DaytonDailyNews.com

DAYTON — The Big Game lived up to all the hype, all the anticipation and all the expectation. When it ended, there was ecstasy for Centerville and agony for Trotwood-Madison.

Matt Kavanaugh's free throw with eight-tenths of a second remaining gave the Elks a 52-51 victory in the first of five Division I boys high school basketball district championships at UD Arena on Saturday.

It was the fourth district title in eight years — the first since 2005 — for the Elks, who take a 21-3 record into the regional semifinals at Xavier University's Cintas Center on Wednesday, March 18, at 8 p.m.

The Rams, who never led in the showdown of Greater Western Ohio Conference powerhouses, finish 20-4.

"We're a very veteran team (eight seniors)," Centerville coach Jim Staley said. "We should step up and make plays. We've been a very good free throw shooting team in the fourth quarter, especially Matt. I thought he'd make it. He's a senior. It's what he's supposed to do."

Centerville bolted to a 22-8 lead, but the Rams took advantage of foul trouble by the Elks' Kavanaugh and Adam Replogle, and made it all the way back with a suffocating press.

Trotwood senior Aaron Robinson tied the score at 43 on a right-side jumper with 5:06 to go, and Robinson hit a pair of free throws for a 51-all tie with 6.6 seconds to go, setting up the dramatic ending.

Centerville point guard Patrick Crawford caught Craig Ashworth's inbounds pass and hustled down the left side of the court only to have the ball stripped away by the swarming Rams.

"It hit off (Crawford's) knee and rolled right to me," said Kavanaugh, who unleashed a shot near the top of the key. Whistle. Foul.

"The second half of the year, I've been pretty good at the line," Kavanaugh added. "I know that if I get two shots, I'm going to hit one. I missed the first one, and just made it a little interesting. But I knew I was going to hit the second one."

Senior point guard Keith Winn scored 16 points and Robinson 15 for the Rams. Dominique Reed — in his first game back since breaking his right hand in a Feb. 10 locker-room fight with teammate Marcus Graham — had eight points and three rebounds.

"I'm very, very proud of my guys, especially my seniors," Trotwood coach Mark Baker said. "I wanted it for them so bad. I told them that in the competitive arena, you always want to give yourself a chance. We gave ourselves a chance. We just came up short."

When the buzzer sounded, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound Replogle (12 points) carried the 6-10 Kavanaugh (18 points) across the court and planted him in front of their cheering fans.

"He's pretty heavy," Replogle said.

One point too heavy for Trotwood.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com.