HILLIARD, Ohio -- After going into halftime with just a 20-16 lead, Hilliard Bradley (8-0) dominated the second half tonight, outscoring Upper Arlington (4-4) 38-13 in the final 16 minutes. The Jaguars rolled to a convincing 58-29 divisional win in Tuesday night’s contest.

Upper Arlington’s patient offense combined with Bradley’s suffocating defense was the perfect formula for a slow start to the game. Both teams combined for just eight points throughout the first five minutes of action. 

Once the action picked up and the shots started falling, both teams went back and forth in exciting fashion for the remainder of the half. 

Upper Arlington kept the game close through their shooting from long range. All five first half field goal makes came from beyond the arc. Junior forward Drew Graves led the attack for the Bears in the first half, knocking down three of those triples.

Wright State commit Keaton Norris led the Jaguars with a game-high 17 points, 12 of which came in the first half when he was scoring efficiently from a variety of ways. The senior was making threes, contested pull ups, and finishing impressively around the rim. 

The second half was all Bradley as the Jaguars took over the game. Led by two freshmen, Cade Norris and Jeb Bischoff, Bradley won the third quarter 28-6. The young duo combined for 20 points in the quarter alone, including five threes. 

The Jaguars essentially put the game out of reach early in the second half, however they still applied that vaunted pressure and effort throughout the rest of the game, showing why they are consistently one of the most elite programs in the area.

Keaton Norris encapsulated this victory when in the fourth quarter he beat his defender, who was driving baseline, to the spot and set his feet to draw a charge. Not only elite talent from the senior, but elite hustle and effort as well. 

After Tuesday’s lopsided finish, the two teams will meet once again on Friday night, with Upper Arlington being the host to Bradley this time.

Keaton Norris (5’11 G / Hilliard Bradley / 2021): Keaton Norris is elite. One of if not the best guard in central Ohio, Norris helped his team to a big win with a game-high 17 point performance. The future Wright State Raider scored from everywhere on the floor, played great defense, and hustled for all 32 minutes of the game. Norris has one of the best shots in the state and he showed it off tonight, hitting three triples and scoring on some tough pull ups. He also scored nicely by the rim, going through contact and finishing on a reverse in transition. Norris uses excellent footwork that sets him up for success on the offensive end. The most impressive part of his game is his defense and effort from start to finish. Late in the game Norris was guarding the ball and on a baseline drive he slid over and centered his body to take a charge. Efforts like that, late in a blowout, prove why Norris is one of the elite players in the area.

Cade Norris (6’2 F / Hilliard Bradley / 2024): The second half of the game, Norris duo had an amazing showing in the big victory. Scoring 11 of his 15 points in the third quarter, Norris jumpstarted the Bradley run that gave them complete control of the game. The six-foot-two forward showed his patience and skill in the post tonight, taking his time backing down and finishing with a variety of moves. Norris also stretched the floor as he knocked down two catch and shoot threes. To top it off, he guarded and rebounded unlike a normal freshman would. He contested shots and came up with a block by walling up in the post and cleaned up the glass on both ends as well. Norris played as mature and looked as comfortable as an upperclassmen tonight, providing a huge performance for his team.

Drew Graves (6’5 F / Upper Arlington / 2022): The Bears’ junior was the lone bright spot on the offensive end for his squad Tuesday night, contributing 12 points on four threes. Graves was money from behind the arc, knocking down three after three. It was his performance early on in the game that kept Upper Arlington in the game. Graves doesn’t have a big inside presence on the offensive end, however he stretches the floor and has an excellent shot, as he proved tonight. The six-foot-five forward held his own on the defensive end and rebounded well in this contest.