Clements scored a season-high 17 points to help Wayne overcome the lack of two top players and defeat Xenia 64-54 in a Division I sectional final on Sunday, March 7, at UD Arena. The Warriors (20-2), who finished the regular season No. 1 in the DDN area D-I ratings, distanced themselves in a tight game to advance and face Cincinnati St. Xavier in a district final Saturday at UD Arena.
Guard Travis Trice added 13 points for Wayne, and Markus Crider scored 12 as Wayne took the lead for good when Adrian White hit a jumper with 1:40 left in the third quarter to put the Warriors ahead 36-35. From there, Wayne outscored Xenia 28-19 to continue into the district final.
Shane Eagle led Xenia (12-9) with 14 points.
Wayne played the game without Isiah Boddie and Xavier Jones, who sat in warmups on the bench. Coach Travis Trice declined to specify why the two didn’t play and said the coaches were “doing what we’re told to do.”
The pair played in Wayne’s tournament game against Belmont on Tuesday, as Boddie scored 18 points and Jones added 16.
Northmont 40, Springfield 39: Northmont overcame trouble inbounding the ball and a last-second Springfield possession to win its D-I sectional final. Guard Steve Newell scored six of his game-high 12 points in the fourth quarter as Northmont (13-9) advanced to face Colerain on Saturday at UD Arena.
Springfield (14-9) led 34-30 entering the fourth, but Newell hit a runner to tie the score 34-34 with 6:32 left, then another runner and a layup with 3:06 left to give the Thunderbolts a 38-37 advantage. Jamal Trammell added a basket with 2:30 left to make it 40-37.
Springfield got its final points on a layup from Rob Moss with 22 seconds left, and the Wildcats had another opportunity when Northmont’s Devin Carter missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity with 19 seconds left.
But the Thunderbolts stiffened their defense in the post and forced Springfield to pass the ball along the perimeter to the corner, where the Wildcats were unable to get a decent shot.
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