Boys basketball state tournament recap

VW independent sports/OHSAA information

Division I

Cincinnati Princeton 59 Hilliard Darby 28

Cincinnati Princeton scored the game’s first eight points and never looked back, defeating Hilliard Bradley, 59-28, in the 2026 Division I state championship game.

Princeton (25-3 overall) won its first state title in its third trip to the state tournament. The Vikings finished runners-up in both 1972 and 2009.

Hilliard Bradley (25-3) was making its first appearance in the state tournament. The Jaguars had won 16 straight games entering the state final.

Amire Gill led Princeton with 24 points and seven rebounds. Rognny Santiago Lugo joined Gill in double figures with 12 points.

Kypton Norris and Jayden Reed-Davis both scored eight points to pace Bradley, who is coached by former Delphos St. John’s coach Brett Norris.

Division II

Massillon Washington 68 Westerville North 63 (OT)

Massillon Washington overcame a 15-point second-half deficit in a come-from-behind overtime victory over Westerville North, claiming the program’s first state championship in the 2026 Division II state championship game.

Massillon Washington guard Gio Jackson Jr. led the team with 17 points as the Tigers featured three scorers with 15 points or more. Massillon Washington finished the season 27-1, its most wins in a single season, and made the state tournament for the first time since 1945. 

Westerville North (26-2) made its fifth trip to the state tournament and returned to Dayton as the reigning Division II champion. Senior Elijah McCree led all scorers with 21 points. The Warriors had two players achieve double-doubles. Junior Damion King finished the game with 12 points and 17 rebounds and Tony Cornett added 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Overall, Massillon Washington shot 24-of-49 from the field while Westerville North shot 22-of-81. 

Westerville North dominated the glass, securing 53 rebounds, including 34 offensive boards. Massillon Washington finished the game with 41 rebounds.

Division III

Trotwood-Madison 48 Steubenville 47

Darius Dennis scored on a pull-up jumper in the lane with nine seconds remaining, and Trotwood-Madison made one final stop on defense as the Rams defeated Steubenville, 48-47, in the Division III state championship game.

Dennis posted 17 points, 14 rebounds and four steals to lead Trotwood-Madison, which scored the game’s first six points, led for more than 30 of the game’s 32 minutes, and staved off a late rally that saw Steubenville take its first and only lead with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Trotwood-Madison (23-4 overall) earned its second state championship (2019, Division II) in its sixth appearance at the state tournament. The Rams were runners-up in Division I in 2006.

Steubenville (26-2) was in the state tournament for the first time since 1952, when it also finished runner-up in the Class A (large school) tournament.

The game was played at a frenetic pace. The teams combined to attempt 101 shots from the floor, but the defenses helped force the tempo; the two sides were credited with a combined 17 steals on 24 turnovers.

Cole Bowers led Steubenville with 22 points.

Division IV

Cincinnati Wyoming 73 Glenville 48

Cincinnati Wyoming opened the game on an 11-0 run and never trailed en route to a 73-48 victory over Cleveland Glenville in the Division IV state championship game. 

Kellen Wiley and Carlyle Billingsley each scored 20 points to lead Wyoming, while Glenville was led by senior Arvell Nelson Jr. who scored 19 points and knocked down four three-pointers.

Wyoming shot 31-of-52 from the field while Glenville shot 17-of-59. The Cowboys pulled down 39 rebounds to the Tarblooders 28.

This was the first state championship game appearance for Wyoming and its fourth appearance in the state tournament. Glenville was making its second consecutive appearance in the state tournament, also finishing as runners-up in 2025. 

Division V

Lutheran East 50 Columbus Academy 36

Devontey Perkins scored 18 points and Dylan Zeigler added 14 to lead Cleveland Heights Lutheran East to a 50-36 win over Gahanna Columbus Academy in the Division V state championship game.

With the win, Lutheran East became the first school in OHSAA history to win a boys basketball state championship four years in a row. The Falcons have now appeared in nine straight state tournaments, excluding 2020 when the tournament was cancelled, and have won 28 consecutive postseason games, the second longest streak in state history.

Lutheran East’s seven total boys basketball state championships are tied with Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Middletown for second most in OHSAA history.

Columbus Academy was in the state tournament for the third time. The Vikings have finished as runners-up each time (1981, 2025, 2026).

Lutheran East (25-2 overall) scored first and never trailed. The Falcons led 12-5 after the first quarter and 28-10 at halftime.

Lutheran East opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 scoring run within the first minute that stretched the lead to a game-high high 26 points, 45-19. Columbus Academy (24-5) closed the game by outscoring  Lutheran East 17-5 over the final seven minutes.

Perkins made 8 of 12 shots from the floor and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds for Lutheran East. Zeigler added five rebounds and four assists to his 14 points.

Jason Singleton scored 17 points to lead Columbus Academy. He also had six rebounds and four steals. Mitch Zumberge added eight points and nine rebounds.

Division VI

Berlin Hiland 54 Marion Local 51 (OT)

Ryan Zerger had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Alex Miller had 11 points, four rebounds and five steals as Berlin Hiland outlasted Maria Stein Marion Local, 54-51 in double overtime, in the Division VI state championship game.

It was the first double-overtime state championship game since 2018, when Marion Local defeated Willoughby Cornerstone Christian 52-51 in the Division IV title game.

Hiland claimed its fourth boys basketball state title in its 15th trip to the state tournament, tied for the fourth most appearances in state history. Hiland’s three previous titles were in 1992, 2011 and 2012.

Hiland finished 26-3 overall and won its final 21 games in a row.

Marion Local (26-2) has earned six trophies in seven state tournament trips. The Flyers were runners-up for the third time (2004, 2025, 2026) to go with titles in 1975, 2003 and 2018.

Marion Local led 39-34 with 1:31 remaining in regulation after Grant Kremer made a long three-pointer from the left wing, but Hiland forced overtime by outscoring Marion Local 7-2 over the final 70 seconds. Miller keyed the rally, scoring twice on driving layups and forcing a turnover in the backcourt that set up Ashton Schrock’s free throws that tied the game at 41 with 16 seconds left and ultimately sent the game to overtime.

Hiland led 47-42 in the final minute of the first extra period, but back-to-back three-pointers by Kremer 11 seconds apart tied the score at 48 and forced the second extra session.

Free throws were the difference for Hiland in the second overtime. Grant Bille made a pair of foul shots to give Hiland the lead, 52-51, with 56 seconds remaining. CJ Yoder then forced a turnover and drew a foul; his two foul shots with 17 seconds remaining extended the Hiland lead to 54-51. A long Marion Local three-point attempt out of a timeout drew the back of the rim, and Ryan Zerger secured the rebound as time expired.

Zerger and Miller both played all 40 minutes for Hiland. Caleb Yoder and Ashton Schrock both scored nine points before fouling out.

Kremer led Marion Local with 22 points. He was 8-of-14 from the floor, including 5-of-11 from three. Isaac Moeller scored nine points, while Brennen Hess and Kale Ahrens both finished with seven points.

Division VII

Delphos St. John’s 56 Kalida 47

Delphos St. John’s senior Cameron Elwer scored 28 points to lead the Blue Jays to a 56-47 victory over Kalida in the 2026 Division VII boys basketball state championship game.

St. John’s completed a perfect 29-0 season and won its fourth boys basketball state title, joining a group of 14 other schools statewide with at least four boys basketball state championships. St. John’s was making its 13 state tournament appearance, seventh-most in state history. Elwer, meanwhile, finished his career with 2,768 points, the sixth-highest total in the OHSAA boys basketball record book.

Kalida finished 17-12 overall. The Wildcats were state runners-up for the third time (1988, 2009, 2026) to go along with a state title in 1981.

Elwer shot 6-of-16 from the floor and 14-of-16 from the foul line for his 28 points. He also added seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.

St. John’s shot 16-of-32 as a team, including 8-of-16 from three, and made 16-of-21 free throws.

Owen Grime led Kalida with 18 points. Logan Kerner added seven and Gavin Leis had six.