The matchup between St. Dominic and St. Joseph Avon Lake opened with a defensive tone that never truly let up. Both teams came out locked in, contesting shots, cutting off driving lanes, and forcing early turnovers. It took nearly three minutes for either side to break through, but St. Joseph struck first with a strong and-1 finish at the rim. Moments later, they buried a deep three to take a 6–0 lead with 14:00 remaining in the first half.

Both teams continued to pressure the ball, creating multiple steals and jump-ball situations as neither offense found much room to breathe. St. Dominic defended the paint well but surrendered several open looks from beyond the arc, and St. Joseph took advantage to maintain their lead. The two teams traded baskets midway through the half before St. Joseph called a timeout up 9–2 with 7:39 left.

St. Dominic began finding momentum late in the half, turning their defense into transition opportunities. A few key steals led to fast-break finishes, allowing the Knights to cut the deficit to 9–6 at the break.

The defensive battle carried over into the second half, as both teams continued to force tough shots and grind through possessions. Points came slowly, with each side trading buckets until St. Joseph called a timeout holding a slim 14–12 lead with 7:39 to play. Out of the break, St. Dominic delivered a huge momentum-shifting three to take their first lead of the game, 15–14.

That shot sparked a surge for the Knights. Their relentless work on the glass created second-chance points, helping them rattle off a series of key baskets to build a 23–17 advantage with four minutes remaining. Both teams tightened defensively once more, and St. Dominic used a timeout with 2:14 left to settle in for the final stretch.

In the closing minutes, both squads applied full-court pressure, desperate to generate extra possessions. But St. Dominic held firm, controlling the tempo and securing enough stops to close out a hard-fought 25–17 victory.