Traditional GWOC powers Centerville and Wayne have lots of district tournament history, but Miamisburg will be at the party for the first time. The Vikings’ reward is GCL behemoth Moeller, the winner of the last two state titles and the team that was favored to win last year when the tournament was canceled during the regionals. The teams meet at 5 p.m. Saturday at Centerville High School.
The Crusaders (18-4) have not been as dominant this year. They hadn’t lost a league game since 2016 until losing two this season.
The Vikings (17-7) rely on defense and the trio of seniors Alex Ball and Evan Logan and junior Anthony Coppock. Moeller is led by 6-foot-9 center and Indiana signee Logan Duncomb and senior leading scorer Alex Williams.
Centerville is making its seventh district final appearance in the past nine years and won its third title during that span last year. The Elks (21-3) have won 11 straight and lost only once since the first of the year. They face Mason (18-5), which finished third in the GMC, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Lakota West High School.
Wayne (17-4) suffered close late-season losses to Springfield and Centerville but has won three tournament games by 20 or more points. The Warriors face St. Xavier (18-2) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Centerville. St. X has won nine straight, closed the season by breaking a long losing streak to Moeller and is led by Southwest District Player of the Year Kobe Rodgers.
Elder (19-3), which along with St. Xavier and Moeller was 4-2 in the GCL South, faces La Salle (11-12), which was 0-6 in the GCL, at 2 p.m. Saturday at Lakota West.
Division II
Three area teams could advance to regionals in Division II. Trotwood-Madison (10-6) faces GCL Co-ed champion Cincinnati McNicholas (19-4) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Princeton.
At Trotwood on Saturday, Tippecanoe (20-1), the Miami Valley League champion, faces Cincinnati Indian Hill (14-2), the Cincinnati Hills League champion, at noon. Surging Chaminade Julienne (12-5) meets Cincinnati Wyoming (15-7) at 2:30 p.m.
Trotwood is the only defending district champion left in the Division II field. The Rams have won four straight district titles since moving down to Division II in 2016.
“We really haven’t played a lot of basketball,” Rams coach Rocky Rockhold said. “We’re working on things on the fly and trying to survive and advance.”
Division III
Greeneview (17-6) and Anna (20-5) meet at 5:30 Friday at Butler, followed by Springfield Shawnee vs. Summit Country Day at 8. Surprising Versailles (11-14) meets Cincinnati Mariemont (16-8) at 2 on Saturday at Northmont, followed by Indian Lake vs. Cincinnati Taft at 4:30 p.m.
Division IV
In Division IV at Butler on Saturday, it’s Botkins (22-3) vs. Fayetteville-Perry (10-14) at 11, Tri-Village (25-0) vs. New Miami (15-4) at 1:30 and Cedarville (22-1) vs. Jackson Center (19-6) in a rematch of a district final last year won by Jackson Center.
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