It is deja vu for Hoban boys basketball as they have won their second straight Division I Twinsburg District Championship. 

The Knights entered the tournament as the fourth seed in Region Two and they were faced with one of the toughest districts in Division I. Even their first matchup in the Sectional Championship against storied football rival, Massillon, poked at some nerves for head coach TK Griffith. 

“We were definitely prepared defensively,” Griffith told the Canton Repository. “I just did not know how we would play offensively. And then we came out and it was like, ‘Wow.’”

The tandem of senior Will Scott and junior Jonas Nichols continued to lead the Knights as they played their best offensive game of the season, defeating the Tigers, 71-40. 

The boys were then forced to avenge one of their three losses from earlier in the year. The Glenoak Golden Eagles defeated the Knights back on Dec. 17. However, the Knights were missing many key pieces due to injury and recruiting visits, and they still controlled most of the game until the final possession. They proved that game to be a fluke as the Knights exploded for 34 points in the third quarter, while also making 13 three-pointers. A dominant 81-46 victory, sent a scary message to their District Championship opponent, the Nordonia Knights. 

A packed house filled Twinsburg Tiger Arena on both sides anticipating a fantastic matchup. After falling behind by four early, the Hoban Knights went on to score the next 19 points, including a buzzer-beater three from senior Colin Coyne to end the first. 

Nordonia’s shooting began to heat up in the second quarter, as they condensed the Hoban lead to two at halftime.

“I was worried honestly, they had all the momentum,” Griffith stated. “And then our defense turned it on in the third quarter.”

The Nordonia run was put to bed as the tremendous Hoban defense held them scoreless in the third. Seniors Logan Vowles and Andrew Griffith caught fire from distance, giving the Knights the lead they needed to finish the game. Clutch free-throw shooting from Griffith and junior Joey Hardman, late in the fourth quarter, sent three-seeded Nordonia home, winning Hoban’s second straight district championship. 

Once again, the boys were faced with a familiar foe, 21-2, number one seed, St. Edward’s, the same team that ended Hoban’s historic run a year ago. After a hard-fought, low-scoring bout, a late three from Griffith sealed an upset win for the Knights. 

They were then tasked with a rematch against rival, Walsh Jesuit at Kent State on March 10.