DAYTON, Ohio — R.J. Greer scored a game-high 24 points as Kettering Archbishop Alter beat Youngstown Ursuline 73-37 to send the Knights to the state title game in the OHSAA Division II boys basketball state semifinal at UD Arena on Saturday.

What You Need To Know

  • R.J. Greer scored a game-high 24 points as Kettering Archbishop Alter beat Youngstown Ursuline 73-37 to send the Knights to the state title game in the OHSAA Division II boys basketball state semifinal at UD Arena on Saturday

  • The Knights (21-7) are heading back to the state championship game for the first time since 2003
  • The Knights shot 53.8% and forced eight turnovers in the first quarter

  • Watch the recorded game here
OHSAA High School Basketball

The Knights (21-7) are heading back to the state championship game for the first time since 2003.

“We hit a lot of shots tonight. Our defense was locked in and I couldn’t be more proud of how my team played,” Kettering Archbishop Alter Head Coach Eric Coulter said “We’re dialed in right now.” 

Kettering Archbishop Alter opened with a 6-0 lead and jumped ahead 14-2 after the first 4:28.

The Knights shot 53.8% and forced eight turnovers in the first quarter.

Youngstown Ursuline (24-3) bounced back in a strong second quarter. The Irish outscored Kettering Archbishop Alter 18-13 and got eight points from Jaylen Gunther to narrow a 16-point deficit down to 11 at halftime.

Greer and Joe Brand combined for 19 points in a 29-point third quarter as the Knights stretched their lead to more than 30.

Brand finished with 17 points, and Brady Conner contributed 10.

The starting five from the Youngstown Ursuline High School boys basketball team wait for introductions before the OHSAA Boys State Tournament semifinal at UD Arena on Saturday. (Spectrum News 1/Jacob Benge)

“The biggest word that we’ve been stressing all playoffs is composure,” Greer said. “I think we’ve had our best practices in the playoffs as well. Really taking care of what we need to do and focusing on the next game, and this has been our goal ever since.” 

Youngstown Ursuline entered the game having won 12 straight and 18 of its last 19. It was the Irish’s second appearance in the state semifinals in program history.

Gunter and Jaden Payne, who is committed to Malone University, each scored 11 points.

“I just thought tonight the lights got big, and we were a little bright eyed and didn’t follow the game plan,” Youngstown Ursuline head coach Keith Gunther said. “When you come out of the gate and a team like them starts hitting 3s right out the gate and your game plan is to take away the 3 line, it makes it pretty tough.”

Kettering Archbishop Alter will play the winner of Shelby-Zanesville Maysville in the Division II final on Sunday at 5:15 p.m.

Related Stories