OHSAA Division I + II State Title Standouts

The OHSAA Division I and II state title games were played at UD Arena on Sunday afternoon and in this article we'll break down the standout performers from these two games.    In what was one of the most chaotic games I watched all season long, Massillon Washington erased a 15-point second half deficit to stun the defending state champions. Jackson Jr does well in a chaotic game, as he knows how to play at one speed and that's fast. Jackson Jr did a nice job using spin moves to go around Westerville North defenders, who were always trying to swipe away at the basketball. Add in a couple buckets off Jackson Jr's four offensive rebounds and it's no surprise he was the most efficient double-digit scorer in the game.     An end to an incredible run for McCree this season, going from a complimentary bench piece as a Junior to one of the top guards in central Ohio as a senior. A confident scoring guard, McCree emptied the clip in the state title game, attempting 27 field goals and 15 3-pointers. McCree found his most success early in the third quarter when Westerville North blitzed Massillon Washington out the locker room and took a commanding double-digit advantage. McCree has the quickness and touch to get to the paint and hit tough floaters over bigger shot blockers and that's the type of shot that will translate to the college level.     Maybe the biggest stock riser of the state tournament, Gill was dominant for a Princeton squad that steamrolled through the Division I bracket. For his performance on Sunday, Gill won the Morgan & Morgan MVP award for the Division I championship game. Gill went 10/12 from the field and connected on all three of his 3-point attempts, finishing off a dominant state tournament where Princeton won every game by 15+ points and Gill scored in double-figures each contest. Princeton also ran excellent sets to get Gill the basketball, with their famous entry to the elbow setting up a backdoor cut connecting for a monster slam dunk by Gill. Expect to see Gill's stock rise over the grassroots season, he just recently cracked the national 2027 rankings at Prep Hoops, the first national rankings list to include Gill.     Getting quality production from your bench can make good teams great and Jordan knocked down both of his 3-point attempts, moved the ball well and made the extra pass for Princeton, finishing with three assists. Jordan knows exactly what his team needs out of him off the bench and between Jordan and Terrence Jones, Princeton's bench duo had 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal without missing a shot.     The flamethrower who shot Princeton into the state title game, Santiago-Lugo scorched the nets at Wright State University on Saturday in the state semifinals by exploding for 28 points and connecting on five 3-pointers. For an encore performance, Santiago-Lugo knocked down two of his four 3-point attempts and finished with 12 points. A guard who always plays hard and flies around the court, Santiago-Lugo's energy was a major factor for Princeton all season long. A player who Coach Wyant trusts, Santiago-Lugo played the most minutes for the Vikings in the title game victory. Storybook ending for Santiago-Lugo and the rest of the Vikings senior class, who finish their OHSAA careers as champions.

The OHSAA Division I and II state title games were played at UD Arena on Sunday afternoon and in this article we'll break down the standout performers from these two games.