Russia wins MLK Classic over Tri-Village

We’re good with challenges; that’s part of high school basketball ... Coach Josh Sagester

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Trey Sagester scores two of his 18 points in Fort Loramie MLK Classsic vs. Russia. (Gaylen Blosser photo)

FORT LORAMIE – The undefeated (15-0) Russia Raiders, a favorite to win a 2025 DVII state championship, defeated the Tri-Village Patriots 66-45 on Sunday at the Fort Loramie MLK Classic.

“We did some good things,” said Tri-Village coach Josh Sagester. “When you’re playing a really good team, your margin of error is really thin, and today we made some plays that were a little uncharacteristic, but you contribute that to their length and athleticism and their size.”

Tri-Village sophomore Griffin Richards drives to the basket for a score in MLK Classic game with Russia Raiders. (Gaylen Blosser photo)

The Russia Raiders varsity boys roster lists 11 seniors and two juniors, while the Patriots varsity roster has no seniors, five juniors, four sophomores, and two freshmen.

The opening period saw eight lead changes, with the Raiders taking the opening period by a bucket, 14-12, with Trey Sagester scoring six Tri-Village points, keeping the Patriots close after one-quarter of play.

Russia took the second period 18-11, with Sagester adding five points and Noah Finkbine and Brecken Gray each knocking down a 3-pointer, with the Raiders taking a 32-23 lead to the break.

Tri-Village freshman Brecken Gray puts up a Patiots 3-pointer in MLK Classic. (Gaylen Blosser photo)

“For us to play for a half and did some good things offensively and still did some good things defensively, I’m proud of our kids,” Sagester stated. “I thought our effort was there, but our youth showed at times, our inexperience showed at times, but I don’t fault our kid’s effort. We’re going to learn from it individually and as a team.”

Russia’s size and senior experience paid dividends for the Shelby County school in second-half action, taking advantage of their size in the paint to get second-chance shots around at the basket, taking period No. 3 by a 20-10 score and the fourth 14-12 in earning the win.

Patriots’ Noah Finkbine goes to the hoop for a Tri-Village score in Fort Loramie MLC Classic game with Russia. (Gaylen Blosser photo)

“We’re good with challenges; that’s part of high school basketball, and that is why our program is the way it is,” said Sagester. “We’re not ducking anybody; we’re playing who is on our schedule, and obviously, Russia is a favorite to win the DVII state championship. We knew that coming in.”

“We did some good things offensively and still did some good things defensively,” he added. “I’m proud of our kids; I thought our effort was there, but our youth showed at times, our inexperience showed at times, but I don’t fault our kid’s effort. We’re going to learn from it individually and as a team.”

Braylon Cordonnier, son of Fort Loramie head coach Spencer Cordonnier, logged his 1,000th career point on a free throw with less than a second to play in the third quarter.

Russia’s Braylon Cordonnier (L) scored his 1,000th point and was named Fort Loramie MLK Classic Most Valuable Player and Raiders head coach and father, Spencer Cordonnier (R). (Gaylen Blosser photo)

All of Russia’s scoring came from six well-disciplined seniors: 6’4” Braylon Cordonnier, 6’6’ Dominic Francis, 6’1” Vince Borchers, 6’4” Benjamin York, 5’9” Jaxon Grogean, 6’2” Zeb Schulze, and 6’2” Landon Pleiman.

Tri-Village’s Trey Sagester scored 18 points, and Fort Loramie’s Braylon Cordonnier also scored 18 points to lead all scorers in the non-conference matchup.

BOXSCORE:

RUSSIA 66, TRI-VILLAGE 45

RUSSIA – B. Cordonnier 18, D. Francis 14, V. Borchers 9, B. York 9, J. Grogean 8, Z. Schulze 6, L. Plieman 2 – TOTALS 25 10-13 2 66

TRI-Village – T. Sagester 18, G. Richards 8, B. Gray 6, N. Finkbine 5, D. Black 2, C. Bedinghaus 2, K. Hollinger 2, C. Camacho 2 – TOTALS 14 2-5 5 45

3-POINTERS
Russia 2 (Grogean 2)
Tri-Village 5 (B. Gray 2, T. Sagester 1, G. Richards 1, N. Finkbine 1)

SCORE by QUARTERS
14-18-20-14 66 Russia
12-11-10-12 45 Tri-Village