2018-19 Staff Roundtable
As we get ready to wrap-up the 2018-19 high school season in Ohio, our staff shells out some takes! In your city, which player will your city be abuzz about after the tournament? Tony Peters: Definitely will be Twon Hines from…
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Continue ReadingAs we get ready to wrap-up the 2018-19 high school season in Ohio, our staff shells out some takes!
In your city, which player will your city be abuzz about after the tournament?
Tony Peters: Definitely will be Twon Hines from Northridge. He put the Polar Bears on his back during this postseason run and truly saw his stock rise after the Regional Final appearance. The guy can flat out score and everyone in the city knows it now.
Dusty Wright: With many players to choose from in regards to this question, I think that I am going to go with G Alex Dotson for Purcell. Dotson had some injury issues his first few years at the varsity level but has been healthy and looking like one of the best guards in Cincinnati for his senior season. He has the size (6’4) and skill set to be a big point man at the next level and has shot the ball quite well this year with a shooting split of 47/40/67 on the season. Dotson was the Cavs leading scorer on the season at over 13ppg.
Brandon Little: In Central Ohio, if Olentangy Liberty was to take it all, the talk would be about Ben Roderick. However in D2, if South makes it to the state championship, I could see Tre Watkins being the talk of things.
Anthony Garcia: There’s only one team from the Toledo area that advanced to States — Cardinal Stritch out of Oregon. So, it has to be Joey Holifield, right? The program did a 180-turn when Holifield showed up on campus. Punching his ticket to Columbus as a junior, speculation will arise on if Holifield and the Cards will win back-to-back regional tournaments.
Which senior will earn a D-I offer in March?
TP: Ryan Hall from Fairmont has the best chance of earning a D1 offer. Although his talent level is more towards a D2 program, his heroics and talent during the postseason is enough to have at least one low major D1 offer him.
DW: Ben Roderick (Olentangy Liberty) has been a killer this whole season. He has shown all season that he is fully recovered and has carried his team to Columbus with a chance to cut down the nets. His run reminds of the run Torrey Patton had with Trotwood-Madison a few years ago.
BL: Possibly, Morgan Safford of Bishop Hartley, one of the better players available in Central Ohio. A killer mentality that could fit in LM-D1.
AG: There are four to six unsigned seniors who, in my opinion, possess Division I talent. That group of four to six doesn’t include those who will play junior college ball next season. So, I’m going to be boring here and go with Javohn Garcia, an obvious D-I talent whose recruitment appears more wide-open than the other surefire candidates.
Which underclassmen had a major impact during this tournament?
TP: Aidan Reichert from Jackson Center had a huge responsibility for the Tigers being only a sophomore. The lefty can score inside and out and was an X Factor defensively for JC as they advanced to the Regional Finals in Division IV.
DW: If you have not seen Convoy Crestview F Kalen Etzler (#3 PHO 2021) play you will definitely want to pay attention to him this weekend. Standing 6’8 he is as athletic as they come and is fearless in attacking the rim. He is also really good in pick and pop situation as well an outstanding offensive rebounder.
BL: Henry Hinkle of Olentangy Liberty has been a game changer. The sophomore was big time in the regional championship and district.
AG: Chris Livingston, without question. Look, the Buchtel program would be conducting their exit interviews right now if Livingston wasn’t suiting up for the Griffs. He’s a problem.
Good or bad, who has been this season’s surprise team?
TP: In the postseason, Northridge and Centerville I think surprised me the most by making it to the Regional Finals. The Polar Bears I expected to advance to District Finals, but I did not see them beating Taft and Hartley. Centerville also had a very tough road to advance to the Regional Finals and I expected them to fall to Springfield in the Regional Semifinals.
In terms of the regular season, I think National Trail was one of the biggest surprises. Although they returned 4 starters from the previous season, there weren’t a lot of people that expected the Blazers to win a Sectional final, especially against Madison. Only losing 2 games in the regular season while playing in what was a wide-open CCC is even more impressive.
DW: I really hate to be a Donald Downer here, but I expected a lot more from the Withrow Tigers this season. Many around the city of Cincinnati predicted them to be a top five team at the beginning of the season, with some predictions having them right behind Moeller as the 2nd best team in the city. But that never came to be as the Row struggled tremendously on the offensive end this season. And with Mike Hill and Abba Lawal graduating this season, it could be more struggles in 2020 for the Tigers.
BL: Thomas Worthington has definitely surprised me. A solid regular season followed by an upset win over Hilliard Bradley in the postseason. Led by a couple of sophomores and a senior big man.
AG: Buchtel is the only team that I’m truly surprised will play in Columbus this week. I’m pretty pumped about it, though.
Who are your favorites to win the four Division championships this weekend?
TP: Moeller is going to have a tough road ahead, but their coaching and overall athleticism will get them a win in Division I. Trotwood isn’t going to allow themselves to lost back-to-back games in Division II and I expect them to take care of business in Division II. Harvest Prep is going to be tough to beat in Division III and I’m taking them to win the whole thing. Crestview is my favorite out of Division IV.
DW: D-I: Moeller, no need for a long drawn out reason. The fact that they have not lost a game in Ohio since the 2017 championship game make me feel confident in my pick.
D-II: Trotwood Madison closest postseason win was by 18 against Thurgood Marshall. They have been the best D-II team in Ohio all season and that should continue all the way to a 2nd consecutive state title.
D-III: For the 2nd straight year the D-III championship will come back to Cincinnati, this time with the Purcell Cavaliers. When shots aren’t falling teams have to rely on defense and grit to get the job, and Coach Kerr’s squad has both.
D-IV: Convoy Crestview has too much size and talent for the rest of the D-IV bracket. They will cut the nets come Saturday night.
BL: Cincinnati Moeller, Trotwood-Madison, Harvest Prep, Convoy Crestview
AG: I made my unofficial picks on Feb. 18, otherwise known as the season’s final OHSAA Power Rankings found right here on this website. All of our no. 1 seeds still have a shot at it, too.
D-I: Moeller. Confidence level: 7/10. I really think Olentangy Liberty has a special group and wouldn’t be surprised if they pull-off the unthinkable.
D-II: Trotwood. Confidence level: 9/10.
D-III: Harvest Prep. Confidence level: 4/10. All four of the teams have a real shot. Purcell and Harvest Prep, especially, are about as close as it gets.
D-IV: Convoy Crestview. Confidence level: 8/10. The Knights match-up quite favorably with Richmond Heights and St. Henry.
Which player will need to have a career game for his team to win state?
TP: Alex Dotson of Purcell is going to need to play a career game just to get through Harvest Prep in the semifinals. Beating Lutheran East/Cardinal Stritch will take another strong showing, but going up against CJ Anthony in the semifinals will take a special performance.
DW: It’s no coincidence that the Purcell Cavaliers starting playing better basketball once senior Bryan Warah (PHO #116) returned to the lineup. He gives Purcell a post presence they can dump the ball into when the game slows down while also being athletic enough to run the court when the pace quickens. And he also does mind doing the little things that it takes to win as well.
BL: Ben Roderick of Olentangy Liberty is going to have to absolutely go off, already averaging around 28 PPG, they’ll lean on him more. For Liberty to win it all, I could see him putting up 35 + in both games.
AG: Seth Wilson of St. Vincent-St. Mary. The sophomore point guard needs to perform aggressively, consistently, and efficiently for the Irish to win a D-I crown. He’s capable of pulling it off, too.