COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Gene Higgins scored 16 points to lead Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph to an 81-64 win over Lynchburg-Clay in a Division III state semifinal game Thursday.

The defending champion Vikings (23-5) used a pair of 8-0 runs in the second half to take control of the game and open a 13-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Sherman Dean III and Kevin Roberts each had 14 points for VASJ, while Danny McGarry and Alonzo Gaffney each added 11.

Devin Pierson led the Mustangs (25-3) with 28 points.

The Vikings will play Lima Central Catholic at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday in the school’s 12th state championship game.

They won the title in 2015 and 2013 after winning four championships in the 1990s.

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Walton leads Lima Central Catholic to its 3rd straight final

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dantez Walton scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Lima Central Catholic topped St. Bernard Roger Bacon 74-56 in a Division III state semifinal Thursday at Value City Arena.

The Thunderbirds (27-1) outscored the Spartans 18-8 in the third quarter to expand a three-point halftime lead to 13. That’s as close as it got the rest of the way.

Tre Cobbs added 20 points for LCC, and Ethan O’Connor had 12.

Justin Jonson scored 16 and James Johnson added 14 for the Spartans (21-8).

Lima Central Catholic advanced to its third consecutive state title game against Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph. The Vikings won 63-50 last season, after LCC took the 2014 matchup 64-62.

LCC also won a state title in 2010.