Burke’s team to face LaSalle in final

Associated Press

Columbus

Trey Burke, The Associated Press’ Mr. Basketball Ohio, had an off game but his Columbus Northland teammates picked him up in the 67-59 victory over Garfield Heights in a Division I semifinal on Friday.

Burke, who averages 23.6 points per game, had 15 points — six on free throws in the final two minutes — and was 4 for 17 from the floor.

At halftime he had three fouls and two points, but the Vikings (26-1) got 17 points and 10 rebounds from Devon Scott and 15 points by Jordon Potts.

Northland will face Cincinnati LaSalle tonight with a chance for its second title in three years.

Trey Lewis, who shared Division I player of the year honors with Burke, made 8 of 13 three-pointers and had 33 points, 21 in the second half, for the Bulldogs (24-2).

Cincinnati LaSalle 48 Toledo Central Catholic 46

Matt Woeste’s rebound basket with four seconds left gave Cincinnati La Salle the win in the other Div. I semifinal.

Brandon Neel, who had a game-high 23 points, drove the layup but missed a short jumper before Woeste came in from the left side for the quick put back.

Central Catholic (20-5), who was out of timeouts, threw the ball down court but was unable to get a shot off before the buzzer.

La Salle, a 1996 champion, plays for this year’s title on Saturday.

Central Catholic tied the score at 46 with 19 seconds left when Benjamin Dent made the second of two free throws.

Ryan Fleming had 11 points and Woeste seven for La Salle (25-2). Central Catholic’s Andrew Lehman scored 13 points and substitute Cliff Bussey added 11.

Division III Cleveland Central CAtholic 58, PORTSMOUTH 47

Anton Grady had 15 points in the third quarter to rally Cleveland Central Catholic into a lead it never relinquished in an Ohio Div. III boys semifinal.

Grady, the Associated Press co-player of the year for Division III who committed to Cleveland State, had 26 points, 22 rebounds and seven blocks.

The Ironmen (19-8) seek a second title in three years against Cincinnati Taft.

Grady capped the scoring with a thunderous dunk with seven seconds left to outscore Portsmouth 23-19 in the second half.

The Trojans had a 28-20 halftime lead, but Grady scored 11 points to put the Ironmen ahead 31-30 midway through the third quarter, and they extended it to 39-36 entering the fourth.

Marcus Jones added 14 for the Ironmen while Andrew Bendolph scored 15 for Portsmouth (21-5).

Cincinnati Taft 63, Columbus Africentric 50

Adolphus Washington had 15 of his 22 points in the second half to stave a rally by Columbus Africentric as Cincinnati Taft moved into the title game.

Africentric (18-8) opened the third period on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to five, but Washington responded with seven points of his own to make it 45-33 at the 4:50 mark.

The Nubians chipped away again and got to within 52-50 early in the fourth.

Three defensive stops by top-ranked Taft (25-1) sparked the 11-0 spurt to finish the game, with five points from Washington, the Associated Press Division III player of the year.

Teammate Jalen Lowe netted 16 points while Marquice Taylor had 21 for the Nubians.