City League Championship on the line; Wayne - Springfield rematch

Here's the key games this weekend as we hit the late stretch of the Hoop Season:

(1) City League Championship in balance as Dunbar travels to Thurgood.

   In the last 15 years, the City League hoop Championship has been decided by 2 teams - 

Dunbar and Thurgood. 

     And to no surprise to many, Thurgood Marshall and Dunbar will battle tonight for the City League crown.

 LISTEN TO DUNBAR -THURGOOD GAME TONIGHT ON LINK BELOW: 
                   radio1.gemcitysports.com

  While The last time these teams played, Thurgood hit a huge 3 at the buzzer to defeat the Wolverines - in Heroic fashion no less. 

    Darnell Hoskins Jr. was terrific, and hit 2 huge buzzer beaters (one to end each half) that catapulted the Cougars into the early lead, then gave them the final win, shocking the Wolverines.

    Now tonight both teams know exactly what is at stake, as it seems every year for the last 15 years that these two teams are playing for it all. 

   Dunbar is 7-1 in the City League Standings & if they win, will win the City League outright; If Thurgood (6-1) wins, they will control their own destiny, as they have one game left, and could win it outright as well. 

   

   The one factor that will be different in this game than before is the presence of Evan Claiborne.  

   Claiborne, the former Wolverine now Cougar, was the talk of the summer for the transfer he made from the State Semifinalist. 

   

   The 6'10 defensive stopper with range has played well since being inserted in the Cougars lineup, and watch for the emotions to fly in this game, which will be on a Championship level to say the least. 

      Dunbar has seemingly found its rhythm, and while it hasn't been a dominant year, the Wolverines have had a good one nonetheless, and it could be sweeter with a revenge win in the Cougardome to grab another City League title. 

 Who wins the epic matchup? 

Let's compare the two sides & matchups a little further: 

GUARD PLAY:  ADVANTAGE  -  Cougars 

    While Dunbar's Stormi Cook has had a breakout year, and Chris Jackson started fast, the Cougars get the nod as Hoskins Jr. has been so good, that he is the front runner for Player of the Year in the City League. 

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FORWARDS: Advantage -  Wolverines 

     While Thurgood has players to matchup with Wolverines, they have nobody on the level of Senior Wing Terrance Landers Jr, who, with a big game tonight,  could also make a serious claim for the City League Player of the Year. 

CENTERS: Advantage - Cougars

   While the Wolverines now play small ball, the Cougars now have the big presence in the paint in Claiborne,  and this is a huge advantage that the Wolverines had the luxury of for the past two years. 

  If the big men show up for Dunbar, it could propel them to a win. If not, could be a HUGE night for Claiborne. 

COACHING :  ADVANTAGE   - Even

 With some of the best coaching minds on the sidelines for each team, its safe to say that neither side will have a real advantage come tonight. 

   Coach Pete Pullen of Dunbar has been in this situation so many times, that him and his staff are used to it. Thurgood Coach Darnell Hoskins has also thrived in tough situations, and will be ready to lock wits with the Wolverines.

 when the season started, most people thought that this would be the matchup for the City League title. And right on cue, it hasn't let us down. 

Be prepared for one of the games of the year tonight in

 Its goin' down in the Cougar dome. (Around 730 -8pm)

& it will be a sellout, so get there early.

NOTE: In case you can't make it, you can LISTEN TO THE GAME WITH THE LINK Below 
(Courtesy of Gem City Radio):

        radio1.gemcitysports.com






(2) "The Field" takes on Wayne Train tonight 

 With so many victories on this incredible run, the Warriors have hurt everybody's feelings who have been in the way.

  And in a way, they could thank the Wildcats for that.
 Springfield tapped Wayne a couple seasons ago, and since that tapping, the Warriors haven't looked back in the last two years.
  While everyone knows about the wildness that took place between the Warriors and Wildcats last year, the Wildcats did play the Warriors almost to a even tilt, and even gave the Wayne Train all they could handle in the OHSAA Regionals.

    But when the smoke settled, the Wayne Train is still on the tracks..and running over opponents in the process as they look to get into USA Top 10 (Ranked 11th) in the country.
   Which brings us to the match up tonight.

Wayne has been winning all type of ways.

    Springfield has lost a series of heartbreaking games, but still has had a solid season to date.

 Does the Wildcats have enough to pull off the upset that could change their season?

Let's look at the matchups:

GUARD PLAY: ADVANTAGE - Even

    Despite having Rodrick Caldwell, a BGSU signee, the Wildcats have Danny Davis, a super talented, athletic Guard who has D-1 coaches hoping for his services. Whole Wayne has more than Caldwell, the Wildcats do too.

FORWARDS: Advantage  - Wayne

While Springfield has size at the 3 and 4, the Wayne Train duo of Chazz George and Trey Landers is, quite possibly, the best in the state. Landers has been nothing short of dominant, and that was no more evident in the destroyal inside against Trotwood. The Warriors had their way the first time..Will it change this time?

CENTERS: Advantage - Wayne 

 While Springfield has a monster on the block, who, once started up, can't be stopped, the Warriors have a future All-american in L'Christian Smith.
 Smith has been phenomenal, especially in the last up games, and has helped taken the Warriors to the next level. And yes, he's only a sophomore.
  While Wayne has a slight advantage,  it could be taken away if the Field can get the big man working early.


COACHING : ADVANTAGE - Even

    While there is no doubt that Wayne Coach Travis Trice Sr, is the man, the top HS Hoop coach right now in Southwest Ohio, the Wildcats have a great mind as well in Coach Isiah Carson.

 While Carson hasn't been able to win the big one, he still has done a good job of having the team ready to play. And make no mistake,  they will be ready to play tonight.
  Can he push the right buttons to pull off the upset?

No matter what the records are, this game will be as intense as a Regular season game can be.
GWOC style.

 


 

Week 1 Bball Recap: Dunbar, Thurgood, Stivers, Trotwood win; Franklin wins without Kennard

Now that High School Hoops are underway, here's some key results and headlines from last weekend season opener a across the Miami Valley:

(Friday Night)

Dunbar jumps out fast, finished strong as they defeat Meadowdale

Chris Jackson goes ham in 1st quarter vs Lions

    After losing 3 D-1 Caliber players last season,  most wondered how good Dunbar would be.

      In talking with the coaching staff, they felt like they could be more explosive than last year, when Ohio St PG AJ Harris was running the show.

     Well after a 28-point opening quarter, it's safe to say the Wolverines have plenty of firepower to replace what they lost.

     Clutch sharpshooter Chris Jackson exploded in the 1st quarter with 15 points, with 4 3pt-bombs and the Wolverines jumped out to a 20-point lead in the first half.

     Meadowdale, led by new Coach Dwayne Chastain, made a charge in the 3rd, used a 23-8 run and even got it to single digits in the 4th.
    But after some sloppy play, a ton of whistles, and a experienced backcourt in Devon Baker and Chris Jackson, the Wolverines prevailed.
  Terrence Landers Jr, the star forward who decommitted from Bowling Green to open up his recruiting, added 15, while Jackson led the Wolverines with 20.
     Meadowdale was led by Keeble with 16.
Coach Chastain was pleased with his teams overall effort, but didn't like the way they started.

Lions, Coach Chastain battling vs Dunbar

 Thurgood stifles Ponitz as Hoskins Jr leads the way
   In speaking with Head Coach Darnell Hoskins before the season, he felt like this could be his Cougars' year, if a few bounces that go their way.

 Seen that swag and glow before from Hoskins.  Could be looking at a State squad.

    Despite missing Derrick Daniels & Evan Claiborne, the Cougars defeated Ponitz  64-49.

   Darnell Hoskins Jr. dropped 21 and was in control for most of the game. The Cougars had 3 guys in double figures.
   In what was probably a case of nerves, Ponitz was able to only score 2 points in the 1st quarter, and was down 18-2 going into second.
 
    Ponitz, led by new coach Dwayne Hansbro, knows that he has a young team, and knows this season long will be a test for his Panthers.
   Thurgood D also stifled the Panthers for only 4 points in the 3rd quarter when they sealed the deal.
Ponitz was led by Scott's 18 points.




Stivers defeats Belmont 

Stivers (1-1) won a big City League battle against the Belmont Bison. Stivers new head coach Felix Turner led his troops to the win.
 Toledo signee Isaiah Williams, the 6'8 do it all forward, and Jr. Guard Miles Clark led the way.
Belmont had opportunities but too many missed shots and turnovers.



Franklin wins without Kennard 

Franklin won their first game without  High School legend Luke Kennard  as they defeated Eaton in a close one. Coach Brian Bales feels strong about his in the fact that he has some young talent on the team and know they will get better. "A lot of players learned from Luke and his work ethic"  & Bales feels they could have a good season this year if a couple players step up.



(MONDAY NIGHT)

Trotwood defeats Thurgood

Trotwood defeats Thurgood as the Rams defense and size stifled the Cougars. Without the big men of Daniels and Claiborne, Trotwood as able to use their speed and size to overpower the Cougars.

5 biggest Storylines to 2015-16 High School Hoops Season

Although the Norris Cole Hi-Top Classic and Thurgood Invitational kicked off the season for some teams last week, most High School Hoop teams made their debut last weekend as basketball season is here.
   Last year was a incredible season for hoops in Dayton High Schools as 3 local mens teams reached state (Wayne, Dunbar,  Chaminade) -
 with Wayne winning it all.

Can Shaq - like EJ lead the Middies back to prominence? 

Is it "Action Jackson" Time at Dunbar?

Here's 5 of the biggest storylines for the 2015-16 season:


(1)  Will key transfers make major impact with new schools? 
With the balance of power shifting towards Wayne, Dunbar, Thurgood and Trotwood, there's no surprise that players want to go where they can be successful,  possibly win a State Championship and get a D-1 scholarship.
  With the rules governed by OHSAA, it is harder than ever to "beat the system" & have a prized player leave one school and go to another.
With that being said, there are a couple of players who will be leaned on heavily as they go to different schools:

Evan Claiborne - From Dunbar to Thurgood

   The 6'9 big man who held the fort down in the middle for the Wolverines last year, now plays for Thurgood in his senior season.  He will sit out first 11 games, but his presence inside could be the key to the Cougars making another State run.      

   Combining Claiborne with 6'8 Miami signee Derrick Daniels and Star guard Darnell Hoskins Jr, could be the recipe for a visit to Columbus come late March.

Rodrick Caldwell  -  from Stivers to Wayne

  Caldwell, who has recently signed with Bowling Green, left Stivers and joined a team filled with big time players as the Warriors look to go back to back this season. Caldwell is a dynamic guard who can play both guard spots and can score from anywhere on the court.



(2)  Who will be the next "Luke Kennard" and "AJ Harris" this season?

   After watching these two great ballers grace the Southwest Ohio High School ranks for 4 years, Kennard is now hooping at Duke and Harris at Ohio State for the next four years.
    Is there anyone remotely close to being the next Kennard? Not likely....
    The left handed All-American averaged 35+ his senior year. Unlikely to find his replacement considering he's the 2nd All-time leading scorer in OHSAA history.
And Harris?
   Not just fast and quick, but had the smarts to match; he led his Wolverine squad to a title as a freshman & when the games were on the line, he consistently stepped up and was clutch, which is one of the reasons the Buckeyes snatched him up - after his freshman year of high school,  I might add.
 
While there are a few names who merit consideration, which player will step up as the "Marquee" hooper in Southwest Ohio?



(3)  Can anyone stop the "WayneTrain" this season?
   

   Let's just be honest;
Even the biggest Wayne Train hater has to admit that Wayne Warriors is dominating boys hoops in Southwest Ohio right now.
Point blank.
Not only are they dominant in Dayton, but they are now beating the top teams out of Cincinnati and Columbus as well. And with winning the State Championship last year they have set themselves up for a great chance to repeat this year. They were in the USA Today Top 20 all of last year and don't expect them to be far from the top spot this year.      They sent 3 players to the D-1 circuit in the last two seasons, with more to come. They're loaded with talent and look for the super sophomore L'Christian "Blu" Smith to explode on the scene this year.

    Coach Travis trice has got a heavy dose of artillery at his beckon, & we look for another deep Wayne run this season.



(4)  New Coaches show Youth Movement in City League; McCullough heads to Middletown

Lions new coach Chastain relishes opportunity

  With new coaches such as Meadowdale's Dwayne Chastain & Ponitz Dwayne Hansbro entering the fray, there is a youth coaching movement going on in the Miami Valley.

  Chastain finally landed the Lions job after being turned away for a few other opportunities, which never deterred Chastain. An All-American shooting guard in college, Chastain will take over a team with talent, but look for him to put his stamp on this team with fast pace, tough defense and smart play.

     Hansbro will take over a team who lost to Franklin in the district finals last year at UD Arena. Hansbro was assistant coach last season 4 Ponitz, and looks like he will be a strong coach and which he also adopt the uptempo style with an aggressive defense from what we've seen early in the season.  
    Both coaches have won already this season.  Both understand what the city league is all about, and both should do a great job.

   Former Stivers boys Varsity coach Shawn McCullough is now working with Mark Baker in Middletown this season. There were reports that he would end up at another city school, but that wasn't the case.
   McCullough guided the Tigers to the Regional Semis in his first season, but last year the team struggled. They lost early in the tourney, and after some internal situations that were basically out of his control, McCullough decided to step down as coach.

Make no mistake though, as McCullough should be grabbing a head coaching job soon enough and his name has been floating around a lot already this season.



(5)  What will happen to the Dunbar Wolverines this season?

 When  it comes to Dunbar basketball, after the roller coaster year that they had last year, what could possibly  happen this year?

They have been the standard for basketball here in the Miami Valley for 40 years, and every year with them is a reality show in waiting when it comes to the basketball court. Questions such as:

How far will they go?... Will they win state this year? Who's the new "Star" player?.. & What will they do this season?...along with more questions.

Let's assess the Wolverines for a moment:

 Lets start with the bad news -

   After a incredible season ended just short of another state championship how will the Wolverines respond? Losing the starting backcourt of Ohio State Guard AJ Harris, sharpshooter (Vincennes JUCO) Dorianne Dawson, and Top 15 ranked Center Evan Claiborne to Thurgood, they must replace 3 of the starting 5. Considering those 3 were the backbone of the team, could be a reason of concern.

Dunbar Dynamic duo last year, Harris and Dawson

 Now the good news-  As everyone knows with Dunbar, they don't regroup, they insert hungry young studs and play.
  And with big time players such as PG Devon Baker, clutch scorer Chris Jackson, and star forward Terrence Landers , it's safe to say that the Wolverines will be in it come Regional time.

And one last note;
    Landers dropped 20 in the 2nd half of the epic Lima- Dunbar game in Norris Cole Hi-Top Classic, solidifying himself as the "go-to-guy" when the chips are down.

    He went toe to toe with Lima Sr. Guard & Michigan bound star guard Xavier Simpson; and his offense was on full display for the packed house.


(6) What surprise team will come out of the blue and make a run?
Every year a team comes outta nowhere, and becomes the "Darling" of the high school season.

Last year it was Franklin, Ponitz, and Northridge, with the teams nearly reaching the State.

  What teams could have a nice run?

Look for the Sidney team to have a good season... They have a strong team, size, and can shoot it.

Look for Middletown to break out this season.....Coach has Mark Baker talent, size, and great coaching staff, which could lead to a run the Middies are desperately looking for their 7'0 big man to bring the thunder.

Also watch for Meadowdale...They have some talent, and with a huge win at home in season opener vs Dunbar they could start out fast.