For the first time in the 47-year history of the Greater Miami Conference, four boys’ basketball teams finished the regular season in a four-way tie for first place.
Junior Tyler Williams and the Lakota West Firebirds won its final regular season game of the 2012-2013 season. The win gave West a share of the conference title. Photo during a game in 2012 by Jeff Swinger.
On Friday night, Lakota West won its final game of the 2012-2013 regular season. With its 65-50 win against Oak Hills, Lakota West improved to 9-5 in conference play.
Meanwhile, also on Friday night, Fairfield defeated Lakota East, 77-58, and Middletown defeated Hamilton, 89-66. The wins improved the Indians and the Middies records to 9-5 within the GMC.
On that same night, Princeton upset Sycamore 77-65 – as Sycamore fell to 9-5 after its regular season finale.
In the Firebirds win against Oak Hills, four of their players scored in double figures. Senior guard Ali Barnes led his team with 16 points. Juniors Tyler Bowling (15 points), Tyler Williams (10 points) and Justin Martin (11 points) also scored in double figures.
Back to the historical aspect of the four-way tie, it is something that has never occurred in any GMC sport with the exception of baseball where Hamilton, Lakota West, Oak Hills and Princeton all tied for first in the spring of 2006.
Furthermore, Lakota West hasn’t won or shared a boys’ basketball title since winning the GMC during the 2005-2006 winter sports season.
| Lakota West | 23 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 65 |
| Oak Hills | 19 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 50 |
Lakota West (15-7, 9-5) – Barnes 6 2 16, Bowling 6 3 15, Williams 3 2 10, Grove 3 0 7, Martin 5 0 11, Thomas 1 2 4, Moo Young 0 2 2. Totals 24 11 65.
Oak Hills (8-14, 5-9) – Richmond 7 10 27, Laumann 2 2 8, Witsken 4 0 9, Chisholm 2 2 6. Totals 15 14 50.
Halftime: Lakota West 38-33. 3-pointers L 6 (Barnes 2, Williams 2, Grove, Martin); O 6 (Richmond 3, Laumann 2, Witsken).
Lakota East ends season on losing note – The Thunderhawks were ranked No. 2 in The Cincinnati Enquirer Division coaches’ poll for almost the entire first half of the regular season. After starting the year 10-0, Lakota East has lost 7 of its last 12 games including 3 of its last 4. The latest loss came Friday, 77-58 at Fairfield. On Jan. 4, East defeated Fairfield at home by the score of 62-44. With the loss, East finishes the regular season with a 15-7 overall record and an 8-6 mark within the GMC.
| Lakota East | 12 | 20 | 11 | 15 | 58 |
| Fairfield | 10 | 18 | 18 | 31 | 77 |
Lakota East (15-7, 8-6) – Emrick 2 0 4, Harpring 7 1 18, S. Lowry 4 2 13, White 2 1 5, D. Lowry 1 0 3, Baxter 6 3 15. Totals 22 7 58.
Fairfield (14-8, 9-5) – Fleming 5 5 15, Minella 2 2 6, Vinson 1 0 2, Boyle 0 2 2, Braun 3 0 9, Johnson 2 2 6, Brunis 9 5 23, Wells 5 2 12, Horn 1 0 2. Totals 28 18 77.
Halftime: Lakota East 32-28. 3-pointers L 7 (Harpring 3, S. Lowry 3, D. Lowry); F 3 (Braun 3).
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