2010 OHSAA Boys’ Basketball Division II Tournament
Final 4
Canton Region vs. Kettering Region
Athens Region vs. Bowling Green Region
Kettering Region
Columbus 2 District vs. Dayton 1 District
Dayton 2 District vs. Dayton 3 District
Columbus 2 District
The District Semifinals will take place this Friday (March 5) at the Columbus Fairground Coliseum. Columbus Mifflin pulled a minor upset of Columbus Bishop Hartley last night in the Sectional Championship, 57-56. Mifflin advances to take on Canal Winchester. As in the lower part of the bracket, Bishop Watterson battles Columbus Eastmoor Academy. The Warriors of Eastmoor have won their two Sectional games by an average of 19.5.
Dayton 1 District
The winner of the Dayton 1 District will have earned the right to be called champion. This is a brutal field which could showcase Indian Hill (#2) or Bethel-Tate (#3) or Dayton Dunbar (#1) as a team who could go deep into this tournament. Cincinnati Indian Hill (27-3) opens their second season against Cincinnati Wyoming (14-7). Indian Hill has defeated Wyoming twice in the regular season. The Braves are coached by David Moss. Indian Hill has a hard nosed junior forward in Sam Hendricks who is averaging 16.0 points per contest. Wyoming has a special player also in Tony Davis (junior) who leads the Cowboys in scoring (15.4) and rebounding (10.9). Bethel-Tate is undefeated at 21-0. Last year, Mike Jennings’ Tigers finished the campaign with a 15-8 mark. The Tigers are led by senior Louie Schaljo. The 6’3 senior is averaging 23.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Although losses in three of their last seven games, Dunbar still is the measuring stick in this District.
Dayton Dunbar’s Resume
State Championships: 3 (2007 Division II – def. Upper Sandusky, 87-85, 2006 Division II – def. Wooster Triway, 73-46, 1987 Class AAA – def. Canton McKinley, 70-65).
Head Coach: Peter Pullen
2009-10 Record: 18-3
Conference: Dayton City League
Current NCAA Division I Alumni: Josh Benson (RS Freshman, Forward, Dayton)…Norris Cole II (Junior, Guard, Cleveland State)…Aaron Pogue (Sophomore, Forward, Cleveland State).
Top Players: 6’2 senior guard Geron Johnson (considering Cleveland State, Duquense, Wright State)…5’11 senior point guard Ryan Bass signed with Oakland.
Signature Wins: Shaker Heights, Chaminade-Julienne, Huron (MI), Whitney M. Young
Nickname: Wolverines
Colors: Blue & White
Dayton 2 District
In the Springfield High School part of the bracket, St. Paris Graham takes the #1 ranking into the post-season. The Falcons have won eight straight entering their contest against Greenville on Tuesday. Graham is 18-3. In the lower half of the District, Cincinnati Roger Bacon (16-5) is the top seed as they open up with Batavia at Mason High School tomorrow. The Spartans have never advanced to the state tournament.
Dayton 3 District
Last night, Bishop Fenwick (16-5) was bounced from the Sectional tournament by Dayton Oakwood, 39-38. Patrick Kreke’s Fenwick team had defeated Oakwood in the Tip-Off Classic, 71-40, on December 6. Chaminade-Julienne won their playoff opener over Ross, 58-40. The Eagles’ 6’4 senior Mark Vest tallied 18 points against Ross. Vest is considering Wright State among other Division I schools at this time. Joe Staley’s group is going to be challenged by Dayton Thurgood Marshall in the Sectional Championship on Wednesday. Thurgood Marshall (16-3) defeated Carroll, 54-25, in the first round. The Cougars lost their only meeting with Chaminade-Julienne this season by a score of 55-38 on December 27.
Canton Region
Stow District vs. Kirtland District
Canton District vs. Youngstown District
Stow District
Cleveland Benedictine and University School met at John Carroll University on February 6. The Bengals got the best of University, 69-52. Now they may meet again in the District Championship game. Prior to the Bengals loss last night to St. Ignatius, Benedictine had ran off eight wins in a row. Rob Stircula’s group open against Cleveland South on Tuesday at Stow-Munroe Falls High School. University School can say that they have lost to three of the best programs around in Mentor (by 2), Benedictine, and Cleveland Heights (by 5). The Preppers have won their last three.
Cleveland Benedictine’s Resume
State Championships: 2 (1998 Division II – def. Dover, 57-48, 1997 Division II – def. Akron Buchtel, 71-68)
Head Coach: Rob Stircula
2009-10 Record: 16-4
Conference: Independent
Top Players: 6’5 senior guard Cameron Wright has signed to play for Jamie Dixon at Pittsburgh…Derek Jackson, a 6’1 senior guard, has committed to play at Central Michigan.
Signature Wins: University School, Cardinal Mooney, Garfield Heights, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, Cleveland Central Catholic
Nickname: Bengals
Colors: Blue & White
Kirtland District
The Kirtland District features a hot Painesville Harvey school and Mentor Lake Catholic among other schools who are attempting to reach the regionals. Harvey won their first round game over Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, 43-42, last night. The Red Raiders began the season with a 3-7 record. Harvey has been red hot winning eight of their last eleven contests to post a 11-10 record. Mentor Lake Catholic has won three straight games. The Cougars have beaten Akron Hoban, Cathedral Latin twice and Padua this year.
Canton District
Quite possibly the best two teams in the whole Division may be in this District in Akron Buchtel and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary. Buchtel is the number one ranked team in the division. The Griffins are 19-0 and are hopeful for a return trip to the state tournament (last visit in 1997). Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary is the defending Division II State Champion. The Fighting Irish are led by two juniors – Jakarr Sampson and Ricky Johnson, Jr. You can’t fall asleep at the wheel when facing Louisville though. The third seed is 16-4. The Leopards have won seven of their last eight contests.
Youngstown District
The favorites are Poland once again. The Bulldogs have won this District five of the last eight years. Poland (19-1) has won ten straight games, including a dramatic 73-71 victory over Canfield on Friday. The Struthers Wildcats are the #2 seed. Struthers has been playing exceptional basketball as they have won fifteen in a row since losing to Poland, 107-79, on December 18. Last year’s Youngstown District winner, Streetsboro, has been down this season but they still garnered the fourth seed in the District.
Athens Region
St. Clairsville District vs. Coshocton District
Athens District vs. Columbus 1 District
St. Clairsville District
The 5th seeded Steubenville Big Red have won four in a row including victories over East Liverpool (87-66) and Harrison Central (58-57) in the Sectional Tournament. On Saturday (March 6), the Big Red will tangle with top seeded Carrollton (13-6) at Ohio University – Belmont. The second seeded Coshocton (17-4) began the year with a 6-4 record. Since then, the Redskins have won 11 straight. The top two seeds met on January 2 with the home standing Warriors winning, 68-63.
Coshocton District
Dover began the season with an 11-0 mark. The Tornadoes advance to the District Semifinals on Thursday against New Concord John Glenn. Dover had defeated the Muskies, 40-36, on January 9. Zanesville stumbled entering into the playoffs losing three of their last four contests. However, the Blue Devils had lost to Division I powers – Warren Harding and Upper Arlington. Zanesville will play tomorrow against Maysville at 6 PM in the Sectional Championship.
Columbus 1 District
The District Semifinals begin on March 4 with a battle between Bexley and Big Walnut at 6:15 PM from the Columbus Fairground Coliseum. In the late tip, fans will get to see the top seeded Columbus St. Francis de Sales take on Columbus East. St. Francis de Sales looks to be the favorite to move on to play in the regional tournament. The Stallions are trying to win their first State Championship since 1987. De Sales defeated River Valley in the Sectional Finals, 65-24, on Friday.
Columbus St. Francis de Sales’ Resume
State Championships: 1987 Class AA – def. Dayton Jefferson Township, 71-64
Head Coach: Blair Albright
2009-10 Record: 18-2
Conference: Central Catholic League
Current NCAA Division I Alumni: Nick Goff (Freshman, Guard, North Texas)…Sean Hobbs (Sophomore, Center, UNC-Wilmington)…Dane Johnson (Sophomore, Guard, Portland State)…Alex Kellogg (Junior, Forward, Ohio)…Darryl Roberts (Senior, Guard, Akron).
Top Players: 6’11 senior center Storm Stanley has signed with St. Francis (PA)…6’3 senior guard Nick Kellogg has committed to play at Ohio University.
Signature Wins: Whitmer, Fort Myers (FL), Fairport (NY), Bishop Watterson (x2), Columbus St. Charles (x2).
Nickname: Stallions
Colors: Purple & White
Athens District
The top seeded Circleville Logan Elm from the upper half of the bracket has advanced to the District Semifinals to take on Waverly on Friday (March 5) at Ohio University. The Braves (18-2) edged Vinton County, 36-32, last night at Logan High School. Logan Elm appeared in the State Final Four a year ago. Waverly knocked off Chillicothe, 45-43, on Friday from Southeastern High School. Washington Courthouse is the top team in the lower bracket as they are awaiting their game versus Vincent Warren on Friday after the Logan Elm/Waverly contest. Courthouse and Vincent Warren have never been to the state tournament.
Bowling Green Region
Westlake District vs. Ada District
Bowling Green District vs. Ashland District
Westlake District
The Westlake District gets underway on Tuesday. Bay will face the winner of the first game of the bracket, Parma Padua or Medina Buckeye, on March 5 (Friday). The Bay Rockets are the top seed in the District at 15-5. They seem to have all the pieces together to make a deep run in the tournament. Avon (#5) defeated Bay earlier this season, 78-70, on January 22. Don’t count out Lorain Clearview though. The Clippers are the #2 seed this year. Clearview won the 1974 Class A State Championship over Franklin Monroe, 74-69.
Ada District
One of the weaker districts in all of Ohio pits Elida (11-9) as the top seed in the upper half of the bracket and Tiffin Columbian as the top team in the bottom half. The Tornadoes of Columbian have not been to the State Tournament since 1934. We could see a lower seeded team walk away with the District Championship. Keep an eye on a team such as the Celina Bulldogs (12-7) to give teams fits in the tournament. Lima Shawnee may surprise some people in the field also.
Ashland District
The Ashland District features a Port Clinton team who achieved something that no other Redskin team has – finish the regular season undefeated (20-0). Last night, Port Clinton sealed their season with a, 62-37, win over Edison. Josh Francis scored 19 as Ryan Hicks added 17 for the unbeaten Redskins. Twelve of Port Clinton’s twenty wins were by twenty points or more. Troy Diels’ team will take on the winner of the Sandusky Perkins and Edison matchup in the Sectional Championship on Friday (March 5) at 6:15 PM at Sandusky High School.
Bowling Green District
The Defiance Bulldogs enter the Bowling Green District as the top seed. The Bulldogs are 17-2 and have not been to the State Tournament in 70 years. Kirk Lehman’s Defiance team has won seven straight games. The royal blue and white will have to contend with the likes of Wauseon and Toledo Libbey (10-6). Two years ago, the Cowboys of Libbey lost in the Division II State Championship game to Chillicothe, 70-69 in overtime. Current Buckeye William Buford scored 29 points in the contest.
