Laurel takes down 4-time defending champs in Division IV girls basketball state semifinals

Tristan Williams hits game-winning floater with 2.2 seconds left in overtime to send Laurel to state championship game

Mar. 12, 2026 at 8:03pm

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Laurel senior Tristan Williams hit a spin-around floater with 2.2 seconds left in overtime to give the Gators a 56-54 win over 4-time defending state champion Purcell Marian in the OHSAA Division IV girls basketball state semifinals. The win sends Laurel to the state championship game against Bellevue on Friday.

Why it matters

Laurel's victory over the dominant Purcell Marian program, which had won the last four state titles, is a major upset and underdog story. The Gators avenged an earlier overtime loss to Purcell Marian earlier this season, continuing their "revenge tour" against teams that had previously defeated them.

The details

With the game tied 48-48 at the end of regulation, Laurel senior Tristan Williams missed two free throws that could have won the game. But in overtime, Williams redeemed herself by hitting the game-winning floater with just 2.2 seconds left to send Laurel to the state title game. Williams finished with a team-high 18 points, while her teammates Jordyn Meyer, Liv Schneider, and Reese Grammes also made key contributions down the stretch.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at the University of Dayton Arena.
  • Laurel and Purcell Marian had played earlier this season before Christmas, with Purcell Marian winning 62-61 in overtime.

The players

Tristan Williams

A senior at Laurel High School who scored a team-high 18 points, including the game-winning floater in overtime, to lead the Gators to the state championship game.

Jordyn Meyer

A Laurel player who knocked down four 3-pointers in the second half to keep the Gators in the game.

Liv Schneider

A Laurel player who hit two 3-pointers and scored 8 points, while also drawing a key charge late in the fourth quarter.

Reese Grammes

A Laurel player who hit three clutch free throws in overtime to help the Gators secure the victory.

David Meyer

The head coach of the Laurel Gators, who led his team to the upset win over the 4-time defending state champions.

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What they’re saying

“I knew the ball was going to me, and I knew that I had to finish it. I had already kind of screwed up, but that spin around floater, I work on that. I'm glad to see it work.”

— Tristan Williams, Laurel senior

“Three years ago, I'm not sure I could have calmed myself after that. At that moment, I was really down on myself, and it was my teammates, all of my teammates, and they said, 'We got you.' When my teammates said, we got you, with everything this team has been through, all the adversity we have been through, all the change and just everything that we've been through, when they said they got me, I said, 'OK, I got y'all.' I rode their backs into that last possession. It was them that picked me up.”

— Tristan Williams, Laurel senior

“It's really important to hit shots. But I also think it's even more important that Tristan keeps feeding it to us, even when we're not hitting it. And obviously I did not shoot well at all, and then I hit two pretty big 3s. That's what it's all about. When your moment is your moment, it's your moment, and my moment happens because of my teammates, because of Tristan.”

— Liv Schneider, Laurel player

What’s next

Laurel will face Bellevue in the Division IV state championship game on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 12:30 PM at the University of Dayton Arena.

The takeaway

Laurel's upset victory over the 4-time defending state champions Purcell Marian showcases the resilience and teamwork of the Gators, who rallied around senior leader Tristan Williams to secure the win. This "revenge tour" against teams that had previously defeated them has fueled Laurel's run to the state title game, where they will look to cap off an improbable championship season.