Summit Country Day School

Division III State Champions

Led by Michael Bradley, a former professional basketball player in his second year as Summit's head coach, the Silver Knights won the Division III State Championship in a 53-37 game against a tough Portsmouth High School team.

The year began with a team that was hungry for victory. The 2010-2011 season left the Silver Knights wanting a state title after finishing runner up in the regional final to eventual state champion Taft High School. The team took this appetite into the 2011-2012 season and had rolled to a 17-0 start by the first week of February. A cancellation in Louisville opened up an opportunity for the Knights to avenge their playoff loss to Taft, and a rematch was scheduled on Taft’s home court. The Knights lost in rare form to the Senators, 63-49. The loss turned out to be their only one in what became a 26-1 season, but it left them with a bitter taste and valuable lessons that they would carry into the postseason.

The Silver Knights received the No. 1 seed in the Turpin bracket, advancing to the district tournament by defeating Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy and Finneytown. Next stop was the University of Dayton Arena for the district final, where they outplayed Miami East 50-39.

Then it was on to the regionals at the Kettering Fairmont Trent Arena where the Silver Knights played a strong Versailles team, winning 61-46. Their next opponent was a quick Roger Bacon team and another victory for the Knights, 54-44 to capture the regional championship.

After a huge all-school send off, the team got down to business, preparing for their next game at the Shottenstein Center on the Ohio State University campus vs. Bedford St. Peter Chanel. A battle to the end, Summit advanced to the state championship game, winning 49-41. The downside of that game was when starting point guard Antonio Woods went down with a knee injury, with less than two minutes to play. It was questionable whether he would be able to play on Saturday when the Silver Knights met Portsmouth in the championship game.

The Summit community came out in droves, with Summit flags and magnets attached to their vehicles – truly a community event for all ages. The crowd was a little dismayed when they heard Antonio Woods introduced as a reserve player, not a starter. However, by the end of the first quarter, Summit led 11-2 and Antonio had checked in to once again lead the team’s offense. The Knights never looked back and won the Division III Ohio state championship game 53-37. Every player stepped up and had their “best game” whether it be on the offensive or defensive ends of the floor.

The celebration was an array of jumping, screaming, hugging and high-fiving before and during the trophy and medal presentations. The team cut down the nets and gave interviews, followed by a press conference and a community gathering in the OSU Auxiliary Room to congratulate the team.

Heading forward, the team will miss its senior leadership from Holden Hertzel, Matt Fry and Tommy Kreyenhagen, however, the Knights look strong, returning four starters from the championship squad in Michael Barwick, Kevin Johnson, Jake Rawlings and Antonio Woods.

2011 - 2012 Summary

Ohio Division III State Champions
Sectional, District & Regional Champions
Team MVC Scarlet Division League Champions

AP Ohio Division III Awards
All State Honorable Mention: Kevin Johnson
District and State Coach of the Year: Michael Bradley

Southwest Ohio District 16 Team (Division III)
First Team: Kevin Johnson
Second Team: Holden Hertzel, Antonio Woods

All League MVC
First Team: Kevin Johnson, Holden Hertzel, Antonio Woods
Second Team: Tommy Kreyenhagen
Honorable Mention: Mike Barwick, Jake Rawlings
MVC Player of the Year:  Kevin Johnson
MVC Scarlet Division Coach of the Year: Michael Bradley