Dublin Coffman Dominates Second Half to Punch Ticket to District Final

Hilliard — From the opening tip of their district semifinal against Hilliard Darby, there was an intangible edge in favor of the Shamrocks. One you couldn’t quite measure but could certainly feel.

Dublin Coffman maintained a slight edge over Hilliard Darby throughout the first half, always seeming to have an answer whenever the Panthers found momentum. According to Head Coach Adam Banks, that resilience might stem from the tough competition they face in their league.

“Our league is just incredible with Orange, Liberty, Bradley, UA, and Davidson,” he said. “I think we are battle tested. We are going to try and be regular season champions, but we want the tournament hardware.”

A second-half surge led by Colin McClure, Gabe Schmidt, and Stone Clifton propelled Dublin Coffman past Hilliard Darby, securing a 54-37 road victory in the Division I boys basketball state playoffs. With the win, the Shamrocks advance to face Pickerington North in the district championship on Saturday in Columbus.

McClure led all scorers with 18 points and two rebounds, while Schmidt contributed 16 points and six rebounds. Clifton added seven points and six rebounds. Head Coach Adam Banks highlighted this scoring versatility as one of the team’s biggest strengths.

“I thought it was a complete team effort,” he explained. “The tough part is that anyone on this team can go off for a double-digit game on any given night. You can take Colin away, but then here comes Schmidt with 16 points. If you take them away, here comes Clifton hitting a couple of shots.”

After Darby senior star Ty Maul scored seven points in the first quarter, Dublin Coffman locked in defensively, limiting him to just four more points the rest of the way. Additionally, the Shamrocks stifled Darby’s perimeter game, allowing just one three-pointer all night, a key emphasis in their preparation leading up to the matchup.

“They are a fantastic three-point shooting team, and one of our emphases was to limit their threes,” Banks said. “They have five guys on the floor that can shoot threes, and I feel that we handled them pretty effectively.”

Dublin Coffman controlled the key statistical battles, winning the turnover margin 10-8 and the glass with a 24-18 rebounding advantage. The Shamrocks’ intensity shined in the second half, where they held Darby to just eight total rebounds. Now, their focus shifts to a familiar challenge: Pickerington North in the district championship.

The upcoming district championship will mark the fourth meeting between Dublin Coffman and Pickerington North in the past two seasons. Coach Banks acknowledged the challenge ahead, emphasizing the need for focus and execution as the Shamrocks prepare for battle at the Ohio Expo Center on Saturday.

“Playing against Pickerington North is going to be completely different than Hilliard Darby,” he analyzed. “They like to get out and pressure a bunch, so we’ll need to clean up some of the turnovers and hopefully it will give us a chance to win.”

The Shamrocks will take the court against Pickerington North at 3:30 PM on Saturday in the district championship game at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.