BARBERTON — Nina Rodriguez’s ankle was throbbing when she stepped to the free-throw line with six seconds remaining in Mentor’s Division I regional semifinal against Canton McKinley on March 4. She was exhausted from a grueling game. She was limping. There was a look of excruciating pain on he r face. But with history on the line, the only senior on Mentor’s roster traded the pain for the euphoria of victory. Splitting two free throws, Rodriguez gave her team an insurmountable lead with only six ticks on the clock, cementing Mentor’s 44-40 overtime win over McKinley in the first of two regional semifinals at Barberton. Nina Rodriguez looks to take it to the hoop in Mentor's regional semifinal win over Canton McKinley on March 4 in Barberton. (Tim Phillis - For The News-Herald) The win puts Mentor (24-1) into the regional championship game on March 7 against Wadsworth, a 44-33 winner over Massillon Jackson. It’s Mentor’s first appearance in a regional final since the 2008-09 season. Mentor is chasing the program’s first state berth since 1997. “I was just thinking I’ve got to make this for my team to advance,” Rodriguez said after the game, adding her ankle was still ‘throbbing.’ “I had to get it done. I had to set aside the gain. It’s my last year, and I had to do what I can to do it for the team.” After seeing his star guard go down late in regulation, Coach James Hrusovsky knew he wasn’t going to be able to keep her out of the game, even if she was limping and had tears in her eyes. “She’s tough as nails,” Hrusovsky said. “She wasn’t going to come out. She’s worked so hard for this, I’m so proud of her to be able to finish it out.” After being shut out over the final 3:03 of regulation and seeing their 40-28 lead evaporate into a 40-40 score headed to overtime, Mentor ratcheted up the defense. Keira Coleman hit a coast-to-coast layup left to give Mentor a 42-40 lead, and then Rodriguez limped to the line to split a pair of charity shots to make it 43-40 with 1:39 left in overtime. Mentor regained possession with 1:21 left and impressively ran nearly all the time off the clock with a slick game of keep-away. By time McKinley’s defense got close enough to a Mentor ball-handler to foul Rodriguez, there were only six seconds left. The Cardinals blew out so many teams this year, rarely did they get a chance to play keep-away at the end of the game. Only a regular-season finale win over Magnificat was a single-digit game. The rest were of the blowout variety. “We do (practice that),” Hrusovsky said of salting away time with a hot-potato stall. “But it’s different doing it at regionals. That more pressure than doing in practice. Mentor's Ashley McKinney is fouled taking the ball to the hoop against Canton McKinley. She finished with 15 points and 21 rebounds. (Tim Phillis - For The News-Herald) After Rodriguez’s final charity shot made it a 44-40 game, McKinley tried frantically to score and maybe get a turnover and hoist in a game-tyer, but it never materialized. When the final buzzer sounded, the Cardinals celebrated like it was 2004, while Hrusovsky pumped his fist repeatedly like he was trying to start a chainsaw. “We knew defense was going to win the game for us,” McKinney said after shutting out McKinley in the overtime period. “We just battled.” McKinney, the prized freshman, had a dominating game with 15 points and 21 rebounds. She played the entire fourth quarter and overtime with four fouls. “A little nervous,” she admitted, “but I still had to play tough defense and win this game.” PHOTOS: Mentor vs. Canton McKinley girls basketball, March 4, 2026 Said Hrusovsky, "Ashlyn inside was a huger presence for us tonight." Aside from her team-leading 15, Mentor got 11 from Rodriguez, six from Haley McClintock, five each from Coleman and Lyla Willis and two from Payton Willis. It all helped offset the monstrous game from McKinley's Mya Taylor, who had a game-high 23 points. After a raucous locker-room celebration, the Cardinals emerged knowing their season wasn't over and more chapters in their storybook season remain. "We said we've got 32 more minutes," Hrusovsky said of the March 7 title bout. "We have a chance to do something we haven't done since 1997. We're excited for the opportunity to come back here on Saturday." The score Mentor 44, Canton McKinley 40 (OT) ...read more read less