BOWLING GREEN (Crawford County Now) — Brayden Holt has done more than just fit in during his initial season at Colonel Crawford.

The 6-foot-1 junior guard has piloted the Eagles to a regional championship appearance Saturday against Lima Central Catholic, averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds and nearly 6 assists per game.

“It’s a blessing, honestly, to be able to come out on a college court and play in front of a crowd like this. Both sides had high energy. It was fun,” he said after the 48-41 semifinal win over Maumee Valley Country Day.

“It’s really cool. Not everybody gets to do this.”

Winning is also fun, and Colonel Crawford has done plenty of that — boasting a 24-1 record, a Northern 10 Athletic Conference title and sectional and district championships.

Last week Holt was named District 6 Player of the Year in Division VI, chosen by Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association.

Against Country Day, Holt scored 23 points, secured 12 rebounds and dished out 5 assists. His free throw shooting down the stretch helped seal the game.

“They’re very fast-paced. Against a team like that we knew we had to get off to a hot start or we could get buried pretty early,” he said. “To be able to come out right away, put a couple punches to ’em and be able to hold onto the lead the whole game was huge.”

He also credited the DeGray brothers, Payne and John, for their work inside. Payne grabbed 15 rebounds and John added 11.

“They played like men tonight. When you go against a 6-10 kid (Ty Lewis) like that … Those two guys on the glass and they kept him off the boards. They played bigger than him tonight.”

Holt has been a force all season since coming over from Wooster Triway. A year ago, he scored 37 points in Triway’s 77-72 win over Indian Lake during the Battle of the Berkey in Smithville.

He earned Division III all-Ohio Special Mention as a sophomore when he averaged 16.5 points per game.

This season, starting with football, Holt has made an impact. Sharing quarterback duties with Peyton Baker, he threw for 949 yards and 10 touchdowns helping the Eagles to a 9-3 record and one playoff win.

Holt appreciates being accepted at the North Robinson school.

“These guys and coaches are great. This whole community has welcomed me in like I’ve been here my whole life and it’s awesome. Being able to do this in my first year is really exciting,” he said.

Head coach David Sheldon calls Holt “a gym rat,” which means that his hard work and preparation are part of his makeup. He and his teammates watched LCC defeat Patrick Henry in the nightcap Tuesday.

“We’ll watch these guys here tonight. Obviously whoever wins, we have film and scouting reports for both teams written up for tomorrow.”

The extra time between games also is beneficial.

“We’ve got a nice little break to rest our bodies and take care of business practicing and in the film room. Being able to do that is huge.”

Sheldon has mentioned Holt’s premier basketball IQ all season, as well as his on-court skills.

“He’s really good. He put us on his shoulders,” he said following the league-clinching win over Mohawk where Holt scored 23 points.

After beating Crestview for the district championship last week Sheldon talked about Holt’s contributions.

“(It’s) not just scoring, but his facilitating, passing, his toughness. He showed why he should be a first-team all-Ohio before it’s said and done.”

Fitting in at a new school is one challenge. Sharing the spotlight with another high-profile player can be even more difficult.

“It’s fun playing with him. We’ve had guys over the years come over from other places, and we’ve just accepted them as our own,” said Payne DeGray.

DeGray also is a first team all-N10 selection, averaging 15.2 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.6 blocks. Shooting 74 % from the field, he has been an inside force in the post-season.

“Even Dom. Dom Dean’s not playing right now, but he’s a brother to us. He comes over from Buckeye (Central). He whooped us eighth-grade year there, but I’ve accepted him, and I know everybody else has,” DeGray said.

“It’s just a brotherhood in the locker room.”

That group needs one more victory Saturday afternoon for a D-VI state Final Four appearance.

Standing in their way are the Thunderbirds (18-7).