GWOC on display tonight in Sectional Finals; Rams #1 in final State Poll; Boddie nabs Player of Year in City League

The 2nd weekend of the OHSAA Tournament  will feature some of the best teams, exciting matchups, & rivalries in Southwest Ohio in HS hoops.
Not to mention a few intriguing rematches to boot.

Will "Blue Smith" and the Wayne Train roll over the Elks tonight?

Here's the Marquee Matchups for the Sectional Finals tonight: 

WAYNE   vs.  CENTERVILLE  @Butler HS (7:30)  
Wayne has been playing well lately, as evidenced by the shutdown Performance they had vs Miamisburg.  Centerville has also been playing at a high level, and know this is as good a shot as they will have to beat the Wayne Train in a tourney setting.

Problem is, L'Christian Blue Smith is back, and playing well. Not good for the Elks, who also are dealing with a angry Wayne team who felt like they underachieved a little bit last season, and want to atone for that.

We know that these 2 teams have no love for each other, but mutual respect.  And we also know the game will be close. Add great coaching, and you have the GWOC at its best.

Can the Cats continue to move towards a State Berth?

SPRINGFIELD   vs  XENIA  @ Centerville HS (7:30)
 In this game, Can Xenia and their high powered offense stay on pace with the top dog in the Bracket?
Xenia was able to win late in the first 2 tourney  games, and now find themselves against a extremely confident and talented Wildcats team. The Bucs, led by Samari Curtis, can score in bunches, but the Cats have done it more consistently this season, and the key is the Cats, D, which is downright stifling during stretches in games.



CITY LEAGUE  ALL CITY TEAM, PLAYER OF THE YEAR SELECTED 
Dayton Public League selected their All-City Players and Player of the Year last week.

Stivers Tigers F Tony Boddie was selected as the Player of the Year, after he led the Tigers to 2nd place in the City League this season.

2017 Dayton City League 1st Team

Trotwood ends up #1 in State in Final Regular Season Poll 
The Trotwood Rams finished the Regular season #1 in the OHSAA State D-2 Basketball Poll.
Trotwood (20-2) had a banner year, only losing to Sidney and Nationally ranked Prolific Prep featuring Nationally Ranked player Gary Trent Jr.

The Rams will play tomorrow at UD Arena.

Top 5 games in Week 3; Will Wayne continue to rule the Nati? Can Dunbar keep rollin? 4-Star Recruit Decommitts

As we hit the mid-season stretch here's a few games which could show who are the teams to watch, to not watch, and to see if this will be the weekend of no rain delays, which already happened with Ponitz game last night.

Will tonight be the "Blue" Show @ Lakota?

Heres our Top games of Week 3:


Trotwood Madison (1-1)  @ Middletown (0-2)- In a game both teams need badly for the playoff race, Trotwood (1-1)  found its rhythm against a tough Piqua squad last week after laying a egg in the first week. When talking to the coaches after game 1, it was clear that a fire needed to be lit under the Rams. Middletown (0-2) will look to get a big W, after losing last week to Springboro. Look for an offensive explosion from Rams star RB Raveion Hargrove tonight.

Can the "Team of the Week" pull off the big W @ Princeton?

Dunbar (2-0)  @ Cin Princeton (2-0) -  Dunbar has a fire about them this year that hasn't been there in a while. In a big win last week, the Wolverines seemed to have found themselves and a silver lining in these first two games. If they can pull off a big win vs a tough Princeton team tonight? It could be the start to something special for the Woverines. Look for big performances from WRs Jo Jo Scates and Chris Jackson tonight. Princeton survived at home against Springfield last week. Can they defeat another talented team at home tonight?

Miamisburg (2-0) @ Thurgood Marshall  (0-2) - Miamisburg  looks like a team on a mission as they will take on the Cougars and new head coach Brian Carter  tonight. While Thurgood hasn't won this season, they know that tonight they will have a home crowd. They will need it, as the Vikings come into Welcome Stadium with 2 D-1 recruits on the line, and skilled players all over.

Wayne (1-0) @ Lakota West (0-2)- While the Wayne Train didn't get a win until week 2, its clear they definitely want to make it 2-0 as they take on Lakota West. West hasn't been able to get on track, &  aside for the offensive trio of Zelwyn Robinson, former Trotwood Ram RB Tayvion Ware, & WR Payton Porterfield, it hasn't been a great start to the season so far. While the home crowd will be pumped, watch for Wayne stars L'Christian "Blue" Smith and Matt Wilcox to break out tonight. Also, there are some basketball ties with both teams, so look for a little revenge as well from the Wayne Train on behalf of the football team.

Meadowdale (0-2) @ Chaminade Julienne (0-2)  In a game both teams need, who will show the fire to get it done? C-J hasn't looked great, but will be at home for the contest. Meadowdale also hasn't shown their best, but with 2 good programs looking for that elusive win in Week 3? You know this will be a tough game.

Dunbar star backs off from Michigan

 Dunbar transfer & defensive star Antwuan Johnson, the LB who came to Dunbar from Springfield this season, has decomitted from Michigan. 

    Johnson, a rock solid 6'2 linebacker who makes plays all day, has decided to hold off on the Wolverines until further notice. Johnson is the type of guy who knows what he is doing, so it should be a interesting next 2 years for the Junior, who is leading the Wolverines in tackles, and is the unquestioned leader of the defense, which has stars all over the field.

 

    Johnson will be coveted and don't be surprised to see Ohio State or Michigan State jumping in the race. Also look for a few SEC schools to come calling as well.

Football4U Combine Info (Feb 21st)

On February 21st, FootballU4U.com will host its 1st Annual Football Combine for the top youth football players in Southwest Ohio. Featuring the top 50 players in grades 4-8.
The Camp Fee is $60 and you will receive NFL-Style training & football gear courtesy of Under Armour.






Want to Register or Need More Info?  www.FootballU4U.com   or  Call 248-1402.

Big Winners of Flyin to the Hoop; what Celebrities were there? Wayne stays unbeaten

Here's the recap, highlights and stars of last MLK weekend as the Top National HS Tourney Flyin' To The Hoop went down in the Miami Valley:

Flyin' to the Hoop Headlines:

(1) Wayne defeats IMG,  continue its torrid winning streak as "Father vs Son" game goes down; Trice Family Steals scene with Kenny Smith  

   When it was posted that Wayne would play IMG, Coach Travis Trice knew this would be a special one. His son D'Mitrik, who had led his Wayne team to their 1st ever State hoops title, would be on the court.
  Only this time, dad would be trying to stop his son from defeating his Warriors squad.
  The Warriors did prevail, but it was the theatrics of the Trices and the Jet which provided the entertainment...

Such as:
   Mrs. Trice clownin wit former NBA Champion and TNT analyst Kenny "The Jet" Smith;
  The duel within the duel as the Trice family as  talk ensued in between plays between father and son.

Kenny Smith, Archie Miller, Mrs Trice enjoying the game
 (Courtesy of Image Jock) 

   While Trice admitted he was happy with the win, he wasn't as thrilled with having to stop his son, and Kenny Smith's son as well, en route to the win.

   The Warriors dominated - again- on the big stage as they cruised past IMG.

 Super Soph  L'Christian "Blue" Smith led Wayne with 15.
 D'Mitrik Trice had 2 points and 3 assists  and Smith had 8 as the Warriors stymied IMG offensively.


(2) Top recruit Josh Jackson shines but loses; then gets redemption with GW shot

One of the prized recruits in the country brought his talent here and ended with a bang as Jackson dropped 32 in the first game, then came back in the next game and hit a game winning three-point shot.
    Jackson, 6'6, plays for Prolific prep out of California & is widely considered the top unsigned recruit in the country, with Kansas & Michigan St at the top of his short list.

    After a couple of games, you could see why as the Super-talented Jackson dominated and was the most coveted player in the country.

     Other moments, it seemed he pressed a little, but when you're a top recruit, you will press those buttons sometime.
Overall, 47 points and a Game Winning buzzer beater to finish?
Not too bad for a #1 recruit.


(3) Rising star Seth Towns dominates

It seems that Mr. Towns is taking the snub from McDonald's All-America game quite seriously as he came in and poured a tournament high 40 points and 10 rebounds as Northland earned a victory.            The versatile 6'8 Towns was utterly unstoppable, and showed why Harvard will be getting not only a top-notch future NBA player but a unbelievably smart student.
    Ohio State seemingly let the Columbus native get away, after not really pursuing him to the degree that they should have.
   Towns hasn't taken it personal from most accounts, but his play shows otherwise, and has been running through competition like few others have this season.
 No doubt he's a McDonald's All-American, whether he got the nod or not.
He's that good.




 (4) Trotwood smacks Fairmont on opening night

 Trotwood continued to play winning basketball as they dumped on Fairmont in the flying to the hoop opener opening night.
 Trotwood had just beat Dunbar, and although they started slow, they shut the door on Fairmont by the 3rd quarter.  The more confidence they get, the more they will be a force to be reckoned with.
   Patten led the Rams with 29.



(5) Lima Sr. defeats Thurgood, 

Lima Sr. continued it's winning ways in Dayton as they defeated Thurgood 83-66.
   Michigan recruit Xavier Simpson (20) & Marquavious Wilson (19) led the #2 ranked Spartans to the win.

   Darnell Hoskins Jr. dropped almost half of his teams points (31), but it was not enough as the Spartans played another tough, dominant  performance which has kept them undefeated (10-0) put them right in the talk for a D-1 State Championship.



(6) Northridge drubs Yellow Springs

 Northridge routed Yellow Springs, and send a message to anybody who believe that they were a one-year wonder.
Yellow Springs never had a chance, and Northridge was led by Malik Akbar who had 31.

Nick Ward slams it down vs Dunbar

(7) Dunbar rally falls short,  loses late

The Wolverines came out slow, and fell to Gahanna Lincoln by a score of 67 - 62.  Gahanna was able to get out to a double-digit lead by halftime. Dunbar cut the lead to under 5 in the 4th, but Gahanna's big man Nick Ward (Mich St commit) was able to diffuse the rally - he dominated inside all night, and the Wolverines had no match for him.  was the Wolverines had no match. Terrance Landers Jr. led the Wolverines with 23.


"The Jet", "Izzo" & "Huggy Bear" invade Flyin'


 when you have names such as "The Jet, Izzo, and Huggy Bear coming through your event?

You know you doing good.

   Kenny Smith (TNT analyst), coach Tom Izzo of Michigan State, Archie Miller of UD, and Bob Huggins of West Virginia were just a few of the A-List name celebrity sports figures on hand at Flyin to the Hoop.
 At one point Izzo barked at Flyin' director Eric Horstman,
"How is this event not on TV?"....
meaning why hasn't ESPN picked it up yet?

Usually when a guy the stature of Tom Izzo is saying something like that, look for something to happen in the near future.
Just a testament to how far Flyin' has come.

Kenny "The Jet" Smith praises Dayton Hoops

   And in the words of Kenny Smith, "Shoutout to the Dayton area & Flyin' to the Hoop" is all we need.

Hey we been preaching it for decades. Now the whole country is seeing it for themselves.

Dayton is "The Hotbed for Hoops".

Plain and simple.

And by the way, all 42 teams who participated have said they wanted to come back - already.

Wayne continues to roll; Key Games tonight

Here's the recap of the top teams and how they fared during New Years Weekend:

UD bound Landers skying for 2 in Arby's Classic

Wayne Train wins Arby Classic; Landers wins MVP

 The Wayne train continued the unbelievable run by winning the 33rd Annual Arby's Classic in Tennessee last weekend.
The Warriors became the 1st team from Ohio to win the prestigious event.
    Trey Landers, the UD signee, was the MVP of the tournament.
    In the championship game vs Tift County (Georgia), Wayne held a 10-point lead (32-22) at half after spurting late in the second quarter.
     In the third quarter Wayne outscored Tift 21 - 4 en route to an easy victory 72-47.  Landers was dominant in the tournament and led a balanced scoring attack with 16 and 5 boards, Rodrick Caldwell had 17 and L'Christian "Blu" Smith added 13 in the championship game.
  Tift head coach was quoted as saying, "We got outhustled, outcoached, and out executed" by Wayne.
   Tift (Ga) falls to 12-1 while the Wayne Train sits at 7-0 .
    Wayne coach Travis Trice Sr felt that his boys played very well and repped the 937 with honor, bringing back the trophy no other Ohio High School was able to do.

  Salute the Wayne Train for bringing back the gold. Look for them to be in Top 10 of the USA Today.
 They are that good.



Dunbar heads to Ponitz for key City League Game tonight

Can Cook keep up the hot shooting for Dunbar?

  Dunbar will look to find its rhythm after a 2-game losing streak as they head to Ponitz to face the Panthers.
   Ponitz (4-2) has played well of late, stifling Oakwood late to grab a huge comeback win.
   While Oakwood is no Dunbar by any stretch of the imagination, the Panthers are seemingly finding their rhythm, unlike Dunbar.
   Dunbar (5-4)  has lost a little more than expected with talented guards AJ Harris and Dorianne Dawson taking their talents to college. While the stable is full of players, who will be the ones to consistently step up for the Wolverines as the season starts to gear up for the tournament?

  This will be the first time that new Ponitz coach Dwayne Hansbro will face the Wolverines.
   
    Hansbro has his boys playing hard and has adjusted well in the early season; can they pull off the upset tonight at home vs the Mighty Wolverines?

 
Other key games:

 Xenia                @   Springfield
Beavercreek     @   Trotwood
Cin Winton Woods  @ Meadow dale
Centerville       vs  Alter
 

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.

Wayne rolls over Reynoldsburg; Trotwood pounds Celina; Belmont star falls, GWOC results

With the 1st round of playoffs jumpin off last weekend, here's our top Headlines for Week 1 of the OHSAA football playoffs in Southwest Ohio:

Matt Wilcox moving up national radar

Wayne Train starts slow, finishes fast 
  This season, the Wayne Train has scored 14 or more in every 1st quarter this season. So when it was 7-7 early into the 2nd quarter in week 1 in the Playoffs, there was some whispers about, Could Reynoldsburg pull off the upset?

No Chance.

Wayne (11-0)  went on to outscore Reynoldsburg (7-4)  49-10 in less than 3 quarters as the Warriors cruised 56-17 at Heidkamp Stadium Saturday night.

  Michigan St. Starting QB in-waiting Messiah DeWeaver threw 4 TD'S and showed why Spartans fans are already waiting on his arrival via Twitter.

    3 of those TDs were caught by 6'7 Super Soph L'Christian "Blue" Smith, who is rising up the National Hype Train faster than any kid in Ohio High School since LeBron James. He has caught the eye of the Ohio State Buckeyes already. The other TD was snatched by dynamic WR Matt Wilcox Jr, who is coveted by the entire MAC conference,  and now some bigger D-1s are showing interest.

   The D was rock solid after the first score, and the 12th man was in full effect, with tailgating and fandom like no other for High School Football.

Up next for the Wayne Train?
The Boro'  @ (Centerville HS) in a GWOC showdown.




Trotwood routs Celina behind Hargrove

Celina came out and battled early,  but once Trotwood shook off the jitters and adjusted, it was no turning back. Celina had some early opportunities to change the flow of the game,  but when they didn't take advantage of a couple of turnovers like they should have?
     Trotwood Star RB Ravieon Hargrove ran for multiple TDs and the Rams cruised in the second half to a easy victory.
   Celina cut the lead to 4 early in the 3rd quarter, but never got closer than that after a 18- yard Hargrove TD midway through the 3rd Quarter.
   The Rams D tightened up and shut down Celina while the Rams scored the last 26 points of the game.








Belmont falls to Wapakoneta as star injured

The Bison, finally in the playoffs after 37 years, started out the game fast @ Wapakoneta,  and did whatever they wanted for most of the 1st quarter. But Star RB Davion Lankford suffered a concussion on a run late in the quarter, and the tide turned from there, as Wapakoneta coach even admitted himself.

    Lankford had broken runs of 50+ and 40+ before the injury.  He looked completely unstoppable.
   Some felt Wapakoneta played a little too physical, almost dirty, as multiple Belmont players went down during the game.

   Belmont was ahead 14-7 before Wapak took control and outscored them 37- 8 for the rest of the game, going on a 30-0 run during the game.

Belmont had their best season in 37 years & the coaches feel like they will be back next season. Elijah Malcolm scored two TDs for the Bison. Belmont fought hard but was a little undermanned and now understands what playoff football is all about.

Great season nevertheless for the Belmont Bison.





The Boro' avenges loss @ Mason, 42-21; faces Wayne next

 Springboro pulled off a huge win @ Mason to move to the next round. Mason defeated Springboro earlier in the season, and that actually played into the Panthers advantage.
Elijah Cunningham threw for 4 TDs, was razor sharp, & In control for most of the game as the Boro got some get back, @ Mason to ice the cake.
Now can they do that to a Wayne team who will be playing at its highest level ever?
Well find out this weekend.



Miamisburg loses in epic finale to Lima Sr 44-42


The Burg had been no stranger to late game heriocs, and it looked as if we'd see another one from the Vikings. But Lima Sr. stuffed the Burg' on the 2-pt conversion and Lima Sr. wind a wild one 44-42 in the last game at Harmon Field.

With maybe the greatest single game rushing performance in Miamisburg history on display with
Sophomore Tony Clark.
   Clark ran a whopping 53 times for 249 and was - in one word - amazing.
 
    But not quite amazing enough to get through the Lima D Line, that made the play,  one of the few on Clark.

Coach Steve Channell knows that one will be a tough one to forget, but loved the effort and season his boys pulled off.