By TIM STRIED
OHSAA Media Director
DAYTON, Ohio - Kettering Archbishop Alter shot 28 of 45 from the floor (62.2 percent), including 9 of 19 from three, on its way to a 73-37 win over Youngstown Ursuline in the first Division II state semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
Alter (22-7) advances to Sunday’s 5:15 p.m. state championship game. The Knights will be making their fifth state title game appearance and first since 2003.
Ursuline (24-4) made its first trip to the state tournament since winning the Division III state title in 1994.
R.J. Greer shot 9 of 11 from the floor, including 4 of 5 from three, and scored 24 points to lead a balanced Alter scoring effort. Joe Brand made 5 of 7 shots and all six of his free throws for 17 points, while Brady Conner made 5 of 6 shots and finished with 10 points.
Jaylen Gunther and Jaden Payne both scored 11 points for Ursuline.
Alter led 20-4 after the first quarter, with 15 of its points coming off eight Ursuline turnovers, and the margin remained 10 points or more over the final three quarters. Alter finished the game with 21 assists on 28 made field goals, held a 32-21 rebounding edge and scored 38 of its 73 points in the paint.
Zanesville Maysville 68, Shelby 65
DAYTON, Ohio - Zanesville Maysville will play in its first state championship game after defeating Shelby, 68-65, in the second Division II semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
Maysville won its 22nd consecutive game to improve to 26-3 overall. Shelby, after making its first appearance at the state tournament, ends its season at 25-3 overall.
Neither team led by more than five points, the lead changed hands 10 times, and the score was tied for a 15th and final time—59-all—when Shelby’s Alex Bruskotter split a pair of free throws with 2:17 remaining. Maysville’s Jordyn Watson scored on a driving layup at the other end of the floor, then Alex Bobb stole the inbounds pass and converted a three-point play to give Maysville a 64-59 lead with 1:44 remaining. Maysville made 4 of 6 foul shots in the final 34 seconds to seal the win.
Shelby made 24 of 43 shots from the floor (55.8 percent), including 6 of 14 from three, and was 11 of 14 at the foul line. Maysville shot 23 for 50 (46.0 percent), including 9 of 23 from three, and made 13 of 15 foul shots. Maysville committed just two turnovers, none in the second half.
Shelby’s Bruskotter tied a Division II state semifinal record with 34 points. He played all 32 minutes, making 13 of 16 shots from the floor including four three-pointer, and added eight rebounds.
Casey Lantz had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Shelby.
Watson, Bobb and Gator Nicholas accounted for 66 of Maysville’s 68 points. Watson had 26 points, Bobb scored 22 and Nicholas finished with 18.
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