7 takeaways from the boys basketball state tournament (photos)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A thrilling boys basketball state tournament ends with one local champion (Villa Angela-St. Joseph) and many story lines and moments to sort through that made the games memorable.

Here is a look at some of the most intriguing takeaways from the state tournament:

1) Villa Angela-St. Joseph displays era of dominance

It's hard to fully grasp just how special this Villa Angela-St. Joseph team was. Let's start with just this season. With the same starting five as a year ago (a rarity in any era), the Vikings did not win a postseason game by less than 13 points.

Carlton Bragg, Dererk Pardon and Brian Parker gave the Vikings a frontline that some Division I colleges would fail to match. They showed throughout the postseason another Division III team may stop them for a quarter or even a half, but in the end, they will wear you down.

Now for the three-year stretch. The Vikings went to three title games in a row and won two of them. No team has made the state final three years in a row since Cincinnati North College Hill did it from 2005-2007.

2) Dererk Pardon has something special

The quiet star for the last two seasons on Villa Angela-St. Joseph has been Pardon. Despite being a Northwestern commit, Pardon's statistics have taken a backseat to Bragg and Parker.

When he is at his best, you can see why he's headed to the Big Ten. He played at that level on Saturday, as he finished one block shy of a triple-double.

Expect Pardon to be a factor right away at the next level due to his defense and his willingness to serve a secondary role on offense should serve him well with the Wildcats.

3) Technical foul overshadows brilliant tournament for Antwon Lillard

Were it not for the controversial technical foul call, Central Catholic senior Antwon Lillard would be returning to Cleveland as a state legend. Lillard had 39 points over his team's two games in the state tournament and shot 14-for-23 from the field.

His college decision is still up in the air, but Lillard's ability to raise his game on the big stage and the way he plays defense should translate to wherever he plays next.

4) Central Catholic could be back in Columbus

Losing Lillard will tough for Central Catholic to replace. He wasn't just the team's best offensive player, he was its leader. But even with him graduating, Central Catholic has a promising outlook for next season.

Tervell Beck leads the way, and the rapidly improving Desmond Crosby will be one of the best point guards in Northeast Ohio. The Ironmen also have some younger players with size they can plug into the lineup.

But most importantly, this is a team that came together defensively late in the season under first-year coach Jeremy Holmes. With less transition needed next season, expect them to be a top-tier defensive unit from the very first game.

5) An important summer awaits Derek Funderburk

By graduating Kipper Nichols, St. Edward will face as tough a loss as any school in the state. He was the team's leader and top scorer. Whenever the Eagles needed a basket this season, they could almost always count on Nichols.

Derek Funderburk will be the player the team relies on to fill that void. He is one of two returning starters (Sean Flannery), and the only player back who averages more than 10 points per game.

Funderburk has always been a high-level defensive player, but he has never been asked to be the go-to offensive threat on St. Edward. He'll face a lot of talent this summer to get him ready for the task.

6) Branden Johnson is a different player

The improvement this season by Garfield Heights senior Branden Johnson cannot be overstated. A role player last season, Johnson's final two high school games were 13 points and 17 rebounds against Shaker Heights and Esa Ahmad followed by 19 points and nine rebounds in a state semifinal.

With his 6-foot-7 frame and rapidly developing basketball skills, Johnson seems to be a steal for Alabama State.

7) Don't be surprised to see a Division I rematch

Of the four teams in Columbus for Division I, two were led by a seniors (Huber Heights Wayne and St. Edward) and two were dominated by underclassmen (Westerville South and Garfield Heights).

The latter two teams have a great chance to return to Columbus. The Bulldogs bring back top scorers Frankie Hughes and Willie Jackson, while Westerville South will return its core, including big man Kaleb Wesson.

There's a possibility those two teams will be batting it out in Columbus again.

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