The Buccs, ranked No. 4 in the Dayton Daily News Division I Power Rankings, stretched their win streak to nine and improved to 16-3 overall and 7-1 in the GWOC South.
Boro, No. 3 in the DDN D-I rankings, had a five-game win streak snapped in falling to 15-4, 7-1.
The victory forced a two-way tie atop the divisional standings and put Xenia in a rare position. The Buccs, the defending GWOC South champions, haven’t won back-to-back league titles since 1982-83. Before that, the Buccs’ last back-to-back league titles came in 1968-69.
Boro and Xenia hold a one-game lead on Fairborn with two games to play.
‘The kid has no conscience,” Xenia coach Kent Anderson said of Curtis. “He’s that good. He is as advertised. People have been talking about this kid for a long time and it took him 2-3 weeks in the preseason to work his way into the starting lineup, but once he got in there, he never relinquished his spot. The kid is just a gamer.”
Said Curtis: “I just saw the ball come my way, and I tried to make the most of it. We prepared too hard to lose this game.”
Curtis’ basket energized a crowd that watched Boro battle back.
The Panthers trailed by 10 points at halftime (39-29) and at the end of third quarter (55-45). But two Alec Holtrey free throws with 55 seconds left tied the game.
James held the ball in the frontcourt on the ensuing possession and ran the clock down before taking a 15-foot shot with Boro’s Justin Rigg contesting. Curtis corralled the miss, made the putback and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but Boro’s Drew Holweger couldn’t connect on a halfcourt heave at the buzzer.
James led Xenia with 18 points, while Curtis added 17. Rocky James scored 16.
Holweger led Boro with 20 points. Rigg added 15.
The Panthers were without 6-foot-6 junior Nick Pluta, who was nursing a sprained wrist. He’s expected to return Monday. Pluta had a career-high 16 points in the team’s first meeting — a 61-54 Boro win on Jan. 8.
“We talk all the time about how offensive rebounds and free throws are often the difference in the game,” Panthers coach Mike Holweger said. “Our free-throw shooting wasn’t good, but we have to get that rebound. The kid made a tough shot. People got their money’s worth.”
On Saturday night, Xenia travels to Tecumseh and Boro hosts Franklin.
Springboro 19-10-16-15—60
Xenia 23-16-16-7—62
SPRINGBORO (15-4, 7-1) — Elijah Cunningham 6, Alec Holtrey 6, Drew Holweger 20, Christian James 7, Justin Rigg 15, Thomas Arrington 2, Trey Varinsky 4.
XENIA (16-3, 7-1) — Rocky James 16, Ray James 18, Ryan Johnson 2, Samari Curtis 17, Garett Salyers 5, Danny Naylor 4.
3-pointers: S 4 (Holweger 3, James), X 6 (Ra. James 3, Ro. James, Curtis, Salyers)
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