SHARONVILLE, Ohio — The undefeated Mount Notre Dame basketball team is a regional champion for the third consecutive season after the Cougars won their 70th consecutive game Saturday afternoon.
MND defeated Huber Heights Wayne 49-33 in a Division I regional final at Princeton.
MND junior guard KK Bransford scored a game-high 20 points to go along with eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Bransford was 12 of 17 from the free-throw line.
Senior guard Laila Phelia added 15 points. Senior forward Autumn Crockett had 10 rebounds.
MND outscored Wayne 12-1 in the second quarter after the Cougars trailed 13-8 at the end of the first quarter.
The Cougars (26-0) advance to a Division I state semifinal against Toledo Notre Dame Academy (16-1) at 8 p.m. March 12 at University of Dayton Arena.
The state final is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. March 13 at UD Arena.
MND is just the second Greater Cincinnati high school basketball program (boys or girls) in Ohio High School Athletic Association history to win at least 70 consecutive games.
The Middletown boys basketball team, led by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas, won 76 consecutive games from 1955-58. Lucas led Middletown to two state titles in 1956 and '57.
MND, ranked No. 3 nationally by MaxPreps, is third all-time in OHSAA girls basketball history for most overall consecutive wins (including the postseason tournament).
Only Pickerington High School (74 wins, 1991-94) and Millersburg West Holmes (108 wins, 1983-87) have more consecutive wins than MND in state girls basketball history.
The Cougars advance to the state tournament for the third consecutive season (2021, 2020, 2019). The 2020 state tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. MND was not able to make to the trip to St. John Arena in Columbus to participate.
MND completed its 2019-20 season with a 28-0 record and was a Division I state semifinalist. The Cougars were ranked No. 1 nationally by the Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings.
Prior to that, MND was the 2019 Division I state champion, the program's seventh state basketball title.
MND started its current win streak Jan. 17, 2019 when it defeated host Mercy McAuley 60-58. MND's most recent loss was to Centerville (70-56) Jan. 14, 2019.
MND coach Dr. Scott Rogers has led the Cougars to four state titles under his head coaching direction including 2004, 2006, 2017 and 2019.
The Cougars also won state titles in 2007, 2008 and 2009 under then-coach Dante Harlan.
