Live updates: Fort Loramie defeats Waterford in OHSAA girls basketball Division IV state championship game
DAYTON, Ohio - Fort Loramie and Waterford meet up on Saturday morning in the OHSAA Division IV girls basketball state championship game at the University of Dayton Arena.
Fort Loramie comes in at 27-2 and advanced to Saturday's state title game with a 50-41 win over Convoy Crestview in the state semifinals.
Waterford enters the game 24-3 and defeated Loudonville 41-32 in the semifinals to get to to Saturday's championship.
The game is scheduled to tip at 10:45 am. Stay tuned at SBLive Ohio for live coverage of the game as it unfolds.
First quarter updates:
3:39 left 1Q: Avery Brandewie of Fort Loramie has six points and the Redskins lead 6-4 at the media timeout. Four of her six points have come in transition and the other basket came off a transition opportunity that turned into a foul. All six Fort Loramie points have come off turnovers. Kendall Sury has all four for Waterford. Sury will be at the line for two free throws after the timeout.
End 1Q:
Sury hit both free throws out of the media timeout and Victoria Mescher of Fort Loramie split a pair with 1:33 left to give the Redskins a 7-6 lead. Then another turnover by Waterford led to a transition basket by Brandewie. Sury answered with a lyup.
A Jaden Rose jumper with 19 seconds left gave the Redskins an 11-8 lead.
Nothing is coming easy for either offense, as the defenses are suffocating on every possession.
Second quarter updates:
3:58 left 2Q: Fort Loramie leads 15-11 at the media timeout.
After Waterford tied the game 11-11 on a 3-pointer by Avery Smithberger, Brandewie grabbed an offensive rebound and finished for the Redskins. The junior forward now has a game-high 10 points. A short pull-up jumper from Mescher made it 15-11.
Right before the timeout, Sury picked up her third foul for Waterford. She is the leading scorer for the Wildcats with eight points.
End 2Q: Fort Loramie has extended its leads to 20-11 at the half.
It was more transition offense for the Redskins, as two turnovers led to a baskets by Brandewie and Skyler Albers in the final 1:04.
The Fort Loramie defense has forced the Waterford offense into 14 turnovers so far, which has led to 10 fast break points. The Wildcats have only been able to get up nine shots.
Third quarter updates:
6:04 left 3Q: Waterford takes a timeout after back-to back baskets by Fort Loramie pushes the lead to 24-13.
Waterford started the quarter with a basket by Sury, but the Redskins responded with layups by Brandewie and Summer Hoying.
3:31 left 3Q: At the media timeout, Fort Loramie leads 26-13.
Waterford's 17 turnovers had led to 20 points for the Redskins.
End 3Q: Waterford looked to have momentum with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to nine, but Brandewie hit a banked 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Fort Loramie a 33-21 lead after 24 minutes.
A layup by Avery Wagner and then and And-1 for Sury and a pair of free throws by Elsie Malec provided the points for Waterford.
Fourth quarter updates:
3:45 left 4Q: Fort Loramie leads 35-24 at the final media timeout.
FINAL: Fort Loramie wins 42-29 to take home its fourth state title and first since 2021.
Avery Brandewie led the Redskins with 17 points while Kendall Sury led all scorers with 19 for Waterford.
Stay with SBLive Ohio for a full recap of this game.
The scoreboard at the University of Dayton Arena is ready for the Division IV state championship game between Fort Loramie and Waterford.
Ryan Isley, SBLive Sports
-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh
