WATCH: Powell’s 3 sends Centerville to state semis for 4th straight year

The future Xavier Musketeer in his future arena, sized up his look on the left wing, dribbled twice to his right, made a little step-back move, and swished a 3-pointer with eight seconds left to lift the unranked Elks to a heart-pounding 70-69 double-overtime victory over No. 1-ranked Cincinnati Moeller in the Division I regional final at the Cintas Center.

“I was missing a little bit, but I did not let that affect my confidence,” said Powell, who scored 20 points. “In that situation I was going for the win, so I just let it go.”

Elks coach Brook Cupps wanted the ball in Powell’s hands, but the first option didn’t work. So the Elks kept at it and Powell worked hard to get open.

“At first I didn’t think it was going in, but then I seen it splash, and I was like, ‘OK, JP, I see you,’” said senior center Baboucarr Njie, who had 15 points and 14 rebounds. “It was just a great shot.”

The Elks (19-8) also beat Moeller (26-2) 62-55 in January at home. They return to state for the fourth straight year at 8:30 p.m. Friday at UD Arena against No. 7 Toledo Whitmer, an upset winner over No. 3 Garfield Heights on a last-second shot.

“It just means a lot,” Powell said. “Me and my team have been through a lot this season, struggling a little bit. Then during the tournament, we picked it back up. So it really did feel good to have a good team win.”

Before the Elks could celebrate a fourth straight trip to the state semifinals, Njie had to defend a drive to the basket by Eric Mahaffey. Njie jumped straight up and Mahaffey’s left-handed shot hung on the rim before falling off.

“Our guys did a really good job of staying in the fight,” Cupps said. “Their goal for the year was celebrate us and love the fight, and that’s about as much as you can love the fight.”

Njie’s final stop added Powell’s final shot to Centerville’s tournament legacy under Cupps. In 2021, Tom House hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer against Moeller at Cincinnati Princeton to send the Elks to their first state tournament where they won their first state title. In 2022, House made a 15-footer from the same side of the floor as Powell’s shot to beat Fairmont in the regional semifinals.

If it seems like Centerville and Moeller are always in this position, that’s because they often are. The last time a team other than these two went to state from the Southwest District was 2016. Wilmington and Jarron Cumberland beat Moeller and Centerville in the regionals that year.

Before the final heroics, there were too many to mention in the fourth quarter and the first overtime. The Elks led 50-37 when Jamar Montgomery scored inside for two of his 16 points. Then Moeller turned up the defensive pressure all over the court. They forced turnovers, the Elks missed free throws and suddenly it was close.

Mahaffey made two free throws to tie the score at 54 with 10 seconds left. Njie’s 3-point shot at the buzzer bounced off the rim to force overtime.

“We got a little comfortable, we started being too passive,” Cupps said. “It’s a tough environment playing in the regional finals against a really, really good team. And every possession matters.”

The rattled Elks fell behind 63-57 with 1:47 left in the first overtime. But Moeller missed four free throws and the Elks came back, making six of eight free throws. Eli Greenberg’s final two with 23 seconds tied the score. Njie’s interior defense stopped Moeller to force the second overtime.

The Elks had one thing left to do.

“Going out in the second overtime, I said, ‘Go win the game — don’t try to not lose it,’”Cupps said. “‘Go win the game. If we lose, lose it trying to win the game.’”