high school BOYS basketball | Friday’s OHSAA state semifinals

DIVISION I

Lakewood St. Edward 89, Cleveland East Tech 64

COLUMBUS

First-team all-stater Kipper Nichols scored 25 points and Lakewood St. Edward (25-2) shot 72 percent from the field in a victory over Cleveland East Tech, 89-64, at Ohio State’s Value City Arena. St. Edward, ranked No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll, will try to win its second state title in Saturday’s final. The Eagles led 43-23 at halftime and made 17 of 22 field goals (77 percent) in the second half. Darien Knowles added 14 points for the winners. Anthony Carmon led the Scarabs (23-5) with 16 points while Johnell Free added 15. East Tech, which was making its 11th trip to the final four but first since 1972, made just 39 percent of its field goals and lost the rebounding battle 37-20.

Upper Arlington 74, Trotwood-Madison 49

COLUMBUS

Senior Kevin Vannatta scored 25 points as Upper Arlington defeated Trotwood-Madison at Ohio State’s Value City Arena. The unranked Golden Bears improved to 27-1 and will meet Lakewood St. Edward (25-2) in Saturday’s final. St. Edward was No. 3 in the final Associated Press poll. Upper Arlington used an 18-0 run to turn an early 12-6 deficit into a 12-point lead. Vannatta had eight points in that stretch. Logan Richter had 14 points and Danny Hummer 10 points and 10 assists for the winners. The Golden Bears had not made a state title game since 1937. Dazhonetae Bennett placed the fifth-ranked Rams (25-3) with 23 points. Bennett and Vannatta were both first-team all-staters.

DIVISION III

Cleveland VA-SJ 55, Columbus Bishop Ready

COLUMBUS

Brian Parker had 17 points to help defending champion Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph pull away at Ohio State’s Value City Arena. The Vikings (22-7) advanced to play for its sixth state championship in Saturday’s title game. Ready (21-6) trailed 40-35 after Kelly Culbertson hit a three-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer but Parker, a co-player of the year, scored the first six points of the fourth to start a 12-0 run to make the score 52-35 for the second-ranked team in the final Associated Press regular-season poll.

Lima Central Catholic 63, St. Bernard Roger Bacon 44

COLUMBUS

Martyce Kimbrough, an Associated Press co-player of the year, scored 19 points and Lima Central Catholic dominated the second half at Ohio State’s Value City Arena. The Thunderbirds (24-4) advanced to play Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph for its second state championship in Saturday’s title game. Central Catholic led 32-25 at halftime but built the lead to 26, 61-35, with three minutes left in the game as Roger Bacon (22-5) finished 12 for 39 percent from the floor. Xavier Simpson had 14 points and Tre Cobbs 13 for Central Catholic.

Associated Press