ASHLAND — Sunday’s tournament draw confirmed what north central Ohio basketball fans already knew.
The Ashland district is going to be a street fight.
Eight of the 12 teams in the district field have a winning record and another is just a game below .500.
“We know it’s going to be tough. It has been that way for years,” Mansfield Senior coach Marquis Sykes said after Saturday’s 79-74 loss to state-ranked Sandusky. “There are several teams that could win it.”
Sandusky (18-1) earned the No. 1 seed and will play either No. 8 Sandusky Perkins (10-8) or No. 12 Vermilion (5-14) for a sectional title at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Bucyrus. The Pirates and Sailors meet in a sectional semifinal at 6 p.m. Feb. 22 at Bucyrus.
Fifth-seeded Senior High (11-7) will play No. 9 Norwalk (9-10) in the sectional semifinal nightcap at Bucyrus on Feb. 22. The winner will meet No. 4 Bellevue (13-5) for a sectional title at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
The bottom half of the bracket is shaping up to be just as rugged as the top. Shelby (16-2) picked up the No. 2 seed while Lexington (16-2) is the No. 3 seed.
Both the Whippets and Minutemen have opening-round byes and will play in the sectional finals at Madison on Feb. 24. Shelby will play either No. 7 Ontario (11-7) or No. 11 Clear Fork (6-13), while Lex awaits the winner of No. 6 Willard (12-8) and No. 10 Galion (6-12).
Ontario and Clear Fork meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 22 at Madison. Willard and Galion play in the nightcap.
See the entire state’s boys basketball tournament brackets at this link.
Division I
Madison (9-10) picked up the No. 12 seed in the Lake District tournament and will play No. 10 Holland Springfield (13-5) in the sectional semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 at Genoa. A win would send the Rams into a sectional final showdown against No. 8 Toledo St. Francis (12-7) at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Genoa.
No. 17 Ashland (6-14) opens tournament play against No. 16 Toledo Bowsher (7-12) in the sectional semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 22 at Rossford. The winner will play top-seeded Toledo Whitmer (13-7) at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Rossford.
Division III
Firelands Conference champ Crestview (17-2) earned the No. 2 seed in the Norwalk district and will play either No. 6 Wynford (11-7) or No. 4 Genoa (14-4) in a sectional final at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Monroeville.
Wynford and Genoa meet in the sectional semifinals at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 at Monroeville.
Tenth-seeded Bucyrus (4-14) will take on No. 9 Northwood (4-14) at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at Monroeville.
Division IV
Colonel Crawford (14-5) earned the No. 1 seed in the Willard district field and has an opening-round bye. The Eagles will play either No 12 Plymouth (4-15) or No. 10 Sandusky St. Mary (5-14) in the sectional finals at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at Shelby. The Big Red and St. Mary open tourney play at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 at Shelby.
No. 4 seed Mansfield Christian (13-5) takes on No. 7 Norwalk St. Paul (8-10) at 6 p.m. Feb. 22 at Shelby.
Lucas (15-4) is the No. 2 seed and opted to play a sectional semifinal game. The Cubs take on No. 14 St. Peter’s (1-18) at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 at Crestview.
No. 11 Crestline (5-14) plays No. 5 Monroeville (11-8) at 6 p.m. Feb. 22 at Crestview. No. 9 Buckeye Central (6-13) plays No. 3 Seneca East (12-7) at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22.
In the Northeast district, Mapleton (10-8) is the No. 21 seed and will play at No. 19 Sebring McKinley at 7 p.m. Feb. 21. No. 26 seed Hillsdale (6-10 will visit No. 18 Elyria Open Door Christian at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 and No. 31 Loudonville (6-12) is at No. 14 Bristol at 7 p.m. Feb. 21.
