Jackson, Louisville, Tuslaw highlight 5 girls basketball OHSAA district semifinals to watch
The sectional champions have been decided and the Ohio High School Athletic Association girls basketball tournament begins to ratchet up the intensity as the district tournament begins.
Gone are the home games. Hello neutral sites. Some are close. Some are a long drive away. Many will feature talented local teams. Here are five district semifinals to watch Tuesday and Wednesday:
No. 9 Jackson (20-3) vs. No. 6 Avon Lake (19-4), Division I, at Medina High School
When: Tuesday, 6 p.m.
The matchup: Hard to make a list of top district semifinals without mentioning this one. The two highest-rated seeds in the Northeast 5 bracket meet in the semifinals. Jackson is led by three double-figure scorers — Megan Campbell (13.4 points per game), Maddie Lepley (11.8) and Ashley Lahmers (10.9). The Polar Bears can score in a hurry with their fast-paced attack. Jackson might find itself looking into a mirror against Avon Lake, which is known for a high-scoring offense. Marisa Summerfield and Izzie Polinko lead the way for Avon Lake. Both recently earned first-team honors from the Southwestern Conference. Both are lauded for their defensive ability, as well as their scoring.
No. 16 Louisville (16-8) vs. No. 18 Mentor (16-7), Division I, at Valley Forge High School
When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
The matchup: One of the largest schools in Division I takes on one of the smallest in this matchup. Everything else appears to be pretty even on paper. Louisville has the 1-2 potent scoring tandem of Brooke Haren (16.9) and Courtney Barwick (14.6). The pair are surrounded by a group of solid defensive players such as senior Lexi Wasara, whose contributions can be hard to quantify in a box score. Sophomore guard Nina Rodriguez and senior guard Mallory Chicone lead the way for the Cardinals. Rodriguez is an excellent shooter who helped fuel a 54-51 victory over No. 23 Green in a sectional final. This one could go down to the wire.
No. 18 Canton South vs. No. 10 Shaker Heights Laurel (14-10), Division II, at Nordonia High School
When: Wednesday, 6 p.m.
The matchup: Canton South draws one of the most intriguing matchups of the week. This will be a chance for local fans, who are willing to make a drive, to see Laurel sophomore Saniyah Hall in action. Hall is rated as the third-best sophomore in the country by ESPN's HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings. She already has more than 20 Division I college offers, including from USC. Hall averages 26.4 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. The Gators scored 180 points combined in their two sectional wins. They meet a Canton South team known for its defense. Sydney Comer (12.0) is a 5-foot-10 post with a good feel for blocking shots. Summer Hastings-Peterson (14.0) plays with a lot of energy and effort. Doriana Hastings-Peterson, who averages 8.3 rebounds a game, is also a tough player inside who limits opponents' second-chance opportunities.
No. 13 Tuslaw (18-5) vs. No. 3 Columbiana Crestview (24-0), Division III, at Cortland Lakeview High School
When: Wednesday, 6 p.m.
The matchup: Tuslaw upset No. 7 Columbia Station 54-50 on Saturday to set up this game. The Mustangs have perhaps the toughest draw of any team in the area and it gets no easier against an unbeaten Crestview team. Tuslaw is a team built for such a test. Destiny Dulkoski (20.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and Bre McCabe (13.9 ppg, 10.0 rpg) are nightly double-double threats who disrupt the offense of any team inside. McCabe is particularly physical and aggressive on defense. Loading up on McCabe and Dulkoski opens up Malia Mizeres to slash into the lane as well as creating open 3-point opportunities for Emma Rowbotham and Abbie Leedy. Both excel at taking advantage of limited opportunities when they present themselves. The Tuslaw defense will be challenged. The Rebels scored 199 points combined in their two sectional wins. Crestview brings height of its own to the table in 6-1 Luvrain Gaskins (16.5 ppg, 14.0 rpg) and 5-11 Addison Rhodes (21.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg). Both scored their 1,000th career points in a 107-6 win over Lake Ridge Academy in the sectional finals. You could argue this as being the best game of the bunch on paper.
No. 14 Central Catholic (10-14) vs. No. 8 Berlin Center Western Reserve (14-9), Division IV, at Grandy Valley High School
When: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
The matchup: Central Catholic has already upset No. 11 Wellsville on the way to reaching this game. Do the Crusaders have another upset in them? Overlook Central at your peril. The Crusaders play a difficult schedule against bigger schools and that experience plays a factor during this time of the year. Lily Belden (10.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg) has a good all-around game and leads the way for Central. But others have shown they are capable of stepping forward. The Blue Devils will have two talented post players in Lisa Eichert and Alyvia Hughes.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 Greater Canton OHSAA girls basketball district semifinals to watch
