By Ben Nichols

Photos by Carson Zoller

Dayton, Ohio — Louisville made history Friday afternoon, edging out previously unbeaten Cincinnati Aiken 63–61 in a dramatic OHSAA Division III boys basketball state championship at the University of Dayton Arena.

Both programs were making their first appearance in a state final, and the game lived up to its billing. With the victory, Louisville (24–5) became the first Stark County boys team to win a state championship since Jackson in 2017, and just the fifth school in county history to capture the title.

The Leopards controlled the pace for most of the game, leading for over 30 minutes and holding a 21-point advantage late in the second quarter. Aiken (27–2), however, mounted a furious comeback behind a 17–0 third-quarter run and closed the gap to a single possession in the final minute.

Tyler Aljancic led the Leopards with 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-2 from three-point range and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. He added three assists and played 32 minutes without committing a foul.

Beau Siegfried contributed 14 points and hit three of his five attempts from deep, while also collecting three assists, three rebounds, and a block. Brayden Gross anchored the paint with 9 points, 12 rebounds (8 defensive), and 3 assists, despite battling foul trouble.

Louisville shot 54.8% (23-of-42) from the field and 50% (8-of-16) from three-point range. The Leopards dominated the opening frame, shooting 8-of-12 from the floor and a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the arc to build a 23–12 lead.

Aiken struggled to find rhythm early, trailing 38–19 at halftime after shooting just 8-of-21 in the first half and 1-of-7 from deep. But the Falcons surged in the third quarter, shooting 9-of-16 from the floor and knocking down 4-of-6 threes to outscore Louisville 23–7 in the period.

Junior guard James Burnett paced Aiken with 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting and added six rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Jaiden Arnold added 15 points and three rebounds, while Antwan Hinton chipped in 7 points and three boards.

The Falcons finished the game shooting 45.3% (24-of-53) from the field but managed just 7-of-12 from the free-throw line. They out rebounded Louisville 27–29 and forced nine turnovers, but struggled to close the gap after Louisville’s fast start.

Louisville’s largest lead came late in the second quarter at 21 points. Aiken’s final field goal came with eight seconds remaining, but the Leopards held strong on the last possession to secure the program’s first state crown.

The win adds Louisville to an exclusive group of Stark County champions, joining Canton McKinley (three titles), Jackson (two), Canton Lehman, North Canton, and Canal Fulton.