Area girls’ basketball teams head to state

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

No Van Wert County girls basketball teams will compete in this week’s State Tournament, but three teams with area ties will play for state titles in three different divisions.

Western Buckeye League champion Ottawa-Glandorf (27-0) is hoping the third time is a charm.  The Lady Titans finished second in 2015, and qualified for the State Tournament last season.

The Division II poll champions will open the 42nd annual State Girls Basketball Tournament against second-ranked Kettering Archbishop Alter (25-2) at 1 p.m. Thursday.  The winner will play Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown or Washington Courthouse Miami Trace for the state championship at 10:45 a.m. Saturday.

Putnam County League champion and seventh ranked Ottoville (23-3) will play traditional power and poll champion Berlin Hiland (26-1) in the Division IV state semifinals at 8 p.m. Thursday.  That game will be preceded by defending state champion Waterford and Jackson Center. The winners will meet for the small school state championship at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Midwest Athletic Conference runner-up Versailles (24-3) will square off against Sardinia Eastern (25-1) in the Division III at 3 p.m. Friday, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s 5:15 p.m. state title game against Gates Mills Gilmour Academy or Columbus Africentric.

The Division I State Tournament will pit Canton McKinley against Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by poll champion Newark and 10th-ranked Toledo Notre Dame Academy. The winners will square off for the big school crown at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

All games will be played at Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus.