City League Championship Up for Grabs Tonight; Can Dunbar take the Football crown away from Belmont? Top 100 (Southwest Ohio)

City League Championship Up for Grabs Tonight;
Can Dunbar take the Crown away from Belmont?

After a long season of ups and downs, the Belmont Bison and the Dunbar Wolverines are the only undefeated teams (3-0) standing in the Dayton Public League Football Standings.


And tonight, they will decide who will win the 2019 City League Championship, as they clash at 7pm tonight at Welcome Stadium. Belmont has won last 4 of the last 5 Championships and 2 in a row.


Despite both teams having struggles in the season, they have shown that they clearly are the 2 best teams in the City League. Belmont has outscored its opponents 145-18  while Dunbar has overpowered its opponents to a tune of 130-20 total score. Lets break down the teams in the Dayton Weekly Game of the Week (week 10).

Offense:

Belmont – The Bison depend on a running game, led by Senior QB Rian Reeves (DHSS #2), Junior RB Tavon Hardwick (DHSS #5)  and Junior RB Joddi Burton (DHSS #34). The O-Line is the best in the City and uses the “Ground and Pound” strategy to gain advantage of its opponents.  With an experienced Coaching Staff, the ability to throw the ball, as Reeves has a few TD passes this season, and a formula that works in bad weather?

Dunbar – The Wolverines have weapons all over the field, with 2 legit QB’s in Junior QB Greg Packnett Jr (DHSS #6) and sophomore Nate Roberts (DHSS #51). Then you look at current Dayton HS Sports #1 Ranked WR – Junior Brandon Wright and #4 Ranked Jaquan Lusbourgh (WR), and talented RB James Murray (DHSS #20) rounding out the stars of the offense. But don’t be fooled; there are other players who could breakout as well.

Advantage: Dunbar

Defense:

Belmont – With Star LB Adrian Cook (DHSS #10) sidelined this season, it has been others who have filled the void. The Estes brothers have been a factor; Daljuan Estes (DHSS #28) and Latrell (DHSS #24) along with Kiko Garcia (DHSS #53) have anchored the Defensive Line and Linebackers core.  Some have mentioned Garcia as being the most consistent defender on the Bison team. Rising stars Tay Arnold (DHSS #22) and Kenyan “Money” Moon (DHSS #33) lead the backfield.

Dunbar – Defensive studs Jacar’e Morris (DHSS #11) and Alex Dawkins (DHSS #23) have been big time this season, as they have been rock solid in the middle. Add playmaking DB’s Jamar Payton (DHSS #45), T’Shaun Richardson (DHSS #49), and rising player Myles Lacking (DHSS #55) who all have been lights out in the last few weeks, and now you’re ready for war.
Advantage: Even


Coaching:

Belmont: With Earl White running the team, Doug Spears calling the plays, and the entire staff in control; this is the best staff in the City League. Has been for the last 3 or 4 years.


Dunbar: With Eric Freed in his 2^nd season, and bringing back Al Powell and Lacking, along with his staff, have shown they can win and get results after a tumultuous start to the season.

Edge: Belmont




Keys to the Game:

• ·        Can Dunbar stop Belmont from rushing the ball?
• ·        Can Belmont’s young studs stop the offensive passing arsenal of Dunbar?
• ·        Which stars will step up when the lights are the brightest?
• 
  
• ·        Who will win the Special Teams battle?

Final Analysis:

In a game with football type of conditions (Wet, possibly rain, 45 degrees)  can the Wolverines find a way to stop the Bisons reign of the City League?


Game will come down to the wire, with Belmont winning 23-21.
NOTE: If Greg Packnett starts game, we are going with Dunbar with the win.
If not, we take the Bison.

Ki

TOP 100 LAUNCH, AWARD SHOW INFO TOMORROW 
Tomorrow we will be launching a Top 100 for the Miami Valley. The top 100 will be for the Conferences such as the GWOC, GCL, Miami Valley League, SWBL, and other teams.

We also will be Announcing the Nominees for the Dayton HS Sports Award Show for Dayton Public Schools. We will announce Award Show for Southwest Ohio next Friday.



Follow us on the journey!
@DaytonHSSports

High School Football Kicks Off; Trotwood, West Carrollton host midnight events; Dayton Public Schools Football Recap;

As we hit August 1st, that only can mean one thing:

Can Belmont Star QB Rian Reeves and QB Coach Marvan Gordon do it again?

Football Season has started in the High School Ranks!

 This week begins the journey for OHSAA Fall season, as Football, Volleyball, Soccer, and other sports get ready to kick off their seasons.

However there are some teams who will get the jump on the competition as perennial powerhouse Trotwood and upstart program in West Carrollton did midnight madness - football style.

The Rams, who just won the State Championship 2 seasons ago, will look to ride 2 of its star seniors (Sammy Anderson and Carl Blanton) back to prominence this season.

Trotwood will be in the new (now split up) GWOC for the final remaining season, then who knows?
Independent power, a union with Dayton Public or another league?

Regardless,  look for the unified Rams to be back in the State Chase.

As for West Carrollton, they have a new coach in former Miamisburg and Trotwood Defensive Coordinator Dion Black.
    Black was the Coordinator during the Rams Championship Run, and will look to install some energy, new schemes, and a new foundation for the Pirates, who have switched conferences (MVC) which goes into effect this school year.

Could dynamic WR Austin Jones be headed for All-State type season? 

With Rising Star WR Austin Jones leading the Pirates, it could be a solid year for the West Carrollton, as they look to replace the job done by Freshman RB Jordan Ward, who is now at Wayne.

 Dayton Public Schools Recap (Last Season)

Last season Belmont dominated the City League once again as the Southwest Ohio Public League merger with Cincinnati schools was ceased.

Led by Rising Junior dual threat QB Rian Reeves, Belmont would go undefeated in the city, before losing in the 1st round of the OHSAA playoffs.
Since Earl White has taken over Belmont, the Bison have been at or near the top of the Standings every single year.


Dunbar ended up in 2nd place, led by Player of the Year Candidate and then Super Sophomore QB Greg Packnett Jr.
Now that some of the coaching staff who helped Dunbar reach prominence back on the sidelines?

Could be a interesting year for the Wolverines.
Can Coach Freed take the next step and get the Wolverines back in playoff contention?

Thurgood finished in 3rd place, led by Do it all Senior V'Sean Palmer and Power QB Ayoub Muhammad.
The Cougars have some talent returning and could be the sleeper team to win the city this year.

Meadowdale and Ponitz competed, but both look to be better this season.

Meadowdale was better than Ponitz last year, and if they would have more kids in the program, coach Brown probably would be much more competitive than they already are. His teams are always prepared.

Senior Bryson Flucas was the Do-It-All Player for the Lions


As far as Ponitz?
Its a wait and see approach for the 2nd year coach. Last season was tough, but there should be some improvement with some talent on deck.





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Dunbar Trotwood game hottest ticket in town; What did NBA 3 pt Champion say about the game? Is it bulletin board material?

Since Trotwood knocked off Dunbar last season, the Rams have showed they are the top squad in the Miami Valley.

Who wins the HS Game of the Year?
Dunbar (16-2)  @ Trotwood  (16-2) 

When the season schedule came out, Dunbar @ Trotwod was #1 on the list of "Must See" games on everyone's watch list when it comes to HS Hoops in Dayton.

No question about it.

That's why it was no suprise that this game was sold out within 2 days of the tickets being on sale.

By Wednesday social media had found out that tickets were already sold out. And people were already panicking.

  Some parents from Dunbar didn't even have tickets, which has some of the Wolverine nation upset.

However, the Rams weren't too happy with the distribution of tickets last season for the game at Dunbar either.

Regardless, one thing is for sure.

This is the Regular Season HS Game of the Year in the Miami Valley.

The hottest ticket in town.

Better than what the college hoop king Dayton Flyers and The Raiders have on the slate too?

Yessir.

Which leads me to believe that both colleges should have a scout or two at this game. Along with a Calipari and a Matta, and who knows?

If u have a ticket?
You definitely are in high demand.

Word is that scalpers are selling tickets for 50 a pop.
This game has all the makings of a Dayton HS Sports Classic:

Let's examine the teams:

 Trotwood, who feature a dynamic starting 5, have D-1 talent all over the court & it seems that.they could be destined for a trip to Columbus come late March.
 Led by All-State G Torrey Patton, Sophomore Sensation Amari Davis, explosive Senior G Amir Foster, & the one of the fastest rising juniors in the State in Myles Belyeu, the Rams are loaded. With young talent on deck and a solid Coaching Staff, the Rams have 5 legitimate D-1 prospects in the starting 5.

Dunbar, has the same type talent and then some, as they are led by Junior stars Caleb McConnell & Devon Baker. Senior sharpshooter Chris Jackson has been on fire lately and with senior G Stormi Cook bringing his steady offensive numbers, the Wolverines are primed for a deep run themselves. Throw in a wild card like Michigan St commit JoJo Scates, and the Wolverines match-up evenly with the Rams.

It has been said that former Dunbar Legend and NBA three-point Champion Daequan Cook spoke to the squad, and let them know that this is just a game, not a state game like it may feel in the Trotwood locker room.
Whether that serves as bulletin board  material 39or the Rams, that's yet to be seen. But it's evident that Dunbar is trying to look at this as a regular season game. But with Cook speaking out, it just adds a little fuel to the fire and spice to the game.


The key to the game could rely heavily on the bench, the coaching, and the late-game heroics of someone. Usually in these type of games a suprise player Rises to the top.

Whoever it is, we're looking forward to seeing it with the hottest ticket in town.

No doubt about it.

Thurgood wins in OT, secures City League Title; Dunbar survives in OT; Wayne crusies

With everything on the line in Dayton Public Hoops last night, let's recap the City League games & see what happened:

Kent St bound Isiah Williams & Purdue bound Terrance Landers go at it

THURGOOD wins in OT, captures City title

  By the time the game was over, coach Darnell Hoskins and the Cougars was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief, as his Cougars escaped Belmont with a two-point win in overtime 52-50.

    From the jump Belmont was up in Thurgood and it was no doubt that they were going to have to fight to the end to get the win.
 

   Belmont had a two point lead in the final seconds of the game, when Darnell Hoskins Jr hit a beautiful spinning layup with 5 seconds left to push the game into overtime.
     Even in overtime, it looked as if the Bison would get it done. However, Thurgood grabbed a two-point lead, its first of the OT coming in the final moments of the game.
Belmont  missed their final attempt, and the rest was history.
The Cougar fans rejoiced, while Belmont was shocked in the defeat.
 
    Thurgood moves to 9-1 in the City, and 11-9 overall.
Belmont falls to 2-8.
But the optimism is real at Belmont, and within reason.



DUNBAR  wins in OT, survives TIGERS

      In a game that was similar to Belmont -Thurgood, Stivers stayed close all night,  and held a 6-point lead with less than 3 minutes to go, as it looked as if the Tigers would pull off the upset.

     Then the Wolverines kicked into gear, caused some turnovers, took advantage of Stivers misses at the line and pushed the game into OT.

    Both teams had a chance to win the game, but it headed to OT.

     In OT, Stivers still had a lead, but Dunbar got key baskets and at the end, Caleb McConnell caught a tipped pass from Stormi Cook and dished it to Devon Baker for a layup at the buzzer as the Wolverines won 72-70.
  The Tigers had numerous opportunities, but couldn't seal the deal.



 
MEADOWDALE knocks off PONITZ 

The Lions grabbed a 65- 53 victory over Ponitz as they roared late to get the win on Senior Night.
The game was close all night, and Ponitz held a 27-25 lead at half.
 The Lions regrouped in the 2nd half, and seemed to find their rhythm.
 So did Ponitz,  as it looked as if the Panthers Would Get Some "Getback" after losing earlier this season.
Not so fast Panthers.

Meadowdale finished on a 12-0 run to end the game, hence the final score.

  Jarvis Smith and Kameron Suber led the Lions with 14 a piece, while CJ Williams dropped 10.

    Meadowdale now moves to 6-4 in City League play, good for 3rd in the Rankings, and giving them confidence for the tourney.
  Ponitz was game all night and while Coach Hansbro, while disappointed ab out the result, like the fight his team had in em.


WAYNE  throttles FAIRMONT, now one game away

A little snow couldn't stop the WayneTrain from dismantling the Fairmont Firebirds 88-51.
 
    Initially the game was cancelled, but after reassessing the situation, feeling the weather wasnt too dire, the game was back on.

     Probably not good for the Fairmont squad,  as they were no match for the Top team in the state.
 Wayne will now play for a chance to go undefeated this weekend, and they prep for their State Championship defense.

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. 

7

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.

 


 

Rams jump out on Wolverines, hold on for big W; Showdown with Wayne up next

Trotwood superb frosh getting it done

If you attended the sold out Trotwood - Dunbar game,  you started to see the future of basketball in the Miami Valley.

  And in one word, it's looks bright.

 But on this night, the Rams young guns came out firing and put on a offensive display to upend the Wolverines  @ Dunbar 82-72.
 
   The Rams were led by Freshman Guard Amari Davis and Sophomore wing Myles Belyeu (Son of former Miami Redhawk Scott Belyeu), as they controlled the game, put the Rams ahead early 22-12 & was able to set the tone.

Davis, the wiry strong 6'3 lefty,
 was sensational, from start to finish.

   Dunbar got back in the game in the 2nd, and was only down by a few as Senior Wing Terrance Landers Jr. (Purdue signee) got hot and lead the Wolverines to a comeback, seemingly setting the stage for a big 2nd half.

   However Trotwood continued to play great ball, as Davis and the Rams made play after play after play.

     After a foul filled late 3rd period, the Rams had pushed the lead up to double digits, and had all but taken the drama out of the game.

   The Wolverines made a run late, but poor Free Throw shooting didn't help Dunbar's (7-5) cause.

  The Rams never looked rattled in the game, and to have the moxie to go into the toughest place to play in Southwest Ohio and get a W?

  Big for the Rams, who now move to 12-1.

  The win now sets up a major showdown against the Undefeated Champs (Wayne) next week.



 

It's OFFICIAL: "No Audience" for upcoming City League Game Friday; Why this is a Lose Lose scenario

It is OFFICIAL:

   Dayton Public Schools will not be allowed to have any fans, parents, or friends at the next HS game on Friday.
    They will play the games without any spectators in the gym, which will be interesting to say the least.
 
   Because of the incident that happened on Tuesday night at the Ponitz vs Dunbar game,  Dayton public schools AD Jonas Smith and the Committee acted swiftly and instructed the 1- game Audience "Suspension" for the behavior.

   Smith was "Very Disappointed" with what occurred at Ponitz but feels this was the best decision.

    But let's look in depth on the effect this has on, not only Friday, but the bigger picture.


The Financial Effect

  Hypothetically, with 3 games going on in a normal city league matchup (Freshman, JV,and Varsity) at a School site, it costs $4 for kids / students, & 6 for adults.
 
   If you average out 1,000 people for 3 games at a average of $5 a person, that's $5,000 a venue.
   Multiply by 3?

A possible amount of a $15,000 loss off the top.

 Now throw in the concessions of about a minimum of $100 profit for each game, and you're looking at another $300 for each venue, which is another $900.

So, in effect, Dayton Public Schools will lose a minimum of about $16,000 or so, by not having anyone in the stands on Friday.
 
And that's just from the financial aspect.


   The Family Aspect 

 The fact is that in sports, a team becomes a family within a family. Everybody knows everyone's parents, friends, acquaintances, & foes. And these people show up in droves to support their own people here.  Sports is one of the few things that keep people inspired in Dayton, Ohio.

Parents of the team will go beyond and some for their kids and the programs.
 
 We're good at HS Sports.
   We get it.
 
    You are liable to see any and everybody coming to a Dayton Public City League game.
 
    Former hoop legends & former players. Mayors, Commissioners & TV Stars. Pro athletes. Former and current workers. Young and old fans, and everybody in between come to the games.
  Friday night in the winter?

"What's the High School game of the Week?" And
"Where is it at"  are most of the questions asked.

Now, with no game to go, what do you do on Friday night?



The Fighting Effect
   
     Thanks a lot young thugs.

  Because you decide to turn a major sporting event into your fight club you,

   (1) Ruin everything for the good folks who want a quality HS basketball game for the community on Friday night, which keeps a lot of people out of trouble as it is.

  (2) Wasted your money to get in and your time as well, not to mention you might be arrested, suspended from school, and got clocked upside the head.
 
 (3) Show your complete lack of class for the schools, people, and programs who are already grinding to change the perception of Dayton Public.

Hey young thugs, if you want to fight?
   Star boxer Chris Pearson just opened up a pro  development boxing establishment in Trotwood.

 Or there's a variety of UFC - style gyms in Southwest Ohio to battle it out.
 
This has happened at sporting events before this season, and it' probably will happen again.

Unfortunately.

 It sucks, and until kids and parents start to understand exactly what the repercussions are, accept blame, man up and understand the REAL EFFECT THIS HAS ON THE COMMUNITY?

It will continue.


Just please, don't ruin the best thing going in Dayton right now.










 



 

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.

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.

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.

Dunbar grad set to make Ohio State debut today

 
Former Dunbar All-State PG A.J. Harris will make his college debut today (Noon)  @ Ohio State as the Buckeyes host their season opener.

Harris ready to lead the Buckeyes

  Harris, who led the Dunbar Wolverines to two state appearances (winning one) will now set his sights on a NCAA Championship.
   With a plethora of new faces, Harris fits in nicely with the Buckeyes, who will use him as the floor general.
  Head Coach Thad Matta has been pleased with Harris leadership and ability to adapt and looks forward to using his cat-like quickness, intelligent play, and electrifying speed to change the pace.
   Matta also is looking for Harris to keep the game flowing in the right direction for the Buckeyes, who are loaded with talent.
  After watching what Harris did for Dunbar, you can't help what to wonder what he will do at O State.

   Harris is the first player to play for Ohio State since Daequan Cook, who played with Mike Conley and big Greg Oden.

If committee is paying attention, Bison will make it to playoffs

   We had the luxury to have Belmont on the TV show of Dayton High School Sports last year. After initially speaking with rising star RB Davion Lankford  you got the sense that the smooth RB with sick moves and a gear few have, hadn't quite understood what he was accomplishing.

  He hadn't played ball in years. His grades wasn't on par, and, quite frankly, he wasn't focused on being a student athlete. Or even a student.

However with the coaxing of his family and new staff of Belmont football coaches, Lankford did make changes.
Big changes. Program resurrecting changes.
With stunning results, we might add.

But back to the Interview.
Before the interview Lankford was nervous, excited, and happy to be on the show. He had ran for 200+ with 3 TDs, and his mom, uncles, and support staff was there.He genuinely seemed shocked that he was getting so much attention for playing football. 

He was our first ever DHSS Athlete of the Week. And he beamed for that moment.

But the one thing you also seen was the hunger for more, and the desire to be great. The longer the interview went on, the better he got. Kind of like how he is on the field. And in the books too.

    After a nice start last season,  the Bison fizzled late, and you started to hear the rumors of the "Old Belmont Bison ways", which was losing, losing, and more losing.
    But the one difference between the old Bison and the new Bison is quite simple:

Coach Earl White and his coaching staff.

  Not to mention a rejuvenated Bison fan club (Bison Nation) which tailgates, whoops and hollers and support their Bison with the best of them.

   White took the Colonel White / Thurgood Marshall program and took it to a level very few coaches have reached in City League and Southwest Ohio HS football history.
   Multiple City League Titles, numerous playoff beths, (including a signature victory over the vaunted Alter Knights) and a State Berth, to name a few.
   White was a former player himself, and holds every player, coach, and staff member accountable.

And if you don't like it?  Deal with it.


  And by his results, the players have responded and love his style. Whether u like his style of play or not, it has worked almost 70% of the time, which is a great winning percentage for any coach on any level. He knew it would take a little time, but a Southwest Public City League Championship in their first season and his first City Title after two years?

Ohio HS Football Playoff Committee, are you watching?

  After a gutsy win over Ponitz, we asked some family where Lankford was looking to go.
   Sources close to Davion told us that Coach White told Lankford that, "When the time is right" he'd unveil the list of schools drooling over the two way star for his services.

"Stay focused on books and the season, and the rest will take care of itself." White said.

Well after a 5 TD game last week, it's safe to that Lankford is listening.

Now about that change...
Lankford has become the unquestioned leader of the Bison. He has squared his grades, worked extremely hard on his body, as he takes major punishment every week. He is a captain of the team, become more vocal and holds all the other players accountable while lifting an entire program back to notoriety.

  Lankford has taken a glimpse of hope and turned it into a mountain of opportunities.
D-1 offers, loved by his peers, respected and feared by his opponents.

  But, in his most recent interview, its obvious he is focused on the task at hand. He talked about his team, getting to the playoffs and rising up even with its looks dim, as his boys had just won in OT after he had scored a TD, 2-pt conversion and had a key sack.

  The Bison (6-1) sit 9th in the region for a playoff berth, with 2 games to go. Although they won their league, it's not guaranteed to make the playoffs.  With White's pedigree in previous playoffs, & the a team loaded with talent, quality coaching, and players who have bought into the system?

Never too late.

Just ask Davion Lankford and Earl White.

OHSAA Football playoff Committee, are you paying attention? If not, you should be.

Everyone else sure is.

Salute the Bison.

Week 7 Recap: Belmont wins sixth straight, Wayne steamrolls, Troy upsets Trotwood

As we hit the final stretch of HS football, we take a look at the Headlines and results from week 7:

 Belmont shuts out Cincy Prep, wins first City Title in over 35 years 

Bison win first City League title in over 35 years 

After all the years of being the doormat of the City League, the losing times are over.
  Belmont pounded Cincy Prep 38-0 and in the process became the first League Champ of the Cincy - Dayton Public HS Football League merger, and first in 37 years.
Sr. Star 2-way player Davion Lankford ran wild on Prep and the Bison cruised to a huge W in Cincy.


Troy pulls off upset, defeats Trotwood late
The Trojans were able to hold on late to shock the Rams 21-20 in Trotwood.

Trotwood Swarming D

The Rams were coming off a beatdown of Sidney, but Troy was much more game, as the score showed. Trotwood had their chances, but couldn't captialize.
Now Trotwood is 5-2 & makes that playoff berth a lot more challenging. Troy moves to 3-4.


 The Creek' survives the Wildcats, wins late
Beavercreek was able to hold on to a huge win in a epic battle, an albeit sloppy one til late as they defeated Springfield 31-28.
Tim Bradshaw ran for a tough 92 yards, (giving him 1,000 on the season) and 2 big TDs, as the Creek moved to 6-1.
Springfield falls to 2-5.


Meadowdale wins 3rd straight,  defeats Ponitz
The Lions won their 3rd straight game as they took out Ponitz 25-6. The Lions were led by Kevan Hughley and looked solid in the offensive game, while shutting down Ponitz offense.


WayneTrain throttles Fairmont 
While it wasn't another shutout, it was close to being one as Wayne (7-0) jumped out early and won easily. The #2 ranked team in the state continues to roll.


Dunbar shuts down Western Hills
The Wolverines took out some frustrations on the Cincy squad as they routed Western Hills. Dunbar moves to 3-4.

Belmont wins in OT, moves to 5-1; Jefferson cruises

10 minutes after the game between Ponitz & Belmont, Bison Coach Earl White face said it all in one word:

Lankford clutch sack in OT

RELIEF

    After another dramatic encounter, their 5th straight win, and the Bison faithful rooting to no end? What more was there to say?

  The Bison escaped from the Golden Panthers grasp in OT as two-way star Davion Lankford scored a TD, a 2-pt conversion & got a key sack to help Belmont upend Ponitz 30-22.
   It wasn't easy to say the least, but this Bison team will not fold, as you have seen in the last three weeks.
With Belmont nursing a 22-6 lead in the 4th, Ponitz engineered two straight TD drives - with the second drive covering 85 yards within the last two minutes; The Panthers also got the 2-pt conversion, with less than 15 seconds left. It was great execution by the Panthers, and you felt a sense of "the upset bug" in the air.

  Belmont received the ball first in OT, and Lankford scored the TD and the 2-pt conversion.
    Ponitz also scored on the first play from scimmage, but a offensive penalty negated the play, and the Bison D took over.

   Belmont knows that in order to get to the playoffs, they will have to play harder and finish better.

But hey, at least the Bison are thinkin' playoffs.
For the first time in a long time.
Salute the Bison.




Jefferson gets big W 

Jefferson grabbed a much needed victory last night
as they defeated Hillcrest 24-14.

Can Belmont defeat another rival upstart program in Ponitz?

The Belmont Bison (4-1) will look to continue its meteoric rise up the Southwestern Ohio HS Football ladder as they will take on a hungry Ponitz squad eager to get a win tonight (7pm) @ Welcome Stadium.

Ponitz (1-3) has been close but has lost late in the last few games. They led division leader Woodward in the first half, but couldn't hold the lead.
Belmont was down 36-22 late in the 3rd qtr, but pulled off a furious rally to win 44-36 @ Cincinnati Woodward last week.

Can Ponitz pull off mild upset?

Coach Earl White and RB sensation Davion Lankford has led the way for a rejuvenated program.

Tonight's game will be interesting to watch as the Bison were 4-1 last season as well, but then went on a slide and ended up in the middle of the pack.

Can Belmont ride the wave, defeat another city rival, & move one step closer to the playoffs?
  Or will Ponitz get back in the winning column?

We're predicting a Bison win 32- 22.
Last week prediction record: 4-1