PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The defending Division I state champions looked the part of a #1 seed as the Tigers capped a perfect undefeated conference season and beat Reynoldsburg 75-56. 

In front of a sold out Tiger gym, Pickerington Central quickly overcame an ambitious Reynoldsburg start, in which the Raiders took a 16-15 lead after the first quarter. The experience and talent of the Tigers became too much for the Raiders, as Central gained momentum through their team play that saw six players record a field goal. The Tigers would go on and outscore the Raiders 60-40 the remaining three periods.

It was a determined night from the Tigers group of seniors who played their final regular season game in front of a home crowd. Senior guard Andrew Hedgepeth stole the show with his hot shooting, as he led all scorers with 24 points off six made triples, with three a piece in the first and fourth quarter.

Ohio State commit Devin Royal followed with 23 points and mostly had his way in the paint, where most of his scoring production took place. 

With senior forward and second-lead scorer Gavin Headings unavailable, senior forward R.J. Keuchler stepped up in his place and was arguably the game's best interior defender. The 6'5 post two-sport athlete finished with nine points, five rebounds and four blocks.

Senior (notice a theme, here?) Markell Johnson was the Tigers lead distributor, as he finished with eight assists on top of his four points and three steals.

The Tigers not only had the benefit of Hedgepeth's hot outside shooting, but their man-to-man defense overwhelmed Reynoldsburg, which led to a flurry of fast break points. By the time the Raiders faced a double-digit deficit, the Tigers prevented them from getting into an offensive rhythm or develop consistent outside shooting. 

It wasn't all an offensive struggle for Reynoldsburg, most notably for junior Noah Smith, who had a productive game with 18 points that included three threes in the first half. Sophomore Jordan Fisher finished with 12 points, while no other Raider scored in double digits. Reynoldsburg was without starting point guard, senior Zazen Bivens, who is recovering from a hamstring injury. 

Friday's game capped the end of the regular season for both teams as all eyes are now on the district tournament.

Reynoldsburg has arguably the most intriguing match of the sectional semifinals as they travel to City League champion Northland on Tuesday. 

Top-seeded Pickerington Central will host a favorable match against Columbus West on Tuesday. 

For a further breakdown on Friday's game, along with a preview of both team's tournament projections, check out the 5 Keys To The Game:

1. Hot-Shooting Hedge: Right from opening tip, the senior shooting guard made it clear he was going to finish his final regular season game on a high note. Hedgepeth was flaming hot, as he connected on his first three long-range attempts, finished with six total and a game-high 24 points. The reaction from his teammates and the home crowd said it all, as the three-year varsity contributor erupted support from the bench while the players on the court fed off his energy. If you've followed the Pickerington Central team the last few years, you'd understand the reaction. Not one to always lead the stat sheet, Hedgepeth has been as selfless of a player a coach could ask for, and is willing to sacrifice scoring when necessary for the betterment of the team. He deserved a game like he had on Friday and showed why the Tigers can be a dangerous opponent come tournament time.

2. Senior Show: If you skipped the first section, a TLDR version is Pickerington Central's seniors finished their home career with a bang. Royal, a candidate for Mr. Ohio, was his usual self as a significant mismatch and threw down multiple dunks along with a nice pull-up three on top of his efficient 23 points. But Royal, along with Hedgepeth, shared the love and gave way to additional outstanding performances from their classmates. Johnson continued to do the little things and pushed the offense with a controlled urgency. Keuchler has earned more recent minutes and teamed well with Royal in the post. Against a young Reynoldsburg team that is still developing, the Tigers talent and experience was simply too much.

3. Defensive Difference: The Tigers had no problem creating offense, but it was their defense that ultimately sparked Central's momentum and led to easy, confidence-building scores. Coach Eric Krueger's squad applied high pressure with their man-to-man defense that Reynoldsburg had a hard time navigating. Junior guard Juwan Turner in particular was crafty with his hands, as he snagged three steals and poked out equally as many that landed in a teammate's hands. Sophomore guard Amare Spiva had three steals of his own, along with Johnson. In the interior, Keuchler was a physical difference maker and played the role of rim protector well. The Tigers made their 2022 tournament run with an all-hands-on-deck defense. An effort like they had on Friday is the recipe for a similar run.

4. Title Town Part Two?: With the regular season concluded, we now turn to the biggest question that originated before the season began. Can Pickerington Central repeat as state champion? The Tigers went a perfect 10-0 in conference play and earned the top seed in the district tournament. Yet, it's arguable that Central hasn't picked up a marquee victory outside of an eight-point win over Division III Africentric. That said, the Tigers didn't have a flawless body of work last regular season and Krueger had his team playing their best basketball as they entered the tournament. Central has now won seven straight and on Friday, they seemed to play some of their best team ball to date. The Tigers are at their best when they play for each other and will always have the top player on the court in Royal. If they can maximize his talent and have everyone play to the potential of their roles, the Tigers have the ability to make history and win back-to-back state championships.

5. Raiders' Route?: Reynoldsburg is looking to make a second straight district finals appearance, but has a somewhat difficult road ahead. Entering as the #20 seed, they'll have a competitive opening match against a well-rested and confident #19 Northland team. The Raiders undoubtedly have talent, but consistent shooting has plagued them against tougher competition. They'll need top scorers Fisher and Smith to deliver all four quarters in order to make a run, which will include a sectional final against #10 Delaware Hayes if they get past the Vikings.

MVP: Andrew Hedgepeth (24 points,  3 rebounds, 2 assists, steal)

Top Scorer: Hedgepeth

Hustle Player of the Game: R.J. Keuchler (9 points, five rebounds, four blocks, steal)