Boys basketball: Alter wins 28th district title

Anthony Ruffolo and Jacob Conner scored 21 points apiece as the Knights shot 50% in a 75-50 victory in a Division II district final at UD Arena. It’s the program’s 28th district title.

“We know if we take good shots and we move the ball we’re a really hard team to beat, especially on the offensive side,” Ruffolo said. “So we just know those shots will start falling if we keep taking good ones.”

Ruffolo’s consecutive 3-pointers pushed the lead to 32-17 halfway through the second quarter. The Knights led 43-24 at the half behind 15 points apiece from Conner and Ruffolo. The Knights continued to pour it on in the second half.

“We played our game,” Alter coach Eric Coulter said. “We like a fast-paced game and we put pressure on them early to try to get them to turn it over, which we did. And then we got running and that’s what we do.”

Alter (23-2) won its second district title in three years and gets to continue in the regional tournament this time. The regionals were canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Knights will face the winner of Thursday night’s district final in the Central District between Bloom-Carroll and Columbus Linden McKinley. That game will be played at Vandalia Butler at 6 p.m. on March 10.

Conner was the starting point guard two years ago on a team led by Brady Uhl, Jack Smith and Conor Stolly. Ruffolo, AJ Leen and Gavin Geisel were freshmen. Ryan Chew transferred to Alter after that season.

“We’re trying to finish what those guys started,” Ruffolo said.

Coulter enjoyed the postgame net cutting and trophy presentation, but he remembered what happened in 2020.

“As we’re celebrating, I thought about those young men that didn’t get a chance to move on,” he said. “This is where it stopped for them. Jacob knows about that since he was on that team. And he’s set on a mission right now so, hopefully we continue it.”

Cincinnati Woodward 58, Chaminade Julienne 45: CJ’s defense did as good of a job on Woodward star Paul McMillan IV as anyone has this season. McMillan averaged 27.5 points, but he Eagles with Kylan Tucker and double teams kept McMillan away from the basket most of the game and held him to 19 points.

“We did a good job on McMillan,” CJ coach Charlie Szabo said. “Our attitude was he’s going to get his so make him earn it, and I thought we did. But he’s out he’s an outstanding player.”

However, other Woodward players stepped up. Kanye Moreland made all three of his 3-point attempts and scored 14 points and two others scored 10. The Bulldogs shot 47.7% and made 6 of 12 3-pointers.

CJ, though, had a difficult shooting night. The Eagles shot 34.1% and made 5 of 15 3-pointers, four of them coming in the first half. Evan Dickey scored 11 points and Jonathan Powell 10 to lead the Eagles.

“Bottom line is we just weren’t as consistent in executing our game plan,” Szabo said. “They shot the ball a lot better than us, and that’s what basketball comes down to.”

CJ made it back to districts after a run to the state final four last year. The Eagles’ season was marked by the unexpected death of beloved assistant coach Rich Kidd.

“I couldn’t be prouder of them to go through what we went through this year to keep our head down and keep going to stay resilient,” Szabo said. “We talked about the feeling of disappointment that we have right now. But they had a really successful season, and these guys should be really proud about what they accomplished.”

Cincinnati Roger Bacon 63, Carroll 38: Roger Bacon came in averaging five 3-pointers a game, and Carroll coach Tim Cogan was more worried about the Spartans’ quickness and ability to penetrate. Some nights it doesn’t matter what you try to stop.

Bacon made 8 of 17 3-point attempts and shot 45.6 percent to advance to its first regional semifinal since it was state runner-up in 2017. Rajere Blanks made three 3-pointers and led the Spartans with 17 points.

“They were quicker than us at spots, so we had to be smart how we got to guys or they’re going to go by us,” Cogan said. “And then they hit the threes.”

Carroll’s night was completely opposite. After a 50% shooting night in their previous game, the Patriots shot 24.5% and made only 5 of 23 3-point attempts. Sean McKitrick led the Patriots with 15 points.

“I knew coming into today that Roger Bacon does a great job on defense, and if we didn’t hit shots and hang with them and be competitive when we needed to be able to, it would be a tough game,” Cogan said.

Carroll (16-10) made an unexpected tournament run to make it three teams from the GCL Co-ed in the district finals.

“We had one returning starter this year and started off the season 0-3 and got to a district final,” Cogan said. “I’m proud of them, but obviously it’s never easy to go out like that.”