Signing Day tomorrow for Patton, Hoskins; Some interesting options could play out; Where Will they go?

It is now time for HS seniors to start signing hoop scholarships.

Where will local stars Darnell Hoskins and Torrey Patton end up? Maybe with Keith Dambrot & LeBron, or Grambling perhaps?

With all the excitement surrounding the Torrey Patton push, we wanted to analyze the stars Final 5 teams and see where Patton and friend and former Thurgood star Darnell Hoskins Jr will end up.

 Hoskins Jr, was the City League Player of the Year in 16, but decided to go to a prep school after his senior year, which enhanced his skills, development, and preparation for big time college ball.


While both will be making their announcements live tomorrow, Patton will do his at 9am (Trotwood), while Hoskins will do his at 3 (Thurgood Marshall).

Both players had great senior seasons, and now they will get a chance to shine at the next level.

Let's look at the teams and weigh the odds on where these 2 stars will end up.

Where will Patton Push lead the star guard?  

Torrey Patton Final 5: Akron, Miami (Ohio), Duquesne, Wright State, & Robert Morris 

Darnell Hoskins Jr Final 5: Akron, Miami (Ohio) Grambling St, Longford, & Saginaw Valley State 


When you look at Pattons final 5, there are a few things that stand out.

(1) The Impact of LeBron 
The fact that James spoke for Patton, this has resonated within Pattons circle and the State of Ohio for that matter. With LBJ'S former coach Keith Dambrough headed to Duquesne, will Patton follow? Word is that Akron went all out for the star, and would love to have the shooting guard.

(2) The local effect 
With Wright State and Miami, you have 2 schools in your back yard who joined the sweepstakes later in the game.

Wright State inquired about Patton as a junor but backed off for some reason, which didn't thrill the Patton circle.

Now the Raiders have hit the full court press button, especially since star G Mark Alstork is transferring out.

Miami has a new coach in Damon Frierson, and he made a nice impact on Patton and his family. Miami is a small school but big time in the fact that they have a solid program that is only 45 minutes from Dayton.

Where will Patton go? Will he stay close to home or will he head up north?
Will he go with Team LBJ?

When you get to Hoskins, he has both Miami (Ohio) & Akron as well, which makes for a intriguing prospect.


Could Hoskins and Patton go to the same school?
Hmmmm

Considering both schools have new coaches in the fold, it makes for a compelling situation if it is possible.

Patton will be a combo guard in college, possibly moving to the 2 spot, while Hoskins is a pure PG.

Hoskins has Grambling pushing hard as well, along with D-2 powers Longford and Saginaw Valley State

Hoskins has calculated every move, and this one won't be any different.

Hoskins and Patton in Miami Ohio red or Akron blue?
Hmmmmmm.....
Or will Patton suprise us with a selection to Duquesne or Robert Morris?

So quiet, but always caluclated.

Let the new journey begin for these 2 talented  young men.
Where ever it will be, look for both to make a major impact from Day 1.

OHSAA Hoop State Recap; Rams fall to St V; Cincy teams falter; LeBron reaches out to Patton

Here's the Recap of what went down, hot topics, and more at the OHSAA State Championship last weekend

What did LBJ say about the 2-Time Ohio Player of the Year in Torrey Patton? 

Rams let one slip away as St V wins at buzzer
The Trotwood Rams felt like they had a good chance to win the State this year, considering they would take on a team who they beat earlier in the season in the Semifinal game.

Taking on Akron St Vincent St Mary, the prestigious HS that LeBron James went to, didn't seem that tough, as the Rams put a 100 spot on them in January (100-61).

However, Coach Dru Joyce is hard to beat twice in a season, delivering the game plan to slow down the Rams, and that's exactly what happened as Akron St. Vincent upset Trotwood 62-60.

 The Rams shot poorly in the 1st half (10-36) and it cost them as they trailed heading into 2nd half.

 Trotwood finally settled into the game in the 3rd quarter, but by that time Akron star F Jayvon Graves had already had 3 monster dunks in the game, and was the star of the 1st half.

Jayvon Graves throws down one of his powerful dunks vs Trotwood in D-2 Semifinal 

 In the 2nd half it was "Patton Time" as Star G Torrey Patton took over the game for the Rams.
Patton scored 15 of his OHSAA D-2 record 34 points in the 1st half to keep Trotwood afloat, then electrified the crowd by dropping 19 in the 2nd half to guide the Rams to the lead.

 St.V had no answer for the 6'4  2-Time Player of the Year, and it became a highlight show in the 2nd half.
Patton would finish with 34, 11 boards, a block and a steal. And his normal 4th quarter clutch play was in effect.

So much so that LeBron himself had to make a couple calls after the game to find out who this Patton kid was.
And to also find out why he hasn't received a offer from a D-1 yet as well.

"We couldn't stop him" James said.
"Who is this Patton kid?"

All-Ohio G Torrey Patton puts up a FT in State Title Game vs Akron SVSM 

 But St V kept fighting, and a 4-point lead (56-52) for the Rams late in the 4th turned into the decisive 10-2 run, (led by Graves), as St V would take advantage of back to back turnovers by the Rams.

After the final basket (a floater by Graves as the time expired), St V, and LBJ knows that they pulled off one of their greatest wins in the Dru Joyce era.

Akron SVSM celebrates upset win over Trotwood Madison in OHSAA State Semifinal game

They stormed the court, sans the coaches, and the players celebrated all the way down to the Trotwood side of the court.

They knew that they had sleighed the best team in D-2, and possibly in all of Ohio.

For Trotwood?
Utter disbelief, and shock. The players were stunned, and the fans, hurt.
Even the press row was shocked as the Rams came into the Final four averaging 90 ppg and being the "It Squad" for the weekend in Columbus.

Sr G Amir Foster shoots one over the backboard in the Semifinal Game vs Akron SVSM

Still a very good season for the Rams.
But it definitely will be a game that will resonate in the minds of the Rams as they know they let one slip away.

Highly touted Junior Myles Belyeu tallied 13 points, 4 rebs, 3 steals for the Rams in the Semifinals

Trotwood had 3 players in double figures as Junior Myles Belyeu dropped 13 and Sophomore sensation Amari Davis added 10.  Amir Foster led the Rams with 5 assists.
Jayvon Graves led St. V with 22 pts, 10 boards and 3 steals.




St. V wins State Title; Cleveland dominates Tourney
Akron St Vincent St Mary's defeated Wauseon 45-30 to take another State Championship. Wauseon, who had only lost once before the game, felt good about their chances.

Akron St Vincent St Mary, OHSAA D-2 Champs 

But Star F Jayvon Graves, (Buffalo) came up big with 25 points, sealing the deal as Tourney MVP, and State Champs to boot.
 Salute the champs, as Coach Dru Joyce won his 7th  State Title.
This one might be one of the sweetest, considering how we won it this season, having to defeat a team in the Semis who hammered them by almost 40 earlier in the season.



LeBron reaches out to Patton;  Akron, Toledo in the mix
LeBron James, sat and watched himself the OHSAA State Semifinal Game from out of town as he and the Cavs were on a road trip.  His St. V squad would take on the team who dismantled them in Dayton in January, so while he wouldn't be able to root on his boys in Columbus, he'd be able to check out the game on TV against the heavily favored Trotwood Rams.
The King wanted to know, "Were they really that good as advertised?
 And did his St. V boys have a real shot?

What he would see made him pick up the phone and call his old coach, as he usually does if he's not in attendance.

But this time, there would be a couple questions about the other team, and a player in particular.

Torrey Patton, to be exact.

LeBron is all about the big stage, and after watching what the 6'4 combo guard did to his Alma Mater, he had to inquire, along with coach Joyce.

"Who is this Patton kid, and where is he going to school?"
When Coach Joyce found out the lack of offers he had before the Tourney, he was befuddled.

"I would definitely recruit him if I was a college coach, but hey what do I know?
We couldn't stop him" Joyce said.

Patton set OHSAA record for most points in a D-2 Title Game (34) 

Then LeBron decided to take things into his own hands.
LBJ reached out, made a couple calls, to congratulate Patton on his record setting performance and to inquire about his future.

Since then, Patton has recieved serious consideration from Akron, Toledo, Niagara, Georgia State, and now Wright State has tried to come back into the mix.

Which shows you the type of guy LBJ is.
Call it the "LeBron Effect".

He recognizes greatness and recognizes talent, and understands that a kid of Pattons' magnitude should not be taken lightly.

James once, was on that big stage and understands how that stage can sometimes make or break your career.

Shoutout to the King on showing love to a kid, he had never met, never even known until now.

The kid lives in Dayton, Ohio.
Trotwood to be exact.
Nowhere near Akron, or "The Land."
LeBron just watched the game, heard the story, and here we are.

Will Patton end up at Akron? Or Toledo?
Yet to be seen.
 Very possible, unless some of the Big Ten teams start to open their eyes and realize how good this Patton kid is.

 Hell, LeBron did.
 After 1 game.
Will Ohio State jump in? Who knows.

But a couple things are for sure.

(1) When LeBron speaks, you listen.

(2) And it's never to late to make a great impression.
Just look at Norris Cole. A late D-1 signee, now he resides in the NBA.

Where will the hottest hoop prospect in Ohio end up?



Cincy Teams Fall
Undefeated Moeller falls in Championship Game 
Cincy Moeller, undefeated all season, fell in the title game, losing 39-38 to Massillion Jackson.

Massillion spoils Moeller perfect season, win D-3 Championship 

Moeller had went undefeated all season, and lost in heartbreaking fashion.
This marks the first time a D-1 team has won a State tile since 1945 without scoring 40 points.
Is it time for a shot clock in High School era?
Something the committee should seriously think about.

Roger Bacon falls in the Championship Game as well, losing to Cleveland Villa St Joseph in the D-3 Title Game 54-52.



OHSAA Key Notes

The Cleveland / Akron schools won all 4 boys divisions.

The first time in 72 years (1945) a D-1 game was won with a final winning score under 40
 (Massillion wins 39-38)

Trotwood G Torrey Patton broke scoring record (34) for a Individual perfromance (D-2)

Akron SVSM F & Buffalo commit Jayvon Graves scored the most points in the tournament this year (47).

"Rematch" set as Dunbar steamrolls Eaton, Trotwood eases past Ponitz

When Dunbar skipped going to the "3rd Bracket" it stunned the coaches, and the committee of experts, who thought that the Wolverines would take the top seed in that bracket, and meet the powerhouses later.

Toughest sectional in Southwest Ohio?

Instead, the Wolverines opted for the bracket with Trotwood.

Well, on Saturday night at the Nutter Center, the "Rematch" is in effect as both teams handled business in round 2.

   Dunbar and Trotwood now bring us the first "BigTime" tourney match up of the OHSAA Bball Tournament Season.

     Dunbar throttled Eaton 94-59 in the early game as star Forward & Purdue University bound Terrance Landers Jr. dominated with 24.
 
     Eaton played tough in the 1st quarter (down 1) but the Wolverines press and offense overwhelmed Eaton, so much so that the 2nd and 3rd quarters  the Wolverines outscored Eaton 54-35.
 

  In the 2nd game, state ranked Trotwood stormed out early (up 29-16 after 1st qtr) and often, and Ponitz was no match for the Supremely talented Rams as they won 106-59.

 Myles Belyeu, the son of former Mami Redhawk standout Scott Belyeu, dropped 28 and was the best player on the court.

    Trotwood won every quarter, and looked every bit as dominant as they did in game 1. Their defense was stifling, and the Rams offense was hitting on all cylinders.
 
 Which brings us to the matchup on Saturday.

 In the last matchup, at Dunbar, Trotwood jumped out early,  set the tone,  and held off the Wolverines for a 10-point win.
 
    Freshman sensation Amari Davis was dominant, and the Rams seemed the more aggressive & confident team.
 
  When asked why Dunbar chose the bracket with Trotwood, their answer was this;
 
We felt like we didn't play our best game vs Trotwood, and we barely lost;
We feel confident that we will put our best up against their best on a bigger platform.

 Enough said.
 
See you Saturday Night at the District Showdown.