FR seeks state berth

FORT RECOVERY - Brian Patch stood at mid-court at the end of practice Wednesday, his players surrounding him.

He asked them to believe in themselves, and perhaps even more importantly, believe in each other. He urged them to not just be happy to be in the regional championship game, but to have confidence that they can become the fourth team in school history to advance to the state final four.

"I think it comes down to us believing we can play," said Patch, whose Fort Recovery boys basketball team plays the Jefferson Township Broncos for the regional title Friday night. "We're definitely the underdog. There's no question about that.

"This is something that we don't just want to pass by and go out there and play scared.

"At this point, you play one game and you get a chance to go to state."

Heading into Tuesday's regional semifinal game, the Indians were focused on dealing with Lockland's in-your-face defense. Handling the pressure will be a concern against Jefferson as well, but another key will be how well they can deal with Payne.

Adreian Payne is the face of the Broncos.

The 6-foot-10-inch senior who will play at Michigan State next season averaged 15 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks during his junior season. He is rated as one of the best five centers in the country and among the top 25 high school players overall by most scouting services.

Payne has been limited somewhat as he has returned to the Jefferson squad after suffering a dislocated shoulder, but still came up with a key steal and a couple of clutch free throws in the closing moments of his team's 50-45 victory Tuesday over Fort Loramie in the regional semifinals.

"He's very long and athletic," said Patch. "He can shoot threes. He can put it on the floor a little bit. When he gets his back to the basket on the low-post block, there's no way you can defend that. ... We'll have to make his catches hard, and when he catches it we'll have to swarm him and make him kick it out."

Junior Cody Latimer, who is being recruited by Michigan State for football, is also a strong inside player for the Broncos while Joby Jackson is their leader on the outside. Jackson led Jefferson with 16 points Tuesday night.

Fort Loramie is the lone common opponent between the two schools this season. Fort Recovery beat the Redskins 59-47 in the Coldwater Classic in December.

"It gives us confidence," said senior Greg Kahlig of Jefferson's game Tuesday, in which the Broncos led by just one in the final 30 seconds before Payne came up with his steal. "They played Loramie, we played Loramie, and we both beat them. ... I think we're two even teams coming into this game. I think whatever team cuts down turnovers and plays better defense is going to win."

Jefferson enters the regional championship game with a deceptive 14-10 record. It actually won 19 games this year, but was forced to forfeit five victories for using an ineligible player. (The player had broken one of the OHSAA's transfer rules.)

The Broncos' five actual losses on the court this year came against the best of the best as those five squads have a combined 101-20 record. One of those defeats came to Division III No. 2 Madison, which was undefeated before losing to Taft in regional semifinal action Wednesday. And it also has a victory over Division II No. 2 Dunbar, which plays Bishop Watterson in regional semifinal action today.

In each of the last two seasons Jefferson lost in the district tournament to Lockland, the team the Indians topped in overtime Tuesday. They fell by two in 2009 and by forfeit a year earlier.

This season the Broncos cruised through the sectional and district, winning its four games by an average of more than 45 points. Fort Loramie had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the final 30 seconds Tuesday before turning it over and eventually falling by five.

"Up until now, they've just been manhandling everyone," said Patch. "They beat Division I teams, Division II teams that are perennial powerhouses. ... I think (Tuesday night's game against Fort Loramie) proved to our kids that we can compete and we can win."

Patch said his team will use a similar defensive game plan to the one they have employed the last two games, victories over New Bremen and Lockland. The Indians will play zone in an effort to keep the ball away from Payne and Latimer in the paint and force Jefferson to try to beat them from the outside.

Offensively, Fort Recovery (21-3) will focus on taking care of the basketball and will likely need to cut their regional semifinal turnover total (18) in half. They'll also need to improve their shooting after making just one 3-pointer Tuesday and struggling to a 21-percent mark in the first half.

"We have to take care of the basketball on offense, and we've got to be able to shoot it with confidence," said Patch. "I think confidence is a big thing for us.

"I think if we can get Greg (Kahlig) in some spots and some match-ups they're going to have a hard time guarding him. ...

"When (Payne's) not in there, then we've really got to attack the rim."

Fort Recovery has won the district title and advanced to the regional tournament just four times in its history. Each of the previous three squads - 1969, 1971 and 1999 - made it to the state final four.

The current seniors especially remember being 6 years old, watching the '99 team advance all the way to the state championship game before falling to Worthington Christian in triple overtime. That is the history they are chasing.

"Ever since we were little kids it's something we've looked forward to," said Kahlig. "We're one game away from going there ...

"It would be awesome. It would be a dream come true. ...

"We're going to go out there and give it our all, that's for sure."[[In-content Ad]]