SoutheasternOhioPreps.com

COLUMBUS -- The number 41 has had great meaning to the Oak Hill High School girls and boys basketball teams this season. Ryan Borden’s final three-pointer of the season and his high school career, in the Division IV state championship game on Saturday, was his 41st of the year.

It was the three-point shot heard not just in Oak Hill on Saturday, but heard all around the state of Ohio. But in many ways, a hand from up above had a hand in making sure that shot indeed went in.

With 30 seconds remaining in the first overtime, Borden -- claiming he was “bumped” as he fell down into Oak Hill head coach NormPersin along the Oaks’ bench -- bagged the biggest three-point basket in Oak Hill history to forge a 38-38 tie and ultimately a second overtime againstKalida.
In the end, the Oaks captured the Division IV state championship by outlasting Kalida 48-43.

At the time, the last thing on anyone’s mind was that Borden’s championship-saving three-pointer was his 41st of the season.

But once it was learned that it was his 41st, it had to make one pause and wonder.

Exactly six months to the day after the passing of Oak Hill student Janie Hatfield, the Oaks captured the school’s and Jackson County’s first-ever state championship.

Hatfield, honored all season by the Oaks and Lady Oaks, would have been a freshman girls basketball player and cheerleader this year.

Hatfield, who lost a courageous battle with cancer on Sept. 28, wore the jersey number 41.

On Borden’s big basket, Persin said his senior couldn’t have seen it, because “he was rolling into me and I was on the sidelines.”

But perhaps 41, watching from high above the Value City Arena on Saturday, had the perfect view to make sure that shot would drop.

It did indeed, and the Oaks eventually went on to win the state championship.

Call it divine intervention, or call it coincidence, but ‘41’ played a large role in Oak Hill’s victory.

Simply breathtaking!

here is another 41 article from this year


Oak Hill honors teammate’s memory
By Greg Billing | Friday, March 20, 2009, 01:20 PM

Maybe it’s coincidence the Versailles Tigers, desperately needing a clutch shot late in the fourth quarter of its Division IIII state semifinal, were stuck on 41 points.

The Oak Hill Oaks know better.

During the fall, freshman basketball player Janie Hatfield died of cancer. Her number? 41.

“We promised her parents we’d never forget her,” Oak Hill coach Doug Hale said. “When we leave Oak Hill for every away game, we leave 41 on the clock. When we get back Saturday afternoon I can’t wait to look up at the clock and see Janie’s number up there.”

So maybe with her teammates needing a little help in the D-III semifinal on Thursday, March 19, Hatfield didn’t forget about them. Versailles, the defending state champs, tied the game at 41-41 with 1:58 left in the fourth. They didn’t score again until 2.6 seconds left.

Oak Hill — a small town of about 1,600 in Jackson County in Southern Ohio — plays South Euclid Regina for the D-III title on Saturday. Nothing against Regina, a five-time state champion, but you have to pull for the Oaks.

The Oaks also made it to the state finals in 2004 so it’s not quite Ohio’s version of Hoosiers, but it brings the same feel. And watching them, you get the idea that this bright-eyed team that starts two juniors, a sophomore and two freshmen and brings a junior, sophomore and freshman off the bench are genuinely appreciative of just being in the big city.

“We’re a blue-collar community and our people see us work hard,” Hale said. “We go out and do food drives in the fall. If the community needs something done they know they can count on our student-athletes at Oak Hill. We’ll jump in and help them all.”

The basketball teams get a banner on the wall for every district title and beyond they win. They’d like to add another Saturday.

“We’ve got a lot of tradition there,” Hale said. “Our girls, every day they walk into the gym they see that tradition on the wall.”

And No. 41 on the clock.

Thanks for the post, amazing! Simply Amazing!

Wow, thats awesome.

Not to seek attention here, but I am the author of the story about Ryan Borden's three-pointer for the Oaks was '41'

It was in Tuesday's Times-Journal.

One of those things that made you think and say 'Wow'

very nice post......great story

very nice post bball fan and very nice article Keyser

keyser,
Did you notice the :41 picture that I captured on the moving clock................made me cry/twinge when I got home and downloaded the pictures.

ProtecThisHouse.....Thanks for the kind words on the article. Of all my Oak Hill boys basketball articles from the tournament run, that one has garnered the most feedback. Postive feedback too which is always good.

It was just one of those things, like I said, that made you stop and think and say 'Wow.' I wish I would have thought of the Versailles game in the state semifinals with the girls and the score being 'stuck' on 41 for Versailles.

4thekids....Yes, I saw the photo of the :41. The only thing that would have made that article better and more "convincing" would have been the score involving 41 and/or the time remaining with 41 seconds left.

Keyser...You are a great writer and a greater person. Glad and proud to call you my friend. God Bless and stay the way you are..1974 Viking

1974Viking....Thank you very much for the kind words. I enjoyed talking with you during the past basketball season and getting to know you.

I too am glad and proud to call you my friend. Stay in touch throughout the spring, summer and fall.

God Bless