Coach Gary Kellough's Chillicothe Cavaliers were awarded the number 1 seeding in the Southeast District Sectional at Southeastern High School.
Play begins Monday February 21st.

Circleville will face Jackson at 7pm on the 21st with the winner facing the Cavaliers at 6:15pm on Wednesday the 23rd. That same night, Unioto plays Washington C.H. at 8pm. The Sectional Final is Saturday the 26th at 7pm. 

The Sectional champion will advance to the District tournament at Ohio University on Friday March 4th to meet the upper bracket of the Sectional at Logan High School.

Four teams are playing in that bracket on Tuesday February 22nd. Sheridan faces Gallia Academy and Logan Elm plays Fairfield Union. The Sectional Final is Friday the 25th.

Southeatern High School Sectional Bracket

Chillicothe's final two field goals at Warren, were three-pointers. The first by Tyler Manion. The second, a shot by Jalen Ragland with four seconds remaining gave the Cavs their claim to their third SEOAL title with a 44-43 victory.

Ragland's shot was the dagger that took a probable win from the Warren Warriors.

Warren (15-2, 8-2) had a 42-38 lead with 42 seconds on the game clock. That's when Manion raced the ball up the right sideline. The Warriors defense reacted to a possible pass to Ragland. Manion drained the three-ball at the 33 second mark to pull Chillicothe to 42-41.

A Chillicothe foul sent Warren's sharp shooting guard Austin Cunningham to the charity stripe with 17 seconds left. Cunningham made the first but missed the second. Grant Venham grabbed the rebound but while he was falling out of bounds, his attempted throw in hit behind the backboard. Chillicothe got the ball back and 13 seconds later, Ragland hit the shot heard 'round Washington County.

The Cavs took a 10-8 lead in the first quarter, but Warren outscored them 15-8 for a 23-18 halftime lead. Cunnigham paced the Warriors attack with 8 consecutive points.

Ragland then put the Cavs on his back with 15 of his game-high 24 points in the third as Chillicothe turned a 5 point deficit into a 33-29 lead.

Chillicothe (15-3, 10-1) shot 32% for the first half, but managed 9-for-20 in the all important second half effort.

Manion finished with 7 points, Zach Johnson had 6, Miloje Djacic added 4, Malik London 2 and Max Corcoran 1.

Venham led Warren with 16 and Cunningham had 12.

Chillicothe finishes up SEOAL play next Friday with Jackson, but first will host former OCC rival Pickerington Central at Hatton Memorial Gymnasium this Tuesday.

NOTES: Two of Chillicothe's three losses have come when they've scored 43 points or less. The Southeast District tournament draw is Sunday at Jackson High School.
Click Here Hear Jalen Ragland's game winning shot.

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During the Tom Cuppett era of Chillicothe basketball, fans new of only one place to be on game night, Hatton Memorial Gymnasium.

Through the 1970s, Cuppett led teams won numerous District titles and had teams that were going beyond the Southeast District in tournament play.

The one team which stood out was 1980-81. That season the Cavaliers were undefeated marching into a meeting with Canton McKinley with a 22-0 mark. It was the most successful season in Chillicothe basketball prior to the Cavs 2008 state title.

Friday night, members of the 1980-81 Chillicothe Boys Basketball team will gather on the same floor they dazzled fans and frustrated opponents.

Organizers say as many as 16 individuals associated with the team will return to Hatton, led by CHS Athletic Hall of Fame members Coach Cuppett (2001) and Garin Veris (1993).

Chillicothe City Schools Superintendent Roger Crago was an Assistant Principal at CHS at the time. Crago said it was electrifying anytime the Cavs took the floor, home and away.

"I remember at Groveport, there was a breakaway and Garin was at half-court you
knew he was going to dunk it... you had the support of the community... even at the away games because we always filled the gyms."

Chillicothe was ranked 3rd in the then Ohio Associated Press Class AAA poll and Canton McKinley was the number 1 team heading into the Regional matchup, a team with the future Ohio State backcourt mates in Ronnie Stokes and Troy Taylor.

CHS Principal Jeff Fisher says Friday's event will link up yesterday with today.

"We're striving for that same accomplishment that this team earned and the '08 team earned. It's kind of a past meeting the present..."

The team will be recognized between the Junior Varsity and Varsity games with

Gallia Academy (approximately 7:15pm).

Crago adds the memories of that team are still alive, even when he sees some of the players around town today.

"It was a group of hard working young gentlemen, even nowadays when I see some of them today, like Jeff Doles and Rob Hitchens, and think about watching them play... they worked hard at it."

The ceremony has been orchestrated by Dustin Cousins, who's tireless efforts have helped some former Cavaliers find their way back home.

"It's an important day," said Fisher "we feel this is a way to not only honor the team but to bring the community back inside Hatton Gym and make sure they understand that we didn't have a great team just in 1981, we have a great team right now."

A private reception for the team, cheerleaders and families will be held after the varsity game.