D2 District Semifinal Outlook: Central Ohio
The season is on it’s back stretch and many teams are already watching from the stands. But, there is still plenty of basketball to be played. District semifinals start in Central Ohio on Tuesday, starting with primarily division two. Division…
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Continue ReadingThe season is on it’s back stretch and many teams are already watching from the stands. But, there is still plenty of basketball to be played. District semifinals start in Central Ohio on Tuesday, starting with primarily division two.
Division Two District Semifinal Matchups:
• Columbus South (23-1) vs. Bexley (14-9): Columbus South is rolling along as expected, with just one loss in the regular season. The Bulldogs have ran through their first couple opponents of the postseason with ease. This one should be South’s first real test of the postseason, in a solid Bexley squad. South will have experience on their side, after just winning Districts last season. If Bexley is looking to make this a game, they will need a big game from multiple players. Senior Ryan Callahan should lead the way for Bexley, the guard is good for over 13 PPG. The key here is for Bexley to slow the transition, if South gets off and running, it could be over quick.
• Bishop Hartley (13-10) Vs. Jonathan Alder (18-6): Fresh off the pouncing of Buckeye Valley, Jonathan Adler looks to be dangerous at the right time. Led by guard Jackson Izzard, the Pioneers will be a tough out for anyone. 13-10 might not look the best but with the schedule they played and some close games, Hartley can be very underrated. Unsigned senior Morgan Safford will look to once again go off for a huge game, looking to grab the upset win. Alder, will be hungry to advance to a district title game, that they don’t play in often.
• Granville (17-4) Vs. DeSales (16-8): Granville plays a nice pressuring defense that doesn’t let you get many chances at the rim or shots off at that. Holding London to just 24 points in the last round, Granville has proven that. The Stallions of DeSales play a balanced approach to scoring, but they will need someone to step up in this one. Keep an eye on Kayin Derden as he may be the guy to get Granville on their heels in the halfcourt.
• Beechcroft (19-5) Vs. Bishop Watterson (14-8): Beechcroft had a solid season along the top of the City League-North, again this year. With a big physical presence inside, Na’Elle Simmons, the Cougars have something a lot of teams don’t have. A 6’7” presence inside is a matchup problem for just about every team around. His size inside as a defensive presence makes it tough for opposing teams. Dating back to the last game of the season, Watterson handed Jonathan Alder a loss. The Eagles are a team that has strong capabilities when clicking. Senior guard Zach Sawyer will need to once again lead the way, if Watterson wants to pick this one up.