All 10 local high school girls basketball programs entered the 2023 OHSAA Girls Basketball Playoffs and there is one team standing, as sectional competition reaches the final round. In Division IV, Region 15 play, Mount Gilead continues on, as Danville fell one game short of the finals.
No. 4 Mount Gilead 43, No. 1 Berne Union 38
The storybook season continued for No. 4 Mount Gilead (19-6) in the Division IV District Semifinal, and KMAC Player of the Year Madilyn Elson led the Indians to knock off previously undefeated No. 1-seeded Berne Union (25-1) 43-38 for a huge upset to advance to the district final.
Berne Union scored the opening basket to go up 2-0, and it was the only time in the game that Mount Gilead trailed. The Indians led 8-7 after one quarter and cruised into halftime with a 21-17 lead over the Lady Rockets.
Each team scored nine points in the third quarter, making it a 30-26 game going into the final frame. The fourth quarter went back-and-forth, with Berne Union staying close, but the Indians refused to let them get the upper hand. Mount Gilead outscored the Rockets 13-12 down the stretch to complete the upset victory. The win continues the torrid pace the Indians have been on late-season, and increased their school-record total of season wins to 19.
“We trailed 2-0 and led the rest of the way,” said Mount Gilead Athletic Director Jack Bault. “Madilyn (Elson) gave us a scare by picking up her fourth foul early in the third and having to sit the remaining time. The bench really stepped up in her absence.”
The star senior guard (Elson) led the Indians with a team-high 14 points. Elson won the KMAC Player of the Year award for a good reason, as she was consistently a leader for the first-place Indians all season. She ended the regular season second in scoring in the conference at 13.4 points per game with 294 points in 22 games. She was seventh in assists with 2.2 per game and second in steals with 3.0 per game.
Mount Gilead's Aubrey Thomas scored 11 points and Candace Millisor added 10 points. Millisor was recently named All-KMAC honorable mention.
Mount Gilead basketball coach Nick Vukovich, who was recently named KMAC Coach of the Year, said this win was impressive for many reasons, one of which was that they did it with role players, as regular starters Ava Baker and Faith White are out with injuries. White was recently named second team All-KMAC.
“The girls just believe in everything we're doing right now, and as we keep clawing our way back, we keep staying in these games,” Vukovich said. “They believe. And the more they believe, the more dangerous we become. We made some big shots throughout the game.”
The upset was especially huge as Berne Union is a perennial powerhouse squad that was the No. 3-ranked team in Division IV Ohio, and also a No. 1 seed in the tournament. Elson told the media in a postgame interview that the team did well not panicking. She said it was all about staying calm, no matter what happened. Elson said they needed to be physical, play smart and play to their strengths. She said putting Millisor on the tallest girl on the Rockets was the right move, and paid off.
“We really had nothing to lose, and they have everything to lose,” Elson said, adding that she was excited to be able to give her team a chance to win their first district title.
No. 4 Mount Gilead moved on to play No. 3 Fisher Catholic (21-5) Feb. 24. Details were unavailable at press time. The winner will move onto the regional semifinals on March 2, at Pickerington North High School.
Previous to this win, Mount Gilead beat No. 15 Morral Ridgedale 44-24 and No. 5 Groveport Madison Christian 61-15.
Berne Union got to the semifinals having previously defeated No. 17 Westerville Northside Christian 53-13, No. 12 Millersport 50-12 and No.8 Lancaster Fairfield Christian 47-6.
No. 3 Fisher Catholic 70, No. 6 Danville 40
Danville (11-12) fought hard all year to get to the Division IV District Semifinal, but No. 3 Fisher Catholic (21-5) proved to be a formidable opponent and handed the Blue Devils a 70-40 loss.
The game was tight to start, with Danville trailing 16-14 after one quarter, with Ella Proper and Kylee Hess leading the Blue Devils with six points and five points, respectively. It remained a close battle throughout the second quarter and at halftime, the Irish held a 28-26 lead. Hess scored 10 points in the first half for Danville.
Fisher Catholic began to wear down the Blue Devils in the third quarter and took a 48-34 lead. Danville could never recover and was outscored 22-6 down the stretch, suffering the 30-point loss. Jaylyn Workman scored seven points in the third quarter for the Blue Devils.
“Tonight we ran into a very talented Fisher Catholic team,” said Danville girls basketball coach Matt Proper. “We played a tough first half, but the game got away from us in the second half. (I am) proud of the girls and the work they put into this season."
Hess had 12 points with a pair of threes in the game for Danville. Workman also scored 12 points and drained one three. Proper scored eight points with a pair of threes, Broegan Staats scored five points and Erin Crider rounded out the scoring with three points on a shot from downtown.
Fisher Catholic moved on to the district finals to face No. 4 Mount Gilead, who just knocked off top-seeded Berne Union in the semifinals.
Previously during this playoff run, Fisher Catholic blew out No. 16 Patriot Prep Academy 72-6 and No. 7 Delaware Christian 67-17.
