Westerville North, New Albany to Play for Basketball Regional Title

Three central Ohio boys basketball teams secured OHSAA regional final berths with semifinal wins on March 10.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 10:04am

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The Westerville North boys basketball team defeated Westerville South 71-52 in a Division II regional semifinal, while New Albany beat Licking Heights 44-40 to advance to the Region 7 final. In Division III, Watterson defeated Marietta 52-42 to reach the Region 11 final against Steubenville.

Why it matters

The regional finals represent a crucial step for the teams in their pursuit of a state championship. Westerville North is the defending Division II state champion and is seeking a return trip, while New Albany and Watterson are looking to reach the state tournament for the first time in several years.

The details

In the Division II regional semifinal, Westerville North received balanced scoring led by junior Tony Cornett's 20 points. The Warriors pulled away in the second quarter and built a big lead in the second half. New Albany rallied from a halftime deficit, using a strong defensive effort and clutch shooting to defeat Licking Heights. In Division III, Watterson and Steubenville both won close games to advance to the regional final.

  • The Division II regional final between Westerville North and New Albany will be played on March 14 at 2 p.m.
  • The Division III regional final between Watterson and Steubenville will be played on March 14 at noon.

The players

Westerville North

The defending Division II state champion, seeking a return trip to the state tournament.

New Albany

A team looking to reach the state tournament for the first time in several years.

Watterson

A Division III team that advanced to the regional final with a win over Marietta.

Steubenville

A Division III team that defeated Hartley in overtime to reach the regional final.

Tony Cornett

A junior who led Westerville North with 20 points in the regional semifinal.

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What they’re saying

“Our kids play the right way [and] our kids play really hard. When you play the right way and play really hard, we get those bursts with the basketball. Somewhere along the line, we'll get a burst and we'll go on a run, we'll give ourselves some separation and the kids get confidence.”

— Shan Trusley, Westerville North coach

“We talked about being a little bit more solid, not coming unglued. We have a tendency sometimes when things go a little bit south, we kind of pull apart. We have to stay together. It's a long game. If we just stay together and keep fighting, we'll have a good shot.”

— Tim Casey, New Albany coach

What’s next

The winners of the Division II and Division III regional finals on March 14 will advance to the state semifinals in Columbus.

The takeaway

The regional finals represent a crucial step for these central Ohio boys basketball teams in their pursuit of a state championship. Westerville North, the defending Division II champion, is seeking a return trip, while New Albany and Watterson are looking to reach the state tournament for the first time in several years.