Shane’s Division 2 Final Four Previews and Predictions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state semifinals and finals are about to tip off this weekend bringing in what should be one of the best weekends in Ohio High School basketball. This article will give you my previews and predictions for the <a href="https://officials.myohsaa.org/Admin/Bracket/PublicBracket?TournamentId=4146" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Division 2 state final four</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state semifinal games are on Sunday, with Massillon Perry vs. North Royalton at 3 p.m. and Westerville North vs. Toledo St. Francis DeSales at 6 p.m. The state championship game will be on Friday, March 21st, at 7:30 p.m. at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps?q=1801,Edwin,C,Moses,Blvd,Dayton,45417-4666">UD Arena</a>—Dayton University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sunday 3 pm – Massillon Perry vs North Royalton – <a href="https://www.google.com/maps?q=1815,Harrison,Ave,NW,Canton,44708" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canton Field House</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This will be a tough nose and a game you can expect both teams to not give an inch. This game will be against two teams with sort of opposite seasons thus far.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Massillon Perry </strong>is on a March Madness run right now. They came into the playoffs as a 15th seed with a 9-13 record. Since the tournament has started they have won 4 straight, 13-13, and have some upset wins to get to the state final four. The Panthers have had game-winners and are in a spot that no one outside of their locker room thought they would be in. This makes them very dangerous.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They are shooting the ball well and a big part of it is because they are playing so much harder than teams and are getting rewarded for it. The 1,000-point scorer [player_tooltip player_id='2813459' first='Luke' last='Wolf'] has hit a game-winner and dropped a double-double in their regional finals game. This kid has a good size and length. He is the leader of this squad and does what is needed to win. Senior Drake Jacobsen scored 20 points the last outing and is a guard that can get hot and beat you. 6'5 Junior Nico Martelli is another player for this Panthers team that has played big for Perry on this run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Royalton </strong>is 25-1 and won 24 straight games and has been playing great on both ends of the floor all season but especially late. They beat New Albany in the regional finals and held them to only 35 points. This a tough team that plays defense. They are top 10 in both <a href="https://x.com/MartinRPI/status/1894062230628659541/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">point differential</a> and <a href="https://x.com/MartinRPI/status/1894059471854297215/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highest points</a> in the regular season according to Martin RPI.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team is tough and is led by 1st team all-conference junior [player_tooltip player_id='2709157' first='Antonio' last='Escano']. He leads them in scoring in their last gamer. He is a great scorer for this squad and alongside another 1st-team all-conference player [player_tooltip player_id='2813464' first='Dylan' last='Lakatos']. Lakatos is a great three-point shooter and the best ever for North Royalton as he has the school record for 3-pointers made in a season. &nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='2813472' first='Lincoln' last='Lee'] is a nice sophomore for this squad who can score well for them and 2nd team all-conference. Sean Bunsey is another player who can score it for this North Royalton squad. These players all play together well and the ball moves around offensively well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>North Royalton ends the March Madness Run for Massillon Perry. I think that Royalton has been playing better all year and has been consistent all year will win this one. Perry is having a great run and turned this into a great season but North Royalton's scoring and defense will be just a little too much. I expect this to be an intense and competitive game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sunday 6 pm – Westerville North vs Toledo St. Francis DeSales – <a href="https://www.google.com/maps?q=725,University,Blvd,Beavercreek,45324" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wright State University</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This will be a stylistic match-up game it will be very interesting to see how it plays out. Westerville North comes into this game with great guard play and just ok in the post and St. Francis comes into this with some nice guards with some elite size and bigs. Interesting to see which one will be the biggest factor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2686895,"width":"321px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Ty-Perkins-G1.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Ty-Perkins-G1.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2686895" style="width:321px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Westerville North </strong>comes into this one without really being challenged yet and is the favorite team to come out of these four on top but I think they also pulled the hardest match-up in the semifinals. They are one of the top teams in the state for D2 and have been all year, the stats back that up. They have a 23-2 record and have been blowing teams out this playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The brothers [player_tooltip player_id='1480850' first='Tai' last='Perkins'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2140886' first='Tyson' last='Perkins'] are the players for this squad who have the ball in their hands. Senior Tai is going to be doing more damage scoring the ball and creating shots for himself while Tyson is a quick playmaker for others. He can score it too, for his size it is so tough. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2194389' first='Tony' last='Cornett III'] has had a big jump from his freshman season to now. He has the size, and length, with some nice skill, and seems to be putting it together. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1432010' first='Micah' last='Young'] is Mr. Consistent for this team and has been the best player for them these playoffs. His size and defensive ability have been outstanding so far. He then has been getting buckets for himself in transition and in the halfcourt. He is a strong guard who can get to the rim well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2695148,"width":"230px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Jameson-Heckm-G4.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Jameson-Heckm-G4.jpeg?w=984" alt="" class="wp-image-2695148" style="width:230px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Francis DeSales </strong>are putting it together at the right time this year. They are 16-9, have won 7 in a row, and have not lost in a month. They are led by Coach Jamie Kachmarik is leading his 2nd high school program to the final four. Not many have been able to do that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The strength of this team is the size and length of them. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2476444' first='Tre'Sean' last='Chenault'] is a tall, long, and athletic player who plays above the rim. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1943725' first='Logan' last='Horton'] is 6'11 and comes off the bench to bring in physical size. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1705954' first='Alan' last='Horton'] averaged a double-double this season and is a big physical player with strong post moves and footwork. WN will need to send multiple people at him because guarding him with one person. It hasn't worked for anyone this year. Then senior guard and leader [player_tooltip player_id='1605229' first='Jameson' last='Heck'] is the player that this teams look to and lean on. He is a consistent guard who has seen it all. [player_tooltip player_id='2768428' first='Raheem' last='Brown'] is a nice athletic slasher who has been great for the Knights this year. Freshman Chris Poellnitz is a player who impacts the game with length and athleticism. He will be a really good player for them in the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Toledo St. Francis pulls off the upset in this one. They have struggled earlier in the year with the pressure and defensive intensity of their conference CLHS but they showed to have figured it out and will be able to handle the pressure of the Warriors. They will not turn the ball over too much. I do not know if the Warriors have an answer for the size of the Knights and have two losses to the two biggest teams they have played this year. Rebounding and scoring around the rim will be difficult.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Shane's State Championship Game: </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><em>North Royalton vs Toledo St. Francis DeSales </em></span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2695165,"width":"305px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Alan-Horton-G4.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Alan-Horton-G4.jpeg?w=1019" alt="" class="wp-image-2695165" style="width:305px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This game will be played on Friday at 7:30 pm at UD Arena. I feel like this will be a great basketball game with fundamental teams, great footwork, and a tough-fought game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Shane's Division 2 State Champions: </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline"><em>Toledo St. Francis DeSal</em></span><em><span style="text-decoration: underline">es Knights</span></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The size with skill along with length is a favor in St. Francis matchups against any of these final four teams. Coming off a win against Winton Woods and playing in the CLHS in Michigan shows that this team is ready to play and win in multiple different ways. They have the best ability to do that. They have a coach with State final-four experience and I think this will be an edge. The Knights will bring back the first State title in Toledo since Scott in 1990. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->