GIRLS BASKETBALL Saturday’s state finals in Columbus

DIVISION I

Wadworth 60, Mason 51

Jodi Johnson scored 12 of her 28 points in the fourth quarter to lead Wadsworth to its second title.

The Grizzlies (28-1) last won in 1997 by also beating Mason in the final. Mason (26-3) was looking for its second championship after winning in 2000.

Mason trailed by 16 at the half and 37-30 after three quarters but slowly chipped away the deficit to pull to within 47-44 with four minutes left. Johnson scored the Grizzlies’ next seven points to keep them ahead 54-50.

Sophia Fortner made four foul shots in the final minute for Wadsworth to seal the win.

Lauren Van Kluenen had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Mason.

DIVISION II

Kettering Alter 74, Ottawa-Glandorf 48

Braxtin Miller scored 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Kettering Alter.

Libby Bazelak and Kara Stephenson each added 10 points for the Knights (28-2), who won their second consecutive state title despite having to replace stalwarts Emma Bockrath and Maddie Bazelak from the 2015 champs.

Erin Kaufman led Ottawa-Glandorf (26-3) with 12 points. Kylie White added 11 and Kadie Hempfling 10.

Hempfling left the game in the third quarter with a finger injury just as the Lady Titans got within four points. Kettering Alter went on an 8-0 run to close out the quarter and never looked back.

Miller scored 15 points in the third quarter and 12 more in the first five minutes of the fourth to help the Knights pull away. Ottawa-Glandorf finished as state runner-up for the second straight season.

The Knights, ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press Division II poll, set a record for points in a Division II championship game, besting Dayton Dunbar’s mark of 73 set in 1991.

DIVISION III

Col. Africentric 59, Marion Pleasant 37

Columbus Africentric (24-5) used a smothering press and forced 36 turnovers while winning its fifth state title. After trailing 23-19 at the half, they opened the third quarter on a 10-0 run. Kynnedy Azubike led a balanced scoring attack with 15 points while Leah Morrow had 12 points and Jordan Horston 11.

Kamryn Kimmel led Marion Pleasant (27-3) with nine points while Leah Maniaci and Summer Blevins had seven apiece. Africentric beat previously undefeated Ironton in the semifinals on Thursday.

The Nubians also won state titles in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2014 and lost championship games in 2008 and 2013.

DIVISION IV

Waterford 29, St. Wendelin 27

After losing in the championship game last season in its first state appearance, Waterford coach Jerry Close saw a resolve in his team the second time around.

He was rewarded when Megan Ball’s layup with 13 seconds to play gave Waterford its first title.

“They were determined to win the game,” Close said. “It didn’t matter if it was 2-1.”

At times, the game seemed headed to a single-digit winner because of missed shots for Waterford (28-1) and miscues by St. Wendelin, which committed 27 turnovers and was unable to avenge a semifinal loss to the Wildcats last season.

Ball led Waterford with 10 points and had six rebounds. Allie Rutter had 11 points for St. Wendelin.

Associated Press