“Tipp is known around the area and the state about girls athletics in general and including basketball,” Tippecanoe head coach Brett Kopp said. “... It’s one of those things that should be celebrated. It’s not just these girls, it’s the family members of these girls who went through here and put their blood, sweat and tears into every win and so it’s cool for them.”
The Red Devils have been one of the most consistent programs in the state since the 1980s. Tipp has reached two state final fours and has multiple regional berths. Long-time head coach Tom Rettig led the program for 26 years from 1982-2005 and accounted for 342 wins.
This year’s run to 22 wins ties the most for the program since the 2020-21 season.
Its next game against No. 1 Western Brown on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Lakota West High School will be a chance for the program’s first district title since 2018.
“I think everybody needs to say ‘thank you’ for the past,” Kopp said. “I’ve been part of past programs that have some success, and it’s like, sometimes thank you is all you need.”
“It sounds minimal, but especially after this week, some things that seem small mean the most,” he said in reference to the ongoing investigation of Ashley Flynn’s death in the Tipp City community which began last week.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
Fort Loramie was the first school in Ohio to reach 1,000 wins and has since been joined by Berlin Hiland.
Girls basketball was first sanctioned by the OHSAA 60 years ago.
Kopp, who earned District 9 Coach of the Year honors in his first season at Tipp, said he knows he has only been around for the culmination of the program reaching the milestone, but has seen how many former players left a legacy over the years and believes his current team embraces the opportunity to do so themselves.
“They’re great kids. They do everything the right way. This is just kind of icing on the cake in the tournament against your rival for the third time,” he said.
Tippecanoe (22-2) held Butler scoreless for the first six minutes of Wednesday’s game while beginning with a 10-0 run.
Butler (20-4) fought its way back into the game by halftime, but had to claw for every point it could muster as Tipp led 18-13 at the break.
The Red Devils began the second half with an 11-2 run to build a double-digit lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
“It can’t always just be one person’s night at a time and tonight it wasn’t,” Kopp said. “I thought Abbi [Mader] played well defensively and she had some open shots but when you have contribution from everywhere, kind of loosens the burden from her a little bit.”
Only three teams have scored at least 40 points against Tipp and none were Miami Valley League teams this season.
Tipp’s only two losses this season occurred with Mader, a sophomore and the team’s leading scorer, out due to injury and in her first game back.
Heading into this weekend, the next closest programs to joining the 1,000 win list are all likely a full season or more away: Pickerington Central (970), Lima Bath (967), Versailles (950) and Springboro (933).
Kopp said being associated with Fort Loramie and Berlin Hiland as the winningest programs in the state is a great feeling. He sees it happening because of not only his current team, but their siblings and friends that played before them to set the tone for Tippecanoe basketball.
“It’s a big deal that they get to share that one thing that maybe you don’t always get to with your siblings because of ages,” he said. “You may not get to play with each other on the floor, but now you are a bond of the 1,000 at Tipp City High School.”
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
Chaminade Julienne advances to district final
A fast start on both ends of the court quickly put the Eagles at ease.
Chaminade Julienne defeated No. 11 Franklin 73-39 in Wednesday’s first game at Springfield High.
“We were flying around and I thought that was something that we would have a little bit of advantage on is using our athleticism to maybe get some steals and maybe get some easy baskets,” CJ head coach Logan Allen said.
The freshman duo of Mychael Hanson and Ja’Kyian Cook again led CJ by combining for 37 points. Senior Janae Cain added another 11.
“You don’t really have to light a fire underneath them,” Allen said of his freshman stars. “It kind of always burns and they’re just competitors.”
CJ (19-4) is back in the district finals for the second consecutive season.
The Eagles led 15-1 in the first quarter before Franklin was able to score its first basket with 1:29 left in the quarter. The Eagles led by as much as 25 on the way to building a 37-15 halftime advantage.
Franklin found its footing after halftime but never made up ground. The Wildcats were led by 17 points by senior Olivia Truesdell.
CJ advances to play No. 6 Badin from the South section in Saturday’s district final at 1 p.m. at Lakota West High School where it will try and win a second consecutive district title.
“We know what comes with Badin and it’s always been that way since I’ve been here,” Allen said. “And we look forward to the challenge because one thing we know about Badin is they’re going to play hard.”
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