Lakota East finished 10-13, a record that Wallace insists doesn’t tell the story of who the Thunderhawks became by season’s end.
“You don’t have teams without those kind of kids,” Wallace said of his seniors. “Everybody knows Bella’s name, and she’s gotten great recognition, and she’s been a good basketball player. But the other three have just been tremendous leaders for us. That’s important for everybody to understand.”
Sturgill — a Flagler College (Fla.) commit — did her part one final time, pouring in a game-high 20 points and helping Lakota East outrebound Walnut Hills 31-27. The Thunderhawks jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the opening five minutes and carried a 10-6 edge into the second quarter.
They still held control at halftime, leading 17-15.
But the Eagles’ defensive pressure gradually shifted momentum.
A 10-0 Walnut Hills run in the third quarter flipped a two-point Lakota East advantage into a 29-27 deficit entering the fourth. The Eagles never surrendered the lead the rest of the way, avenging little from the Thunderhawks’ early poise and repeating last year’s postseason outcome — another Walnut Hills win that ended Lakota East’s season.
“We had a great game plan,” Wallace said. “I thought our defense, our focus and our prep was fantastic. But the amount of pressure they put on the ball — I was very handicapped with which players I could put out there to survive that. Credit to Walnut Hills. They made our lives miserable.”
The Thunderhawks turned the ball over 16 times — 10 more than the Eagles — and struggled to generate clean offensive looks against Walnut Hills’ relentless ball pressure.
“We complained about a lot of contact, but they played really good, tough defense with their hands out, running full speed,” Wallace said. “When push came to shove, I was impressed with Walnut’s ability to stay positive and find a way to get buckets.”
While Sturgill’s scoring headlined the stat sheet, Wallace was quick to shine the spotlight on his other three seniors.
“I’ve got to start with Macey Hill,” Wallace said. “She’s the most unsung senior we’ve had in a long time. Nobody knows Macey’s name. She’s not on most scouting reports. She’s not getting all-district or all-GMC honors. But she knows every set, every defense, every read, every pass. She knows every one of her teammates. She’s one of the greatest kids I’ve coached, and she gets no recognition for that.
“I couldn’t take her off the court. You can’t win without her.”
Weaver and Jividen, Wallace said, brought the same consistency.
“Hannah and Madison have put their heart and soul into our program,” Wallace said. “They show up every day, work their tail off, come with a smile and have been great teammates.”
Weaver delivered one of the program’s emotional highlights on Senior Night last Saturday, drilling a late 3-pointer to secure a 55-52 win over Colerain.
“What a culminating moment for her,” Wallace said. “Madison didn’t get that kind of moment, and Macey still won’t get that kind of recognition in the moment, but they both had great careers here.”
Lakota East’s season followed a similar arc. The Thunderhawks played a demanding schedule early, absorbing four straight losses. But they won seven of their final 10 games.
“There’s no cake walk anymore,” Wallace said. “You jump straight into a district semi. Our record doesn’t show the quality of basketball team that we are. We were winning half that game against a five seed. We’re a top team in the city — our record doesn’t show that, but we absolutely are. Our kids, our parents and our program understand that.”
Mason 40, Oak Hills 38
Anna Habra scored 25 points and No. 6 Mason held off a late push to defeat No. 9 Oak Hills 40-38 in a Division I district semifinal Monday night at Fairfield.
The Comets (15-9) advance to face top-seeded Fairmont on Saturday at Fairborn, with the game time to be determined. Mason has now won four of its last five games.
Habra, a senior, carried the offensive load for the Comets, shooting 7 of 15 from the field, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range, and converting 8 of 9 free throws. She accounted for more than half of Mason’s points in a game where every possession proved critical.
“In-conference opponent, who knows us well, and obviously we got a good idea what they want to do,” Mason coach Gideon Dudgeon said. “And our games, we’re always tough with them. But a win’s a win — survive and advance.”
Mason led 8-5 after one quarter before Oak Hills (12-11) surged in the second, outscoring the Comets 16-11 to take a 21-19 halftime lead. Ava Kammerer scored 12 points to lead Oak Hills, while Bella Dehner added 11.
The third quarter proved decisive. Mason tightened defensively, holding Oak Hills to just four points in the period while putting together an 11-4 run to reclaim a 30-25 advantage entering the fourth.
Addy Bianchini anchored the defensive effort with 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. Brooklyn Meinberg added two blocks as the Comets finished with eight as a team, helping offset Oak Hills’ 45.7% shooting from the field.
Habra’s free throws down the stretch helped Mason withstand a 13-point fourth quarter from Oak Hills. The Highlanders had a chance in the final minute, but Mason’s defense held firm.
Mason has navigated the season without three players lost to ACL injuries, forcing younger contributors into expanded roles.
“We’ve had some kids that were going to be in their rotation who needed to step up and start and play good minutes and have an impact to the game,” Dudgeon said. “The thing about our program that I appreciate, the kids who’ve been in Mason for a while, is we preach about dealing with adversity. So we don’t sit around and talk about it and feel bad. We certainly feel bad for those players, but we know we still got to represent the program as best as we can.
“If you’d have said, ‘Hey, you’re going to win 14, 15 games by losing three starters,’ I’d have told you you’re crazy. But it’s just a testament to our kids.”
Oak Hills shot 16 of 35 from the field but struggled at the free-throw line, converting just 2 of 6. Mason, meanwhile, made 15 of 19 from the stripe and held a 23-13 rebounding advantage.
The Comets now turn their attention to a district final matchup against Fairmont.
“District championships, they’re never easy,” Dudgeon said. “If you’re in that position to play, you’re one of the lucky ones because half the state isn’t playing. We’re just thankful to be there. There’s only one game, and anything could happen. They’re very talented. We’re just going to go play and see what happens.”
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