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Zane Trace Tipoff Classic

11/29/2024

Amanda-Clearcreek defeated Chillicothe Huntington
New Hope Christian defeated Wellston 64-46
Bexley defeated Logan Elm 50-48 (2OT)
Zane Trace defeated Circleville 51-45
Piketon defeated Ross County Christian 75-58
Chillicothe Southeastern defeated Federal Hocking 59-42
Bishop Ready defeated South Point 52-38
Chillicothe defeated Adena 55-21

Close games kickoff Day 1 action
Two of the four games on Day 1 were decided by one possession with Branson Fowler chasing down a putback layup at the buzzer to give Amanda-Clearcreek a 64-62 victory over Huntington. Bexley had a chance to put away Logan Elm in regulation, but the Braves battled back to force overtime. There, they then had a chance to win it, but allowed Bexley to hit free throws and force a second overtime. Bexley would ultimately win 50-48.

Fed Hock and South Point fall in their openers
Both the Lancers and Pointers lost major pieces from a year ago and both lost over the weekend. South Point’s loss is slightly more justified as they were facing a Bishop Ready team from Columbus with a defensive focus and held them to 38 points. South Point lost Caleb Lovely who graduated last year and is now at Malone. Fed Hock lost a good class headlined by Tariq Cottrill and their loss to Southeastern is a little tougher. There’s a lot of scoring gone from that class that they need to replace and it shows with the 42 point outing in week 1.

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DiFranco Classic

11/27/2024

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Steele defeated North Olmsted 51-50
Olmsted Falls defeated Elyria Catholic 68-56
North Ridgeville defeated Lorain 68-54
Elyria defeated Sandusky 78-76
Midview defeated Keystone 64-55

The biggest takeaway from the annual Classic in Grafton, OH was the 4th game of the day between Elyria and Sandusky. Elyria entered returning their best player from last year in Jayden Crutcher and added Kendyll Compton from Lutheran West. Sandusky was returning much of their team from a year ago headlined by Jason Henlon, Amir Aaron and Kobe Brown. The Blue Streaks have been considered one of the top teams in Division III and this was expected to indeed be a battle. Sandusky controlled for most of the game leading by as much as 9 points late. But Elyria fought back down the stretch and was able to win this thriller. It gives the Pioneers some extra love in a competitive Northeast District in Division I and a win like this shows Elyria can indeed be a team to battle it out.

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3 Things Learned from the Step Higher Preseason Classic

11/18/2024

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1. Summit could be the team to beat in SW Ohio

The Knights made a run to the District Finals last year before losing to Tri-Village in a battle at UD Arena. The expansion of the 7 divisions might have helped the Knights in terms of giving them a better shot at repeating the feat in 2025. Playing against Oakville Prep (Canada) made it clear they haven’t missed a beat. Cayleb Walters (Sr) brought a high motor and made winning plays both with the ball and off ball. Tim Martin (Jr) showed growth in his game and provided shooting on the perimeter. At 6-foot-5, it’s clear as Martin adds to his game he will be difficult to matchup against come tournament time. The biggest takeaway was Summit’s standout freshman Max Jointer (Fr). The 6-foot-4 wing looked like a senior to be with his physical frame and was providing scoring in a variety of ways. Coach Kevin Johnson hit the jackpot getting him, and his Knights team proved they are one of SW Ohio’s best in Division V.

2. Arness Lawson is bound to have a big senior year

I’ve seen Lawson so many times in the past 3 years I didn’t think it was possible for him to impress me even more. In a game against Newport, he did just that. Lawson has always been known for his playmaking and scoring off the dribble drive. What I saw Sunday was a confident PG that will play fearless against bigger bodies and a willingness to distribute the ball and set guys up. Lawson would seemingly hover midair to get the best possible shot. Normally he would be looking to score over Newport’s Griffin Starks (So) at 6-foot-8. In transition, Lawson gave the ball up early and would attack at angles to lure the transition defense away from the basket. His basketball IQ has always been tremendous, but he is putting it all together in his final year. While Newport was missing multiple starters, it still was a baseline to how good the Panthers and Lawson can be.

3. Hughes could be a problem for years to come

We only stayed for part of this game, but Hughes has a couple of guys that give off good vibes toward futuristic potential for the Big Red. The highly touted Leshawn Hill (Fr) was as advertised in his first game with the Big Red, on a big stage. Hill played with a polished game, protecting and running the offense. Not a scoring threat in this game, Hill showed glimpses of what we could see in the future with his quickness with the ball in-hand. The addition of Sir Stirling (Jr) from Moeller should also pay dividends as the 6-foot-8 PF brings length and a legitimate post player for the Big Red. Hughes was returning much of their team from the previous year and adding Hill and Stirling helps fill some of the voids they had. With Division III being a little more open in SW Ohio this year, Hughes could sneak up on some teams this season. But next year could be a breakout year.

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Statewide Coverage

Zane Trace Tipoff Classic

DiFranco Classic

3 Things Learned from the Step Higher Preseason Classic

Written by: Tony Peters & Seth Keim

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