BOYS DIV. III Mayo sparks win in semis

Cincinnati North College Hill cruised to a 75-42 win over Loudonville.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBUS -- Mr. Basketball O.J. Mayo didn't disappoint in his first time on a statewide stage, scoring 21 points and adding nine rebounds and seven assists to lead Cincinnati North College Hill to a 75-42 win over Loudonville in a Division III state semifinal on Friday.
Second-team All-Ohioan Bill Walker chipped in with 15 points and 11 rebounds, most coming in the second half after everything but the final margin had been determined.
Loudonville's 6-foot-8 Kyle Gillette -- a first-year starter who came off the bench a year ago for the state semifinalists -- scored 27 points and had 19 rebounds.
Ten players scored and 10 grabbed rebounds for top-ranked North College Hill (26-1), making its second trip to the state tournament and first since losing to Akron Hoban 52-49 in double-overtime in the 1989 title game.
Title game today
North College Hill will play Ironton (26-0) in today's state championship game.
Mayo, a 6-6 sophomore, didn't score in the opening quarter as the Trojans barely led 12-9.
Things changed quickly, however.
Loudonville (22-4) remained close at first by focusing its defensive pressure on Mayo and Walker while allowing guards Darion Goins and Damon Butler to take wide-open jumpers.
But both players hit jumpers at the outset of the second quarter, creating a huge problem for the Redbirds. Wary of them hitting more shots, the defense shaded toward them and that opened up the floor for Mayo.
Breaks game open
He picked up his first basket on a rebound follow 2 minutes into the second quarter, then followed with a perimeter jumper and a 3-pointer on the next two trips down the floor. Suddenly the lead grew to 24-13.
Mayo's 12-foot jumper in the final minute gave the Trojans a 32-21 lead at the half and 11 points in the quarter.
At the same time, North College Hill had no answer for Gillette -- despite starters (all sophomores) who stand 6-6, 6-6 and 6-11.
Gillette controlled the boards and scored at will inside, hitting 7-of-9 shots and scoring 16 points with nine rebounds.
Ironton 70, Archbold 66
COLUMBUS -- Dennis Gagai and Chad Miller each hit two free throws in the final 16 seconds for Ironton.
The Fighting Tigers have won their last four tournament games by no more than six points.
Gagai, a special-mention all-state selection, led the Fighting Tigers with 23 points, hitting 5-of-10 3-pointers and all four of his free throws.
Another special-mention pick, Brigham Waginger, added 14 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Miller and Cliffton Howard each added 10 points.
Ironton was on top 62-53 with 3:26 remaining before David Borcherdt, who led the Blue Streaks (22-4) with 20 points, hit a 3-pointer and brother Dan Borcherdt followed with a foul shot to cut the lead to 64-60 with 90 seconds remaining.
Miller took a fullcourt pass from Howard for a layup to push the lead to 66-60 with 1:10 to go.
Dan Borcherdt, a first-team all-stater who otherwise had an off game, drilled a long 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining to cut the lead to three points.
Dan Borcherdt finished with 15 points but hit just 5-of-14 shots from the field and had 10 turnovers. Weldy added 11 points.