A decade after its first championship, Pickerington High School Central upset top-ranked Centerville to capture the Div. I boys basketball state crown Sunday at the University of Dayton Arena.
Fifth-ranked Pickerington Central (26-2) upset top-ranked Centerville (29-1), 55-48, snapping its 45-game winning streak to earn the second state championship in school history. The first came in 2012.
The Tigers’ leading scorer was junior Devin Royal who finished with 20 points, four rebounds and two assists while senior Josh Harlan had 11 points, and junior Gavin Headings added six points, three rebounds. Senior Alex Styles finished with four points, eight rebounds and six assists.
In order to reach the final game, Pickerington beat Lakewood St. Edward 74-42 in their semifinal on Saturday.
Royal led the charge for the Tigers with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
The Tigers held St. Edward to shoot only 32 percent from the field and eight percent from three-point range.
Pickerington collected 26 wins and just two losses on the season, falling to Newark and Reynoldsburg by a combined six points. The Tigers were the Ohio Capital Conference Buckeye Division champions.
Head coach Eric Krueger has led the Tigers since 2014.
In the girls tournament, Reynoldsburg (25-2) defeated Mason (26-3) to capture the Div. I title, 63-56.
The Pickerington Central girls team won a state title in 2018.
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