Cincy Prep Hoops Report

Time for a Change

2012-12-30T13:36:00.001-05:00

After two plus seasons of covering high school basketball in the Cincinnati area we at CPHR are reluctantly coming to you today to announce that we will no longer be running the website.

Unfortunately, time constraints and other basketball related projects have made it so that it is impossible to continue running this site on a consistent basis. The last thing that we would want to do would be to let our information continue to suffer, so we feel as a team that it is simply best to move on towards our other projects.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has ever visited this site, and especially those who have been kind enough to spread the word. One thing that we'll never stop doing as CPHR staff is trying to help young players from the area. We will still be running our statewide scouting based website, Triple Double Prospects, and from time to time plan on dropping scouting reports off of games that we are able to attend in the Cincinnati area. The hope is that with less projects on our plates we'll then have more time to focus on each individual project, such as content on TDP.

CPHR definitely looks at this moment as bittersweet, and the end of an era. As much as it is time for us to move on, we will very much miss every moment of the high school scene; and the purity of the game that is often lacking at other levels of basketball.

Before we sign off there are a few people that we would like to thank for working with us over the years, and for friendships that will last a lifetime. A few names that come to mind are Rich Hoyt, Kurt Stubbs, Ty Kish, Rodger Bohn, John Stovall, Rob Taylor, Tre Potter and Brad Konerman.

Also, we would like to thank the high school coaches, college coaches, AAU coaches, parents, fans and players who have not only frequented this site but also added to it with comments and feedback; it's been an absolute pleasure.

Thank you again for all the pleasant memories, and we look forward to seeing all of you around the city.

Yours truly,

CPHR Staff - Corey Albertson, JB Burgin, Daniel Watkins

Game Recap: Lakota East 72 Winton Woods 68

2012-12-12T12:00:00.002-05:00

Stedman
Lowry

By: Daniel Watkins

These D1 powerhouses both came into tonight’s matchup hoping to kick their week off with a big win. Lakota East led by senior guard Stedman Lowry looked to continue their winning ways and reach 5-0 while Winton Woods lead by junior point guard Ronnie Rousseau looked to win their second in a row in this young season.

From the tip it was obvious that Lakota East guard Stedman Lowry came out to play with his hot shooting performance in the first qtr giving him 15 early points as the Firebirds took a 22-21 lead going into the second. In the second qtr East continued with their hot shooting while taking their biggest lead of the game with 4 minutes left in the half at 37-29. With under a minute to go in the first half two quick scores by Winton Woods Ronnie Rousseau cut the lead in half and giving East a 43-39 halftime lead.

The opening part of the 3^rd qtr was very slow paced with little scoring for either team. With 4:30 to go Winton Woods began increasing their on ball pressure and started to force a few East turnovers. Thanks in part to those East turnovers Winton Woods Senior Forward Trent Donald started to feast on the East defense in numerous ways. Whether it was from the free throw line, tip ins, jumpers you name it, Mr. Donald was converting on them all. The senior forward pulled off 10 straight points to end the 3^rd, giving Winton Woods the 54-53 advantage.

This intense early season matchup came down to the 4^th qtr to see whose defense would make more key stops. With less than 5 minutes left in the final qtr East Stedman Lowry drained a 3 from the top of the key giving East a 62-60 lead. From that point on there was nonstop action until the buzzer sounded. After a crucial put back on offense by Winton Woods Trent Donald the warriors found them self up 67-66 with 2 minutes left. East caught Winton Woods sleeping on defense while throwing a layup alley-opp to give them a one point lead with under 1 minute left. After pair of free throws were made by East, Winton woods found themselves down 3 points with 15 seconds left. A costly turnover in the closing moments by Winton Woods Senior Forward Kwan Cheatham (Akron Commit) all but sealed it giving East the hard-fought road win 72-68.

After scoring 13 points in the first half Lakota East did a good job of slowing down the explosive Winton woods point guard Ronnie Rousseau who finished with 15 points. Winton Woods Trent Donald led all scorers with 28 huge points (12 of those coming in the 3^rd) Kwan Cheatham also chipped in 11 points to help the Warriors tonight. For East Stedman Lowry continued his early season scoring ways with 27 points. While only scoring 7 points in the second half Stedman did just enough to help his firebirds keep their perfect record at 5-0. Also for East senior guard Robbie Harpring was in double digits with 14 points.

Game Recap: Taft 70 Hughes 67

2012-12-08T14:55:00.001-05:00

Taft's Tamarik Washington

When you walk into a gym on a Friday night all you can hope for is a close game and a high intensity atmosphere. Hughes and Taft sure brought the best of both worlds in those departments on Friday night at Taft’s downtown campus. With early placing in the CMAC standings at stake, the two teams battled back and forth all game long. Hughes controlled the first and third quarters, but in addition to the second quarter, Taft won the most important quarter, the fourth.

Taft 70 Hughes 67

Senators coach Mark Mitchell is what you would describe as a risk taker. With only one minute to play and his team down 67-63, Mitchell put in junior guard Semaj Stevens (who had only played about two minutes earlier). That last minute of play was all Taft, and Stevens was one of the key reasons. After Taft junior guard Marcus Scott converted a four point play to tie the game the Senators got a steal and Stevens found himself at the foul line for the chance to put Taft back ahead. Stevens made one free throw, then came up with another loose ball off of a Hughes turnover and scored a layup with just two seconds left to give Taft a three point win.

The Big Red held the lead for most of the game, but turnovers down the stretch, missed free throws and foul trouble cost them in the end. After a dispute with the official score book, Angel Rivera was sent to the bench with less than a minute left after receiving what was ruled his fifth foul.

Both teams proved that they’re upper echelon CMAC teams, and that as we expected it’s going to be a competitive year in the city league.

Taft was led by the 15 points off of the bench by junior guard Tamarik Washington, and the 11 points of junior power forward Robert Smith. The Senators also got 8 points from Scott, 8 points from junior guard Antonio Gibson, 6 points from junior guard Kenny Kaufman, 6 points from junior wing Keron Harris and strong contributions on the defensive end from DeAndre Smith and Devon Matthews.

The game was billed as the first matchup between Aaron Oden, a junior combo guard for Taft and the Senators most talented player, against his old school, Hughes. Oden was aggressive in attacking the rim in the first half, but missed the entire second half after sustaining a concussion going for a loose ball late in the half. Oden finished with 5 points in the Taft win.

Hughes got a game high 18 points off of the bench from a sharpshooting Mike Collins, who hit several big shots to keep Hughes in the game late in the third when the Senators were making a run. The Big Red also got 13 points from athletic junior power forward Dwight Nared, 12 points from their senior point guard Angel Rivera, and 9 points off of the bench from talented junior wing Derrick Long.

One of the reasons that Taft came out on top was because they were able to limit the Big Red’s second and third best offensive players (behind Angel Rivera) in Terry Cook and Kevin Daniels to just a combined 8 points in the loss.

Overall, this was one of the better CMAC games that CPHR has been to in the last couple of years, and it really set the tone for what’s to come in the remainder of the year. Taft did make one thing clear, you better control your home court if you plan on being a champion.

JB's Friday Nights Picks

2012-12-07T12:55:00.000-05:00

Middletown junior combo forward
Vincent Edwards

Okay hoop fans we are in the second week of High School Sports and we have some good match-ups this week. I went 2-1 (4-2 overall) Tuesday and I'm still looking to get my first sweep. CPHR and the fans are ready, so here you go!

Hughes at Taft

Hughes (1-0) comes into the Senators Home Court looking to stay undefeated. The Big Red are coming off a thumping of the Woodward Bulldogs 70-46. Hughes is led by Senior G Angel Rivera who opened up with a double-double (18points and 11 assists) looks to continue to put up some numbers and get some help from Senior G Terry Cook, Junior's Kevin Daniels and Dwight Nared. Look for the transfer Junior F Derrick Long to get on track. The Big Red will have to deal with a lot of pressure and be patient on offense to upset the Senators. Coach Mitchell and the Senators look to bounce back after going 2-1 last week with an impressive opening night victory over Aiken 67-58, then Saturday they have a tough loss at Covington Catholic 66-47, and a good victory over Lexington Dunbar. Two victories in 3 days, is it too much for the Senators. I would think not as "Mitch" year end and out has one of the best conditioned teams. Taft looks for Kenny Kaufman and Marcus Scott to pick up most of the scoring load. Dictating the tempo will be the name of the game as they look to score quick and often, whether it's in the open court or off of pressure. This will be a good one for the books.

Pick-Taft Coach Mitchell just keep finding ways to keep that in-state record one to watch. 75-68

Aiken at Winton Woods

Winton Woods look to bounce back after a defeat against Roger Bacon Tuesday 68-56. Coach Gillespie knows what he has in Ronnie Rousseau, Kwan Cheatham, Trent Donald, Latrell Tidwell and Martin Jones. It's time for it to show up on the floor. The Warriors have been in some great practices this week and are reaady to get after it. The Falcons and Coach Leon Ellison have some obstacles to climb too. Injuries and a suspension leave them short-handed for this one but don't count them out. Austin Grimes and Kameron Moore should pick up most of the slack. Demontae Jones and Sophomore's Wesley Kennedy and Damon Harris are getting experience as we speak. All good teams tripumph over adversity.

Pick- Winton Woods 80-65. Aiken healthy will be a force to be rekoned with.

Middletown at Lakota West

Middletown (0-1) and Coach Andrews comes in to the Thunderbirds looking to overcome a 66-61 defeat to Beavercreek in the opener. Junior Vincent Edwards leads the Middies after opening up with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Jalin Marshall chipped in with 20. The Middies need contributions from Chance Sorrell, Kobie Johnson, Khylan Jackson and Ryan Smith if they look to get a victory. The Thunderbirds look to the Big Three (Tyler Williams, Monty Boykins, Ali, Barnes), Zach MooYoung and Tyler Bowling. They have as much talent as any in the state this is no new battle to the league. Everyone knows the rivalry now they have to play as their GMC League play opens.

Pick- Lakota West. Edwards will score, but too much West, led by Boykins. 85-65.

JB's Tuesday Night Picks

2012-12-04T01:58:00.002-05:00

By: JB Burgin

After the first week of the season CPHR seen a whole lot of surprises, while some things have stayed the same. Let's take a quick peek at some of the top games coming up on Tuesday. After last weekend I’m ahead at 2-1.

West High at Lakota East:

JB says Dorian Jordan is
the key for Princeton on Tuesday.

Can the veteran leadership of the Mustangs handle the hostile environment at East? Both Teams have good size but I would give the edge to the Thunderhawks. Look for the Mustangs to dictate tempo and look to score early and often in this match-up. On the other hand, look for the Thunderhawks to be patient with the ball handle the pressure of the Mustangs and execute on offense. This could be the game of the night, so look for a good one. Let's see who will come out on top. The Thunderhawk's are led by Alex White, Stedman Lowry, Myo Baxter and Robbie Harpring. The Mustangs are led by Marquez Carpenter, Kevin Bracy-Davis and Will Clifton. Look for sophomore point guard Dejuan Sherman to really step up in this game if the Mustangs are looking to come away with a victory.

Pick: Lakota East 72-60

Winton Woods at Roger Bacon:

Roger Bacon, coming off a thumping of Finneytown, looks to defend their home court against the Warriors of Winton Woods. Carlas Jackson, Erik Edwards, and Austin Frentsos are looking to battle against one of the deepest and most talented teams in the city. Winton Woods is coming off a 71-59 victory over Centerville where Ronnie Rousseau erupted for 38 points, look for him to keep his aggressiveness. Kwan Cheatham, Trent Donald, Latrell Tidwell and Martin Jones will complete the scoring for the Warriors. Coach Gillespie will look to get more balanced scoring out of his squad, but it's been seen already that Rousseau is a force to be reckoned with.

Pick: Winton Woods 80-65

Elder at Princeton:

In the season opener for both teams Coach Anderson of the Vikings looks to his guard play, mainly Dorian Jordan a three-year starter and a flat-out winner, to make enough plays to win the game. Look for contributions from Jordan Bradley, Deiontay Waiters Darius Hilson and wing Eric Tivis for the Vikings. The Panthers and Coach Schoenfield are happy to have the services of Devin Pike, after sitting out last year because of the transfer rule. His frontcout mate of junior Taylor Lee will be needed this year to compete within the GCL.

Pick: Princeton 55-43

JB's Friday Night Preview

2012-11-29T19:18:00.000-05:00

By: Jonathan Burgin

All you hoop fans around the city, CPHR would like to welcome you to the start of this anticipated season of high school hoops. There are some teams out there with some new faces and new Coaches. I would like to congratulate five new coaches who will make their debuts at new schools this year; Ricardo Hill Sr. (Walnut Hills) Steve Gentry (Shroder), Pat Stricker (Turpin), Matt Rooks (Wyoming) and Victor Hunter (Lockland). The buzz is in the air, let's get this season started.

JB's Friday Night Pick Six:

Aiken at Taft

Aaron Oden makes his Taft debut Friday

Taft hosts Aiken in a CMAC battle as I can remember that has been the opener for the last 3 years. The winner of this game usually tends to be at the top of the league. Mark Mitchell comes in with an oustanding record against competition from this League, where he has been dominant. He looks to a group of experienced players in the system that have dominated Junior Varsity games over the last 3 years. He has to replace a team that won him a State Championship and several District Championships. Kenny Kaufman, Marco Scott, Aaron Oden, and Robert Smith look to lead the Senators and hold their home court against Aiken. Coach Mitchell doesn't want to look as this as "rebuilding" year, but a "building"one. Taft still likes to play at a fast tempo and pick you up 94 feet, but the question is with the lack of Varsity experience other than Aaron Oden (Hughes High School) will that be enough in this tough League.

Aiken and Coach Leon Ellison losing some key scoring and rebounding of his own looks to turn the tide this year too as CPHR favorite to win the CMAC. Austin Grimes who has averaged a double-double in his career of High School Basketball looks to lead the Falcons in the Senators' House. He will get some help from transfers Demarcus Scott (North College Hill), Paul Jones (Lexington area) and fellow back-court mate Correy Cavins. Kameron Moore 6'5 a Freshman will provide some toughness and solidify the post with Senior Demonte Jones 6'8 and Senior Antwan Dean 6'5. Aiken likes to get in their sets and be patient with the ball making the defense sit-down and guard. Defensively they can pick you up full-court so look for them this year to use their athleticism all over the court.

JB’s Pick- Aiken’s Grimes proves why he is a great athlete and a force to be reckoned with as he validates himself as the man of the CMAC. Aiken 73-62

Withrow at Woodward

Withrow comes into the Blue Palace looking to pick up where they left off last year after falling to the Fairfield Indians in the Regional Semi-final. Senior Tim Coleman, Corey Wise and Junior Tyonte Robertson have some unfinished business to accomplish and it starts with the Bulldogs.

Coach Gibert looks to fill the absence of Devin Williams who looked to go to Prep School his Senior Season. Prospects Junior Landen Jacskon, Soph Lamonte West 6'7, transfer Darius Cannon and 6'4 Dejuan Jones. Coleman has the heart and determination to get his team back to the promise land.

Woodward and Coach Lannis Timmons looks to some good role players and Senior leadership. Dionte Sanders, Shawn Carter and Ryan Connel all saw minutes this year and with the transfer of prospect Sophomore Isiah Jones look for the scrappy Bulldogs to give the Tigers a fight in this rivalry. Jones will be able to take over the reigns and prove himself in this battle-tested league if the Seniors are not ready.

JB’s Pick-Withrow Coleman's determination and play-making ability is too much for the Bulldogs. Withrow 65-50

Clark Montessori at Madeira

Coach Scott Kerr of Clark has some young talent in his program and is ready to put it to the test. Clark has some players with some experience most notably Malik Rhodes, who looks to lead this young team and battle in the CHL. Coach Kerr can flat out "Coach" so if the games get a little tight don't be surprised if Clark pulls out some victories this year.

Madeira and Coach Jim Reynolds return the reigning POY of the CHL Andrew Benintendi who averaged 24pts/gm. Alongside this Mustang is Senior G Brad Almquist, Senior G John Michael Wyrick coming off of ACL injury and Junior G Matt Ballweg to pick up the slack. The Mustangs look to defend their title around experience guard play this year if all else fails let Andrew create or score.

JB’s Pick-Madeira Benintendi picks up where he left off but Clark plays hard and gives them a scare. Madeira 55-52

Preseason Power Rankings

2012-11-26T23:39:00.000-05:00

In the first edition of our weekly CPHR Power Rankings Poll, which for the remainder of the season will be released every Sunday evening along with our players of the week feature, we had some tough choices to make in the middle section for both polls. While we at CPHR feel confident at the #1 spots, it is very easy to debate the order of the next nine, as well as some of the teams that just missed the rankings. Surely these rankings will change significantly early in the season as some teams will surprise and some teams will disappoint, but for now this is our best shot at the teams to beat in the Cincinnati area....

Division I Preseason Poll

1. Walnut Hills: Easiest decision that CPHR had was to rank the Eagles number one. Addition of DJ Wingfield gives them another elite player to match with Isaiah Johnson on a senior dominated team without a weakness at any one position. Eagles are big, quick, deep and experienced; if they shoot it well then a State Title run is not out of the question.

2. Moeller: It's always tough to pick against Moeller, this year is no exception. Josh Davenport leads a deep Crusaders team with great size. Will the guard play hold up? Coaches are raving about point guard Trey Hawkins, we'll find out sooner rather than later.

3. Lakota East: Thunderhawks have talent, size and will be excellent defensively. They're a little young, but Myo Baxter is a stud and Stedman Lowry should have a huge year coming off of injury.

4. Lakota West: The Firebirds have a three headed scoring monster with Monty Boykins, Ali Barnes and Tyler Williams. Will the talent mesh together? If it does then this team could be Cincinnati's best.

5. St. Xavier: Bombers have the most team size, are full of shooters and have senior experience. If junior forward Roderick Mills is ready to breakout then this team is going to be really, really good.

6. Winton Woods: Deepest and most talented team besides Walnut Hills. Will all the pieces come together for this team to thrive? If they do then they'll rise quickly in the rankings.

7. LaSalle: Lancers are used to winning. Jeff Larkin and Connor Speed plan to keep it that way on a team that can really shoot the basketball.

8. Withrow: Tigers have as much talent on the perimeter as anyone, led by Tim Coleman and Corey Wise, while also having the athleticism to physically dominate.

9. Fairfield: Indians will scrap on the defensive end and have more young offensive talent then you think, led by junior point guard Tim Fleming.

10. Princeton: Vikings speedy senior backcourt will create mismatches and give opponents fits. Senior leader Dorian Jordan is small, but he's a flat out winner at every level.

Just Missed: Middletown, Turpin, Colerain, Elder, Milford, West High

Division II-IV Preseason Poll

1. Summit Country Day: Silver Knights return top two players from last year's state title team, plus pick up a high scoring transfer in MaCio Teague.

2. Aiken: Falcons return senior star Austin Grimes and have a tough minded nucleus with athleticism.

3. Hughes: The Big Red plan on breaking out this year behind the play of seniors Angel Rivera and Terry Cook, as well as junior wing Kevin Daniels.

4. Roger Bacon: Spartans return most of last year's team that made the regionals, including three top scorers in Carlas Jackson, Erik Edwards and Austin Frentsos.

5. Taft: Senators are young and inexperienced but they are very good defensively, have speed, and are accustomed to winning big games on Friday nights.

6. Madeira: Mustangs might have the best scorer in the area in senior guard Andrew Benintendi.

7. Finneytown: Wildcats are led by senior wing Bradley Nelms and should contend for CHL crown.

8. Bishop Fenwick: Junior point guard Frank Catrine is the best are guard you've never heard of.

9. Hamilton Badin: Always solid, always underrated, expect another big year in the GCL.

10. Clark Montessori: Young but talented team will always play with passion for coach Kerr.

Just Missed: North College Hill, Mariemont, Wilmington, Indian Hill, Lockland

'12-'13 Pre-Season Team Previews

2012-11-26T12:50:00.001-05:00

Opening week of the season is officially here, so CPHR is now ready to introduce our look at how we expect the major conferences to shape out this season. Here are our detailed looks at the City League, the GMC, the GCL-South, and then a list of other top teams from disbanded FAVC, the MVC, and the CHL.

With our all-city team already released, and now our conference previews going public, the last piece of the puzzle will be CPHR's team power rankings poll; with the first weekly edition coming out on Tuesday night.

Here are the conference and team previews......

CINCINNATI METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

1. Aiken Falcons: As often is the case, this year’s Aiken team led by Coach Ellison will feature one of the more talented guard corps in the area. The top prospect in the city league this season might be the Falcons senior wing Austin Grimes (who averaged a double-double each of the last two seasons). Filling in the other perimeter spots alongside Grimes will be junior point guard Paul Jones (a transfer from the Lexington area), senior wing DeMarcus Cook (a transfer from North College Hill), and returning junior Correy Cavins. Jones brings toughness and ballhandling ability to the Falcons, Cook is a smart scorer who can distribute as well, and Cavins is a proven big game player with a will to win and streaky scoring ability. Combined with Grimes, that four guard rotation is among the most experienced and gifted in Southwest Ohio. The front-court at Aiken will revolve around 6’8 senior center DeMonte Jones, promising 6’5 freshman forward Kameron Moore and 6’5 senior forward Antwan Dean. Unfortunately for Aiken, the Falcons will be without the services of senior forward Mikey Thompson, who started last season. With that shortened rotation, the final piece of the puzzle for Aiken could be the role playing of senior guard Chris Carter and talented sophomore forward DJ Harris. With the toughness, athleticism, and defensive abilities of this Falcons team, they look like the early pick to bring home the CMAC crown. Aiken has a proven star in Grimes, two very good players in Cook and Cavins, and some promising talent in Jones and Moore; if they get good play from their rotation then CPHR believes that this is the Falcons’ year to shine.

Aiken's Austin Grimes

2. Withrow Tigers: At one point in the spring the Tigers were the overwhelming favorite to become CMAC champions this season, but that changed when senior power forward Devin Williams elected to go the prep school route and transfer to Montverde (FL) Academy. Coach Gilbert is still left with the most talented perimeter threesome in the league with seniors Tim Coleman and Corey Wise, as well as junior point guard Tyonte Robertson. If Aiken’s Austin Grimes isn’t the favorite for league MVP then the nod would go to Coleman, who was one of the most efficient guards in the city league last year; while Wise and Robertson overcame some inconsistencies to show off as much talent as any guard in the Cincinnati area. The Tigers will also have help on the perimeter from senior hustle player Devin Ibbott, as well as junior guards Isaiah Thompson and Malik Bland. Withrow doesn’t return much experience on the inside, but does have two talented prospects in junior power player Landen Jackson and skilled 6-foot-7 forward Lamont West. Rounding out the interior rotation will be transfer senior post Darrius Cannon and 6’4 junior power forward DeJuan Jones, a great athlete. After losing so much size from last year, expect this to be a more up-tempo Tigers team, who will be led by Coleman’s fiery demeanor and has the attitude that they are the team to beat in the CMAC.

3. Hughes Big Red: Coach Wyant’s squad has shown plenty of signs to that this will be a year of rapid ascension up the CMAC standings for Hughes. Point guard Angel Rivera took the city league by storm last year after transferring in from Puerto Rico. This summer, Rivera was forced to reclassify from a junior to a senior; but he’ll still be the man at the helm for this season for the Big Red. Also returning for Hughes will be four year starter Terry Cook, a proven wing scorer who is back for his senior campaign motivated to make a splash since returning from a fall injury. Alongside Rivera and Cook expect to see talented junior Kevin Daniels, one of the top returning scorers in the league, as well as the versatile Kris Harris (who missed last season with injury). Harris is one player to keep an eye on, as he should have a breakout senior campaign. In the front-court Hughes should be led by junior power forward Dwight Nared, sophomore power forward Jay Motley, and talented junior transfer and small forward Derrick Long. With Long, Daniels, Cook, and Harris on the wing the Big Red had four very good scorers for Rivera to set up. Nared has established himself as one of the CMAC’s top posts, and Hughes also has two freshmen to bring into the rotation in wings Israel Griffin and Elijah Walker. They haven’t had great success the past two seasons, but this should be the year that Hughes breaks out towards the top of the CMAC standings.

4. Taft Senators: After graduating 9 seniors, including their top 7 players, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Coach Mitchell and the Senators. But with the way that Coach Mitchell runs the program the word “rebuilding” is not in their vocabulary. In fact it’s more of a “building” year, as this season’s varsity team is made up entirely of juniors. The most exciting news for Taft is that this season they’ll have the services of junior guard Aaron Oden, who sat out last year due to transfer rules. Oden is a talented combo guard who could be one of the breakout players in Ohio this season. Also returning for Taft are juniors Kenny Kaufman, Marcus Scott, Rob Smith, Tamarik Washington, Keron Harris, Devon Matthews and DeAndre Smith. Those seven are part of a group that dominated the CMAC junior varsity league last year, and play a style very similar to the Taft group that just graduated. Kaufman and Scott are the top scorers in the group; Smith is a solid big man with power, while Washington and Smith are great hustle players with versatility. Taft might be small, but this team has heart, will play Coach Mitchell’s aggressive style, is accustomed to winning, and has the speed and depth to give teams problems with their defensive pressure.

Withrow's Tim Coleman

5. West High Mustangs: Three three-year starters from last year’s team might have graduated, but coach Kerley still has no shortage of talent walking through the hall in Western Hills. Sophomore point guard DeJuan Sherman will get his chance to run the show, which should be an exciting experiment as Sherman shows as much promise as any young lead guard in Cincinnati. West High also returns reliable senior power forward Marquez Carpenter and senior center Cortez Adams. Look for these two wide-bodies to man the interior for the Mustangs. The question mark at West High surrounds senior forward Will Clifton, a high flying athlete who missed last season; Clifton’s presence should really help the Mustangs this season. On the wing West High has four seniors in LeMontay Conyers, Randen Clark, Bailey Woodard and the promising Kevin Bracey-Davis. A late bloomer, the 6’5 Bracey-Davis could be the breakout player in the CMAC, as well as one of the league’s leading scorers.

6. Woodward Bulldogs: The scrappiness of Coach Timmons team helped earn wins last year, making them the surprise team in the CMAC. That same recipe could be what the Bulldogs use to cook up success this season in the league. Sophomore point guard Isaiah Jones transferred in from Northwest, and should be the primary playmaking option for Timmons. Watch out for junior forward Devon Johnson, who has the athleticism and power to have a breakout season this year. Woodward also returns senior guards Dionte Sanders and Shawn Carter, both of whom saw minutes last season, and senior forward Ryan Connell, a hardworking player who has really improved.

7. Shroder Jaguars: Coach Gentry will begin his first year at the helm in Madisonville without a whole lot of proven talent to work with. The graduation of the last two classes has left the cupboard of experience bare at Shroder; however, the Jaguars did get a break when senior wing Jarred Wilkins decided to transfer in from Lakota West. Shroder does return a trio of seniors in guards Kenny Duke and Dexter Bedgood; as well as center Darrius Evans. Expect Wilkins to lead this Shroder team, which will be a young one.

GREATER MIAMI CONFERENCE

1. Lakota East Thunderhawks: After being hit hard by the injury bug last season, Coach Vickers is ready to take his team back to the top of the GMC, something that the Eastside boys did two seasons ago when they won the league outright easily. Vickers has the exact type of team he loves this season at East; they’re big, tough, defensively disciplined, and East has a lot of different ways that they can run offense to create chances. While they have multiple scorers, there are three players who will do most of the scoring for Lakota East. Senior wing Stedman Lowry, back from injury, could lead the GMC in scoring as one of the premiere shooters and slashers in the league; while senior guard Robbie Harpring and sophomore forward Myo Baxter are also two of the better players in the league on the offensive side of the floor. In addition to their scoring ability, East has a ton of size. 6’6 senior center Zach Panzeca returns, 6’7 sophomore Alex White should breakout this season, and athletic 6’5 sophomore Mike Norris is one of the league best kept secrets in what looks to be the deepest group of sophomores in the city. East will round out their deep rotation with role player Austin Emrick, a senior wing, and junior PG Abdul Bah, on a team with the toughness, defensive ability, and competitive spirit to maneuver through a brutal GMC schedule.

2. Lakota West Firebirds: While CPHR feels that East is the best team in the GMC pre-season, there is absolutely no doubt that West has the most talent. Coach Van Winkle returns his “Big Three” in senior guards Monty Boykins and Ali Barnes, along with junior point guard Tyler Williams; all three of whom were all-league players last season. Joining a small, but offensively prolific, perimeter will be junior guard Malik Grove and senior wing Zach Moo-Young, setting up a rotation that is as good as any back-court in the state. Up front this could be a breakout season for junior center Tyler Bowling, a skilled 6’7 scorer and rebounder. Joining Bowling, West’s other interior threat is football star Kyle Meadows, a strong and tough 6’6 banger. West has all the talent, experience, defensive ability, and depth to not only take the GMC crown, but take it easily. If this team can optimize all of their weapons by moving the ball well offensively then the sky is the limit for the Firebirds.

Lakota East's Stedman Lowry

3. Fairfield Indians: Coach Austing might only return one player from his rotation on last year’s Division I SW Regional Champions, but his group might be just as successful as last year’s. Junior PG Tim Fleming has waited his time, and after starting last year he’ll have a chance to be the go to guy this season. Joining Fleming in the backcourt will be junior guards Herman Brunis, a good slashing scorer, and fellow scorer Errend Long. A balanced team, Fairfield also has plenty of talent up front in 6’5 sophomore post Justin Johnson, 6’4 freshman forward TC Wells, and 6’5 senior post Cody Minella, and 6’5 junior forward Ben Horn. The Indians will be one of the most competitive teams in the league, will play fast, defend hard, and easily could steal the GMC crown if other teams sleep on them.

4. Princeton Vikings: This might seem a little low for a team that has dominated the GMC this decade, but Coach Anderson’s team should get better as the season progresses. Like always, the Vikings have some of the best guards in the area, led by three-year starter Dorian Jordan, a small but crafty human highlight film. The addition of fellow small point guard Deiontay Waiters should really help this team play at the tempo they like to play, and give Jordan even more space to attack. Rounding out the Princeton rotation will be senior forwards Darius Hilson and Eric Tivis, two high level athletes who bring energy, senior post Mac Bosel, a 6’6 body with strength, and two newcomers to the varsity team in North College Hill transfer Wany’e Colson, an athletic junior forward, and junior scoring guard Ryan Bricking. This Princeton team will be deep, talented as always, athletic, and should play a style that is tough to prepare for in practice; as always, the Vikings will contend for the league title.

5. Middletown Middies: Coach Andrews has a tough task ahead for him in year one of the post-Geovonie McKnight era, which led to an outright GMC championship last season. That being said, Middletown will boast the best player in the conference again this season, as they return stud junior combo forward Vincent Edwards, the league’s likely player of the year. While most of the offense will facilitate through Edwards, the Middies will have to find additional scoring. The most logical place to look is with senior wing Jalin Marshall, an OSU football commit, a returning double figure scoring threat. The Middies also will return 6’6 junior center Chance Sorrell, three-point specialist Ryan Smith, and hardworking forward Mark Fayne. With the best player in the league, a winning tradition, and a great home-court advantage, Middletown could easily finish much higher than fifth this season.

6. Colerain Cardinals: Coach Higgins squad has a lot of talent on it, but there are some major question marks for the Cardinals going into the season. Colerain will be without the services of junior PG Kiere Bennie until after Christmas break due to an injury, and will also not have senior SG Kane Thompson at all this season. What Higgins does return is a dynamic scoring duo in senior guards Milt Davis and Bryan Porter, last year’s top two scorers. With the athleticism up front of junior football star, and power forward, Trevon Hudson, and 6’6 shotblocking senior post CJ Reed, the Cardinals should be good defensively on a team that is both deep and athletic. If they can find scorers besides Davis and Porter to hold them over until Bennie returns then this team could finish much higher than 6^th.

Middletown's Vince Edwards

7. Sycamore Aviators: Coach Moss brings back a nice nucleus of both talent and experience this season. Sycamore returns guards Mitch Hill, Zach Farqhuar and leading returning scorer Joey Gruden on the perimeter, to go with Withrow transfer, and junior point guard, Larry Moore. Inside Sycamore should be led by athletic forward Isaiah Brown and 6’6 senior Mason Morgan.

8. Hamilton Big Blue: Coach Robinson’s team has a bright future, but they’ll be very young this season. Hamilton has the top freshman in the league in combo guard Ashon Riggins, who should be a varsity starter. The Big Blue also have three proven guards in Quentin Bailey, Christian Jones, and Keimon Sims. The interior should be held down mostly by sophomore power forward Jamil Daniels.

9. Oak Hills Highlanders: With leading returning scorer Jake Richmond, a senior guard, giving up basketball to pursue his baseball career, Coach Price is left with somewhat of an empty cupboard this season. Guards Ben Laumann and Tyler Walter return, and the Highlanders also have a big body in 6’7 junior Andrew Chisholm, but this will be a tough year in the league for them.

10. Mason Comets: One of the area’s top teams last season, Coach Richards lost his entire varsity rotation to graduation. Mason is left with only two players who played on the varsity last season, and both were seldom used. Senior guards Drew Matula and Conner McVey will lead the Comets this year, on a team that will have to out-scheme the opposition to find wins.

GREATER CATHOLIC LEAGUE – SOUTH DIVISION

1. Moeller Crusaders: Coach Kramer is gearing back up for another run at a GCL championship, after finishing second to LaSalle last year. First and foremost, Kramer will rely heavily on the scoring of one of Ohio’s most dynamic guards in senior Josh Davenport (who is committed to Winthrop). Along with Davenport, who brings a great ability to slash to the basket, look for scoring from the Crusaders to come from skilled and wide-bodied sophomore center Nate Fowler (a massive 6’9 prospect) and smooth-shooting junior wing Grant Benzinger. The Crusaders also have a plethora of talented big men including 6’7 senior Patrick Wrencher, 6’8 junior Jack Anton, 6’6 senior forward Corey Muchmore, and 6’6 junior forward Adam Gigax; all of whom will work inside along with the talented Fowler, making the Crusaders one of the biggest teams in the state, and definitely the team with most interior depth. While Davenport, Fowler and Benzinger will do much of the scoring; the interesting storyline to follow early on at Moeller will be to track who does the ball-handling. Questions surround whether senior Keith Watkins will play basketball; as the talented athlete is committed to Northwestern for football. If Watkins steps on to the hardwood then it will he his team to run. If not, look for juniors Trey Hawkins and Gus Ragland to battle it out for the majority of the playing time. With Moeller advancing to the state finals in football the team will definitely revolve around the ballhandling of Hawkins early, as Ragland, Benzinger, and Watkins are all football players who could miss the beginning of the season. This Moeller team has more depth from last year, great size, a combination of skill and athleticism and players who are familiar with the system. But, does this group have the experience necessary to win the GCL? Look for the Crusaders to rely heavily on senior leadership from Davenport, Wrencher and hopefully Watkins; while hoping for breakout years from Benzinger, Hawkins, and Fowler; as they try and capture the GCL South crown.

2. St. Xavier Bombers: The Bombers, like Moeller, have plenty of frontcourt size; starting with their go to guy in junior combo forward Roderick Mills. The 6-foot-7 Mills will see time at the power forward spot as skilled 6’11 senior center Tyler Hadden should see the majority of the minutes in the middle. At guard Coach Martin has a lot of depth, shooting ability, and toughness, led by returning leading scorer, and senior combo guard, Alex Blink; who could break out this season. In addition to Blink, look for senior guards Ben Carroll and Joe Barrett to provide scoring and defense for the Bombers, while fellow seniors Kevin King, Deontae Bolling, and Aaron Berry will all be in the rotation as well on a senior laden squad. To add even more to the depth, St. Xavier has extra size coming off the bench with high energy senior posts Joe Gellenbeck and 6’10 center Chris Steffanou. Several area coaches think that this Bombers team could challenge for the city title; when you have that much size, defensive prowess, and shooting ability, it is definitely more than just a possibility.

Moeller's Josh Davenport

3. LaSalle Lancers: Last year’s GCL champions graduated a good one in current Toledo guard Josh Lemons, but return their other two main scorers on a team that has become accustomed to winning championships. Senior guard Connor Speed is back to bring his defensive presence and hot three-point shooting, while junior combo guard Jeff Larkin is one of the best shot-creating guards in the city. Those two should do the majority of the scoring for Coach Fleming’s Lancers; but they’ll get help from junior post Blake Simpson (who transferred in from Moeller), as well as senior perimeter players Eric Southers and Brett Cooper. The question mark surrounding LaSalle is whether or not the team will be supplemented by and big bodies from the football team, who were so critical to their success as a team last year. If the Lancers are forced to go small, with all of their rotational players being guards except for the athletic Simpson, then it will be interesting to see if Coach Fleming is willing to go young and let talented underclassmen Jeremy Larkin, a freshman, and sophomore guard Donte Buycks get minutes. Expect LaSalle to do what they do best; compete, defend in the full-court, push the tempo, shoot the three-pointer, and execute their Princeton offense in the half-court.

4. Elder Panthers: Coach Schoenfeld gets a major break this season now that he has junior post Devin Pike eligible to play, after Pike sat out last season due to transfer rules. Adding Pike to the interior rotation to go along with proven junior scoring forward Taylor Lee will give the Panthers a reliable one-two inside punch. The Panthers don’t have the most talented set of guards, but they do return some experience in senior guard Alex Lind and junior guards Jake Lammers and Thomas Autenrieb. Expect those five players to get the starting nod early for the Panthers, with Lee and Pike looking like the go to scorers on an offense that might start inside and look to the perimeter for timely long-distance shooting.

OTHER TOP AREA TEAMS

· Walnut Hills Golden Eagles: The city’s most senior dominated team would be Coach Hill’s group at Walnut Hills, who boast a super-talented seven man rotation of fourth year players. The Eagles are led by two MAC commitments in 6’9 center Isaiah Johnson (Akron) and 6’5 transfer wing D.J. Wingfield (Ohio University), who should combine to be Ohio’s top duo. Wingfield was CPHR’s pre-season player of the year, while Johnson was included on our 1^st team all-city. Besides just those two, Walnut Hills has three veteran guards in floor general Sterling Gilmore, tough shooter Ricardo Hill Jr, and jitterbug Kyree Burton. Rounding out the rotation will be 6’5 athletic power forward Kodey Jackson and 6’10 transfer Jordan Tyson, who moved to Cincinnati from the Columbus area. Walnut Hills is not only the most talented team in the Cincinnati area but could arguably be the top pre-season pick for Division I State Champions. Coach Hill has changed the culture at Walnut, making them a tougher and a more free flowing team, and Wingfield and Johnson as a duo is near unstoppable. Add in the fact that this group has great chemistry and experience, and it should be a special year for Walnut Hills.

Walnut Hills' Isaiah Johnson

· Winton Woods Warriors: In predicting orders of finish this season CPHR has put a lot of emphasis on experience, depth, size, athleticism, and skill. Winton Woods has all of that and then some. They might not be the most structured team, but in the full-court the Warriors have exceptional talent. WW’s “Big Three” of senior forwards Trent Donald and Kwan Cheatham, as well as junior point guard Ronnie Rousseau all return after great campaigns last season, and are arguably the most dynamic three-man scoring punch in all of SW Ohio. Looking at the depth, Winton Woods has a ton of talent in 6’5 transfer junior forward Latrell Tidwell, junior wing Martin Jones, junior wing Devon Goodson, senior wing Darnell Dees, senior guard Lance Primus, and senior guard Dylan Wedlock. Expect to see Coach Gillespie play at least nine players in his rotation, move up and down the floor quickly, and facilitate offense through his three main scorers as the Warriors try to navigate a brutal schedule, created by the AD after Winton Woods decided not to join a conference for this school year. The Warriors have to show us that they have the desire to be a great defensive team, but with Donald, Rousseau, and Cheatham (an Akron signee), as well as a loaded supporting cast, this team could easily finish at the top of our post-season power rankings.

· Summit Country Day Silver Knights: Last year’s D-III State Champions return their two best player in future Bearcat guard Kevin Johnson, a 6’2 senior, and junior point guard Antonio Woods. To make things even better for Coach Bradley, he finally has the shooting abilities that he so desperately wanted last season, led by transfer sophomore wing MaCio Teague; a high major recruit. Joining Teague behind the three-point line will be junior guard Joey Kreyenhagen and sophomore guard Evan Davis, two other big time shooters. To round out the perimeter rotation expect to see seniors Jake Rawlings, who started last season, and David Herron both see the floor as defensive stoppers and athletes. The interior for Summit is a little thin after graduation, but the Knights have the state’s best undersized defensive post in beastly junior Mike Barwick, to match with athletic senior forward Brett Teppi. Are the Silver Knights as good as last year? That remains to be seen, but Coach Bradley has star power, unlimited offensive potential, and smart players who will execute his system as Summit tries to repeat as State Champions.

· Roger Bacon Spartans: A much more experienced team then last year will hit the floor for Coach Neal, as he tries to build on last season’s regional final appearance. In fact, the Spartans will be one of the favorites in D-III to get back to at least the regionals again this season. Bacon is led by returning starters in junior guard Carlas Jackson and fellow junior wing Austin Frentsos; the team’s two leading scorers a year ago. Add in sophomore wing Dahmere Epperson, a varsity contributor last year who will miss the beginning of this season with injury, and senior wing Erik Edwards and you have a talented, athletic, and versatile perimeter core. Rounding out the rotation for Roger Bacon will be senior post Jake Westerfield and junior guard Cody Neisen. The Spartans will have to prove that they have great point guard and interior play to make a run up state, but this team is good enough to cruise through the GCL-Central again this season.

· Turpin Spartans: Returning leading scorer Zach McCormick, a junior guard who was named to CPHR’s all-city first-team, will lead the way again this season for interim coach Pat Stricker. McCormick is one of the more dominant scorers in the area, is a great athlete, and has the ability to dominate the game by attacking the lane as a ballhandler. Joining McCormick as team leaders will be senior forward Connor Grotton, another high flyer with an aggressive mentality, and senior wing Clay Johnson. The Spartans also have two more quality guards in Hunter Sadlon and Cameron Atkins, as well as a nice group of shooters off of the bench. This isn’t the biggest team, but Turpin now has a winning attitude, a depth of talent on the wing, and should finish second to Walnut Hills in their league.

· Milford Eagles: Coach Cambron’s team has great size, led by 6’9 senior center Garrett Mayleben, a Bowling Green State University signee, and a plethora of shooters, led by Brennan Ferrell, in a deep rotation that should keep them in the hunt behind Walnut Hills and Turpin in their league. Senior guards Josiah Greeve and Josh Roof return to lead the deep rotation, while the big men will be supplemented by the help of 6’7 senior center Cy Overbeck and 6’3 forward Austin Taylor.

· Madeira Mustangs: The senior trio of guards Andrew Benintendi, Brad Almquist, and John Michael Wyrick all return to make Coach Reynolds’ team the favorites in the CHL this season. Last year Benintendi, an Arkansas baseball signee, was the leading scorer in the area at just under 24 points per game, while Almquist would’ve been well into the double-figures had he not missed the year with injury. Look for the Mustangs to not only win the CHL, but to be a major threat in the D-III regional tournament.

'12-'13 Pre-Season All-City Teams

2012-11-25T17:38:00.001-05:00

Based upon what we saw from some star players from last year, and what we expect from some of the area's top performers this season, Cincy Prep Hoops Report is ready to release our list of the Division I and the Division II-IV Pre-season All-City Teams for the 2012-2013 season........

DIVISION I

Player of the Year: Dontonio Wingfield Jr – ’13 Walnut Hills SG

DI POY Pick - DJ Wingfield,
a senior wing from Walnut Hills

First Team

1. Tim Coleman – ’13 PG Withrow

2. Zach McCormick – ’14 PG/SG Turpin

3. Josh Davenport – ’13 SG Moeller

4. Vincent Edwards – ’14 SF/PF Middletown

5. Isaiah Johnson – ’13 C Walnut Hills

Second Team

1. Dorian Jordan – ’13 PG Princeton

2. Stedman Lowry – ’13 SG Lakota East

3. Monty Boykins – ’13 SG Lakota West

4. Kwan Cheatham – ’13 PF Winton Woods

5. Trent Donald – ’13 SF/PF Winton Woods

Third Team

1. Ronnie Rousseau – ’14 PG Winton Woods

2. Tyler Williams – ’14 PG Lakota West

3. Tim Fleming – ’14 PG Fairfield

4. Jeff Larkin – ’14 SG LaSalle

5. Nate Fowler – ’15 C Moeller

Honorable Mention: Milt Davis (Colerain), Jalin Marshall (Middletown), Ali Barnes (Lakota West), Corey Wise (Withrow), Bryan Porter (Colerain), Marquez Carpenter (West High), Alex Blink (St. Xavier), Roderick Mills (St. Xavier), Grant Benzinger (Moeller), Garrett Mayleben (Milford), Sterling Gilmore (Walnut Hills), Connor Speed (LaSalle), Devin Pike (Elder), Isaiah Jones (Woodward), Myo Baxter (Lakota East), Deiontay Waiters (Princeton), Patrick Wrencher (Moeller), Tyler Hadden (St. Xavier), Jordan Tyson (Walnut Hills), Cole Cloud (Loveland), Kevin Bracey-Davis (West High), Joe Cossins (Anderson)

DIVISIONS II-IV

Player of the Year: Kevin Johnson – ’13 PG Summit

First Team

DII-IV POY Pick: Kevin Johnson,
a senior guard from Summit.

1. Angel Rivera – ’13 PG Hughes

2. Antonio Woods – ’14 PG Summit

3. Carlas Jackson – ’14 SG Roger Bacon

4. Austin Grimes – ’13 SG Aiken

5. Andrew Benintendi – ’13 SG Madeira

Second Team

1. Frank Catrine – ’14 PG Bishop Fenwick

2. Correy Cavins – ’14 PG/SG Aiken

3. Aaron Oden – ’14 PG/SG Taft

4. MaCio Teague – ’15 SG Summit

5. Kevin Daniels – ’14 SG/SF Hughes

Honorable Mention: Kenny Kaufman (Taft), Marcus Scott (Taft), Derrick Long (Hughes), Paul Jones (Aiken), Bradley Nelms (Finneytown), Shaquille Athie (Lockland), Ryan Arrington (Cincinnati Christian), Malik Rhodes (Clark Montessori), Jarron Cumberland (Wilmington), Jaevin Cumberland (Wilmington), Erik Edwards (Roger Bacon), Dahmere Epperson (Roger Bacon), Ahmad Frost (Wyoming), Dwayne Wilson (Purcell Marian)

Stay tuned later in the week for major conference previews, our first weekly edition of our team poll/power rankings, and of course game coverage as the regular season tips off on Friday.

Queen City Superstars Recap

2012-11-24T20:35:00.001-05:00

Isaiah Jones

Saturday’s scrimmage session at Woodward, for the Queen City Superstars Preview event, provided a great opportunity to get a closer look at some of the area’s top teams heading into next week’s start of the regular season……

Note: Games were only 16 minutes long, instead of normal 32 minute high school games.

· Walnut Hills 31 Withrow 22: Junior point guard Sterling Gilmore provided strong play on both ends of the court as the Eagles dominated the second period. Withrow got good perimeter scoring from senior guard Tim Coleman, but it wasn’t enough to counter the second period interior presence of Walnut Hills senior post Isaiah Johnson. Withrow is a talented team, but at this point in the season they are yet to show the discipline, structure, or guidance to be an elite club in the CMAC.

· Springboro 40 West High 25: Senior center Maverick Morgan, an Illinois commit, dominated the interior against a West High team that isn’t short on size. West High struggled offensively to find a rhythm. In his first varsity action, sophomore point guard DeJuan Sherman provided some solid offensive sparks for West High.

· Winton Woods 34 Hughes 27: A strong offensive outing from the Warriors “Big 3” ended a CMAC winning streak, and actually started a three game losing streak. Senior forwards Kwan Cheatham and Trent Donald, as well as junior point guard Ronnie Rousseau, all scored the ball efficiently in a game were neither team got many defensive stops. Junior point guard Angel Rivera set the pace for Hughes, who went cold offensively in the second period.

· Woodward 39 Trotwood Madison 37: After trailing for most of the second period the Bulldogs made a miracle comeback, culminating with a near buzzer beating layup to give them the lead as time expired; making the CMAC 3-0 against the challengers at the time. Transfer sophomore point guard Isaiah Jones did a great job of setting the scoring pace for Woodward, while senior forward Ryan Connell showed great toughness, and improvement from last season.

· Fairfield 37 Dayton Meadowdale 15: The Indians absolutely dominated their opponent from up I-75, in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates. Fairfield got steady play from returning starter, and junior point guard, Tim Fleming. Freshman forward TC Wells and sophomore post Justin Johnson were also nice surprises for the Indians.

· Aiken 34 Turpin 25: Senior wing Austin Grimes, senior guard DeMarcus Cook, and freshman power forward Kameron Moore all overpowered a smaller, and slower, Turpin team as the Falcons helped the CMAC improve to 2-0 to start the day on Saturday. In the loss, Turpin was led by a scoring barrage around the basket from athletic junior guard Zach McCormick.

· Shroder 25 Talawanda 20: The Jaguars opened up the event with a win, to put the CMAC (at the time) 1-0 in the preview. Shroder was led by the all-around play, and aggressive slashing of senior guard Kenny Dukes in their victory.

All-Ohio City Series - Video Highlights

2012-11-02T10:37:00.001-04:00

Last weekend's Nike All-Ohio City Series finals in Columbus might not have gone as well for the Cincinnati squads as they had intended, but the event still produced some excellent highlights of some of the Queen City's best talents. Here is a look at a couple of juniors who really dominated the competition, as well as a mash-up of the rest of the top juniors and seniors.

Local Rankings Update

2012-10-31T11:51:00.000-04:00

'15 Princeton PG Vonny Irvin
has jumped into the rankings

In preparation for the start of practice CPHR has updated our local player rankings. The update is based not only on performances from the fall, but the potential that we believe that a player has as a prospect.

Class of 2013

Class of 2014

Class of 2015

While the 2013 and 2014 lists saw some rearranging and a few names added towards the bottom of the list, the 2015 class took in a complete overhaul as players begin to separate from each other going into their sophomore seasons.

Plenty of Talent at Local Showcases

2012-10-24T13:12:00.003-04:00

In each of the last two weekends the city of Cincinnati has had a high level showcase to help some of the top young prospects in the area gain exposure to colleges and scouts. Two weekends ago it was the Queen City Superstars event at Woodward, hosted by Lanis Timmons. Then last weekend the featured event was the preliminary round of the Nike All-Ohio City Series, hosted by All-Ohio Purple AAU director Orlando Berry. This coming weekend ten prospects from each grade, who played well at the City Series tryouts, will travel to Columbus to take on teams from Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Akron and Toledo. Here is a look at some of the top performers from the last two weeks.

Queen City Superstars

· Bryan Porter – ’13 Colerain SG/SF: A skilled athlete with good range on his jumper, Porter was the most impressive senior at the event. After struggling some with his consistency last year, Porter was aggressive in attacking the rim and showed good shot selection in scoring a lot of points in two games. The Colerain senior is being recruited heavily at the Division II level.

Derrick Long

· Deiontay Waiters – ’13 Princeton PG: After transferring from Colerain to Princeton, Waiters joins a group of small but talented Vikings guards; and proved that he will be a force in the rotation. Waiters is one of the quicker guards in the city, can really defend, and is a pass first point guard at heart.

· Derrick Long – ’14 Hughes SG/SF: One of Cincinnati’s best kept secrets, Long is a superb athlete who just transferred from Shroder to Hughes. An aggressive slasher who can really get to the rim with his speed and size at 6’3, Long could have a breakout year as a scorer in the CMAC.

· Kevin Daniels – ’14 Hughes SG/SF: Another talented junior wing at Hughes, Daniels has been one of Cincinnati’s top scorers for a while now. Over the weekend he really shot the ball well from deep, in addition to scoring at the basket in transition; which has always been a strength of his. Daniels has added muscle to his frame, and is now even more easily able to bully defenders off the dribble and on the boards.

· Fred Moore – ’14 Roger Bacon PF: Moore is a face-up forward who can shoot the ball out to the three point line and has both height and length at 6’7. He’s still a little raw and thin, but as a young junior Moore has a lot of potential.

· Donte Buycks – ’15 LaSalle SF: Buycks is one of the top athletes in the sophomore class, he just hasn’t been heard from much since he missed his freshman season. A versatile player who can run the two, three or four spots; Buycks game relies on his energy, athleticism and ability to shoot a smooth mid-range jumper from the wing or high post.

· Dahmere Epperson – ’15 Roger Bacon SG: After enjoying a good freshman season on the varsity last year Epperson got in the gym and improved his game to new heights. At a strong 6’2 he can play point guard, shooting guard or small forward effectively; and excels defensively at guarding any of the three positions. Offensively he’s a good slasher with a high IQ that can score around the rim and is also a gifted passer.

· Terrence Gholston – ’15 Riverview East SG: Gholston transferred from Purcell Marian after playing varsity as a freshman, and should be by far and away the most talented prospect at Riverview East Academy this season. A long and athletic 6’2 wing that can play multiple positions, Gholston is very good at creating offense off the dribble. He’s a good three-point shooter, although his shot selection can be questionable, and should break out this season as well.

Terrence Gholston

· Kameron Moore – ’16 Aiken PF: Face-up four that could play the three. Moves great, fluid.

All-Ohio City Series

· Tim Coleman – ’13 Withrow PG: Coleman has picked up this fall where he left off late last season, when he became Withrow’s most dominant player down the stretch of the season as they advanced to the D1 Regional Semi Finals. A dynamic offensive threat who can get in the lane with a killer crossover, Coleman excels at floating the ball in around the basket, and is also a good passer. An excellent shooter, Coleman is a scoring threat inside of 25 feet, and is one of Ohio’s most underrated guards.

· Dorian Jordan – ’13 Princeton PG: The little engine that could is back for another season. Jordan was flat out dominant in games on Sunday at the City Series tryout. With the rare ability to make his teammates better, Jordan tallied assist after assist as the defense continually failed in trapping the undersized point guard. Also a quick penetrator that finds ways to take contact and score around the rim, Jordan was one of the event’s top scorers as well.

· Austin Grimes – ’13 Aiken SG: Grimes is another player who has enjoyed a productive fall. With his knees being at 100% health, Grimes has regained his elite athleticism, and is wowing crowds with plays way above the rim. As strong as it gets on the wing, Grimes has also continued his tough guy style of powerful drives from the wing for buckets.

· Trent Donald – ’13 Winton Woods PF: One of Ohio’s toughest matchups, Donald was very good on the weekend at doing what he does best, taking advantage of those mismatches. Playing against smaller wing opponents, Donald used his post game to score at will; then, playing against big men, he took them out on the wing and attacked off the dribble. With his combination of power and footwork look for Donald to once again be one of the area’s leading scorers.

· Ronnie Rousseau – ’14 Winton Woods PG: Rousseau was the most dominant non-senior at the City Series tryout, as he continually torched other point guards with his scoring abilities. A very underrated shooter, Ronnie was able to use his tight handle to create separation on his jumper, and knocked down a high percentage of shots from deep.

Dahmere Epperson

· Marcus Scott – ’14 Taft SG: One of the best shooters at the event, Scott is a tough all-around player who knows how to fill his role as an instant scorer. Despite being undersized, Scott is a quick player who plays very hard.

· Tamarik Washington – ’14 Taft SG: Washington has always been one of the more talented players in the ’14 class, it seems like the 5’10 combo guard is starting to put it all together. As a scorer, slasher, and passer Washington was very efficient on the weekend. When he’s hitting shots at the rate that he was on Sunday, watch out, because Washington could be one of Cincinnati’s breakout players this season.

· Keron Harris – ’14 Taft SF: Another Senator who should have a breakout season is Harris, an athletic and hard-nosed wing who can score around the rim. Harris isn’t the most skilled guy out there, but he makes up for it with penetrating ability and a non-stop motor.

· Cole Cloud – ’14 Loveland PG/SG: Cloud, who just transferred from Reading, is a high level shooter who had his stroke tuned in perfectly on Saturday. To win an event like the Nike City Series, Cincinnati will have to have automatic shooter from three-point range; which is what Cloud can provide in abundance.

· Vonny Irvin – ’15 Princeton PG/SG: Irvin seemingly came out of nowhere to become the most talked about prospect of the weekend. A speedy guard with a great feel for the game, Irvin is excellent in transition where he can score at the rim but prefers to pass the ball. Like Dorian Jordan, Irvin makes his teammates better. If he continues his level of play then expect Irvin to jump into the rankings near the top in ’15. If he develops a jumpshot, then he can contend for the top point guard spot in the class.

· Marco Scott – ’15 Taft PG/SG: Another very talented passer, Scott (younger brother of ’14 Taft guard Marcus Scott, see above) is someone who CPHR will have our eye on this season. Like his big brother, Scott can shoot the ball from deep and has good quickness as well. We need to see more of him to get a great feel for his game, but Marco is a very talented guard with court vision.

· Jermaine Britton – ’15 Northwest PG/SG: The sophomore class’ resident tough guy, Britton continues to be one of the most versatile prospects in that class because of his great strength and good speed. While he may be undersized at 5’9, Britton has improved his decision making and ballhandling abilities; allowing him to play the point guard role.

· Tyreke Johnson – ’15 Purcell Marian PF/C: Big body with toughness that we had not seen before, Johnson is one of the stronger sophomores in the area. He doesn’t have great height or skills yet, but with his strength and toughness he can be an efficient scorer in the GCL-Central.

· Jamel Howard – ’16 Purcell Marian SF: We’ve talked in depth about how much talent Purcell has in their freshman class; to CPHR, it all starts with Howard. An athletic and versatile wing who can play inside, Howard dominated the glass all weekend. He can score off the dribble, finish in traffic, and isn’t a poor shooter for his age. Look for Howard to have a great chance to be the top freshman in the GCL.

· Jordan Gaines – ’16 Clark PG/SG: Gaines made an excellent first impression on us this weekend as a speedy guard who loves to get to the basket in the up-tempo game. He’s probably more of a scoring guard, but Gaines also showed the ability to pass efficiently on his drives. As his jump shot becomes more refined, Gaines should become one of the top young guards in the MVC.

· Kobe Brown – ’16 Mt. Healthy SG: As pure of a scoring minded wing as you’ll find, Brown knows what he is on the court to do. Brown has good strength, knows how to attack off the dribble, and is a consistent shooter from mid to long range. As he improves his quickness, Brown should be an impact freshman for the Owls.

· Carlik Jones – ’16 Purcell Marian PG: One of the most talented young point guards in the state, Jones was very good at controlling the game all weekend long. He can be efficient as a passer or scorer, and while not being a speedster, Jones is very good at changing gears to score the ball. Expect for Carlik to contend for the starting point guard spot at Purcell as a freshman this season.

Purcell Marian Looking Towards Youth Movement

2012-10-23T09:50:00.003-04:00

By: Jonathon Burgin

It’s late October, and CPHR is getting excited about this upcoming ’12-’13 high school hoops season. Join us as we take a look at some talented prospects from the class of 2016 (freshman), as we travel to East Walnut Hills and drop in on Coach Bryan Laake and the Purcell Marian Cavaliers.

Since Coach Laake has taken over the program he has persevered through all types of obstacles and has continuously been a strong force in rebuilding his program. With only two seniors returning from last year's team (most notably athletic power forward Dwayne Wilson), Coach Laake has five young freshmen, who are surrounded by a lot of hype, that are looking to contribute on the varsity sooner rather then later.

Jamel Howard is one of Cincy's
most talented freshman players

Jamel "Mo-mo” Howard – 6’3 SF: Athletic kid with offensive skills, getting better by the day. Glass-eater who can start the break with his athleticism with a block or a rebound.

Carlik Jones – 5'8 PG: Crafty ballhandler who looks to get to rim set up himself and other players. He wants to improve defensively by helping out more by rebounding from his position.

Peyton Smith – 5’8 PG: Ballhandler, pass-first, likes to get everybody involved, and also looks for his shot. Takes pride in locking his man up on the defensive end of the court and playing the passing lanes for easy buckets.

Mello Dockery – 6’3 SF/PF: Hard-worker in the post and good mid-range shooter, likes to play inside-out. Efficient rebounder and defender with great strength.

Rashaad Ali-Shakir – 5’10 PG: Grew a little over the summer which will help him to score, but also has a pass first mentality to get teammates involved. That growth spurt has helped him on the defensive end with being able to guard some bigger players on the perimeter and also rebounding better from that position.

Now that you know the players, let's continue with some Q&A with the freshmen and Coach Laake:

CPHR-Are you looking forward to the competition in the GCL playing against the heavyweights?

Consensus from kids- Yes! We’re looking forward to bringing back a winning attitude to the Purcell Marian program. We won’t back down to the competition and want to let everyone know that the Cavaliers will soon be back.

CPHR-Coach Laake I know you are excited about this season and the young talent that you have in your program, what do you expect"?

CL-"I don't know exactly what to expect but I know we will have fun and play fast".

CPHR-Each of your five freshmen have something different to offer. Who do you think can contribute early?

CL- "We could have 13 or so guys on varsity to contribute, as for the freshmen because of positions (Carlik) has the best chance because the ball will be in his hands, That's not saying anything from the other two guards Rashaad and Peyton. Mo-Mo has the intensity and defensive presence and Mello works hard and is one of the strongest freshmen I've seen".

CPHR- I'm going out on the limb about the season and saying you will eclipse the 3 win total of last year. How many wins are you looking for this season?

CL- "It's up in the air because of our brutal schedule, but willing to give it all we got. I’m definitely looking for us to finish over .500".

Class of 2016 Prospect Watch List

2012-10-22T14:01:00.000-04:00

Ashon Riggins

There’s a lot of hype going around about the depth of talent in Cincinnati’s rising freshmen class, the class of 2016. Here’s an early look, in alphabetical order, of some of the city’s top young players…..

· Rashaad Ali Shakir – 5’11 PG Purcell Marian ***

· Kobe Brown – 5’9 PG Mt. Healthy ***

· Julian Boykins – 5’10 PG/SG Moeller

· Bryce Butler – 5’10 PG Finneytown

· Jarron Cumberland – 6’3 SG/SF Wilmington ***

· Mark Cruz – 6’4 SF Withrow

· Mello Dockery – 6’3 SF/PF Purcell Marian

· Jordan Gaines – 6’2 SG Clark Montessori

· Nate Georgeton – 5’6 PG Moeller

· Adam Goines – 6’1 SG Princeton

· Brad Hall – 6’1 SG Milford

· Chris Harrington – 6’2 SF Woodward

· Jake Hausman – 6’3 PF Moeller

· Jamel “Momo” Howard – 6’3 SG/SF Purcell Marian ***

· Israel Griffin – 6’2 SF Hughes

Jarron Cumberland

· Carlik Jones – 5’8 PG Purcell Marian ***

· Hunter Lampley – 5’11 PG St. Xavier ***

· Jeremy Larkin – 5’10 PG/SG La Salle ***

· Juwan Lindsey – 5’8 PG North College Hill

· Trey McBride – 6’1 PG/SG Roger Bacon

· Kameron Moore – 6’6 PF Aiken ***

· Ashon Riggins – 6’1 PG/SG Hamilton ***

· Ryan Robinson – 5’10 PG Hamilton

· Payton Smith – 5’8 PG Purcell Marian

· Elijah Walker – 5’10 PG/SG Hughes

· Kwamane Watson – 6’1 SF Winton Woods

· T.C. Wells – 6’3 PF Fairfield ***

· Jeff Woods – 6’0 PG/SG Withrow

*** Top prospects that CPHR has evaluated***

Week 5 Open Gym Highlights

2012-09-16T11:19:00.001-04:00

The fifth session of Triple Double Prospects elite open gym's became a two man show as '13 Aiken SG Austin Grimes and '14 Turpin PG/SG Zach McCormick both went to work against their opponents. Both Grimes and McCormick showed off their excellent athleticism, as Grimes ended the day by bending one of the rims at Withrow HS.

Other top performers from open gym on Saturday included: Tyonte Robertson (Withrow PG), Angel Rivera (Hughes PG), DeMarcus Cook (Aiken SG), Correy Cavins (Aiken PG/SG)and Jared Wilkins (Shroder SF).

Week 4 Open Gym Highlights

2012-09-09T15:26:00.002-04:00

While the ACT test lowed the usual number at Triple Double Prospect Elite Open Gym, the competition was still high level. The Withrow boys protected their home court as Tim Coleman, Corey Wise and Tyonte Robertson all stood out. But no team could physically match up with the Xavier University freshman duo of PG, and Cincinnati native, Semaj Christon as well as Detroit based big man Jalen Reynolds.

Some other top performers included: Nick Ruthsatz, Devin Ibbott, Angel Rivera, Milt Davis, LeMontay Conyers, Myo Baxter, Willie Moore, Landen Gaulden, Marquez Johnson, Correy Cavins and Kevin Daniels.

Week #3 Open Gym Highlights

2012-09-02T15:27:00.001-04:00

It was a dunkfest at Withrow HS on Saturday the 1st, as over 45 high school prospects (and two college players) showed up for week three of elite open gym; presented by Triple Double Prospects.

Highlighted in our video we have Nick Ruthsatz, Monty Boykins, Josh Davenport, Tim Coleman and a few bonus dunks; including a nasty facial from Aiken senior guard Austin Grimes.

In our second video, we take a look at the two college kids; Semaj Christon and Willie Moore; who each provided several highlight plays.

Other standouts from open gym on Saturday include: Corey Wise, Myo Baxter, Pat Wrencher, Shemar Waugh, Jalen Tucker, Phil Cook, Blake Simpson, Tyonte Robertson and Devin Ibott.

Open Gym Week #2 Highlights

2012-08-26T13:38:00.002-04:00

44 of the area's finest descended on Cincinnati Withrow HS on Saturday for week two of Triple Double Prospects open gym sessions. In the field we had at least 20 future division one college prospects, plus one current high major guard in Oregon's Willie Moore (Aiken 2012).

Featured in our highlights from yesterday we have: Aaron Jackson ('13 Gahanna Lincoln SG/SF), Tim Coleman ('13 Withrow PG), Javon "JB" Bess ('14 Gahanna Lincoln SF), Trent Donald ('13 Winton Woods PF), Willie Moore (Oregon) and Josh Davenport ('13 Moeller SG/SF).

Another player worth mentioning is '15 Withrow SF/PF Lamont West who showed a nice combination of skill and athleticism with a 6'6 frame. West is a player who will have a chance to take the city league by storm in his sophomore year as he continues to develop.

Some other top prospects from yesterday's action included: Kevin Johnson, Monty Boykins, Wendell Davis, Milt Davis, Stedman Lowry, Zach McCormick, Dylan Lowry, Grant Benzinger, Antonio Campbell, Isaiah Johnson, Khari Burton and several others.

CPHR is Back!

2012-08-19T16:15:00.004-04:00

After spending the summer working on other basketball projects CPHR is back with the new school year to bring you all the best coverage of Cincinnati area high school basketball that readers are used to. Thanks to all those who have bared with us over the summer, and hopefully you are all excited to return to this site. We're starting off the year with highlights from week one of our elite open gym, presented by our partner site Triple Double Prospects.

In year one of our elite open gym's we averaged about 15 players per session. In the first week of year two we had 24 high school players, and 28 total participants, come out to get some run in. Of those players, at least half should eventually become Division I scholarship players at the college level; meaning TDP open gym is the place to be for top players on fall Saturday's.

Besides the four players highlighted here, other standouts from Saturday include: Josh Davenport, Austin Grimes, Kwan Cheatham, Patrick Wrencher, Rozelle Nix, Stedman Lowry, Monty Boykins, Isaiah Jones, Milt Davis, Angel Rivera, Nick Ruthsatz, Tyler Bowling and Dylan Lowry.

Stay tuned for more fall coverage, and more highlights each week from open gym.

Kevin Johnson chooses the Bearcats

2012-06-11T18:10:00.002-04:00

They say that, “Home is where the heart is”; those words must really sit well with 6’2 Summit Country Day point guard Kevin Johnson. After a heavy recruitment, sparked by several standout performances over the spring on the AAU circuit, the athletic guard decided that he’ll stay in his hometown as he committed to the University of Cincinnati. Sunday night just hours after returning from an unofficial visit to Butler, Johnson went to his parents and told them that he had made his decision.

After initially being concerned that Kevin might have jumped the gun a little too early in his decision, the elder Johnson’s quickly became excited by the news. The ability to see all of Kevin’s home-games, as well as having him stay less then 5 miles from their home on the western side of Cincinnati all intrigue the family, and helped factor in to the decision.

“My dad always is going to play devil’s advocate with me. Once I let him know that I was really serious then they supported my decision the whole way.”

Monday morning, the day of his 17th birthday, Johnson informed the Cincinnati coaching staff of his decision.

“Coach Cronin was excited to hear the news. I told him I was trying to make it happen and we set the press conference up immediately.”

It wasn’t just proximity and hometown pride that led Johnson to his decision. A strong relationship with Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin, the intensity with which the Bearcat staff recruited him, the opportunity to play in the Big East conference, and the style of play at Cincinnati all contributed to the decision.

“The family image and the choices that UC gives me just made me think that there’s no reason to go hours away when I can stay in my own city.”

“I feel like Coach Cronin and I will have a great relationship. He’s a great person, a great father, and he’s always been real with me.”

One of the most improved players in the Midwest over the last season, the three-star guard (who falls in at number 146 in the latest Rivals150, and who will most likely move up further in the next set of rankings) has attracted the interest of several of the nation’s elite programs. In choosing Cincinnati the point guard spurned offers from Minnesota, Illinois, Seton Hall, DePaul, Xavier, VCU, Cornell and several others. An explosive athlete, Johnson has the ability to leap out of the gym and also has tremendous quickness in his first step.

Johnson is known as a lock-down defender who uses his length, and tenacious attitude, to eliminate the opposing team’s top perimeter player. Offensively he is a versatile playmaker that can play either guard spot. Johnson shoots the ball well from the perimeter, including pull-up three-pointers off the dribble. He has an elite handle, can play off the pick and roll, and is deadly in transition as either a score or a distributor.

While he’s made a significant amount of progress in the last year by improving both his jumpshot and his overall point guard floor game Johnson doesn’t feel like he’s done improving yet. In fact he says that playing for the hometown Bearcats will give him even more motivation.

“Playing in my own city isn’t going to distract me it’s going to make me work harder. Everyone in the city wants me to do great, and that’s pressure. But, I feel like it’s a good kind of pressure.”

After leading his Cincinnati Summit Country Day team to a 27-1 record and an Ohio Division III State Championship as a junior the 6-foot-2 athlete plans on helping the Bearcats build on the recent success, most notably their recent Sweet Sixteen performance.

“To win you have to work hard. A lot of those guys at UC have done that to get to the Sweet Sixteen. With what I’ve learned in winning the state championship I kind of know what it takes on a smaller scale.”

Johnson is the second 2013 prospect to verbally commit to Coach Cronin; joining Virginia combo guard Troy Caupain who committed to the Bearcats on June 8th.

Updated Player Rankings

2012-06-07T23:24:00.001-04:00

CPHR has taken a hard look at our Cincinnati area player rankings, which for about the last year have been posted on our partner site Triple Double Prospects, and has made some changes to the list.

Aside from changing the rankings for the classes of 2013 and 2014, we've also introduced our first position based rankings for the rising sophomore class of 2015.

Stay on the lookout in the next week for a complete honorable mention list of all three ranked classes, as well as a 2016 watch list which will highlight some of the top rising freshman that we have had a chance to see so far.

As always, the rankings can be found on the tabs at the top of this page, and we'll also link them at the bottom of this article.

Comments, questions, and concerns are more then welcome and will be responded to at cincyprephoopsreport@gmail.com; comments posted on the bottom of this post may or may not be responded to.

Remember that, as always, these rankings are created solely by CPHR staff and are made to reflect what we believe the long term college potential of a player is; not necessarily their current production level now.

Here are the updated rankings:

Class of 2013 Rankings

Class of 2014 Rankings

Class of 2015 Rankings

Moving Season

2012-06-07T14:25:00.000-04:00

Devin Williams

Florida has always been a popular travel destination, over the last few years its become a popular high school destination from top players from all over the country. Schools like Montverde Academy, Arlington Country Day, and IMG Academy have all put together basketball teams that are competitive against the top competition that the country has to offer.

Now with these coaches scouring the nation to find talent for their teams southwest Ohio has become a target area. In the last three days there have been three transfers to report between SW Ohio and Florida.

First is 2015 SG MaCio Teague, who is returning to his native Cincinnati and will be enrolling at Summit following his freshman year at IMG Academy. A lights out shooter with an all-around scoring game the 6'3 Teague should be a valuable asset on the Silver Knights team next season. Teague has early collegiate interest from DePaul, Miami (FL), and Xavier among others.

Next we have 2014 SG Justin Bibbs, formerly of Dayton Chaminade Julienne. Bibbs had a breakout season at Dayton CJ in his sophomore campaign, rising from unknown to a #2 ranking at his position in Triple Double Prospects 2014 list. Earlier this week the 6'4 Bibbs announced that he will be attending Montverde Academy for his final two years of high school ball. Bibbs is already being heavily recruited by Xavier, Dayton, Cincinnati, Michigan, and several other high major schools.

After securing the services of Bibbs coach Bales, a legendary high school coach who made his mark in the New Jersey scene, didn't stop there. On Thursday afternoon Montverde earned a commitment from 6'8 power forward Devin Williams, who just finished his junior season at Cincinnati Withrow. Williams, a consensus top 100 recruit and the #1 PF in Ohio in Triple Double Prospects rankings, cited individual academic attention and being around, "like-minded players who are focused on the same goals of playing major college basketball" as top reasons for his transfer.

With Williams and Bibbs any high school team should be successful, but Montverde doesn't stop there. They also feature one of the top 5 nationally ranked players in the 2014 class in 6'9 center Dakari Johnson, one of the top PG prospects in the nation in the 2013 class who is committed to Florida in Kasey Hill, and Louisville native D'Angelo Russell who is also ranked in the top 25 prospects nationally and plays the SG position.

Sunday's Results from the State Championships

2012-06-04T13:01:00.001-04:00

By staff writer Daniel Watkins

Kevin Johnson

Sunday wrapped up an exciting weekend for the Ohio AAU state championship. No area teams were able to capture any state titles but a lot of good area talent was on display in full force. Here are the top performers and the weekend results

17U

Kevin Johnson- PG Martin Wolverines: One of the best PG in the state suited up for the Wolverines this weekend. Johnson showed his athleticism and quickness while using his ability to get shots off the dribble to knock down long jumpers.

Tim Coleman- PG Queen City Prophets: The prophet guard came out to play on Sunday showing numerous aspects of his game. Coleman scored at will all afternoon while making plenty of clutch shots. His defensive toughness has stepped up as of late as he came up with some crucial steals and defensive stops Sunday afternoon.

Jaaron Simmons- PG All Ohio Red: One of the main reasons why AOR was able to capture the 17U state AAU title was from the play of Simmons. Playing a steady game all weekend with limited turnovers. Although not putting up huge numbers this weekend AOR offense flows smother while he is on the floor.

Other Weekend Top Performers

17U

Monty Boykins- SG Ohio Phenoms

Terry Cook- PG Shinning star

Louis Maniacci- PF/C Shinning Star

Austin Grimes- SG Queen City Prophets

Devin Williams- PF Queen City Prophets

Marquez Carpenter- SF Queen City Prophets

Isaiah Johnson- PF Cincy Lakers

Milt Davis- PG Club Ohio

Antonio Campbell- PF Club Ohio

Dontonio Wingfield Jr- SG Martin Wolverines

16U

Angel Rivera- PG King James Shooting Stars

Vincent Edwards- SF King James Shooting Stars

Blake Simpson- PF Ohio Phenoms

Martin Jones- SG Ohio Phenoms

Jaevin Cumberland- PG Cincy Lakers

Jeff Larkin- PG Cincy Lakers

Ronnie Rousseau- PG Queen City Prophets

Roderick Mills- SF Queen City Prophets

Kevin Daniels- SG Queen City Prophets

Aaron Oden- SG Shinning Star

15U

Luke Kennard- SG King James Shooting Stars

Nate Fowler- PF King James Shooting Stars

AJ Harris- PG King James Shooting Stars

DaJuan Sherman-PG Queen City Prophets

Championship Results

17u:

Semifinalist – Queen City Prophets (3rd), Shinning Stars (Moman)

Runner Up- Martin Wolverines

State Champions- All Ohio Red

16u:

Semifinalists- Ohio Varsity White (3rd), Ohio Phenoms

Runners Up- Shinning Star (Price)

State Champions- All Ohio Red

15u:

Semifinalists- King James Shooting Stars (3rd), Queen City Prophets

Runners Up- All Ohio Black

State Champions- All Ohio Red

Saturday at the Ohio AAU State Tourney

2012-06-03T09:50:00.002-04:00

By staff writer Daniel Watkins -

Day 2 of the Ohio AAU state tournament had plenty of talent. Here are some of the standouts.

17U

Maverick Morgan-C Martin's Wolverines: The 6’10 big man dominated early and often for the Wolverines on Saturday. Displaying his discipline low post game and finishing with a few monster dunks.

Austin Grimes

Isaiah Johnson-PF Cincy Lakers: Playing with an injury for the most part of the day Johnson still was able to produce when the ball was in his hands. Whether he was involved in the play or not his presence affected the outcome.

Austin Grimes-SG Queen City Prophets: For the second straight day Grimes played well on both sides of the ball. Finishing with a game high 33 points in the prophets second pool play game and giving a good effort all afternoon.

16U

Angel Rivera-PG King James Shooting stars: Considered one of the best pure passers in the state showed CPHR why with his crisp passes. Being his teams only real pg the ball is always in Rivera hands allowing him to make the right pass to find the open man or knock down the jumper.

Blake Simpson-PF Ohio Phenoms: One of the big men for the talented Phenoms showed his outstanding overall strength in the paint grabbing and putting put back crucial rebounds. His inside interior game has improved and is becoming more aggressive on defense.

Ronnie Rousseau-PG Queen City Prophets: Leading the way for the prophets, another stacked 16u team is pg Rousseau. Know as a flat out pure scorer he put the ball in the basket all day showing off his mid range and ability to take defenders off the dribble. The shifty pg loses defenders with his quick first step getting into the lane and finishing.