Thurgood wins on Hoskins Jr buzzer beaters; Meadowdale smacks Stivers; Ponitz rallies

  Here's a recap of last night's city league games:

HOSKINS JR. buzzer beater stuns DUNBAR 

    When the Dunbar Wolverines and the Thurgood Marshall Cougars lace em up for basketball action, you can throw the records out the window.

It's gonna be a all out war to the finish.

It's become a rivalry that is "Unrivaled" in the Miami Valley when it comes to the best rivalries in High School Hoops.
  So when it came down to the last minutes of the game,  it was no surprise that the game hung in the balance.
  Last season? It was A.J. Harris making the plays for Dunbar. This season?

 Darnell Hoskins Jr.

    D-1 commit Hoskins Jr.  hit a acrobatic off balance, fading 3 ball (with 2 defenders running at him, no less) off the backboard as time expired -  & the Cougars defeated the Wolverines in epic fashion 51-49 in front of a sold out crowd @ Dunbar HS.
 
    It was his 22nd point of the game, and he was - in one word - brilliant.

     Before the 1st half, Hoskins had hit a near half court 3-pointer (that banked in) & he swagged himself and his squad to the locker room with a 28-26 lead.

     Despite not having the twin towers yet (Claiborne & Daniels) the Cougars hit the boards hard, pressured the Wolverines relentlessly and made it hard for the State Runner-Ups to get into a flow.

     Thurgood held a 8-point lead in the 4th, when Dunbar started to make their run. After a series of free throws, Terrance Landers Jr. hit a huge basket to put the Wolverines up for the 1st time in the half with 11 seconds remaining.
 The Dunbar crowd was going beserk. They felt another W, which has been the standard, despite the close games of late between the two teams.

  Enter Star PG Hoskins Jr.

  Hoskins Jr, who hit key shots all game, was denied the pass and initial shot. However the ball caromed off the front rim and, in a twisted moment of fate, landed in his hands.
   In front of the Cougars bench, Hoskins grabbed the ball, and launched a teardrop off the backboard which brung pandemonium to the crowd.

 Dunbar team and fans?
 Stunned.

Cougar Nation?
  Going absolutely nuts.

  When asked after the game about "The Shot " Hoskins Jr said:

 "I felt like it was our time; were tired of losing to Dunbar. I felt calm and was confident we could get the win."
 
Cougars (3-6) Coach Darnell Hoskins knows this could catapult them to bigger things.
  Dunbar (5-3) was led by Landers Jr, who had 15 points.
Thurgood currently sits atop the City League at 3-1, while Dunbar falls to 2-1 in City League play.




MEADOWDALE  cruises by STIVERS

Meadowdale got their 6th win in 7 games as they defeated Stivers 63-44.
    The Lions bounced back after losing to Toldeo Scott on Monday. The Lions got balanced scoring and now sit at 7-4 (overall) halfway through the season.
   
  Dynamic combo guard Kameron Suber led the Lions with 17 and Joe Keeble added 13.
      Stivers were led by star F Isiah Williams. The Tigers looked a little sluggish after playing back to back games, & too many turnovers and missed shots led to.their undoing. The Lions looked hungry after a tough loss to Toledo.

Meadowdale now moves at 3-1 in the City League, while Stivers falls to 1-2.




PONITZ wins 3rd straight, rallies for win

 Ponitz turned a 10-point halftime deficit into a 15-
point blowout win as the Panthers roared back on the road to defeat Oakwood 61-46.
  The young Panthers came out slow, which could be to their inexperience, but after the Panthers found their rhythm?
  Game over.
 The full court pressure was too much for the Lumberjacks.
  Junior stud De'Edgar Cooks had his season high of 22 to lead the Panthers (4-2) to victory.
 
   Ponitz coach Dwayne Hansbro has done a great job of teaching his young team in his 1st season as a Head Coach.

Dunbar, Thurgood battle goes down tonight; Meadowdale looks for 5th win in 6 games

As we hit mid stretch of the season, here is our key games for tonight and the Standings in the Dayton City League (Mens Hoops)

Thurgood Marshall  (2-6)  @ Dunbar  (5-2) 7:30 pm

    Thurgood, who on paper, looked as if to be one of the teams possibly headed to state, has had a rough early run to start season. 

      With Derrick Daniels and Evan Claiborne both being out along with starting point guard Darnell Hoskins Jr, the Cougars haven't had any type of chemistry and have played poorly at times, but have competed & seem to be on the right track. 
  
       Can they get it together against the Wolverines?
 After 2 losses to top teams in the state, Dunbar got a much needed W vs a Richmond team. 

    Dunbar has came out firing early in most games, which could be a huge key to seeing if Thurgood can withstand the pressure. With the 2 big men coming back, can Thurgood show why they could be a team to reckon with in the Wolverines den?           
     With a Thurgood win, the Cougars would sit atop the City League.



Stivers  (5-3)  @  Meadowdale  (6-3)  

    Meadowdale has responded nicely to the slow start this season and has won 5 of 6 games recently for Coach Chastain in his first season as head coach. 

    Stivers just came off a huge win last night vs Cincinnati Schroeder, and seem to be playing with more confidence as they are on their own winning streak as well. 
     In what could be classified as the DHSS game of the week (any other week), which team will continue their winning ways and catapult themselves to the top of the Dayton Public League? 
     Stivers Coach Roberts has done a good job with this team so far in his first season as well after leaving Meadowdale last season. 


Ponitz travels to Oakwood
  
    The Ponitz Panthers (3-2) will try to stay pace with the top of the City League as they go on  the road to face Oakwood tonight. Ponitz has won 2 straight and will look to continue its streak as Oakwood will look to get back on the winning track.


DAYTON PUBLIC LEAGUE BBALL STANDINGS 

Here's the current Standings for the City League: 

                                Overall       City League  Streak
Dunbar                    (5-2)                 (2-0)         W1

Meadowdale           (6-3)                (1-1)         W4

Stivers                     (5-3)                (1-1)         W3

Ponitz                     (3-2)                 (1-1)         W2

Thurgood M.         (2-6)                (2-1)          L1

Belmont                 (1-5)                 (0-2)         L4
  

Stivers defeats Schroeder in final seconds as Williams duo shines

Stivers won the Cincy-Dyt hoop battle last night as they defeated  Cincinnati Schroeder 49-48 @ Stivers HS.

Isiah Williams finishing at the line

  The Tigers were led by star big man Isiah Williams, the D-1 signee who delivered 18 points, had double figure boards, and played his best overall game this season to date...The dynamic 6'9" Williams played in control, dominated when needed and provided ball handling, defensive intensity and toughness to pull it out.
   Sharpshooter Joey Williams Jr, also dropped 11, and had 3 huge 3's to help alleviate some offensive pressure that the Tigers had been feeling of late.
 

    Schroeder put on the pressure in the 4th, and cut the Tigers lead, which was as big as 10, to 48-all with less than a minute left.
 
 Stivers was fouled and hit the front end of a 1&1 which setup the final plays.
 
    Schroeder had numerous opportunities, and plenty of time, but couldn't get the ball to drop as the Tigers fans rushed the court in jubilation afterwards.

Week 3 Key Games:

Here's the results and HEADLINES from last weekends Top Games in Southwest Ohio

Lima finishing on the Wolverines (C/O Don Speck)

Detroit E. English Prep gets throttled  @ Wayne  -
   
       As Wayne continues on the upward rise nationally, they soundly defeated Northmont Friday 88-64 & a tough English Prep squad from Detroit 97-66. The Warriors had multiple players play well (Landers, Smith, and Caldwell) and showed why they will be ranked in the USA Today Top 20 all season.


Lima Senior defeats  Dunbar  -
 
       Lima Senior star guard  & Michigan signee Xavier Simpson dropped 30 on the Wolverines and Lima Sr (4-0) raced out to defeat the Wolverines 92-82.
Terrence Landers Jr. had his season high of 29 for the Wolverines, who now fall to 4-2.



 Northridge undefeated reign falls @  Meadowdale  -
   
         It looked as if Northridge would survive the Lions after 3,  and continue their undefeated ways.  They held a slim lead headed into 4th... However in the 4th, Meadowdale roared out of the block, dominated the 4th (22-10) and was led by dynamic guard Suber's17 points on a trio of 3-balls as the Lions continued their winning ways 63-53.
Northridge falls to 6-1.

Ponitz grabs key victory over Jefferson   -

       Ponitz grabbed a big victory over Jefferson, as they evened their record to 2-2.
 Prayers go up for head coach  DWayne Hansbro as he recovers from surgery.



Thurgood rallies to get a victory over Stivers
 
       Thurgood snapped a 5 game losing streak as they defeated Stivers 49-42 Friday night.
  Darnell Hoskins Jr, came back to to lead the team with 14.
  Thurgood is currently in Myrtle Beach playing in a prestigious Tourney.
Hawes led Stivers with 18 while Paris Minniefield hit 2 3 balls and Joey Williams Jr. had 9.

 


West Carrollton gets win over Bellbrook
  West Carrollton grabbed their 2nd win of the season over Bellbrook. Bellbrook held a slim lead until the Pirates exploded in the 2nd quarter to grab the lead. They would hold off a feisty Eagles squad in the 2nd half to get the victory.

 

Week 2 Recap: Northridge moves to 5-0; Trotowood, Meadowdale, Dunbar all win

Here's our TOP headlines for week 2 in hoops:

Rams gearing for a State Run this season?

(1)  Northridge defeats undefeated Carlisle, move to 5-0
 
      After a breakout year last season,  one couldn't help but wonder about the expectations of this season for the Polar Bears.
    Last season they got to the Regionals for the 1st time in decades; they defeated some teams who they took losses from for decades; & they set the tone for what would happen this year.
 
     After a 71-60 defeat of Carlisle, it's safe to say the Polar Bears are "In it to win it"  as they move to 5-0.
  They have already defeated the State Champions (Tri-Village)  this season, ending a huge winning streak (32) in the process.

      Leading scorer Averon Ely Jr. led the Bears with 21, while Malik Akbar had 19 & D'Anthony Ivery 17.

  Could the Polar Bears be headed for a State run?
Sure looks that way. Early to say, but a huge statement has been made. And don't be suprised to see Northridge in the State polls next week.



  (2)  Meadowdale takes out Thurgood, Coach Chastain gets his first City League W

    After Meadowdale came out flat against Dunbar in their opening game, Coach Chastain knew one thing:
 He didn't want that to happen again.
 
    After playing Thurgood to a near even 1st quarter, Meadowdale dominated the 2nd quarter 16-4 en route to their first City League win over Thurgood 62-43 @ Meadowdale HS.

 Jarvis Smith (18) and Gary Smith (16) combined for 34 points -
almost as many as Thurgood had itself (43).
 
      Thurgood is still missing it's "Big 3" of  Hoskins Jr. (concussion), Evan Claiborne (transfer), & Derrick Daniels (Grades)  and hopes that Daniels and Hoskins Jr will be back within next week or so.

   Meadowdale moves to 2-1 while Thurgood falls to 1-4.



(3) GWOC Action: 
Trotwood dismantles Piqua; Elks star guard leads them to W's over "The Field & Xenia; Wayne make debut :

    In GWOC action, Trotwood handles Piqua as star guard T.Patten drops 32 on the Indians.....Trotwood also defeated Fairland 79-62 Saturday as well to move to 4-0...

     Centerville (4-0) squeaks by a tough Springfield (1-2) squad 56-55 as former Alter guard Keegan Saben dropped the GW 3pt-play to defeat the Wildcats in Springfield.... Saben hit the GW FT with a ruckus crowd going crazy....
His response to crazy fans?.
After hitting huge FT's last year against Dunbar in  that epic District Finals game, this pressure was,

"Nothing compared to the thousands of fans at that game."....
Keegan dropped 26, while Danny Davis led Wildcats with 16....The Field had a final shot but it didn't drop....
Then the next night they defeated Xenia as Keegan scored 25 against the Bucs. Xenia was 4-0 & coming off a big win but came out slow and was down 21-11 after 1st quarter. The Elks held that lead throughout the game and won another close one.
 
Wayne opens season with thumping of Beavercreek

    The Defending Champs opened its season with a 71-38 thrashing of the Beavers in Beavercreek....UD Flyer signee Trey Landers poured in 27 points and was unstoppable, while rising star L'Christian "Blue" Smith dropped 15 and plenty inside presence for the champs.




(4)  Dunbar rolling, routs Belmont in Versailles
 
      The Wolverines look to be back on their fast, frenetic, dominant style as they cruised to 2 easy wins this weekend.
    Dunbar was led by Junior PG Stormi Cook and star Forward Terrance Landers Jr. as they routed Belmont and Versailles this weekend.

      Landers scored 21 on the Bison and led 4 players in double figures as they cruised to a W 92-55.
   Cook led the Wolverines against Versailles as they jumped out to a 27-13 lead and never looked back, winning 73-54.

      Dunbar is averaging 24 points in the 1st quarter this season while giving up 10. The most points scored in the 1st quarter against the Wolverines?
  Versailles with a whopping 13.





 


 

Top 5 Games for Week 2

Here's the key games for week 2 of high school basketball in the Miami Valley:

Can Jackson lead Wolverines to win at home tonight?

Trotwood   vs  Piqua -
    Can the Rams continue off of great start in defeating Thurgood?



Thurgood   @ Meadowdale
   Can Thurgood overcome the loss of their 3 stars?.or will a hungry Meadowdale team get a big home W?



Wayne   @   Beavercreek
    The State Champs open the season at Beavercreek; will they be ready?



Belmont  @  Dunbar
   Can Belmont pull off a epic upset against the the mighty Wolverines?



Northridge  @ Locking Valley  (Newark, OH)
  Can the Polar Bears continue on their incredible early season success with a key road win?

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.

Wayne get shot at much more than just State Football Title today

      Last year the Wayne Warriors came within a quarter of being State Champions on the football field. It was then that Lakewood St Edward stopped their dream season last year 31-21 -
along in 2010 when Braxton Miller was at the helm.

  Lakewood has won it's only two OHSAA State titles courtesy of the Wayne Train.

 And you know that eats at the Warriors skin. Just makes any and every Wayne fan angry. Wayne has dominated every opponent in the last 5 years, except for one.

Lakewood St Edward.

In what has become one of the greatest single season team performances by a team in Miami Valley history, Wayne now must exercise one last demon.
  And what a demon it is...

 Lakewood, led by RB Cole Gest (Indiana signee)  & QB Jimmy Keefe, have been dominant and could be headed for a another title.

Except for two things:

 Revenge and the Wayne Train.

  Wayne players know that, no matter how good they are they will never be considered great until they win a State Title.
They are 0-3 in State Title games.
  To lose for a 3rd straight time for a chance at it all?  Would be devastating.
And with the players, coaching staff, and fans, they truly believe they will make it happen.
  It has been a unbelievable, magic year for Wayne.
Absolute dominance on offense, while the D got better every week,  becoming dominant in the last month.
But the last question remains:

Is it Wayne's time to shine on the big stage? & bring a big Division HS football championship to the DYT for the first time ever?
 
    A whole lot at stake for the Warriors.
But they'll be up for the challenge on a lovely day, unlike last year when it was horrible weather I might add.

We got the Warriors winning 30-26.

No matter what happens, it has been one hell of a ride with the Wayne Train.

Good luck, but I  dont think theyll need much luck today. I think fate will do them just fine.



 
 

City League, GWOC, battles go down tonight; Top 5 Games of the Weekend

In the opening weekend, heres the top 5 games in our opening weekend for High School Hoops:

(1) Dunbar  @  Meadowdale  
 The Lions, with their new coach of the Dwayne Chastain, will host the state semi-finalists in Dunbar who boast and offensive arsenal that could be unloaded and even better this season. Dunbar already beat state ranked Newark this season. Can the Lions pull off the upset? Dunbar did lose Ohio State's AJ Harris.



(2) Thurgood Marshall  @ Pointz
   then what will be a intriguing game, can Ponitz continue on his great win last week with another one over a third good thing that won't be a full strength? Cougars coach Darnell Hoskins knows how to get the most out of his players, and will have to do so in order to beat new head coach Dwayne Hansbro and his Panthers Squad.


(3) Eaton  @ Franklin
   now that the Luke Kennard train is gone what will happen with the Wildcats? Word is that a couple of youngsters have taken on Kennards work ethic and look to be ready. Most notably, remember the name Cole Bundren. Could be the next star of Franklin and they will need him this season...


(4) Belmont  @ Stivers
  Last year was supposed to be Stivers year, but and it didn't quite work out that way now this year they are equipped to maybe make a good run, but with a new coach, can they find their hunger to make it happen? or will Belmont turn over a new leaf in basketball like they did in football as well?


(5) Springfield  @ Miamisburg
 In a GWOC matchup of two teams with pretty good teams, can the Wildcats show that they could be a team to beat this season? Danny Davis will lead the troops as they have a talented cast. Miamisburg will be game especially with it being a season opener.

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.