Hathaway Brown fell to Archbishop Alter, 58-41, in the 2017 Division II State Championship on March 18 at the Schottenstein Center.
The final score is a bit misleading, as Hathaway Brown was within single digits all the way up until the final minute, but Alter led the entire game.
The game got off to a rough start for Hathaway Brown, as the Blazers trailed 16-4 late in the fist quarter, before Jackie Carman hit a much-needed three to end Alter’s 8-0 run.
Hathaway Brown’s offense came to life in the second quarter, as the Lawson sisters got rolling.
Senior Dani Lawson and freshman Kaydan Lawson were able to help cut the deficit to five before halftime.
It was a game of runs like any basketball contest, but every time the Blazers started to inch closer, Libby Bazelak or Braxtin Miller picked up Alter with timely shots.
Many of Miller’s 10 field goals came with a Blazers defender contesting the shot and the ones that missed often landed in the hands of her teammates, who grabbed 12 offensive rebounds on the day.
Miller finished with a game-high 23 points, while Bazelak was right behind her, scoring 21 and dishing out six assists.
Alter’s ball movement was as crisp as one could expect from a team of seniors with three state championships under their belt, as they racked up 16 assists on 24 field goals.
To say that Hathaway Brown just ran into a tough team would be an understatement. Alter’s starting seniors finished their high school careers with a win-loss record of 115-5, appearing in four-straight state championships and winning the last three.
The legacy left behind by Alter’s seniors will forever go down as one of the best runs in Ohio High School Basketball history – boys or girls.
“I was reflecting about this game, about these kids, what they mean to our school and what they mean to each of us; It’s kind of hard to put into words,” Alter coach Chris Hart said after the game.
“But I think what they did today on the court kind of sums it all up. They played together, they looked for each other, and that’s what they’ve done for four years.”
The group has been playing basketball together since third grade and its resume speaks for itself. Hathaway Brown coach Mike Coreno knew his team had a tough task ahead of it heading into the final.
“We lost to a very, very good team, but I’m proud of the way the kids bonded together and we fought all the way until the end,” Coreno said.
“The score isn’t indicative of the fact that we played a single-digit game with a two-time state champ for three quarters and seven minutes. As sophomores, juniors and now as seniors, the five (Alter players) have played together… when you watch them play, they know where each other is every single cut, every single pass, and that continuity is something that we’re trying to get back here.”
Hathaway Brown will return most of its core in 2017-18, but losing senior Dani Lawson, who averaged a double-double on the season, leaves some big shoes to fill going forward.
Lawson scored 10 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked four shots in the state championship. Her coach reflected on what she’s meant to the school, as she wraps up a tremendous high school career and will move on to play college ball at Purdue.
“She’s irreplaceable,” Coreno said. “I’ve only coached her two years, but when people ask me about Dani… I’m looking at a state championship where we only played five kids, and again, she’s got a double-double. If we’ve been together 56 games, probably 48 of those she’s got a double-double.”
It doesn’t make the loss sting any less, and losing a special player like Lawson to graduation will be one of the biggest question marks heading into next year, but Hathaway Brown has plenty of reason to be optimistic heading into next season.
For one thing, Division II’s dynasty is graduating its core of players, who dominated Ohio for the last three years and reached the State Championship as freshmen.
Also, Kaydan Lawson scored a team-high 11 points in the loss. She’s only a freshman. Her older sister reflected on what this season has been like watching her grow en route to a state championship appearance.
“It’s a bittersweet moment, going on to the next stage to play college basketball. But being with my sister has been the best experience,” the senior said. “I spend every waking moment with my sister from the classroom to the dinner table to practice and I think I’ve helped her and mentored her through her freshman year, which has been a great opportunity for me. I wish her nothing but the best.”
Along with Kaydan Lawson, two other members of Hathaway Brown’s starting five include juniors Jackie Carman and Hanna Harlor, who played all 32 minutes in the state championship and are among the best players in Northeast Ohio.
It’s safe to say Hathaway Brown will be a force in 2017-18, too.
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