Week 4’s Top Five Games
The early season out-of-conference schedule is pretty much out of the way for a couple weeks — until holiday season events get going. It’s time to prove you’re a threat against familiar competition. In games like Medina and Brunswick, we have…
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Continue ReadingThe early season out-of-conference schedule is pretty much out of the way for a couple weeks — until holiday season events get going. It’s time to prove you’re a threat against familiar competition. In games like Medina and Brunswick, we have two unbeatens clashing. Then in Brush versus St. Edward, it’s the new kids on the block versus a perennial power.
Week 4 is going to be another week of figuring out pretenders and contenders. With that being said, if your record is still on point going into the final week of December, you should definitely feel good about yourself.
Here’s the Top Five Games:
Thomas Worthington (3-1) at Delaware Hayes (3-0), Dec. 17 at 7:30PM
We like this game a lot because it matches up two teams who finished with losing records in 2017-18 (TWHS 5-18, Hayes 10-12), but whose rising talent suggested a turn-around this season. So far, that prediction has come into fruition.
The undefeated home team, Hayes, has been led by a trio of Terin Kinsway, Nate Griggs, and Paul Burris — all three with college talent. Kinsway, the lone senior, remains unsigned but has long been tracked by Wheeling Jesuit, so don’t be surprised if he lands there. The 6’5” hybrid Kinsway, along with Burris, will be asked to not only score but off-set their height disadvantage tonight on the glass. TWHS is led by Ohio Univ. 6’8” signee Ben Wight and unsigned 6’7” senior forward Kyler Block. Guards Isaac Settles and Maurice Collins are scoring in double-digits for the Cards through four games, according to 270 Hoops.
Other prospects: Jalen Sullinger (TWHS)
Our pick: Hayes
Game of the Week: St. Edward (3-1) at Brush (4-0), Dec. 18 at 7:30PM
Brush’s out of conference schedule is going to heat up over the next month with Ed’s, Garfield, Spire, and Shaker on the schedule. But they’ve breezed through some tune-up games so far, winning on average by 33.0 points per game. On the other side, Ed’s has uniquely and thoughtfully scheduled almost every team from Northwest Ohio that they could play in a Regional Final — already facing Toledo St. John’s, Rogers, and Lima Senior. The Eagles fell short to Lima on Saturday.
Looking ahead to Tuesday, there will be a lot of pressure on John Hugley defensively. The 6’9” junior center is surrounded by several impact wing defenders, but his intimidation as a shot-blocker against all of St. Edward’s slashers is crucial. That end of the floor — Eds on offense against Brush’s athletic defense — I think is the most interesting thing to watch. Matchups could go something like this:
- DJ Dial defending Montorie Foster
- Elmore James defending Grant Huffman
- Andre Harris defending Devontae Blanton
Something has got to give. Either Brush will relent defensively and need to keep pace by scoring the ball — another situation where Hugley would likely be relied on. (Either way, foul trouble for Big John would be detrimental for Brush.) Or Ed’s will have to put together an impressive defensive performance of their own, which would mean limiting points in the paint for Brush.
Other prospects: Demetrius Terry (Ed’s), Antwone Woolfork (Brush), Corey Floyd (Brush)
Our pick: St. Edward
Sidney (4-1) at Vandalia Butler (6-0), Dec. 18 at 7:30PM
The only blemish on either one of these team’s résumé so far is Sidney’s neutral site loss to Mason. Other than that, these two have raced to some of the best starts in the GWOC this season.
Truth be told, we’re a little skeptical on Butler. The Aviators also started 6-0 last year before dropping their seventh game and finishing 19-4. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The production of unsigned senior guard Michael Kreill, though, suggests that they could sustain success. Known for his perimeter defense this summer, Kriell has turned it up as a scorer — topping double-digits in all sic games and averaging 15.5 PPG.
Kriell’s hands will be full on Tuesday going against Virginia Tech signee Andre Gordon, averaging 21.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.8 APG, and 3.0 SPG. The production comes as no surprise, honestly. If anything, the balance of dishing assists and taking fewer shots is the surprising part for a kid who can create a look whenever. However, he’s shown trust in guys like 6’3” forward Ratez Roberts, a bouncy senior who flirts with a double-double almost every night while averaging 5.2 blocks.
Other prospects: Cooper Justice (Butler), Bryant Johnson (Butler), Darren Taborn (Sidney)
Our pick: Sidney
Medina (4-0) at Brunswick (4-0), Dec. 21 at 7:30PM
This one is for early season bragging rights in the Greater Cleveland Conference as familiar foes enter undefeated. So far, Medina’s best win came at Euclid, meanwhile Brunswick dismantled Shaker Heights by 19. Safe to say this is the biggest game on either team’s schedule through five games, though.
Brunswick has received a crucial bump from sophomore Tre Massey, a 6’2” volume scorer who transferred from Strongsville. The kid can really shoot the ball and pairing him alongside Hillsdale commit Kyle Goessler gives Brunswick a dangerous scoring duo. Medina, however, has a nasty backcourt combo in their own right. Sophomore Corey Tripp is the headliner, already touting a Youngstown State offer, but also look out for 6’2” shooter Kyle Szumski.
Our pick: Brunswick
Pickerington Central (4-0) at Reynoldsburg (4-0), Dec. 21 at 7:30PM
Ben Fort, Sean Moore, Sahmi Willoughby, and Xavier Prince — a stable of long, athletic wings — has made up for Reynoldsburg’s loss of Tre Williams, who graduated last spring. They’re, somewhat surprisingly but not really, undefeated through four. The Pirates have a demanding Week 4 schedule that is headlined by rival Pick Central but also includes Newark and Princeton — 2-1 would be an accomplishment, for sure.
Pickerington Central is undefeated, as expected. Next weekend’s trip to Detroit will be tough, but there really isn’t a game that we’d consider them underdogs in going forward. Springfield transfers JaJuan “Jay” Rodgers and Sam Towns have added scoring and size to a team who wasn’t lacking in either category. Meanwhile, the other two senior starters — Javohn Garcia and Coleton Landis — appear to be focused on their mission this year.
Other prospects: Josiah Mobley (Rey.), Cooper Davis (Rey.), Jaidon Lipscomb (PC), Jalen Cromwell (PC), Tahleik Walker (PC), Conner Maciag (PC), Garner Wallace (PC), Elhadji Thiam (PC)
Our pick: Pickerington Central