The Centerville Elks boys varsity basketball team has done it again! On Saturday night at the Cintas Center, the Elks won their third straight OHSAA Regional Title with a thrilling 64-53 victory over the Fairfield Indians. This game was a rematch of last year's Regional Final, and the Indians were determined to get a different outcome this time around.

The Elks got off to a solid start in the game, leading 10-9 at the end of the first quarter. They extended their lead to 25-20 by halftime, but Fairfield had controlled the boards and managed to stay in the game despite poor shooting in the first half. In the third quarter, the Indians got hot from the field and tightened the game. They even banked in a three-pointer at the buzzer to take the lead 41-40 heading into the fourth quarter.

Fairfield continued to extend their lead at the beginning of the final quarter, and with just 4:41 left in the game, the Elks found themselves trailing 46-48. But the Elks refused to go down without a fight. They dug deep, took control of the game, and outscored Fairfield 18-5 for the rest of the game to secure the victory and the Regional Title.

The Elks showed great resilience in the face of adversity, and their effort and determination paid off in the end. Their experience from the past two Regional Titles helped them stay calm under pressure and execute when it mattered most.

The Elks' victory was a true team effort, with several players stepping up and contributing in different ways. Jonathan Powell led the team in scoring with 21 points and Baboucarr Njie added 14 points. Gabe Cupps was held in check scoring wise but he did what he always does and affected the game in many other ways. Powell had a block on the defensive end, dunk on the offensive end followed by a steal on the defensive end during the crucial moments of the 18-5 run. Njie played his most complete all-around game of the season. Kyle Kenny, Emmanual Deng, Dulguun Gankhuyag and Collin O'Connor all played great defense in support of the win. Just a great team effort!

The Elks' head coach, Brook Cupps, praised his team's effort and character after the game. "I'm so proud of these guys," he said. "They never gave up, even when things weren't going our way. They stuck together, stayed focused, and stayed poised. It's a testament to their hard work and dedication."

With this win, the 25-3 Centerville Elks boys varsity basketball team advances to the OHSAA State Semifinals, where they will face Pickerington Central in the State Semi-Finals on Saturday March 18th at 5:15 Pm at UD Arena. Tickets for this game can be found at www.ohsaa.org/tickets.