Ohio Valley Hoops Classic Preview
On December 1-2, some of Ohio’s top teams will meet at Southern State Community College for the 4th annual Ohio Valley Hoops Classic. Ever since its first year, the tournament has gotten bigger and brought even more teams into Southern Ohio. This season won’t be any different as multiple players and teams will again create some serious buzz.
Top Players
Darius Bazley– Princeton (2018)- The #1 player in Prep Hoops Ohio Class of 2018 rankings, Bazley is known for his tremendous playmaking abilities and incredible athleticism. He will be one of the top players this year and will likely wow the crowd with some great dunks.
Jaxson Hayes– Moeller (2018)- Hayes is ranked #8 in Prep Hoops Ohio 2018 rankings. He is one of 2 big time seniors for the Crusaders that likely give them a chance of being the top team present in December. Hayes recently commited to the University of Texas.
Taevion Kinsey– Eastmoor Academy (2018)- If one guy will surprise the crowds at Southern State with athletic plays and dunks, it will be Kinsey. The Eastmoor guard is a high scorer and will take over a game with ease.
Braden Norris– Hilliard Bradley (2018)- Norris is the #18 ranked player in Prep Hoops Ohio 2018 rankings. A tremendous catch-and-shoot guard, Braden will put on a show with his quick release and great scoring touch. He recently commited to Oakland University.
Isaiah Speelman– Hilliard Bradley (2018)- This Jaguars team has plenty of talented shooters and Speelman is no exception. With Braden Norris playing alongside him, these guys can really knock down big shots and take over games. Speelman commited to Cedarville University recently.
Caleb South– Bethel (2018)- An incredible scorer especially for a guard, Caleb will take over games with ease and be a name to watch at Southern State. He along with Ryan Rose (2018)
could be one of the top 1-2 duos from the small school ranks present.
Eric McLaughlin– Lynchburg-Clay (2018)- One of the top local players in SE Ohio, McLaughlin will dominate the boards in their matchup against Ripley. He is a small school name to keep an eye on.
Miles McBride– Moeller (2019)- McBride is a great defensive presence and alongside Jaxson Hayes forms a strong 1-2 duo that can dominate on both ends of the floor. He is seeing interest from multiple D1 schools and is currently ranked #4 in Prep Hoops Ohio 2019 Class rankings.
Samari Curtis– Xenia (2019)- A tremendous scorer from SW Ohio, Samari can easily drop 20 points on any given night and will likely do just that at Southern State. He currently picked up an offer from the University of Cincinnati to go along with several other D1 offers. He is ranked #8 in the Class of 2019 rankings in Ohio.
Matt Allocco– Hilliard Bradley (2020)- The #3 player in Prep Hoops Ohio Class of 2020 rankings, Matt is another big time shooter for the Jaguars and gives them another weapon from beyond the arc.
Games to Watch
Xenia vs. Princeton– Two of the top scorers present all weekend, Bazley and Curtis will put on a show for the crowds present.
Moeller vs. Eastmoor Academy– Arguably the game of the weekend, Moeller’s defensive team will face off against Kinsey and his athletic Eastmoor team.
Hilliard Bradley vs. Cooper– One of Central Ohio’s best teams ace off against one of Kentucky’s best.
Centerville vs. Fairland– The Elks will look to shut down Keedrick Cunningham (2018) is a matchup between SW and SE Ohio.
Lynchburg-Clay vs. Ripley– Two talented teams from the area open up tournament play with what should be a great basketball game.
Superlatives
Best Scorer- Darius Bazley (Princeton)
Best Rebounder- Jaxson Hayes (Moeller)
Best Defender- Donnie Shelton (Centerville)
Best Team- Moeller
Best Shooter- Braden Norris (Hilliard Bradley)
Best Dunker- Taevion Kinsey (Eastmoor)
Best Gridiron player- Meechi Harris (Xenia)
Best Under the Radar Player- Ryan Rose (Bethel)
Best Non-Ohio Player- Adam Kunkel (Cooper)