Strasburg-Franklin wins first girls basketball state title

It was going to be Ally Miller’s final high school basketball game no matter what. The 6-foot Strasburg-Franklin post player made it a memorable one in about every way possible.

Miller scored a game-high 17 points, making 7-of-8 shots, and also led all rebounders with 10 as the Tigers posted a somewhat surprisingly easy 38-17 win over Russia in the girls Division VII state championship game at the University of Dayton’s Tom Blackburn Court March 14. It is the first girls basketball state championship in Strasburg-Franklin history, coming in the Tigers’ first trip to the Final Four.

The Tigers advanced to the title game with a 44-39 victory over Ottoville one day earlier.

Miller scored 5 points in the first four minutes of the state final as part of a 9-0 Tigers run to start the game. Strasburg-Franklin, which finished its season 25-5, was never threatened from that point. Russia never got the deficit below 5 points.

Miller scored 6 more points in the early part of the third quarter, when the Tigers outscored the Raiders 14-3 to erase all doubt. Strasburg-Franklin led wire to wire.

Lydia Thomas added 8 points to the attack. She also had six rebounds. Olivia Spidell and 2 points to go with four rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals. Delanee Herron scored 5 points.

Celeste Borchers led Russia (25-4) with 7 points. The Tigers held the Raiders to just 5-of-33 shooting, including 0-of-10 from 3-point range. That kind of defensive performance was a hallmark of Strasburg-Franklin’s postseason.

In the semifinal played March 13 at Wright State University’s Nutter Center in Fairborn, Strasburg-Franklin was led by a 12-point, four-rebound game from Lydia Thomas. Sofia Secrest, who played all 32 minutes, scored 11 points.

Ally Miller had four points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Olivia Spidell scored just 2 points but had eight rebounds and seven assists.

Ottoville got 15 points from Brooklyn Koester and 10 from Kendall Schnipke.

The Tigers led for most of the way, including 15-8 after one period and 25-19 at halftime. Strasburg-Franklin stretched the margin to 37-27 heading into the final period and was not really threatened. Ottoville finished 23-5.