Ohio D4 State Championship- Bellevue 40 Kettering Alter 29

Jim Dabbelt March 14, 2025 @ 06:13 PM

After a struggle in the first half where neither team could find the basket, Bellevue used a 17-13 fourth quarter to maintain a lead and defeat Alter 40-29 to win their first state championship in school history.   Players of the Game   [player_tooltip player_id='420073' first='Hailey' last='Rees'], 5-9 2025, Bellevue- When the game was on the line, Hailey delivered from the free throw line to seal the game for the Redmen. She is the consummate leader for her team, hit 9-11 free throws in the game including many down the stretch. She sees the floor so well and can anticipate the game as good as anyone. She is active on the defensive side and is active with her hands on the basketball.   Maddie Moody, 6-1 2025, Kettering Alter- When shots weren't falling, she maintained her solid leadership trying to bring her team back. Maddie knocked down a big three in the second half as Alter stuck around but the team just fell short. She finishes her career with a silver medal and records at Alter. Great classy player ready to step up at the next level.   Stat Stuffers   Bellevue   Points- [player_tooltip player_id='420073' first='Hailey' last='Rees']e 16 points, Audrey Turner 11 points, [player_tooltip player_id='611608' first='Kaitlyn' last='Turinsky'] 8 points   Rebounds- [player_tooltip player_id='611608' first='Kaitlyn' last='Turinsky'] 8 rebounds   Assists- Brooke Brown 4 assists.   Kettering Alter   Points- Maddie Moody 12 points, Da'Shai Shepard 9 points   Rebounds- Maddie Moody 9 rebounds, Alina Overman 8 rebounds   Steals- Alina Overman 3 steals   Sleepers   [player_tooltip player_id='611608' first='Kaitlyn' last='Turinsky'], 6-3 2026 Bellevue- Loved her length! Kaitlyn is active defensively to protect the rim. Moves well in the paint. Her wingspan is incredible. Love her drop step to the rim, and she can score with good fluid footwork. This was the first time I had the chance to see her game, excited to see her game continue to grow heading into her senior year.   Audrey Turner, 5-8 2025, Bellevue- She came out on fire to open the game, scored in the opening 5 seconds then bombed a three to give Bell a quick lead. She was on point for the entire first half, good elevation on her midrange shot. Liked her composure when shots weren't falling, stayed focused and was a big part in the win.   [player_tooltip player_id='833878' first='Izzie' last='Arcuri'], 5-7 2028, Kettering Alter- Izzie is poised for a freshman, especially in the big games. She played 31 minutes and had 0 turnovers. Her shots didn't fall but she was steady all game. Her first taste of the big stage was good, and she will just learn from this and have the desire to come back for a return trip to the Final Four next season.   Shoutouts!   - One thing the Alter coaches said in the postgame press conference in the media room was how nobody outside of this team thought they would be here. With seven varsity players coming into the season with no varsity experience and one senior, it is a natural thought. But this team did things all year to make the right steps to advance to the finals.   - Alina Overman (5-7 2026) was a player who blended in and finished with a very good stat line for Alter with eight points and six boards. She was a good leader and gained valuable experience to be a senior leader next season.   - I was really impressed with Rees and how she recovered from picking up two fouls in the first two minutes of the game, but when the game counted, she wanted the ball. What a leader and impressive demeanor!

After a struggle in the first half where neither team could find the basket, Bellevue used a 17-13 fourth quarter to maintain a lead and defeat Alter 40-29 to win their first state championship in school history.