Hilliard Bradley 47, Olentangy Orange 37
The Jaguars get revenge and clinch the OCC-Central
Written by 270 Hoops staff writer Greg Glasser
HILLIARD, OH — Technically speaking, a win counts the same in the standings regardless of the margin or opponent.
But emotionally speaking, not all wins are the same.
And as Hilliard Bradley cut down the nets on their home floor after a 47-37 victory against the defending league and state champion Olentangy Orange Pioneers, it was impossible to ignore the significance of Friday’s night victory for a Jaguars team that clinched their first OCC-Central championship since 2021.
Not only was it Bradley’s first win against Orange in over three years, but it was an indication of the year-over-year improvement for a returning roster that won just eight games last season and finished second-to-last in the division.
But perhaps most importantly, it has given the 18-2 Jaguars a direct path to the top overall seed for the district tournament, which will have the bracket revealed next Sunday.
“I think particularly if you go back a year ago to the day, we were just trying to compete… but we weren’t there, we were just so young,” Hilliard Bradley head coach Brett Norris said after the game. “To see this for our kids is really special. To win our league, you gotta earn it and it means something particularly with this group because it’s not human nature anymore to hang when times are tough and stay the course. But they have and they changed a lot of their behavior and grown up, so it’s sweet.”
