No. 2 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller Cruises Past No. 1 Solon, 83-65, for Fourth State Title

Moeller’s suffocating defense leads to first boys basketball state title since 2007

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — After falling short in the Division I state championship game a year ago, No. 2 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller defeated No. 1 Solon 83-65 to win the 2018 OHSAA Division I boys basketball state title Saturday night at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

It’s the Crusaders’ fourth boys basketball state title and first since 2007.

In the first Division I state final meeting of the Associated Press No. 1 and 2 teams since Columbus Northland and Cincinnati Princeton in 2009, Moeller (27-3) started on a 6-0 run and never relinquished the lead to Solon (27-2) for the rest of the game.

The Crusaders held Solon to just 21-of-61 shooting as a team, including 9-of-38 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Crusaders were ultra-efficient from the field, shooting nearly 71 percent.

“We knew we were going up against a great team, and the film showed us that we were going to have to play a solid game on both ends, and we did just that,” said Moeller head coach Carl Kremer.

Moeller finished with four players with 14 or more points. Senior Jeremiah Davenport finished with a team-high 22 points and added eight rebounds and five assists. Senior First Team All-Ohioan, Jaxson Hayes, and juniors Alec Pfriem and Miles McBride all finished with 14 points for the Crusaders.

First Team All-Ohioan, senior Sincere Carry, led Solon with a game-high 27 points. Senior guard Ryan Bergen was the only other Comet to score in double digits, finishing with 10 points. Solon was making its first appearance in the boys basketball state tournament in school history.