Preview: Garfield Heights headlines Jan. 7 Play By Play Classic at Baldwin Wallace
One of the best days of the prep hoop year unfolds on January 7, when the 8th annual Cleveland Scholastic Play By Play Classic comes to Baldwin Wallace in Berea, Ohio
The one-day event features seven games with some of the best teams in Northeast Ohio squaring off
The action tips off at 10:30 a.m. with a breakfast-time special between Gilmour Academy and defending Division IV champion Lutheran East.
Gilmour features 6’6” power forward Dechlan Kirincic and athletic point guard C.J. Charleston, while Lutheran East counters with Jordan Burge, a nice scorer, and a real nice freshman guard wing in E.J. Farmer.
The slate of games will be highlighted by the 3:30 p.m. game, which features Shaker Heights vs Lakewood St. Edward. Shaker is led by 6’6” Christian Guess (2018), who had a 57-point game earlier this year and has drawn the interest of West Virginia of late. The Red Raiders can also get scoring punch from guard Dale Bonner (2018), who verbally committed to Fairmont State and is coming off a 26-point game against Cleveland Heights, in which he scored 24 in the second half.
St. Edward is No. 2 in the state in Division I in PrepHoopsOhio power rankings and is led by sophomore Devontae Blanton (2020) and Montorie Foster (2020) and has gotten solid play from seniors P.J. Flannery and Emmett Chambers. Flannery connected on 6 3-pointers in a recent game. The Eagles could also get sophomore guard Grant Huffman (2020) back. Huffman has been sidelined with a leg injury.
Other games include:
12 p.m. — Cleveland Central Catholic vs. Brunswick
1:45 p.m. — Revere vs. Holy Name
This game features Revere’s 6’9” Pete Nance (2018), who has already committed to Northwestern, and Holy Name’s high-flying point guard Dwayne Cohill (2018), who committed to Dayton already.
Nance is coming off a seven-block effort in a win over Lutheran East and a triple-double in in which he blocked 10 more shots.
5:15 p.m. — Garfield Heights vs. Brush
The Bulldogs of Garfield are the must-see team in Northeast Ohio. Led by 6’9” Alonzo Gaffney and freshman 6’ point guard Demetrius “Meechie” Johnson Jr., and a slew of other talented players Garfield is ranked No. 1 in the Prep Hoops Ohio Division I power rankings.
Brush features Division I prospects Andre Harris (2019) point guard D.J. Dial (2019) and 6’9’ John Hugley (2020) who missed several early-season games with an injury.
7 p.m. — Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. Cleveland Heights
Cleveland Heights features Tyreke Smith, a 6’3” power forward, who is also one of the top football recruits in the nation as a pass-rushing defensive end, as well as a veteran point guard in Yahel Hill (2018).
St. Vincent-St. Mary is a team of youngsters looking to learn to close games. Freshman point guard Seth Wilson has been impressive in the early going for the Irish.