Ninth seed Cleveland Heights began mounting a fourth quarter comeback on third seed Medina in the Division I, Northeast 4 District Championship Game.
The game came down to one possession with three seconds left as Keyshawn Hall’s mid-range floater came up short to give Medina their second consecutive district championship with a 54-53 win over the Tigers.
Final! 🚨
Hall misses the shot at the buzzer! Medina wins 54-53 to earn their second straight District championship.@medinaathletics @GoHeightsTigers @LakeErieLeague @Ohio_GCC pic.twitter.com/hcIqm50WoL
— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) March 7, 2021
“Your gut just falls to the lowest part of your body that you can get to. Then, the elation sets in that we won another district championship,” Bees’ coach Chriss Hassinger describes the final shot.
Heading into the fourth quarter the Tigers trailed 47-38. It took an 11-5 run to pull them within one possession. But Medina’s star player Corey Tripp knew that the team must stay calm.
Smith-Johnson with a steal and Dunk makes it a 1pt game for Medina. 52-51 with 1:20 left.@medinaathletics @GoHeightsTigers @LakeErieLeague @Ohio_GCC pic.twitter.com/2mw8EgbEVc
— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) March 7, 2021
“We had to maintain our composure,” he said.
“Everybody had to stick together and we had to focus which was what we did.”
During the 11-5 run, Bees’ big-man Christian Howard produced points which included an and-1 off a triple team after getting an offensive rebound.
And-1 Howard off the triple team! 👀@medinaathletics @GoHeightsTigers @LakeErieLeague @Ohio_GCC pic.twitter.com/z0bw8gVnYG
— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) March 7, 2021
After the Tigers’ fourth quarter run, Tripp used his playmaking abilities to find Bryce Beech for a layup while under duress.
Tripp grind Beech for the layup.
Medina leads 54-51 with :35 left.@medinaathletics @GoHeightsTigers @LakeErieLeague @Ohio_GCC pic.twitter.com/fvkHYon3Cg
— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) March 7, 2021
Medina was well aware of the challenge Cleveland Heights brought, as the Bees won 56-55 earlier in the season in the Bee Hive.
“(Cleveland Heights has) so much talent,” Hassinger said.
“We knew it was going to be a dog-fight. We even said that it was going to be a one or two possession game going down the stretch”
Medina found themselves down early by conceding an 8-0 Tigers’ run to trail 15-11 at the end of the first quarter. Medina shot 40 percent from the field in the quarter.
Medina was put into a similar situation like they were in against Copley in their district semi-final game a few days prior. Hassinger’s response was to keep the team calm and it worked.
“Our kids just don’t panic,” he said.
“That’s what happened in Copley… We play good teams for a reason during the season, which is to get prepared for [a game like this.] I felt like we were really prepared.”
Medina responded with a 15-0 run at the end of the first quarter to the latter half of the second quarter.
Tripp throws it down for the Bees
10-0 run for the Bees.@medinaathletics @GoHeightsTigers @LakeErieLeague @Ohio_GCC pic.twitter.com/cTk9T7ttAf
— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) March 7, 2021
The run was also when Tripp got going and put Medina in control with a 25-19 halftime lead.
Tripp finished the night with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Huge Q2 for Medina.
15-0 run gives them a 25-19 halftime lead over Cleveland Heights.
Tripp goes coast-to-coast during the run.⬇️@medinaathletics @GoHeightsTigers @LakeErieLeague @Ohio_GCC pic.twitter.com/mVFH1LXfdD
— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) March 7, 2021
The success didn’t stop for Medina as they went on a 15-5 run to start the third quarter.
Medina is on a 15-5 run Q3. Picking up right where they left off from the first half.
They lead 39-27@medinaathletics @GoHeightsTigers @LakeErieLeague @Ohio_GCC pic.twitter.com/MaAkjuvSVF
— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) March 7, 2021
Cleveland Heights completes their season 11-11, 4-5 in Lake Erie League. The Tigers top scorers were E.J. Farmer (19 points), Hall (11 points), and Davon Smith-Johnson (10 points).
Other than Tripp, Howard (14 points) was the other Medina player to reach double-digit points.
Official scorebook for Medina's 54-53 Division I, Northeast 4 District Final win over Cleveland Heights.
Medina:
– C. Tripp 19 PTS
– C. Howard 14 PTSCleveland Heights:
– E. Farmer 19 PTS
– K Hall 11 PTS
– D. Smith-Johnson 10 PTS pic.twitter.com/kqYwieWBH0— Mark Perez-Krywany (@MarkPerezK10) March 7, 2021
Medina (17-6, 7-2 in Greater Cleveland Conference) advances to the Division II, Region 2 semi-final in Twinsburg High School. They will be matched up against 12th-seeded Hoover on Wednesday, Mar. 10.
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