DAYTON, Ohio — Pickerington Central rebounded from a slow start to advance to Sunday’s OHSAA Division I championship game, beating St. Edward 74-42.
Trailing 9-2, the Tigers clawed their way back to tie the game at nine, before the Eagles edged ahead 11-9. Pick. Central then put together a 14-0 run, part of a 22-2 stretch that created a comfortable margin for the rest of the game. St. Edward didn’t get closer than 35-25 after that.
Junior Devin Royal had 19 points and seven rebounds to lead the Tigers. Alex “Sonny” Styles added nine points and eight boards. Markell Johnson had 13, including a wild 3 pointer as time expired to end the third quarter.
Pickerington Central’s defense was outstanding, forcing 12 turnovers and holding St. Edward to 32.1% shooting. The Eagles were just two of 25 (8%) from 3-point land, and made just four of 13 from the free throw line, scoring only four points in the second quarter.
Michael Bova led St. Edward with 10 in his final game in an Eagles uniform.
The Tigers shot almost 56% from the floor, and were five of 10 on 3s. Pickerington Central also enjoyed a 44-24 advantage in the paint. Royal and Styles entertained the University of Dayton Arena crowd with several dazzling dunks.
For the first time since winning it all in 2012, Pick. Central is back in the title game, to square off against the winner of St. Ignatius and Centerville in the other Division I semifinal.
You can see that, and all four boys’ basketball championships, Sunday on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News App:
10:45 a.m. – Division III Championship: Cincinnati Taft vs. Ottawa-Glandorf
2 p.m. – Division II Championship: Gilmour Academy vs. Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary
5:15 p.m. – Division IV Championship: Tri-Village vs. Richmond Heights
8:30 p.m. – Division I Championship
Join MaryLee Melendez and former Buckeye George Reese for OHSAA Championship Gameday 15 minutes before each game, and then again following for postgame interviews and analysis.
