Granville girls basketball earns No. 1 seed in Central District

On Jan 30, 2023

The Granville girls basketball team’s pursuit of a third consecutive Division II district championship will begin at home.

The Blue Aces (17-1), who recently wrapped up an outright Licking County League-Buckeye Division title, received the top seed from voting conducted by the Central District coaches, and they host No. 16 Marion-Franklin at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 with the winner to host No. 21 Whitehall at 7 p.m. Feb. 18.

Resurgent Heath (14-5), still in the hunt for an LCL-Cardinal title, earned the No. 9 seed and visits No. 8 Buckeye Valley at 1 p.m. Feb. 18 with the winner feeding directly into a semifinal likely against Granville. No. 4 River Valley and No. 6 Bishop Hartley are possible opponents in a district final, which feeds into the Zanesville regional against the East District champion.

Granville senior Ava Gossman goes up for a layup against the defense of Heath senior Taliyah Holmes during a December game. The Blue Aces, who earned the No. 1 seed in Division II in the Central District, could meet the Bulldogs again in a district semifinal.

No. 15 Licking Valley (4-14) visits No. 3 Bexley at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 in the other bracket.

Newark Catholic, tied with Heath for first place in the LCL-Cardinal, earned the No. 2 seed in Division IV, and the Green Wave (14-3) host No. 13 Liberty Christian (3-13) at 7 p.m. Feb. 15. With just one district champion, it is a loaded bracket as NC likely would host No. 6 Danville in a second-round game at 1 p.m. Feb. 18 with No. 3 Fisher Catholic possibly waiting in a district semifinal before a potential rematch with No. 1 Berne Union in the final.

No. 10 Granville Christian (9-8) visits No. 7 Delaware Christian at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 with the winner likely to visit Fisher Catholic. It is a rubber match as each team won on the road during Mid-Ohio Christian Athletic League play.

Newark (8-10) received the No. 15 seed in Division I and will begin its quest to reach a 10th consecutive district final when hosting No. 35 Logan at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 with the winner meeting No. 11 Hilliard Darby at 1 p.m. Feb. 18. If they advance, the Wildcats likely would meet No. 12 Tri-Valley, bumped up from Division II, in a district semifinal, and No. 1 Pickerington Central could be waiting in a final.

No. 20 Watkins Memorial (14-6) hosts No. 29 Olentangy Berlin at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 with the winner feeding directly into a district semifinal likely against No. 6 Reynoldsburg. No. 44 Licking Heights (3-15) visits Central at 7 p.m. Feb. 15.

Johnstown (11-7), trailing NC and Heath by one game in the LCL-Cardinal, is the No. 12 seed in Division III. The Johnnies, who upset two higher-seeded teams to reach last year’s district final, either visit No. 7 Amanda-Clearcreek or host No. 15 Columbus School for Girls with the winner likely to play No. 1 Worthington Christian in a district semifinal.