Lima Senior claims 3rd straight City League boys basketball title

Spartans cruise past Start 84-50 in championship game

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Lima Senior High School's boys basketball team claimed its third straight City League championship with an 84-50 victory over Start High School on Thursday. The Spartans used a ferocious full-court press defense to go on a 21-6 run in the first quarter and never looked back, leading by as many as 28 points at halftime.

Why it matters

Lima Senior's dominance in the City League over the past three seasons highlights the program's strength and the challenges facing other teams in the conference to compete with the Spartans' talent and intensity. The win also marks another milestone in the team's quest for postseason success.

The details

Lima Senior jumped out to a 26-12 lead after the first quarter and extended it to 54-26 by halftime. Noah Simpson scored or assisted on seven straight points to spark the early run, and Willie Foster's one-handed dunk off a steal capped the Spartans' strong start. Lima Senior controlled the boards 53-35 and forced 13 of Start's 19 turnovers in the first half. The Spartans shot 41.9% from the field, 32.1% from 3-point range, and 74.2% from the free-throw line, while holding Start to 32.8% shooting overall and just 16.7% from deep.

  • Lima Senior joined the City League in the 2023-24 season.
  • In 24 City League regular season and tournament games since joining, Lima Senior is 23-1, with its lone loss coming early in its first season.
  • The Spartans' average margin of victory in their 8 City League games this year was 50.5 points per game.

The players

Quincey Simpson

The head coach of the Lima Senior boys basketball team.

Noah Simpson

A player for Lima Senior who scored or assisted on 7 straight points to spark the Spartans' early run.

Willie Foster

A player for Lima Senior who had 14 points and 10 rebounds, including a highlight-reel one-handed dunk off a steal.

B.J. Raymond

The head coach of the Start High School boys basketball team.

J'Kiah Jefferson

A player for Start High School who scored a game-high 20 points and had 7 rebounds.

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What they’re saying

“Any time you can get a championship of some sort, you don't take that for granted. This is an opportunity that we can get, one more goal marked off, so we don't take this for granted at all.”

— Quincey Simpson, Head Coach, Lima Senior (toledoblade.com)

“I don't think we played our best game again against them tonight, and it's a shame. I think we could have controlled the boards a little better.”

— B.J. Raymond, Head Coach, Start High School (toledoblade.com)

What’s next

Lima Senior is hoping to get star junior guard Shawn Foster back from an ankle injury next week as the team prepares for the postseason.

The takeaway

Lima Senior's dominant run in the City League over the past three seasons, including an average margin of victory of over 50 points per game this year, showcases the program's talent, depth, and relentless defensive intensity that has made them the clear class of the conference.