“We came out and played really well to start,” Rams coach CJ Fleming said. “We had it at 10 in the first, and they made a little run at the end of the first. In the second, they got it to within three, and then we made a big run to go up by 15 at the half.
“We pushed the lead to 22 or 23 in the second half, and then they hit four or five shots in a row to cut it to eight. We kind of coasted from there.”
Badin moves on to face Trotwood-Madison in a regional semifinal at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Princeton.
“I know it’s easy to say now at this point in the year, but starting off with the team that we had with the way that we play defense, we really expected to be able to win a district title and get back to the regionals,” Fleming said. “Now, that’s not something we take for granted for one second because it’s incredibly difficult to do. But these guys have just bought in and played so hard, played so well. Not the best at times, but well enough to execute it and to play defense like we do every single time.
“I’m just super proud and happy for not only our guys but for the Badin program, the Badin alumni. To be able to get a back-to-back district title is really, really special.”
The Rams (19-6), who have won four in a row and six of their last seven, led 33-19 at the half. They held on the rest of the way.
Franklin (15-9) graduates Lincoln Clark, Kai Cook, Liam Hogan and Christian McGuire. Cook was named the Southwestern Buckeye League’s Southwestern Player of the Year.
Other area high school basketball results:
FAIRFIELD 55, ELDER 36
MASON — The Fairfield boys basketball team pulled away from the Elder Panthers to claim its third Division I district championship in four years.
Fairfield (17-7) will face Lakota East in a regional semifinal at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Xavier University’s Cintas Center.
LAKOTA EAST 47, CENTERVILLE 44
MASON — The Lakota East boys basketball team hung on to beat top-seed Centerville to win a Division I district title
The Thunderhawks (17-7) have won four in a row and will face Fairfield in a regional semifinal at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Xavier University’s Cintas Center.
PURCELL MARIAN 76, BADIN 46 (Girls)
LIBERTY TWP. — The Badin girls basketball team fell to Purcell Marian in the district finals for a third straight season.
The Rams (20-7) graduate seniors Gracie Cosgrove, Ashley Pate and Brooke Sebastian.
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