Summit Country Day falls to undefeated team in Division V boys basketball state semifinals
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Summit Country Day boys basketball team knew it would have a tough task against an undefeated squad from Gahanna Columbus Academy.
The Vikings, who have outscored teams by an average of 27 points per game, showed why they have a spotless record with a 63-51 win over the Silver Knights in the state semifinals of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division V tournament Friday night at Wittenberg’s Pam Evans Smith Arena.
Columbus Academy, 28-0, advances to next weekend’s state finals in Dayton. Summit finishes 17-8.
“Credit to (them)," SCD head coach Kevin Johnson said. “They’re a very physical team. They’re a little different than what we’re used to. They came very prepared. They were very active on the boards. They came out tough. We couldn’t respond as early as we would like.”
Summit Country Day vs. Columbus Academy final stats
The Vikings used their balanced talent and athleticism. Junior Jason Singleton, a first-team All-Central District selection averaging 13 points per game, had only 2 points in the first half and 8 for the game.
Theo Falkenhain, a 5-foot-10 senior, and the team’s second-leading scorer, scored 11 points in the first quarter on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting. He finished with 20 points.
Anderson Davis led GCA with 25 points and nine rebounds. He shot 7 of 10 from the floor and often guarded Summit Country Day star freshman Max Joiner.
L.J. Stocks led Summit with 21 points and six rebounds.
“They came out and they punched us in the mouth right from the gate,” Stocks said. “We’re not used to being in dogfights right from the beginning, so when they punched us in the mouth, we were kind of shell-shocked. It took us three quarters to get it together and compete, but by then it was too late.”
How Columbus Academy basketball pulled away from Summit Country Day
The Vikings charged past the Silver Knights from the opening tip.
M.J. Jackson, a lineman on the Vikings’ football team, used his strength and athleticism to help the Vikings outrebound the Silver Knights by 10 for the game. He dunked a shot to put CA up by 17 in the third quarter and ended with 6 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
The Vikings limited Joiner to 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting. His first basket came midway through the second quarter as Columbus Academy led by 13, 26-13, at halftime. He had three blocks.
GCA shot 53.7 percent from the floor and limited Summit to 37.5.
“It was physical,” Columbus Academy head coach Jeff Warstler said. “We thought that’s what this game would be, so when it got physical, we knew we were capable of playing a game with that style.”
Summit put on a 6-0 run in the third quarter to pull within 11.
A 3-point play by Singleton put the Vikings up 17 at 37-20 with 3:17 left in the third quarter.
Falkenhain made a layup to raise the lead to 16 at 42-26. Stocks scored a 3-point play to make it 42-29.
Jackson scored a layup to push the lead back to 15 at 44-29 heading into the fourth.
In the fourth, Columbus Academy started on a 6-3 run, with a layup by Falkenhain giving the Vikings their biggest lead of 18, 50-32.
Jackson scored another basket to push the lead back to 13 at 58-45.
Summit pulled within 10 at 59-49 with 1:35 to go on a basket by Cayleb Walters, his final one in a Summit uniform. He had 15 points, two assists, three steals and three rebounds. He made four 3-pointers in eight attempts.
“If you want to play a sport, losing happens,” Johnson said. “It was a great journey.”
Summit Country Day boys basketball senior salute
Silver Knight seniors are Cayleb Walters, Chike Anusionwu and Brayden Wolujewicz
“We got some talented guys,” Johnson said. “All year, we got production from different guys every day. We’ve got a lot of returning players and I think we have a chance to be back here next year.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Summit Country Day falls to undefeated team in DV state semifinals
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