Brock Netter, Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
ATHENS — All year long, something special has been brewing in Racine.
Tornado pride has been higher than ever. It’s understandable, considering how incredible this basketball season has been.
20-plus wins, a TVC championship dripping in gold and Southern just keeps adding to the trophy case.
Riding a pesky second half defense, alongside an opportunistic offense, the Tornadoes (22-2) knocked off Notre Dame by a 45-37 final in a Division VII district final — claiming the program’s first district title since 2009.
CREDIT: Raymond Gleadle/SOSA
“These kids had given such a great effort all season, and it’s special to see it rewarded in this type of fashion,” Southern coach Jeff Caldwell said. “It’s been 17 long years, and I’m so happy for our community and these kids. It all started back in the summer with these guys traveling for team camp at Marietta and you could tell these guys wanted to be really good.”
Andre Chandler scored to open the game for Southern, and that was the lone field goal of the game throughout the next five minutes.
Notre Dame’s Archie West broke the drought with a pair of buckets, only for Reed Brinager and Kase Nelson to match on the other end. ND’s Jaxon Stombock then scored to end the frame, putting the Titans ahead 8-7.
ND’s Zion Boerger scored on a rebound and put back, but Southern answered with a triple from Chandler and jumpers from Brinegar and Rece Johnson for an 8-0 run, giving the Tornadoes a 15-10 lead.
Southern kept its foot on the gas as Nelson, Brinager and Johnson all scored to end the first half, giving them a 21-15 advantage at the break.
“Being that it was a six-point game at halftime, we knew it was going to be a grind-it-out type of game where every possession is more important than the next one,” Caldwell said. “It all came down to defense, and we felt that as long as we continued to play with the type of effort we did in the first half, we could eventually stretch the lead.”
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Chandler and Brinager continued to hit shots, while Jack Wickline scored inside as they slowly began to pull away in the third, extending their lead to 29-21 before topping out at 33-23 going into the final eight minutes.
The Tornadoes’ defense was stellar in the third as well, forcing seven turnovers.
“We know we have really good offensive players, but it’s being really good on defense that has gotten us where we are,” Caldwell said. “They strive everyday to be better defensively, since that is what wins championships. That third quarter was a great example. We didn’t shoot a very high percentage from the field, but when your defense can lock down the way we did, it certainly takes a lot of pressure off to just play the game.”
With the lead in double digits, Notre Dame (18-6) attempted a late push to climb back into the game, but the attempt was much too late.
The Titans eroded the lead to eight, but Luke Edwards buried a triple to open the fourth for Southern before Chandler scored in transition, extending the lead to 38-23 before the Tornadoes coasted to their first Sweet 16 appearance in 17 years.
“We didn’t make a ton of 3’s tonight, but Lane hitting that first one was huge. That was much-needed at that moment,” Caldwell said. “It takes a special group of guys to come together to make a season like this happen. But I know how they are. While yes, they’ll enjoy this one for a little bit, they’re chomping at the bit to get ready for the next one and play in the Sweet 16.”
Brinager finished the night with 15 points and eight rebounds, followed by Chandler with 11 points, four rebounds and four assists.
West finished with eight points for the Titans.
Southern returns to action at 6 p.m. on Thursday in a Division VII regional semifinal against Malvern, who beat Hannibal River in the East District to advance.
That game will happen at Ohio Dominican University.
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