DeSales blown out by St. Vincent-St. Mary in Division II state championship - The Columbus Dispatch

DAYTON — DeSales couldn't have played a better first half.

Despite being overmatched on paper against Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary in the Division II state championship, the Stallions spent the first 16 minutes of the game playing without fear and led by five at halftime. Then the wheels fell off. 

The Fighting Irish outscored DeSales 26-9 in the third quarter to go from trailing by five to a commanding 12-point lead. The dominant quarter powered SVSM to its OHSAA-record ninth state championship as it went on to win, 72-50.

"We tried to eliminate easy shots, which we did a decent job of in the first half," coach Pat Murphy said. "We tried to take care of the ball, which we did a really good job of in the first half. Tried to eliminate second chances for them, which we did a really good job of in the first half. Tried to get to the rim and the free throw line, which we did a really good job of in the first half.

"I sound like a broken record. We were prepared. We just got beat by a better team, which happens sometimes."

Boys Basketball: DeSales press conference after Division II state final

DeSales boys basketball coach Pat Murphy (center) and players Austin Mann (left,) and Desmond Watson recap their loss in the Division II state final March 21.

Dave Purpura, ThisWeek group

It took the Fighting Irish (26-2) only two minutes, 13 seconds to flip the game on its head in the third quarter. They tied the score for the first time since the beginning of the game on a dunk from junior Sencire Harris early in the frame, and Ohio State basketball signee Malaki Branham put on a show for the rest of the quarter.

Branham already had 13 points at halftime, but the early minutes of the third showed he was just getting started. It was his hard drive to the rim that gave the Fighting Irish the lead, 35-34. It was his dunk that extended the lead to three. It was his made free throws that pushed the game even farther into SVSM's control.

By the end of the third quarter, Branham had 29 points. He finished with 37 and led all scorers. 

DeSales senior Des Watson went toe-to-toe with Branham for much of the first half and even had one more points than Branham after the first 16 minutes. But while Branham took off in the second half, Watson cooled down just enough that the game slipped out of reach for the Stallions (19-8). After scoring 14 points in the first half, Watson added just nine in the second.

Early in the fourth quarter, Watson attempted to slam home an alley-oop pass — the kind that he had been able to finish twice earlier in the game. This time, it didn't go, and seconds later, Branham finished on a nearly identical play. 

The sequence summed up the second half for DeSales. What had worked earlier, suddenly didn't, and what hadn't worked for SVSM suddenly did. And in the end, it was the Fighting Irish who were able to take advantage and come away with the gold trophy.

"That tall, silver trophy isn't what we came for tonight, but it'll feel better later," Murphy said. "It hurts right now."

bjohnson@dispatch.com

@baileyajohnson_

Boys Basketball: DeSales receives Division II state runner-up trophy

The DeSales boys basketball team receives its Division II state runner-up trophy March 21 at University of Dayton Arena.

Dave Purpura, ThisWeek group