“People weren’t really talking about us in the mix, even though we felt like we had a really good team with some really good players,” Coulter said. “I felt like we had a legit shot the whole year. We play a tough schedule and we prepare our guys for the tournament by doing that.”
“This year, different story,” he said.
The Knights (20-6) will play Cincinnati Wyoming (24-2) in a Division IV regional final game at 4 p.m. Sunday at Xavier University’s Cintas Center. Alter is seeking its 12th trip to the final four.
This year, the Knights have gotten back to the regional finals with a target on their backs.
“Everyone comes at us with everything they’ve got,” said Knights senior Matt Lunne.
The Knights have embraced the challenge by playing a tough schedule that includes grueling Greater Catholic League Coed play, Coulter said. Three of their regular season opponents — Richmond Heights, Trotwood Madison and Louisville — advanced to a regional final game.
“We got everybody’s best. Everybody came after us,” he said. “There was no surprising a team. (Former Alter coach Joe Petrocelli) said a long time ago to me that teams will want to beat you because of the name on the front (of their jerseys) and the legacy that he left and we’re continuing.”
The Knights jumped to a 16-0 lead and beat Oakwood 69-54 on Tuesday night at Lakota East High School to advance to their fourth straight regional final. They went 9-for-21 from the 3-point line and have hit 250 treys on the season.
“It’s our culture,” Coulter said. “It’s what we’ve been doing for the last six years since I found an offense I really liked and adopted and our personnel fit it, so it’s really good.”
They’ll take on a familiar foe in Wyoming. Alter beat the Cowboys 63-36 at Vandalia Butler to bring home their second regional title in three seasons.
The Cowboys, winners of the last four Cincinnati Hills League titles, beat Northridge 59-48 to advance to the regional final. Wyoming’s only losses were to St. Xavier and Chaminade Julienne. They’re led by a strong junior class that includes four players scoring double digits — guards Kellen Wiley (16.9 points per game), Darren Gray (13.0 ppg) and Devin Evans (13.9 ppg) and 6-8 post Carlyle Billingsley (10.7 ppg, 6.9 rebounds per game).
The postseason experience showed in the regional semifinal game, said senior post Charlie Uhl, despite losing several key leaders from last year’s team, They brought back three starters this season and several others who saw action during last season’s tournament run.
“A lot of that was stepping up,” Uhl said. “I think it was very beneficial having guys who have been here for three years on varsity and having that kind of experience makes that process easier.”
They’ve also got a chance to make history by becoming the first group in Alter history to win back-to-back state titles. The other titles came in 1978, 1999 and 2001.
“It’s just an extra piece of motivation for us, doing something that’s never been done,” Uhl said. “That target on our back has been an extra motivation for sure.”
Here’s a look at other regional final games being held Sunday at Xavier:
Division III
Trotwood Madison (24-2) vs. Cincinnati Aiken (25-1), 2 p.m.: The Rams enter the regional final on a 17-game winning streak, including a 78-76 victory over the Falcons on Feb. 13. Trotwood senior post Jermiel Atkins (16.0 ppg) made a putback with one second remaining to win the game for the Rams.
Trotwood is seeking its sixth trip to the final four. The Rams won the state title in their last appearance in 2019. Aiken’s last trip to the final four came in 2016.
Division I
Lakota West (20-5) vs. Fairfield (18-7), noon: A rubber match of Greater Miami Conference schools will ensure the league advances one team to the D-I final four. Fairfield beat West twice during the regular season — 46-45 on Dec. 10 and 61-59 on Jan. 3.
West is seeking the district’s first trip to the state tournament since 1992. Fairfield’s last trip to the final four came in 2012.
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