Margaretta shoots for regional title in rematch

The rematch is set. Margaretta's boys basketball team was eliminated in a regional semifinal by Columbus Academy last year at Mansfield Senior, but it will get a second chance. The No. 3 Polar Bears (23-3) take on the No. 6 Vikings (22-4), this time in a Division V regional final at Ohio Dominican University on Saturday. Tip is scheduled for 4 p.m. The game originally was slated to tip off at 2 p.m., but ODU lost power Friday due to high winds. Power is not expected to be restored until 1 p.m. Saturday. "Our expectation was to get to this round, but we don't want it to end here," Margaretta coach Steve Keller said. "We are facing a quality team in Columbus Academy. I was pleased with our mindset against Genoa (regional semifinal win). We got down early, but made some adjustments. We did a nice job defending someone like a 6-foot-8 kid in Walter Plantz." Columbus Academy starts and ends with 6-4 senior Jason Singleton. One of seven Mr. Basketball finalists, Singleton will play for Harvard University next season. He had an offer from Ohio State before opting to head to the Ivy League. "Columbus Academy obviously has a very elite player in Jason Singleton," Keller said. "He has size and he's big, strong and physical. Around him, they have some football players that are athletes playing basketball. "They've had a nice year. They are certainly a team that's well known. People around the state know them." Singleton is averaging around 22 points a game. In last year's win over Margaretta, he scored had a team-high 15 points. The Vikings had four players score in double figures in the 64-47 victory. "Defensively, our No. 1 priority is Jason Singleton," Keller said. "He is the leader and passes the ball well. He can slash and get to the rim. He might be one of the best on-ball defenders in the state. They have other pieces." Division V Northwest District Player of the Year Julian Washington leads Margaretta. The 6-4 senior is averaging 22 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals a game. Washington is backed by Judah Keller's 13 points a night and Kale Bailey's 12 points per contest. "We will have to be at the top of our game on both ends of the floor to compete with a very talented and well-coached Margaretta team," Columbus Academy coach Jeff Warstler said. The winner will face either No. 2 Ironton (23-2) or No. 13 Zanesville West Muskingum (22-5) in the state semifinals at 10:45 a.m. next Friday at University of Dayton Arena. "The years are separate, but there are things we can draw from," coach Keller said. "We know Columbus Academy is long and athletic. We've seen that type of team this year. I know last year when we played them, we had not. This year, we tried to fill the schedule with as many teams like them as we could."