COLUMBUS – Shelby’s quest to bring home the first boys state basketball title has reached the Final Four for the first time in school history.
The second-ranked Whippets (25-2) next step in the journey is Saturday’s Division II state semifinal clash with Zanesville Maysville (25-3) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the University of Dayton.
By the time coach Greg Galloway’s squad takes the floor, it will know who is waiting in Sunday’s 4:15 p.m. state title game should SHS get that far.
No. 9 Kettering Archbishop Alter (21-7) battles No. 4 Youngstown Ursuline (24-3), in the other state semifinal. That game takes place Saturday at 10:45 a.m.
The Whippets have already eliminated the state’s No. 1-ranked team. Shelby rallied from a 40-33 deficit early in the fourth quarter and ripped off a stunning 14-0 run to dismiss Lutheran West 55-46 in capturing the Bowling Green Regional championship on Saturday night.
Senior Alex Bruskotter, a Mr. Basketball finalist who is bound for Wright State next year, poured in 27 points, including a 15-of-16 performance at the free throw line to propel Shelby to the Final Four.
Senior Issaiah Ramsey added 11 points. Senior Casey Lantz played on a tender ankle but still contributed eight points, while sophomore Brayden DeVito chipped in six points.
Earlier in their tourney run, Shelby stoppeed third-ranked Lexington 62-52. That game served as revenge, reversing the Whippets’ 61-57 loss at Lexington on Dec. 30.
Shelby’s only other loss this season was a 67-63 loss to Division III Final Four participant Ottawa-Glandorf and Ohio State signee Colin White. In that epic duel, Bruskotter had 36 points and White registered 30.
Experience in those types of contests no doubt helped season the Whippets for their spectacular voyage to the state tournament. Gallaway’s squad will ride a 19-game winning streak all the way to Dayton.
No Shelby boys basketball team has ever advanced this far in the draw.
The previous best performance was when the 1957 Whippets, spearheaded by future Ohio State All-American and Boston Celtics’ NBA champion Larry Siegfried. That squad was knocked out when it reached the Elite Eight.
Shelby won the girls Class AAA state championship in 1983, when senior Jodi Roth pumped in 34 points to lead the Whippets to a 71-69 upset of undefeated and No. 1-ranked Barberton.
That verdict completed a 27-1 season for the Whippets under coach Ellen Lawrence.
Here’s a closer look at the rest of this weekend’s boys basketball state tournament.
Boys basketball state tournament
The 102nd edition of the Ohio High School Athletic Association boys basketball state tournament begins Friday at the University of Dayton Arena.
The Division IV and III semifinals are on Friday, followed by the Division II and I semifinals on Saturday. All four state championship games are on Sunday.
Public single-session tickets will go on sale Monday morning at www.OHSAA.org/tickets.
Spectrum will televise the Division IV and III semifinals on Channel 314 Friday. The Division II and I semifinals on Saturday and all four championship games on Sunday will be televised on Spectrum News 1.
The Spectrum broadcasts will also be available at ohsaa.tv and the Spectrum News App, https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/high-school-sports.
In addition, all 12 games will be broadcast by the OHSAA Radio Network at https://www.ohsaa.org/news/radio .
Boys state tourney pairings
All games at University of Dayton Arena. Home team listed first.
Pairings shown with current record and final Associated Press state rank.
Friday games on Spectrum Channel 314. Saturday and Sunday games on Spectrum News 1. All games available at OHSAA.tv and on OHSAA Radio Network.
Brackets and tournament coverage at: https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Basketball-Boys/Boys-Basketball-2023-24/2024-Boys-Basketball-State-Tournament-Coverage
Division IV
No. 10 Berlin Hiland (22-6) vs. No. 5 Lima Central Catholic (26-2), Friday, 10:45 a.m.
No. 3 Richmond Heights (17-9) vs. No. 2 Russia (27-1), Friday, 2 p.m.
State Championship: Sunday, 10:45 a.m.
Division III
No. 6 Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (23-4) vs. No. 1 Ottawa-Glandorf (24-3), Friday, 5:15 p.m.
No. 10 Camden Preble Shawnee (24-3) vs. No. 2 Cleveland Heights Lutheran East (21-5), Friday, 8:30 p.m.
State Championship: Sunday, 2 p.m.
Division II
No. 9 Kettering Archbishop Alter (21-7) vs. No. 4 Youngstown Ursuline (24-3), Saturday, 10:45 a.m.
No. 2 Shelby (25-2) vs. Zanesville Maysville (25-3), Saturday, 2 p.m.
State Championship: Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
Division I
No. 2 Cleveland St. Ignatius (24-3) vs. No. 6 Delaware Hayes (27-1), Saturday, 5:15 p.m.
Centerville (19-8) vs. No. 7 Toledo Whitmer (25-2), Saturday, 8:30 p.m.
State Championship: Sunday, 8:30 p.m.
Girls state basketball tourney recap
The OHSAA girls basketball state tournament concluded Saturday night at University of Dayton Arena.
State championships were won by Olmsted Falls in Division I, Cincinnati Purcell Marian in Division II, Columbus Africentric in Division III and Fort Loramie in Division IV.
Full coverage is available at: https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Basketball-Girls/Girls-Basketball-2023-24/2024-Girls-Basketball-State-Tournament.
Circle of Champions inducteees & award winners
Later this week, the OHSAA will announce this year’s induction class into the OHSAA Circle of Champions, along with other award winners who will be honored during the state tournament.