Mifflin, 76-47 win vs. #47 Franklin Heights, 70-36 win vs. #19 Teays Valley
Premier players:
Olentangy Orange - Devin Brown, 6-5 JR, first team all district; Levi Davis, 5-11 SO, honorable mention all district; Dylan Joy, 6-1 SR, honorable mention all district
Reynoldsburg - Jordan Fisher, 6-5 JR, second team all district; Jorden Bowens, 6’7 SO, honorable mention all district; Noah Smith, 6-4 SR
If there was a way to have flex scheduling for district final games, this one would for sure get moved to the nightcap. The moment Reynoldsburg jumped in Olentangy Orange’s bracket at the Central District tournament draw, fans in the area had this game marked on their calendars. Two teams led by junior stars with plenty of quality players surrounding them, Olentangy Orange and Reynoldsburg have been two of the most highly covered teams all season long by this company. Each team has played a difficult schedule that has prepared them up to this point. The matchup between Devin Brown and Jordan Fisher is the one to watch, as Brown has more of the accolades, earning OCC player of the year and first team all district honors, while Fisher might’ve been snubbed for both of those awards. Depth will play an important factor, as well as contrasting styles, as Orange hasn’t really played many teams quite like Reynoldsburg. The Raiders compare most to Pickerington Central, who is responsible for Orange’s lone loss of the season, a 59-56 defeat in early February. The Pioneers have been stout defensively, while Reynoldsburg has been a run and gun team that scores a lot of points, but gives up a lot of points as well. Styles win fights and this is a no doubt heavyweight title match.
#2 Delaware Hayes (24-1) vs. #22 Walnut Ridge (17-7)
Last district final appearance: Delaware Hayes (2023), Walnut Ridge (2020)
District titles per program: Delaware Hayes (1, 1986), Walnut Ridge (6, 2020, 2015, 1978, 1972, 1971, 1970)
Regional titles per program: Delaware Hayes (0), Walnut Ridge (2, 2015 and 1971)
State titles per program: Delaware Hayes (0), Walnut Ridge (1, 1971)
Last meeting: February 20, 2016 - Walnut Ridge win over Delaware Hayes, 55-46
Scoring: Delaware Hayes (67.2 points per game), Walnut Ridge (69.9 points per game)
Defense: Delaware Hayes (48.6 points allowed per game), Walnut Ridge (54.4 points allowed per game)
Delaware Hayes tournament path: 76-37 win vs. #48 Logan, 71-44 win vs. #44 Hilliard Darby, 67-52 win vs. #16 Westerville South
Walnut Ridge tournament path: 59-40 win at #10 Gahanna Lincoln, 60-52 win vs. #18 Northland, 69-46 win vs. #20 Grove City
Premier players:
Delaware Hayes - Jesse Burris, 6-4 SR, first team all district; Landon Vanderwarker, 6-7 JR, second team all district; Jake Lowman, 6-3 SR
Walnut Ridge - Dominique Aekins, 5-9 SR, first team all district; LJ Foster, 6-4 SR, honorable mention all district; Marquis Lucas, 6-4 SO, honorable mention all district
Walnut Ridge magic has rolled into the district finals as the Scots are officially THE hottest team in the tournament. Ridge has won away from home in all three games this postseason, being the only team in the tournament with three wins over top 20 seeds. Walnut Ridge is also only the second 20+ seed ever to advance this far in the tournament, and the first team to do so in the last eight years. They have not seen a team quite like Delaware Hayes during this magical tournament run, as the Pacers are one of the most experienced and toughest squads remaining across the state. It’s been quite some time however, 38 years to be exact, since Delaware Hayes’ last and only district title in program history, as the Pacers have fallen short in this round three times in the last nine seasons (2023, 2020 and 2015). Walnut Ridge, however, has been a sure lock to win in the district finals since 2015, doing it twice in that span. In order for Dom Aekins and his squad to pull the upset of the tournament (again), they’ll need to make history and be the first ever 20+ seed to win a district title. This is Hayes’ best shot to make a run to their first ever state tournament but they’ll need to overcome an opponent with incredible momentum and confidence. Expect this to be a rowdy crowd as Walnut Ridge always brings the city of Columbus out and will have the gym on their side as they look to keep their dream season alive.
#4 Newark (21-4) vs. #6 Westerville North (21-4)
Last district final appearance: Newark (2023), Westerville North (2018)
District titles per program: Newark (25, 2023, 2019, 2015, 2008, 2007, 2003, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1982, 1981, 1975, 1973, 1969, 1968, 1962, 1960, 1953, 1946, 1944, 1943, 1941, 1938, 1937, 1936), Westerville North (5, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1988)
Regional titles per program: Newark (6, 2008, 1981, 1953, 1943, 1938, 1936), Westerville North (3, 1996, 1995, 1994)
State titles per program: Newark (4, 1936, 1938, 1943, 2008), Westerville North (1, 1994)
Last meeting: December 27, 2015 - Westerville North wins at Newark, 74-73
Scoring: Newark (51.5 points per game), Westerville North (68.4 points per game)
Defense: Newark (40.6 points allowed per game), Westerville North (50 points per game)
Newark tournament path: 55-22 win vs. #39 Chillicothe, 50-23 win vs. #33 Dublin Jerome, 45-41 win vs. #3 New Albany
Westerville North tournament path: 73-36 win vs. #41 Central Crossing, 86-41 win vs. #38 West, 57-43 win vs. #27 Olentangy Berlin
Premier players:
Newark - Steele Meister, 6-4 SR, first team all district; Braylon Morris, 6-2 JR, honorable mention all district; Jake Quackenbush, 6-4 SO
Westerville North - Tai Perkins, 6-0 JR, second team all district; Micah Young, 6-2 JR, third team all district; Vari Adams, 6-6 SR
The nightcap gives us a matchup of two of the most historic brands in local basketball. 30 combined district titles, nine combined regional titles and five combined state titles make up Newark and Westerville North. No other game has program history between the two teams that even comes close to this. This is also the only game of the day between two teams seeded inside the top six. Newark was targeted at the Central District tournament draw by No. 3 New Albany and played a district final level game in the semifinals which might just prepare this Wildcats team even more than they would’ve been prepared otherwise. Westerville North benefited from Olentangy Berlin’s upset of Pickerington Central and avoided playing the Tigers in the semifinals, getting the easiest path of any team to this round, not facing anyone seeded inside the top 25. Newark is looking to win back-to-back district titles for the ninth time in program history and for the first time since 2008 when the Wildcats rolled all the way to a state championship. Westerville North has the second longest district title drought of any team playing on Saturday, not winning a district since the tail end of a decade of dominance in 1998. Those Warriors won three-straight regional titles from 1994-96, with its only state title in program history coming in 1994. 30 years removed from that season, this game is a major contrast of styles, with Newark boasting the best defense of any team remaining in the tournament, allowing just 40 points per game. The Wildcats are led up front by super senior Steele Meister who sets the tone with his toughness and physicality. Westerville North is a veteran team but is led primarily by junior guards and brothers Tai Perkins and Micah Young, who share the backcourt with their younger brother in freshman Tyson Perkins. Westerville North last made the district finals in 2018 when they ran into a buzzsaw of a Pickerington Central squad that went on to win the regional title. Newark is appearing in its fifth district final since Westerville North was last here, with its wins in 2019 and 2023 sandwiched between back-to-back losses in 2020 and 2021. Jeff Quackenbush’s Newark teams are pound for pound the most difficult to beat in March, which gives Shan Trusley and Westerville North a major mountain to climb in order to make 21st century program history to end District Final Saturday.