SALEM — Kirtland jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, defeating Oberlin 63-43 to capture the Division VI Northeast District 2 championship Saturday at Salem High School.
The Hornets wasted little time setting the tone, racing out to a 7-0 lead in the opening minutes and forcing an early Oberlin timeout. Kirtland’s defensive pressure and transition offense fueled the fast start and kept the momentum firmly on the Hornets’ side.
“We are a team that plays extremely hard, we want to force as much pressure as possible, and the kids were motivated at the start,” said Kirtland head coach Shawn McGregor. “We knew we had to take the fight to Oberlin because we knew that they played hard and trapped all over the place. We did a good job of executing our defense and getting out in transition and getting some easy looks.”
Ben DiFranco sparked the early run with five quick points, including an and-one that helped Kirtland build the early seven-point advantage.
Lucas Renfro extended the lead later in the first quarter, knocking down a 3-pointer before finishing a fast-break layup as the Hornets carried a 23-10 lead into the second period.
Kirtland continued to roll in the second quarter. Renfro buried another three from the corner and later assisted DiFranco, while AJ Runyan added a personal 5-0 run to help push the Hornets ahead 42-17 at halftime.
Oberlin trimmed the deficit to 51-33 by the end of the third quarter, but Kirtland quickly pushed the margin back to 20 in the fourth to secure the win and a second consecutive trip to the Sweet Sixteen at Canton Memorial Fieldhouse.
Known as the “Mecca” of Ohio high school basketball, the Fieldhouse holds special meaning for McGregor. Last season, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by coaching there as the Hornets captured a regional title and advanced to the Final Four.
“It gives me chills just thinking about it,” McGregor said. “There’s no better feeling than going down to Canton and playing. The experience there last year was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I can’t wait to experience that again. It’s a privilege to play in the Sweet Sixteen and at the Mecca. The coaching staff and players know how fond I am of that place. The players joked about it last year, but then they got there and experienced what it’s like to play there, with the atmosphere and history. I’m excited, the kids are excited, and we can’t wait.”
With several players returning from last year’s Final Four team, McGregor believes experience could play a key role in the regional matchup.
“Lucas had a great game down there last year. Ben played great basketball down there, too. When you get that type of atmosphere to play a basketball game, experience definitely counts,” McGregor said. “We’re a senior-laden team that expects to play hard, and if we play hard and do what we do well, I think we’ll have a chance to compete in the game.”
Renfro led all scorers with 20 points and added five rebounds. DiFranco recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds while also contributing four assists and a block.
Jake LaVerde filled the stat sheet with eight points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Mike Dumstorff added six points and five rebounds.
Danny Shafer, Ryan Caimi, and Runyan each finished with five points.
Top-seeded Kirtland will face former CVC Valley rival Grand Valley Mustangs boys basketball in the Division VI Region 21 semifinal at Canton Memorial Fieldhouse on March 10. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
