COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With the day's previous higher seeded teams able to prevail with relative certainty, #2 Gahanna in particular, the idea of an upset taking place on district finals Saturday started to wane.  That all changed as #1 seeded Pickerington Central stared down the realistic threat of upset as they trailed Olentangy Liberty by seven headed into the final period, but ultimately prevailed with a 54-49 victory.

Tigers regular season top scorer and four star recruit, junior Devin Royal, was held to just six points points through three quarters, while star defender Sonny Styles spent more time than preferred on the bench with three early fouls. Yet Styles, along with sophomore Juwan Turner, channeled a now-or-never mentality that was initiated on the defensive end and finally allowed for some much-needed fast break points. 

Styles in particular went into takeover mode, as he took point guard initiatives, led by his ability to beat his defender off the dribble. The future Ohio State linebacker/safety was able to finish around the rim, made a midrange shot, but also generated two beautiful dump-off assists to junior Gavin Headings.

The Tigers took their first lead of the half with just under a minute to go in the fourth when Styles took an offensive rebound and found Turner in the corner for his fourth three, which gave Pickerington Central a 50-49 advantage that they would hold firm.

Like they had done all season long to earn the top overall seed, the Tigers used their stellar athletic and defensive talents to dictate a fast break pace which helped generate quick scoring opportunities. Previously, the Patriots had limited the Tigers offensively by implementing a 2-3 zone defense that was especially effective in limiting Royal's touches. Outside of Turner, who had a team high 17 points, Central struggled mightily from beyond the arc as no other player hit a triple.  

Turner, a sophomore guard with an advanced feel, had perhaps his best game of his career. Meanwhile, the Tigers additional production was relatively spread out. Royal and Styles both finished with ten points and three rebounds. Markell Johnson took advantage of an increased role and finished with 9 points, while Headings had a solid two-way game with eight points and four rebounds. 

The Patriots appeared to execute a solid game plan, particularly defensively to limit Central's top scorers, yet ultimately struggled with the Tigers tenacious defensive fourth quarter pressure. Senior Cooper Davis was on fire in the first half as he hit three triples and scored 17 points, but was limited to just one made basket in the second.

Fellow senior Trey Majidzadeh ended his excellent final season with nine points, five rebounds and five assists. Junior Alex Okuley made two momentous three pointers as he finished with seven points and a team high six rebounds. Okuley also did an admirable job defensively, showcasing his own brand of athleticism as the 6-foot-3 forward is also a stellar wide receiver. 

Senior Parker Hinkle and junior Jackson Mikola both finished with six points while senior Nick Boysko had three.

Headed into the season, there were many questions whether Olentangy Liberty could repeat a district title appearance after they graduated four starters. Even despite an 0-5 start to the season, the Patriots were runner-up in the most competitive OCC division and had the top seeded Tigers eight minutes away from defeat.

Similar to last season, the Patriots will lose their top players to graduation. Davis will play at Toledo University, while Majidzadeh remains one of the best unsigned seniors in Central Ohio. Yet coach Greg Nossaman brings back experience with some length in Okuley, Mikola and James Hummell. 

The district championship is the first for a storied Pickerington Central program since 2019 and 11th overall. The Tigers move on to play #7 Upper Arlington for a regional semifinal on Wednesday at 6 p.m.