Springfield, Miamisburg Open Up OHSAA Tournament with Wins
Photos courtesy of Matthew Cletus Centerville High School hosted two Division-I games Friday night for the first round of the OHSAA basketball tournament. The matchups included Springfield vs Butler in the first matchup of the night and then concluded with…
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Continue ReadingPhotos courtesy of Matthew Cletus
Centerville High School hosted two Division-I games Friday night for the first round of the OHSAA basketball tournament. The matchups included Springfield vs Butler in the first matchup of the night and then concluded with Miamisburg vs Belmont.
Springfield vs Butler
Springfield surged out to a big lead early. Their swarming defense was too much for Butler to handle early on. Josh Tolliver was also hitting from behind the arc, and Ray Cole added some early dunks as well. Butler found a rhythm and was able to cut the lead back down to single digits at one point but Springfield ultimately proved to be too much and took back off in the second half and never looked back. The main difference in the game was turnovers and movement off the ball. Butler just couldn’t get players open and turned over the ball as a result.
Standouts:
Josh Tolliver – 2021 6’0″ G – Springfield (21pts)
Josh was efficient as he has been all year. From the first shot that left his hand, you could tell he was going to be shooting Friday night. He ended up hitting five three-pointers for the night. While he posses good handling skills, he can definitely become a more explosive player off the dribble next year.
Ray Cole – 2020 6’5″ F Springfield (11pts)
Ray is a solid inside player who loves to get down the floor in transition. Springfield consists of multiple guards around 6’0″, and then there is Ray. He is athletic, physical, and a known shot blocker. He is also an efficient scorer at the rim shooting just under 60% from the field this year. He averages 2 blocks a game.
Ty Montague- 2021 6’0″ G – Butler (18pts, 3stl)
Ty struggled shooting Friday night despite being the main contributor for his team for the majority of the game. Ty has solid handles and has the desire to create opportunities for his teammates when he can. He puts in the work off the court so it will be interesting to see if he becomes more efficient from deep and matures in his decision-making skills.
Matthew Beverly – 2020 6’4″ F – Butler (18pts)
Matthew was consistent in the post. While some of his points came late, he was consistent on the defensive end forcing Springfield to shoot medium-long range shots. Unfortunately, Springfield was hitting those shots. Matthew ended the season shooting 64% from the field this season.
Miamisburg vs Belmont
Miamisburg vs Belmont was very similar to the Springfield and Butler matchup. Miamisburg jumped out to an early lead with efficient shooting from behind the arc. Belmont possesses 6’10” Shawn Phillips, so Miamisburg went with a mid-long range game until he got into foul trouble. Miamisburg went into the half with a 17 point lead, but Belmont had a big third quarter and cut the deficit to 6. However, foul trouble came back to haunt them and Miamisburg end up extending their lead quickly and winning big.
Standouts:
Anthony Coppock – 2022 6’2″ F – Miamisburg
While Miamisburg is a team of shooters like Alex Ball, Colin Murphy, Luke Copsey, and Corey Fries, Anthony stood out the most. He can hit from deep and is an efficient scorer inside. He wasn’t afraid to match up with Shawn and take it to him in the paint. It will be interesting to see how he matures. If he doesn’t get any bigger, he will have to be more explosive and work on his handles.
Shawn Phillips – 2022 6’10” C – Belmont
When Shawn was in the game, he was rebounding and getting buckets. His size is just too much for most teams. However, a defensive foul followed by a questionable offensive foul in the post led to an early exit in the first half for the young big man. In the second half, Shawn helped spark a big swing in momentum but ultimately it fell short again due to foul trouble. Shawn is getting better and better with his condition and footwork in the post. He already possesses the frame and hands to be a high-level college player. He recently committed to play for Wildcats select for AAU. He will be a big name this summer in recruiting.