Big Red's Cole Bowers pulls up for a 3 - Andrew Grimm

Steubenville held off Akron Hoban 60-58 in a thriller inside UD Arena in the OHSAA Division III Final Four on Thursday night, earning a return trip to the home of the Dayton Flyers tonight with a state championship on the line.

“These guys are resilient and mentally tough,” Big Red head coach Mike Haney said. “They played their butts off.

“When we get in these close games, these tight situations, these guys believe they can win, and when you believe something, it can happen.”

With Dayton in possession and 7.8 seconds to go, Landon Bowers forced a turnover out of the Knights timeout and Big Red went up the floor with the ball.

TO THE HOOP – Big Red’s Santino Haney goes up the lane against Akron Hoban Thursday night at UD Arena in the Division III Final Four. Haney led 13 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and five steals to help Steubenville reach the state championship game tonight.

Che’Mier Adams was fouled with 1.6 seconds to go in the bonus. He missed both shots, but Santino Haney grabbed the rebound and time expired, sending the large Big Red contingent that made the trip into a frenzy.

“Our coaches scouted them so I knew the lob was coming,” Landon Bowers said. “As soon as I saw it, I smacked it and they fouled us and I was hype.”

Big Red will face Trotwood Madison in the state championship game tonight at 7:30 p.m. Madison defeated Toledo Central Catholic in their own thrilling semifinal, 55-53 in overtime earlier on Thursday.

“We’re not finished yet,” coach Haney said.

Santino Haney finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals. Landon Bowers led Big Red in scoring with 14 while grabbing six boards, dishing two assists and recording the pivotal steal. Tre’Von Wiggins finished with 11 points and three steals to give Big Red three in double figures.

IN THE PAINT – Big Red’s Landon Bowers puts up a jumper from the paint in Thursday’s state semifinal. He led Big Red with 14 points and had the game-clinching defensive play in the closing seconds. - Andrew Grimm

All told, all eight players to see the floor for Steubenville (26-1) scored in the win.

“We have been playing with each other for a long time and the chemistry has been building,” senior Tre’von Wiggins said. “We’ve got one more, we’re gonna finish it.”

Hoban, which entered the game having made more 3s this season than 2s, made some big ones early on to lead 24-20 after a high-flying first quarter.

They opened their lead to as many as seven in the second quarter, but Big Red came charging back with a 6-0 run to pull within one. Trailing by two points in the final seconds of the opening half, Santino Haney forced a turnover and got the ball up the court to Wiggins, who put in a layup as time expired to knot the score at 34-34 at halftime.

“Right before half, getting those two points was a huge difference,” Santino Haney said. “It got the crowd into it, buzzer beaters always get the crowd going and I think that gave us momentum we carried into the second half.”

THROUGH CONTACT – Big Red’s Cole Bowes gets a shot up through being fouled on Thursday night. - Andrew Grimm

The Knights (20-8) made 6 of 12 3-point attempts in the opening half. In the second, though, Big Red’s defense adjusted and held them to 4 of 12, including a big miss on a shot for the lead in the final 30 seconds.

After making a dozen 3s of their own in both regional games last week, Big Red made just 3 on the night. However, they won the battle inside, finishing with a 46-22 advantage in points in the paint and 12-7 in second-chance points.

“It’s a testament to these guys that they can win fast or slow, with 3s or 2s,” coach Haney said. “We didn’t have great looks (from 3) and missed some, but we got some layups and backdoors.”

After a back-and forth start to the second half, Big Red went on an 8-0 run midway through the third to take the biggest lead by either side in the game, nine (54-45).

Hoban, though, inched closer going to the fourth, getting the margin back down to five after three.

Big Red's Tre Wiggins works to the paint - Andrew Griimm

In the fourth, they trimmed the lead to two three times, including with 1:26 to go, but neither team changed the scoreboard the rest of the way as Big Red made key defensive plays and hung on.

“Our guys played great defense the last 30 seconds,” coach Haney said. “It was a nerve-wracking (last 1:26), it was nice to see them not score but us on the other hand, we wanted to score (and get some separation). They played good defense, they’re a heck-of-a team. We thought maybe we might get trapped and be able to throw to someone open under the basket, but that never seemed to happen.”

Big Red finished 50 percent overall and held the Knights to 33.3 percent in the second half.

Hoban was led by Nico Caporaletti with 17 points, while Brady Lucey tallied 13 and John Johnson, Santino Haney’s former AAU teammate, tallied 12.

Steubenville City Schools are cancelled tomorrow so the Big Red students and faithful could remain in Dayton.

Big Red's Jermaine Moore goes up for a layup - Andrew Grimm

“We can’t thank Mrs. (Melinda) Young enough for cancelling school tomorrow and the board for doing that,” coach Haney said. “They brought two student buses down here and that makes a big difference. We came out for warm ups and heard the ‘We are Big Red’ chant, that really got us going. The community and the administration being behind us helped.

“I got a lot of texts from coaches around the Valley, we appreciate all the support.”

OHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament

Division III Final Four state semifinal

At UD Arena, University of Dayton

No. 9 Steubenville 60, No. 5 Akron Hoban 58

H 24-10-15-9 – 58

S 20-14-20-6 – 60

HOBAN (20-8): N. Caropaletti 7-9 0-0 17; Johnson 5-14 2-3 12; A. Caroplaetti 0-5 2-2 2; Hamilton 4-8 0-0 12; Lucey 5-7 0-0 13; Yukich 1-3 0-0 2; Richardson 0-2 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22-48, 4-5; 58.

STEUBENVILLE (26-1): Wiggins 5-9 0-0 11; Haney 6-17 1-4 13; Moore 2-6 2-2 7; C. Bowers 3-8+6 0-0 7; L. Bowers 7-9 0-1 14; Adams 1-1 0-2 2; Rea 2-3 0-0 4; Edwards 0-1 2-2 2. TOTALS: 26-52, 5-11; 60.

3-POINTERS: Hoban 10-24 (N. Carpoletti 3-3; Hamilton 4-7; Lucey 3-5); Big Red 3-12 (Wiggins 1-4; Moore 1-3; C. Bowers 1-2). REBOUNDS: Hoban 30 (Yukich 8); Steubenville 27 (Haney 8). ASSISTS: Hoban 7 (N. Carpoletti 2); Steubenville 12 (Haney 8). STEALS: Hoban 5 (A. Carpoletti 3); Steubenville 12 (Haney 5). BLOCKS: Hoban 4 (Johnson, A. Capoletti 2 each); Steubenville 2 (Moore, L. Bowers 1 each). TURNOVERS: Hoban 17; Steubenville 11.

Big Red celebrates after the final horn - Andrew Grimm

Big Red celebrates after the final horn - Andrew Grimm

Big Red head coach Mike Haney, left, and players Tre Wiggins, Santino Haney and Landon Bowers answer questions during a post game press conference. - Andrew Grimm