SBLive’s Top 25 in Ohio high school boys basketball: Alter, Elder vault into the top 10
By Sam Houseworth | Photo by Ben Jackson
What an amazing week of high school basketball in Ohio, featuring a handful of Game Of The Year candidates throughout the state.
From Fairfield’s overtime thriller to the instant classic between Pick Central and Gahanna Lincoln, as well as St. Edward erasing a 15-point deficit against Buchtel.
The first week of 2022 is hopefully a precursor to what the rest of the season has to offer.
SBLIVE'S OHIO TOP 25
1. St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron (5-2)
Last week: 2
When you knock off the top dog, you make a strong case to become the top dog. Illinois commit Sencire Harris was the star of a 70-69 win over Gahanna Lincoln, winning the Play-by-Play Classic MVP. After last week, the four-star guard must be the front-runner for Mr. Ohio. The Irish host Walsh Jesuit on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Thomas Worthington on Saturday.
2. Centerville (8-0)
Last week: 3
The Elks’ win streak just keeps climbing. The number is currently at 24 after ending the 2020-21 campaign with 16 straight wins en route to a D-I state championship. Centerville blew out Springboro 82-44 last Tuesday, followed by a 69-45 win against Blue Ridge (St. George, Va.) on Saturday. Indiana commit Gabe Cupps averaged 20.5 per game in the two wins. The Elks have a home-and-home with Springfield on Tuesday and Friday before flying out west to face SoCal Academy on Sunday.
3. Gahanna Lincoln (9-2)
Last week: 1
A rough week for the Lions as they go 1-2 to begin 2022, suffering their first loss in dramatic fashion against defending D-II state champion St. Vincent-St. Mary 70-69 on Sunday. After a strong 57-30 win at Grove City, the Lions fell to 614 rival Pick Central on Saturday, 58-53. Things don’t get much easier for Gahanna Lincoln, as the Lions have a date with Pick North on Friday.
4. Pickerington Central (9-1)
Last week: 5
In front of a sold-out crowd on the road, the Tigers earned the biggest win of the season against former No. 1 Gahanna Lincoln, 58-53. Junior Devin Royal scored 19 points, 10 in the fourth quarter alone. The small forward has received offers from Virginia Tech and Illinois since the win on Saturday. The Tigers host Reynoldsburg on Friday in their lone game this week.
5. Brush, Lyndhurst (9-1)
Last week: 4
Rounding out our top 5 is the most disrespected team in the state. The Aces opened the week with a double-digit win over D-IV favorite Richmond Heights, 63-51. They followed that up with a 48-43 win over Gilmour Academy. Despite the 9-1 record against strong competition and one of the biggest starting fives in the state, the Aces were left out of the AP’s initial D-I top 10. The Aces will look for respect when they host Euclid on Tuesday.
6. Fairfield (11-1)
Last week: 6
The Indians stay undefeated in GMC play with an overtime thriller against Sycamore. Logan Woods missed a corner three, but his teammate Aamir Rogers collected the rebound, fired it back out to Woods, who drained the game-winner with nine seconds left. Fairfield heads to Lakota East on Tuesday with first place in the GMC on the line, followed by a home meeting with Lakota West on Friday.
7. Archbishop Alter, Kettering (9-3)
Last week: 14
It was a busy week for the Knights after their trip to the East Coast. Alter comfortably won a trio of GCL games, improving to 5-0 in the conference with a 1½ game lead over second-place Chaminade Julienne. Marshall commit Jacob Conner was the standout in their win at Carroll, scoring 23, collecting 13 rebounds and shooting 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Alter will host Beavercreek on Tuesday, followed by Badin on Friday.
8. Kettering Fairmont (11-1)
Last week: 8
Anthony Johnson and Dasan Doucet continue their two-headed monster routine as the Firebirds have won five in a row. Johnson scored 33 total in the Firebirds’ two wins this week while Doucet added 28 of his own. Fairmont returns to action Friday at Northmont in GWOC play.
9. Lakota East (9-2)
Last week: 7
The Thunderhawks improved to 6-1 in GMC play with a pair of wins against Princeton, 59-54, and Colerain, 79-38. Lakota East’s depth was on display in both contests, as the bench contributed 14 in the win over Princeton and 27 in the win over Colerain. All eyes will be on Liberty Township when the Thunderhawks host Fairfield in a top 10 contest, followed by a Friday game at Middletown.
10. Elder, Cincinnati (11-2)
Last week: Unranked
Last week, the Panthers just missed out on the SBLIve Top 25. Following a suffocation of then-No. 9 Moeller, Elder catapults into our top 10. Elder is led by senior guard Sean Keller, who is averaging 16.3 points and 3.1 assists per game. Elder hits the road this week, facing Turpin on Tuesday, then back to GCL action at La Salle on Friday.
11. Hilliard Bradley (8-3)
Last week: 19
So much for challenging dockets. The Jaguars have won six in a row after a 2-3 start to the season. On Thursday, Bradley shut down Olentangy Orange, 44-33, but the real story came Saturday. Entering the game, Beechcroft was averaging 87.1 points. Bradley smothered them en route to a 63-46 win. The Jaguars head to Westland on Tuesday, then host a hot-and-cold, inspirational Dublin Coffman team.
12. Dublin Jerome (9-1)
Last week: 12
The Celtics have won nine in a row, with the last four being by double digits. Jerome beat Olentangy 55-45 on Friday, before heading to St. Marys and smoking the Roughriders, 58-38. The Celtics stay on the road this week, heading to Olentangy Orange on Tuesday before their Friday contest at Hilliard Darby.
13. St. Edward, Lakewood (6-2)
Last week: 10
If you’re looking for an A&M-Northern Iowa-style, come-from-behind victory, it happened in Euclid on Sunday. St. Edward was trailing Buchtel by 15 midway through the fourth, then Jair Knight took over. The junior drilled a pair of threes and a mid-range jumper to put the Eagles ahead. St. Eds would win in the most dramatic fashion, 70-69. The Eagles head to Erie for the BK Classic this Friday and Saturday.
14. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (8-2)
Last week: 15
The Bombers remain undefeated in Ohio after a pair of wins to kick off the new year. St. X won its conference opener against La Salle on Friday, 54-39. The Bombers followed it up with a road win against Indian Hill, 61-42. Senior Louie Semona averaged 18.5 points in the weekend contests. The Bombers head to Moeller on Friday for a huge in-conference contest in the Queen City.
15. Archbishop Moeller, Cincinnati (9-3)
Last week: 9
Not the ideal start to conference play for the Crusaders, a 46-37 loss at Elder on Friday. They rebounded well with a 67-48 win over Ponitz Tech the following day, but with a six-game conference schedule, every game is vital to winning the GCL South. Moeller hosts St. Xavier in a top 15 contest on Friday as the Crusaders try to get back to .500 in league.
16. Upper Arlington (10-1)
Last week: 18
Well, the undefeated streak wasn’t going to last forever. After opening 2022 with a 56-39 win at Hilliard Darby, the Golden Bears suffered its first loss at Dublin Coffman on Friday, 57-52. (Dublin Coffman would go on to lose to Africentric the next day, keeping the Shamrocks out of the top 25, go figure.) Things don’t get any easier this week when UAHS hosts Pick North on Tuesday for a top 20 showdown, then heads to Hilliard Davidson on Friday.
17. Pickerington North (8-1)
Last week: 20
Dior Conners had quite the weekend for the Panthers. On Friday, the senior dropped a career-high 34 points as Pick North beat New Albany 62-47. The following night, he scored 25 against Eastmoor Academy in an 83-69 Panthers win. The Panthers have a pair of top 20 opponents this week on the road: Upper Arlington on Tuesday and Gahanna Lincoln on Friday.
18. Taft, Cincinnati (5-2)
Last week: 17
The Senators have been off since Dec. 22. But they return to action Tuesday when they head to Woodward for first place in the CMAC Red Division on the line. They will follow that up hosting Withrow on Saturday.
19. Green, Uniontown (10-1)
Last week: 23
The Bulldogs earned a pair of Federal League wins this past week, edging out Canton McKinley, 52-50, and smoking GlenOak, 53-30. Zack Oddo tallied 30 in the game against McKinley. Green heads to Jackson on Tuesday, then hosts University School on Friday.
20. Westerville South (10-0)
Last week: 21
Nothing is as sweet as beating your rival. Westerville South took care of business against Canal Winchester on Friday, 74-59. The following day, the Wildcats squandered a six-point lead with under a minute lead, letting Central take the game into overtime. The Wildcats would compose themselves for a 58-54 victory, led by Drew Carter’s 32-point performance. WSHS hosts Franklin Heights on Tuesday, then heads to Worthington Kilbourne on Friday.
21. St. Ignatius, Cleveland (6-3)
Last week: 25
In their first game in Ohio in nearly a month, the Wildcats came out refreshed and unstoppable. St. Ignatius held a 30-16 lead over Cleveland Heights at halftime and were able to fight off a comeback effort. The final score was 57-50. The Wildcats face Wheeler (Georgia) in Kettering on Saturday.
22. Westerville North (7-3)
Last week: 22
The Warriors were led by Micah Young in their 60-48 win against Big Walnut on Friday. The freshman led the team with 21 points, setting a season high. Senior Noah Lawrence came in with a season-high 17. The Warriors will host Worthington Kilbourne on Tuesday, the head to Dublin Scioto on Friday.
23. Buchtel, Akron (7-4)
Last week: 13
It’s been a rough 2022 for the Griffs. They opened the year with a 70-69 loss to St. Edward. They rebounded with a City Series win over Kenmore-Garfield, 76-57, only to get handed another L by South Oak Cliff (Texas) on Saturday, 72-58. The Griffs get a pair of City Series games this week with Firestone on Tuesday and at Ellet on Friday.
24. Ottawa-Glandorf (8-1)
Last week: 24
The good news for the Titans, after their 87-45 win over Liberty Center, was knocking off WBL co-leader St. Marys, 43-32. The bad news is their undefeated season is no more following a 64-61 loss to D-I Findlay. After facing Bath this Friday, O-G will have another tough nonconference test at home against Lima Senior on Saturday.
25. Woodward, Cincinnati (8-2)
Last week: 16
In a battle of conference leaders, Woodward found itself on the wrong side of a 70-64 loss to Dunbar, the current first-place team in the Dayton City League. Paul McMillian IV scored 31, putting him 88 points away from being a top 25 scorer in OHSAA history. Woodward hosts Taft for first place in the Red Division on Tuesday, followed by Shroder on Friday.
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