SWEET SIXTEEN FOR THE THUNDERHAWKS!

The Lakota East Boys Basketball team pulled off a stunning upset last Saturday, taking down Southwest District’s No. 1 seed, Centerville, in a thrilling 47-44 victory at Mason High School. The Hawks proved they belong among Ohio’s elite, securing their program’s fifth district championship—their first since the 2019-20 season.

The game opened with a furious three-point shootout as both teams traded deep shots at a frantic pace. Senior guard Michael Akindele set the tone early, draining clutch three-pointers that helped East establish an early lead—an advantage they would hold for most of the night.

As the battle wore on, East’s defense tightened the screws, frustrating Centerville’s offense and keeping them from finding a rhythm in the second half. But as the game reached its final moments, the tension skyrocketed. The Hawks had chances to seal the win from the free-throw line but missed three of four attempts in the closing seconds. With the outcome still hanging in the balance, Trey Perry stepped up, sinking two pressure-packed free throws with under six seconds remaining to ice the game and send East to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in four seasons.

Akindele led the Hawks with 17 points, while Perry added 14 in the statement victory.

Lakota East (17-7) now advances to the Regional Semi-Finals this Wednesday, March 5, at the Cintas Center. Standing in their way? A familiar rival—the Fairfield Indians (17-7)—punched their ticket to regionals with a dominant 55-36 win over Elder. The two GMC stalwarts met twice in the regular season and split the series with East winning at home 65-49 on 1/11 and the Indians winning at home 54-46 on 2/7.

Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM at the Cintas Center. The stakes? A possible State Final Four berth and Regional title opportunity. The winner will battle either Lakota West or St. Xavier on Sunday, March 9, at noon for a trip to the big stage.

Can the Hawks keep their run alive? One thing’s for sure—they’re not backing down now.