Patriots to face top team in D-IV
Knights and Patriots much alike
By George Starks

NEW MADISON- When Tri-Village and Convoy Crestview takes the floor in Columbus Thursday, there will be a lot on the line.

Ranked number one in D-IV in Ohio, the Knights come in with a perfect 27-0 mark.

Tri-Village, number two, will be sporting a 26-1 record as its only blemish this season was a loss to Franklin Monroe.

In the crowd Thursday night will be some familiar faces. Faces from the state runner-up team of 1992. Tri-Village’s post player, Scoob Cook, will be there to watch his son on the same stage he once played on. Also in that crowd will be Lee Brandon and Dirk Lewis.

“Those guys have been our biggest supporters we have,” said Patriots coach Josh Sagester. “Colton Linkous’ dad played in the state tournament to where he went to high school. These guys know what we’re going through. I really think that helps because they’ve been there and with the girls going a couple of years ago, it means it’s possible. There are a lot of teams and communities that talk about it and it’s nothing more than a pipe dream. With our kids and our community, it’s an expectation and we know we can achieve it. Having bloodlines and having people in our community that have played in the state tournament and our girls having the opportunity to play, it’s possible.”

While Sagester has not seen the Knights in action, he has heard enough to know that the two teams mirror each other.

“I know we are a lot alike,” Sagester stated. “They have kids listed at 6-4, 6-5 and they play good defense. They run a lot of sets. You don’t win 27 games in a row and not be pretty good.”

Coming off a 62-44 victory over Marion Local on Thursday, the Knights were taking care of business with a 44-34 win over Wayne Trace.

During the season, the Patriots went up against some of the best in the area, beating teams like New Bremen, Jefferson and Stivers.

During the summer, Tri-Village scrimmaged Columbus Africentric , and Elite 8 team.

The Nubies fell in the regional finals to Canal Winchester Harvest Prep, 43-40, at Ohio University in Athens.

“We’ve see the likes of some of these teams and when you go toe to toe with 6-6, 6-7 and 6-10 like we did tonight, I hope that prepares us for the next step,” said Sagester.

With a sea of red and blue in the stands, Patriot Nation is in full force.

“The community is phenomenal,” Sagester pointed out. “It’s a dream come true. I’m not only the basketball coach but the superintendent to. We’ve got a lot of good people and a lot of good kids. We’ve got some great chemistry on this team and no one care who gets the ball or who scores the points. These kids are out there to win. Nobody cares about the credits and that makes it pretty easy on me as the coach.”

Now 26-1, the Patriots are 0-0 with two games left to play.

“We just have to get back to work now and face the next step,” said Sagester. “We’re going to give it our best shot to get to Saturday now.”

Tri-Village and Crestview will take center stage Thursday at 8:30.