VANDALIA – The score in Tri-Village’s 57-43 loss in the regional final to Marion Local doesn’t tell the full story of the battle between the top two DVI teams in the state this year.
Timely shots by Marion Local, along with 23 free throw attempts compared to just 5 for the Patriots, loomed large in a grind-it-out game.
Things started well for the Patriots as they executed the offense and got what they wanted, jumping out to a 5-0 lead on a Dom Black field goal and a triple by Trey Sagester.
Marion answered with a couple of buckets to draw closer at 5-4, but Black and Griffin Richards scored back-to-back to push the lead to 9-7.
Richards, off to a good start, was whistled for three early fouls in a game full of physical play. The calls seemed out of place, and he had to sit the rest of the quarter and all of the second period.
The Flyers responded with a triple from Oliver Huelsman followed by a layup from Brayden Mescher to grab their first lead, 12-9.
Sagester answered with a triple to tie the game at 12 to end the period, then opened the second quarter with a tough 18-foot jumper to put the Patriots back in front, 14-12.
Marion inched ahead 15-14, but the PATS took the lead back on a triple from Brecken Gray, 17-15, at the 5:30 mark.
The Patriots then missed an opportunity to expand their lead on multiple shots on their next possession, and the Flyers tied the game at 17-17.
Sagester earned a hard deuce at the rim, followed by an athletic double-pump layup from Noah Finkbine to put the Patriots up 21-17, and things were looking good.
Marion’s next possession would be fruitful when Grant Kremer connected on a triple (his third of the game) and, at the same time, Dom Black was whistled for a foul underneath. The Flyers made it hurt, cashing in for a six-point swing when Kale Ahren hit a three-pointer from the corner to go up 23-21.
With the momentum flipped, the Flyers finished the first half strong and took a 27-23 advantage into the break.
After halftime, Sagester got the Patriots rolling with a triple to cut the deficit to 27-26, but shortly thereafter Richards picked up his fourth foul and again had to watch from the bench.
Marion increased its lead to 32-26 after a couple of empty possessions as Tri-Village tried to pound the ball inside to Black. Every time Black touched the ball he was swarmed by three and four defenders, determined not to let him score at the rim and making points hard to come by.
“Griff getting in foul trouble definitely had an impact on the game as well as my big not getting to the free throw line. I felt like there was some physicality in the paint and then you don’t get to the free throw line … yet my point guard had three fouls in the first quarter and a fourth early in the 3rd quarter, and quite frankly, couldn’t play to his athleticism and do some things he can because of foul trouble, really hurt us,” coach Sagester stated.
Given the need to have him on the floor, TV gambled and reinserted Richards, and he answered with a drive to the rim to pull within 32-28 at the 3:25 mark. But Marion’s big man buried a triple—something he doesn’t normally shoot—to push the lead to 35-28.
A couple of Sagester free throws the rest of the quarter weren’t enough to overcome a buzzer-beating three by Kremer, and the Flyers held a 10-point lead, 40-30, going into the final frame.
Trey Sagester showed why he was a finalist for Mr. Basketball to start the fourth with a drive to the rim and the harm for a three-point play. He followed that up with two straight triples, scoring 9 quick points and finishing with 13 of his game-high 25 in the quarter.
Down 45-39 at the 6:25 mark, the Patriots got a stop and needed a score to make it a one-possession game, but a missed layup and two jumpers wouldn’t fall. Marion scored after that to keep TV at bay, 47-39.
The Flyers now had time on their side, and they let their point guard Mescher do his thing as they spread the floor, looking for either a layup or a foul to get to the free throw line.
Tri-Village was never really able to mount another run, playing catch-up as Marion went 11-of-15 from the line in the frame to claim the DVI Regional Title, 57-43, and secure back-to-back state Final Four appearances.
They denied Tri-Village, whose last appearance at state was in 2022, when they finished state runner-up to Richmond Heights.
The Patriots, who owned a 4-0 record against the Flyers and beat them in the regional title game in 2015 on their way to a 30-0 undefeated state championship, saw the dream of another undefeated state championship come up short.
It’s easy to be consumed and overcome with emotions when you fall short of the ultimate goal, but after the disappointment fades, these young men, coaches and the community can be proud of a season that is now in the record books:
26-1, Regional Runner-up, District Champions, 11-0 WOAC Champions and Flyin’ to the Hoop winners.
The Patriots graduate five seniors who have given much to the program, including 96 wins over four years, four district championships and two WOAC league championships.
Graduating are Carson Bedinghaus, Logan DeLong, Kasyn Hollinger, Noah Finkbine and Trey Sagester.
Bedinghaus filled his role off the bench this year by giving valuable minutes on defense and helping facilitate the offense.
DeLong gave the PATS a big body to bang against in practice, and his sense of humor and smile helped keep things real for the team.
Hollinger had a number of big moments this year with clutch shots, rebounds and big defensive plays, and has been a solid contributor over the last four years.
Noah Finkbine gets a double pump and under lay-up and leaves as one of the most athletic players to don a Patriot uniform. (Dale Barger photo)
Finkbine might be one of the most athletic players to ever wear a Patriot uniform, and his value couldn’t be measured by points alone—a tenacious defender, good ball screener, capable ball handler, steady decision-maker and athletic enough to score tough buckets. He’ll be a tough player to replace.
The Patriots have had to replace big-time players over the years—more recently Layne Sarver, Colton Linkous, Damion Cook and Tyler Cook, who have all led the Patriots to the big dance—and now will have to replace another.
Sagester was a generational type of player, a Mr. Basketball finalist and now the Tri-Village boys’ all-time leading scorer with 2,081 points. His 96 wins are the most in school history and his 107 games played is the 5th most in OHSAA History along with being top 25 in three-point goals made in a career
For coach Josh Sagester, who has taken three teams to the state Final Four—including one state championship, one state runner-up and one other Final Four—having his son Trey playing made this run even more personal. Trey was his ball boy on two of those earlier teams, including the state championship squad. It hits hard that the two of them didn’t get to do it together as coach and player … but it doesn’t diminish what they and this team accomplished together.
“The ending is bittersweet. I thought our kids battled. When you’re playing a one-game shot and not a series in high school basketball, it’s unfortunate,” Sagester shared.
“Obviously, this was a real special class, and to walk down the hallway knowing it’s the last time we’re going to be together in the locker room, that’s hard. But boy, they played with heart. They’re winners. They competed at a high level,” Sagester reflected.
“I think they left their stamp on our program, certainly our school district and community, and I’m really proud of all of them,” Sagester commented while holding back tears.
While the pain is real for coach Sagester and especially the five seniors, the experience gained by the remainder of the team should prove valuable and serve as motivation for next season. Returning varsity players Griffin Richards, Dom Black, Brecken Gray and a junior varsity team that went 22-0 will be tasked with the same goals that won’t change because of graduation.
Those “Gold Standard” goals are winning a league championship, winning 20+ games, winning a district, regional and state championship. The 2025-26 team checked off a lot of those boxes, and when your goals are that specific, falling short hits hard … now it’s next team up.
The dream of another undefeated run ended in Vandalia, but the legacy of this group ensures that for Tri-Village basketball, the Gold Standard isn’t going anywhere—only the names on the jerseys will change.
The Patriots didn’t get the storybook finish, but seasons like this one don’t fade quickly. They live on in packed gyms, kids shooting in driveways pretending to be Sagester or Finkbine as the seniors move on and the underclassmen step forward, Tri-Village basketball isn’t resetting—just reloading. The goals remain the same. The names may change … but the standard will not.
