OHSAA Division II Semifinals Standouts

The OHSAA Division II semifinals were played on Saturday at Wright State University, in this article I'll break down the standout performers from these two games.    The engine to Westerville North on both ends of the court, Perkins really makes the Warriors go. His ball pressure is the first thing opposing guards have to deal with against the famous Westerville North full-court pressure that forced so many turnovers today. Offensively, Perkins had a quick 5-0 run when North Royalton was making their biggest push of the game and throughout the contest Perkins was making quick skip passes to set up open shots for teammates. We'll see if Perkins can finish off a second straight state title tomorrow afternoon!     The most talented prospect on Westerville North, Cornett came out the gates firing from outside with a pair early jumpers to get the momentum building for Westerville North. Cornett thrives in transition and in the Westerville North full-court pressure he forced turnovers with his length and presence against rushed ball handlers. Excited to see what Cornett has for an encore performance in the state title game.     A dominant paint presence, Klingbeil had numerous putback layups by using his height advantage in the paint to score. Able to score with his back to the basket and as a roll man as well, Klingbeil is the centerpiece of the North Royalton half-court offense. I was impressed with how Klingbeil attacked the basketball in the air and finished through contact. Another impressive performance by one of the better bigs in northeast Ohio's 2027 class.     The most efficient player on the court, Jackson Jr made 6/7 shots from both the field and the free throw line on Saturday. Using his length to finish over the smaller Lima guards, Jackson Jr did a nice job of getting an angle against the defense and using his quick burst to turn the corner and score past a shot contest. To open the second half Jackson Jr had a blocked shot on one end and followed it up with a putback layup on the other to set the tone for Massillon Washington out the locker room. Very impressed with Massillon Washington's ability to make Lima Sr uncomfortable with their athleticism and pace of play.     I was extremely impressed by Williams on both ends of the court as he made plays in a variety of ways. A stocky guard, Williams has strong legs and lower body strength to play off two feet and finish through traffic. His frame also allows him to rebound much better than other guards his height and he even had a couple of blocked shots defensively. Add in some timely shot-making and free throw shooting and Williams ended up leading all scorers with 20 in the contest.     The most valuable player for Lima Sr on Saturday, Stearns ability to create extra possessions and score in the paint was the main reason the Spartans went into the locker room with a lead. Stearns is an impressive athlete who had a couple powerful dunks to bring the strong Lima supporters section to their feet. Playing with physicality, Stearns finished through contact and wants to go through your chest. Out of Lima's five starters, Stearns had the best plus minus of the game at just a minus six. While the Spartans lose a talented senior class, Stearns headlines a 2028 class that will be ready to slide into featured roles for the Spartans next season.

The OHSAA Division II semifinals were played on Saturday at Wright State University, in this article I'll break down the standout performers from these two games.