Division I District Finals Preview
We take a look at the six district finals taking place in Division I this weekend
The Taft Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center is the home to big time basketball this weekend and beyond. With six Division I district finals on tap between Saturday and Sunday, here’s a look at all six games and what it means for the regional tournament.
#5 Newark (19-4) vs. #8 Upper Arlington (13-9)
Date: Saturday, March 1
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Venue: Taft Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center
Last district title: Newark (2024), Upper Arlington (2022)
Total district titles: Newark (26), Upper Arlington (10)
Last matchup: March 2, 2022 - Upper Arlington win, 61-38
Last 10 games: Newark (8-2), Upper Arlington (5-5)
Swing by a coffee shop and get your fill of caffeine before this one, as Newark and Upper Arlington open up district final Saturday with a 10 a.m. showdown. The Wildcats are going for their third-straight district championship, as Newark in the district finals has become as normal as sleeping in on the weekends. Upper Arlington is the underdog, with a 5-5 record in their last 10 games entering Saturday.
However, when we have top talent, you can win big games and both teams feature that. Newark is led by Hillsdale commit and senior guard Braylon Morris, while Upper Arlington is led by Ohio State commit and junior forward Alex Smith. Expect Newark to travel well and this game to be won in the margins. The team who executes at the highest level will become the first Division I team to win a district championship at the Fairgrounds since Upper Arlington last did so in 2014 on their way to the state championship game.
The winner of this game will get the winner of No. 3 Olentangy Liberty and No. 10 Pickerington Central on Thursday at 8 p.m.