BARBERTON, Ohio — Anthony Wayne is one victory away from getting back to a girls basketball state final four.
The Generals (22-2), who reached the Division I state semifinals in 2022, inched closer to a return trip Tuesday night, hammering Twinsburg 58-20 in a Division II regional semifinal at Barberton High School.
Senior twin sisters Elise and Brooke Bender led the way for AW, with Elise scoring 23 points and grabbing nine rebounds, and Brooke adding 10 points and nine rebounds. Junior Leah Pike had eight points and 10 boards for the Generals.
“We're really excited,” Elise Bender said of closing in on the final four. “This is what we've been practicing for. This is what we do every single day, and this is what we've been waiting for.
“Seeing it within reach, and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, is very exciting for us.”
Anthony Wayne will play Hudson (21-4) in Friday's 7 p.m. regional championship game here. The Explorers advanced with a 45-43 win over Wadsworth (19-6) in Tuesday’s second semifinal at Barberton.
In the first semifinal, the Generals came out at full throttle — offensively and defensively — grabbing a quick 8-0 lead the opening two minutes. They bumped it to 26-3 on a Brooke Bender's 3-pointer with 1:44 left in the first quarter, and took a commanding 30-5 edge to the second quarter.
“That's been our [method of operation] all year,” AW coach Jami Carter said. “We hit the pedal right out of the gate. We want to not only start out strong, but also finish strong.”
What was the key for AW against Twinsburg?
“It was our size, and our kids come out with this defensive energy,” Carter said. “That creates a lot of scoring opportunities for us. It was a combination of both.”
Ahead 42-12 at halftime, AW sent to game into a running clock 4:34 into the third quarter, when Elise Bender's three-point play gave the Generals a 51-14 advantage. That bucket and foul shot took her career point total to 2,001, and she added two more free throws before exiting the game with two minutes left in the third.
As freshmen starters in 2022, the Benders led AW to the D-I state semifinals in Dayton, where they lost 67-48 to eventual champion Reynoldsburg. That impressive opening to their careers led to great promise of additional final-four runs.
The Generals, however, were upset 51-42 by Fremont Ross in the D-I district finals in 2023 and last year fell 55-50 to Massillon Jackson in a D-I regional semifinal.
“They're not satisfied with how that ended, so they want to right that ship before they leave us,” Carter said. “A lot of it is self-motivated, to be honest, and they're also very disciplined.
“They take our coaching very well, and when they put that discipline in there, it's a good combination.”
The earlier-than-expected tourney exits the past two years have created an abundant sense of urgency this season, especially for the Benders and AW's third senior, starting point guard Sophie Smith.
“Ending the tournament kind of early last year was very upsetting for us,” Elise Bender said. “Having this be my last year, we really have tried to get the details down.
“This is my last opportunity to win a state championship. Our three seniors really want it, and our whole team supports us and has that same drive. That's very important and has made this fun so far.”
The urgency has been evident all season long.
AW's two losses came against three-time defending state champion Cincinnati Purcell Marian (70-60 on Dec. 8), and to Indiana state power Indianapolis Lawrence Central (63-57 on Dec. 30).
In their 22 wins, the Generals have outscored foes by an average of 48 points per game, with only two margins of fewer than 30 points.
“Starting off the game strong and not letting them get into the game early,” Brooke Bender said of the keys for AW. “That is what we worked on a lot in practice this week, and having a great mindset coming into the game.
“All through our four years in high school, that [winning a state championship] has always been something we've wanted to do.
“Going back [to the final four] would be a dream for us, so we're putting the work in every day to get there.”
Twinsburg, which had won back-to-back D-I state titles in 2011 and 2012, was making its first regional appearance since 2015.
Tigers coach Spencer Genos had a list of pluses in breaking down AW's court prowess.
“It was their size, athleticism, shooting ability,” Genos said. “The Benders are the real deal. We were trying to double them, triple them at times, and they're just so strong with the basketball. They don't mess around.
“They drove two hours to get here, and they came out fresh and ready to go. It's tough to stop them. I felt like we played hard, and we got a few defensive stops, but then they get rebounds. They just don't stop.”
First Published February 26, 2025, 2:14 a.m.
