Trotwood raced out to an 18-3 lead through one quarter with only a 3-pointer by senior Cooper Ollis keeping Badin from being shut out in the opening stanza.
Junior Daveon Arnold hit two of those for Trotwood and got plenty of help, including six points by senior Trotwood big man Jermiel Atkins, and the Red and Black Rams never looked back.
“We had to take the first punch,” Trotwood coach Carl Blanton Sr. said. “We had to be the ones to jump on them right away so that we can get a good start. We started the last game against Turpin slow, and we had to fight to get back in. We didn’t want that to happen this time, so we had to jump on them right away and oppose our wills right away.”
Badin cut the deficit to nine with a 7-0 run early in the second quarter, but Atkins put back a miss, Xavier Middletown made a free throw and Darius Daniels made a 3-pointer to push the Trotwood lead back to 15 at 30-15.
Trotwood took a 32-18 lead to the locker room at halftime on the strength of 61% shooting from the floor.
Atkins was 4 for 4 and scored 11 while Arnold was 3 for 4 overall and perfect from beyond the arc, sinking all three he put up.
“We got some shooters, and we got the big fella inside, so that opens up a lot for us,” Blanton said. “And we’ve got to go inside then go outside, so our guys stepped up today. They took the challenge that we gave them that, hey, either we’re going to win, or we’re going to go home. Our motto right now is be phenomenal or be forgotten.”
Badin struggled at the other end, making just 6 of 20 shots (30%) and going 3 for 13 from 3-point range in the first half.
The Rams in green and white made eight 3s in the second half, but it was too little, too late.
“All credit to Trotwood,” said second-year Badin coach C.J. Fleming. “They came out and kicked our butts, and we wanted to make them shoot 3s because we wanted to help on the big and they ended up doing both. They made eight 3s. I think they had four or five in the first quarter, and then the big boy ended up getting 20.”
A breakaway dunk by Atkins gave Trotwood a 52-32 lead with about a minute left in the third quarter, and the Rams from the north took a 54-36 lead over the Rams from the south into the fourth quarter.
The 6-foot-8 Atkins towered over the Badin lineup that included no one over 6-3. He finished with 20 points while Arnold added 18.
Ollis scored 16 for Badin, which finished 19-7.
“The whole week of practice we’re talking about they’re not the best shooting team so kind of give them a step,” Ollis said. “I mean, I think they shot 60% from 3 tonight, so that’s really what hurt us in the end.”
While one set of Rams (Trotwood) likes to get out and run, the other prefers to play at a slower pace. This time, there was a decisive winner in the battle of which team could impose its will on the game.
“They play their style. We play our style, and I feel like their style obviously won it tonight,” Ollis said. “But we’re going to stick with what we keep doing. I had a great time at Badin, and I have to thank everybody. I know the young guys are going to keep the same thing going next year, and we’ll be right back here, hopefully celebrating next time next year.”
Trotwood (24-2) beat Aiken 78-76 on Feb. 13, handing the Falcons (25-1) their only loss.
“It just took grit,” Blanton said of winning the first matchup. “In these tournaments, and in any game you play, the toughest team is going to win. So at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. The toughest team, the team with the will, that runs their stuff, is going to win the game.”
The winner of the rematch, which is set for Xavier’s Cintas Center on Sunday, will be headed to the state semifinals, a round Trotwood has not reached since winning it all in 2019.
“It means a lot because we got two guys that’s been part of this program for four years – Giovannis Barber and Jermiel Atkins – so to see them their senior year finally reach this level, we’re bringing it back the tradition of winning,” Blanton said.
“Aiken is a great team. They’re well-coached. Those guys can score at will. So you’ve got to be on your heels to make sure that you’re focused and locked in.”
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