SBLive’s Top 25 in Ohio high school boys basketball: The final pre-playoff rankings
By Sam Houseworth | Photo by Ben Jackson
With the regular season ending this week, it's time to turn our collective attention to the OHSAA boys basketball tournaments in all four divisions.
Teams from all divisions are represented in this week’s SBLive Top 25, giving fans an idea of who they an expect to see at UD Arena for next month’s state championships.
SBLIVE’S OHIO TOP 25
1. Centerville (21-0)
Last week: 1
The Elks end the regular season with a perfect 14-0 record in the GWOC. Centerville clinched a perfect regular season with an 83-59 win over Wayne on Friday. Gabe Cupps and Rich Rolf both recorded double-doubles in the win. Next for the Elks is a sectional semifinal against Fairborn on Wednesday. The winner will face Belmont on Feb. 22.
2. St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron (15-3)
Last week: 2
Nobody who pays attention to Ohio boys high school basketball should have questioned who the D-II favorite was going into this past week. If they did, all doubts have been answered. The Fighting Irish went to Brush and out-hustled the Arcs for 32 minutes, winning 71-63. They followed that top 5 win with road wins against Lutheran East, 77-60, and St. Edward, 75-66. The Fighting Irish open the D-II tournament on Feb. 25 against either Clearview or Warrensville Heights.
3. Gahanna Lincoln (19-2)
Last week: 3
After playing two games in two weeks, the Lions’ schedule packed three games into this past week. Gahanna fought for a 46-39 win over Westerville Central on Monday, coasted to a 63-34 win over Grove City on Friday, then ended the week with a 55-49 win over Medina. The Lions will look to win the OCC Ohio Division outright when they head to Pick North on Friday.
4. Pickerington Central (18-1)
Last week: 4
After being off for nine days, Pick Central did not lose a step, smoking Groveport Madison and Lancaster last week. The Tigers will look to win the OCC Buckeye Division outright when they head to Reynoldsburg on Friday.
5. Brush, Lyndhurst (15-3)
Last week: 5
After their high-profile loss to St. Vincent-St. Mary on Monday, the Arcs bounced back with a pair of wins to end the week. Tuesday, they blew out Warrensville Heights 78-38. Then on Saturday, they headed to St. Ignatius, fighting an underrated Wildcats team to the final horn for a 62-59 victory. The Arcs host Massillon Jackson on Tuesday and Youngstown East on Friday to round out the regular season.
6. Archbishop Alter, Kettering (19-2)
Last week: 6
The Knights’ final week of the regular season was busy and perfect. Alter played three games in four days, earning blowout wins in each one against McNicholas, Carroll and Meadowdale. The guard combo of Jacob Conner and Anthony Ruffolo finished the season shooting over 40% from 3-point land. The Knights open D-II postseason play Friday against Northwestern with the winner facing Greenville on Feb. 22.
7. St. Edward, Lakewood (15-3)
Last week: 7
The Eagles’ final stretch of the season is arguably the toughest in the state. Last week, St. Edward finished 1-1 after a nail-biting win over Solon, 63-59, then a loss to St. Vincent-St. Mary in a top 10 showdown, 75-66. To finish off the regular season, St. Edward hosts Suburban League National champs Brecksville-Broadview Heights on Tuesday, followed by a pair of weekend road games against University School and D-IV favorite Richmond Heights.
8. Westerville South (19-0)
Last week: 13
For the Wildcats, it’s all about keeping that unblemished record heading into the postseason. Last week, they coasted to wins over Canal Winchester and Franklin Heights. Their final warmups before the tournament are at Thomas Worthington on Tuesday and hosting Worthington Kilbourne on Friday.
9. Sylvania Northview (16-1)
Last week: 11
The Wildcats climb into the top 10 following their seventh and eighth consecutive double-digit wins. The first came against crosstown rival Southview, 86-66. Then on Friday, the Wildcats dominated Holland Springfield, 85-40. The Wildcats have another tough test this week when they head to Perrysburg on Tuesday. They end the regular season against Maumee and Napoleon this weekend.
10. Elder, Cincinnati (18-3)
Last week: 16
The Panthers had already clinched the GCL South heading into the week. They finished the season with a perfect 6-0 record in conference, earning home wins La Salle and St. X this week. The Panthers open postseason against Milford on Friday.
11. Fairfield (18-4)
Last week: 8
Despite three games in the final week of the season, none of them were seriously competitive or challenging for the Indians. Fairfield earned wins against Hamilton, Middletown and Colerain to win back-to-back GMC titles. The Indians will face Little Miami on Friday with the winner getting Withrow on Feb. 23.
12. Pickerington North (18-2)
Last week: 14
Nine wins in a row for the Panthers following weekend wins against New Albany and Reynoldsburg. The biggest game of the season will also be Pick North’s warmup game for the postseason. On Friday, the Panthers have a shot at a share of the OCC Ohio title when they host Gahanna in a top 15 showdown.
13. Woodward, Cincinnati (17-3)
Last week: 17
The Bulldogs finished conference play with a perfect 12-0 record in the Cincinnati Metro Red Division. Woodward will enter the D-II tournament as one of the hottest teams in the state, having won eight in a row. The Bulldogs finish the regular season Thursday at Summit Country Day before opening postseason play against Bethel-Tate on Saturday.
14. Kettering Fairmont (18-3)
Last week: 9
The Firebirds ended the regular season with a GWOC split. On Tuesday, Fairmont fell on the road to Wayne 60-57 but recovered on Friday for a 55-40 win over Beavercreek. The Firebirds open the sectionals with a semifinal contest against Xenia on Saturday. The winner faces Stebbins on Feb. 22.
15. Lakota East (16-4)
Last week: 10
The Thunderhawks finished the regular season with GMC wins at Mason on Tuesday and against Hamilton on Friday. Senior Charlie Kenrich recorded his fourth double-double of the season at Mason with a 21-point, 11-rebound performance. The Thunderhawks open the postseason against West Clermont on Saturday.
16. Richmond Heights (16-4)
Last week: 12
The Spartans sleepwalked through the CVC Chagrin Division, posting dominant wins over Chagrin Falls and West Geauga over the past week. The D-IV favorites end their conference slate against Hawken on Thursday, before hosting St. Edward in a top 25 showdown on Saturday.
17. Dublin Jerome (16-4)
Last week: 21
The Celtics clinched the OCC Cardinal a long time ago. This week offers the chance to finish a perfect 10-0 in division play. After hosting Watterson on Monday, the Celtics will face Hilliard Darby on Friday in their final warmup before the postseason.
18. Archbishop Moeller, Cincinnati (16-5)
Last week: 19
With Penn State commit Evan Mahaffey leading the charge, the Crusaders are one of the most dangerous draws in the upcoming OHSAA tournament. Moeller opens the postseason on Saturday against Colerain. A win sends them to the sectional finals on Feb. 23.
19. Olentangy Orange (13-6)
Last week: 15
The dreams of an OCC Central title came tumbling down when Olentangy Orange lost to division leader Upper Arlington 55-43 on Tuesday. The Pioneers bounced back with a 45-44 win at Hilliard Bradley. Olentangy Orange will wrap up its regular season at home against Olentangy on Tuesday and Olentangy Liberty on Friday.
20. Ottawa-Glandorf (18-2)
Last week: 18
The Titans won the fourth WBL championship in the past five years with a 58-47 win over Defiance on Friday. The next night, sophomore Colin White dropped 24 points in a 59-40 win over Lexington. O-G will open the D-III tournament on Feb. 25 against either Coldwater or Riverdale.
21. Lima Senior (18-2)
Last week: Unranked
The Spartans clinched their fourth straight TRAC title last week with a pair of wins over Toledo Central Catholic and St. John’s Jesuit. The Spartans finish their regular season against Springfield on Tuesday and Fremont Ross on Friday. After that, they open the postseason against Waite on Feb. 26.
22. Antwerp (18-1)
Last week: Unranked
Since their lone loss of the season to Wayne Trace, the Archers are a perfect 8-0 with only one of those games decided by single digits. Antwerp will finish the regular season at home against Hilltop and Tinora this weekend and open postseason play Feb. 25 against the winner of Hilltop and Montpelier.
23. Buchtel, Akron (16-5)
Last week: Unranked
Welcome back to the SBLive Top 25, Griffs. Buchtel dominated the Akron City Series, going through the schedule unblemished. However, what brings them back into the rankings is a 75-66 win against previously undefeated Brecksville-Boardview Heights on Saturday. The Griffs open the D-II tournament on Feb. 25 against the winner of Firelands and Cleveland JFK. The path to state looks promising as the Griffs wouldn’t see St. Vincent-St. Mary, a school that is two miles away, until the state championship.
24. Upper Arlington (16-4)
Last week: Unranked
The Golden Bears are stuck in a three-way tie at the top of the OCC Central going into the final week of the season. UAHS knocked Olentangy Orange out of the division talk with a 55-43 on Tuesday, then fought off Dublin Coffman, 55-48. The Golden Bears will end the regular season against OCC Central co-leader Hilliard Davidson on Friday.
25. Hilliard Bradley (12-8)
Last week: 20
The Jaguars are heading in the wrong direction with the OHSAA tournament looming over the horizon. Bradley is 0-4 in February with those losses coming by a combined 20 points. The Jaguars have one final chance for a win when they head to Dublin Coffman on Friday.
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