Division I State Semifinals: 10 Who Impressed
Massillon Jackson will be the final team to try to disrupt Archbishop Moeller’s undefeated record. The two talented units will face off tomorrow night at 8:30 for the Division I State Championship
Undefeated and #1 ranked Moeller took down #2 Pickerington Central in the first Semifinal, by a score of 57-47. After Pick Central played their uptempo style in the first quarter, Moeller was able to slow them down in the final three quarters. Moeller missed just three field goal attempts in the fourth, where they were especially methodical in their attack.
In the second game, two Northeast Ohio teams competed at a high level. Jackson prevailed by a score of 75-64 over Lakewood St. Edward.
Jeremiah Davenport (2018), 6’4″ G/W, Moeller
The sixth man completely changed the game off the bench for Moeller. After a buzzer-beating tip back to end the first half, Davenport did more of the same late. He crashed the offensive glass extremely hard and ended with a team high four offensive boards. He often went right back up with those, going 7-8 from the field to lead all scorers with 17.
Keegan McDowell (2017), 6’5″ G, Moeller
McDowell was their most consistent scorer considering Moeller sort of struggled in the first half. The Liberty commit is smooth off the dribble, mostly attaching after ball-faking from beyond the arch. He had a team high 8 rebounds, which was crucial since Riley Voss didn’t play a ton in the first half.
Miles McBride (2019), 6’0″ G, Moeller
McBride scored 11 points in the second half, majority of which came against a focused Francis defending him. His mid-range game is effective, highlighted by a quick release off the dribble. If McBride didn’t find space with a crossover, he kept the ball moving quickly, tallying four assists.
Isaiah Payton (2018), 5’11” PG, Moeller
The first three quarters weren’t his best, but Payton carried the scoring load in the fourth, when Moeller shot 8-11 as a team. On methodical possessions, Payton twice caught the defense out of position and took it to the rack. On a similar occasion, he knocked down a wide open three.
Kyle Young (2017), 6’7″ W, Massillon Jackson
Young only missed two field goals all night and finished with 25. Everyone will remember the and-one posterizing dunk in transition, but he went on multiple individual spurts. Whether it was from the mid-range or bodying people down low, Young was remarkably efficient scoring tonight. Young also dominated the paint on defense with teammate Logan Hill on the bench in foul trouble.
Ethan Stanislawski (2018), 6’2″ PG, Massillon Jackson
Stanislawski is considerably improved every time we check up on him. He’s gained quickness on crossovers. Bringing the ball up, he continually left defenders by sliding hard side-to-side. He’s a long point guard, and now he’s utilizing it by taking huge strides with dribble moves. Stanislawski is trustworthy.
Jeremiah Francis (2019), 6’2″ PG, Pickerington Central
After dominating the first half, Francis only hit one shot in the final two quarters. Would’ve liked to see Francis do more late, but we saw enough in the first half. His coast-to-coast ability is remarkable, where he splits defenders like an NFL running back. In the half-court, he converted a few step back threes, another indefensible option.
We’ve seen the three top ranked sophomores in Ohio so far this weekend, Francis is a notch above the others.
Sterling Manley (2017), 6’11” C, Pickerington Central
The future Tar Heel clogged the paint for Pick Central. When shot attempts were forced up, he often came down with the board. Manley also was effective on the offensive glass. The big man also made some nice passes with his back to the basket, finding cutters.
Adrian Nelson (2018), 6’6″ W, Pickerington Central
Nelson’s athleticism resulted in a ton of dunks, both in transition and within the offense. But don’t ignore the fact that Nelson uses that bounce to affect shot attempts too. He closes out hard on shooters and came up with a blindside swat in the first half. Would be rather surprised if Nelson doesn’t pick up more Division I offers this summer. His jump shot will likely continue to improve, giving him tremendous upside.
Tommy Schmock (2017), 6’0″ PG, St. Edward
With his teammates struggling mightily, Schmock took the scoring matters into his own hands by driving hard at the rim. The Findlay commit had to finish around outstretched defenders, but he still finished with 23. His effort was inspiring, as the senior left it on the floor tonight.
Highlights via Spectrum
The @MoellerBBall #Crusaders remain undefeated in @OHSAASports D-I, defeating @pick_central 57-47. @J24Davenport led with 17 pts, 7 rebs. pic.twitter.com/8ESusnp0dr
— High School Blitz on Spectrum News 1 (@SpecSportsOH) March 24, 2017
The @PurpleNGoldCrew advances to the @OHSAASports D-I Boys B-Ball Championship after a 75-64 win vs @SEHS_BASKETBALL. @kyleyoung_35 25 pts pic.twitter.com/o4jHjVzxIL
— High School Blitz on Spectrum News 1 (@SpecSportsOH) March 25, 2017