D1 Southwest District Preview

Centerville
25-4 (Greater Western Ohio Conference)

Lost in the State Semifinals 57-53 to Pickerington Central

Who is Back: Jonathan Powell (Sr)- Xavier Commit- 1st Team All District, Baboucarr Njie (Sr), Ethan Greenburg (Jr), Eli Greenburg (Jr)

Who is Gone: Gabe Cupps (SW District POY), Collin O’Conner (2nd Team All District), Emmanuel Deng, Dulguun Gankhuyag

Burning Question: How do you replace a senior class that went to 3 State tournaments?

Outlook: Elks have a lot of firepower still and are the team to beat in the Southwest District. Powell makes a case for Mr. Basketball

Elder
21-5 (GCL South)

Lost in Regional Semifinals 54-47 to Centerville

Who is Back: Tyler Johnson (Sr)- Thomas More commit, Cam Williams (Jr)

Who is Gone: Carson Browne- All District, Sam Whitmer

Burning Question: How do the Panthers compare with the rest of the competitive GCL South?

Outlook: Elder is one of the better coached programs and always play their best basketball come March. Combination of size and composure makes them dangerous

Fairfield
23-5 (Greater Miami Conference)

Lost in Regional Finals 64-53 to Centerville

Who is Back: Kameron Sanders (Jr), Gabe Clemmons (Jr), Cashawn Ingram (Jr)

Who is Gone: Deshawne Crim (1st Team All District), Ray Coney (2nd Team All District), Aamir Rogers

Burning Question: Can the juniors continue the dominance Fairfield has had the past 2 years?

Outlook: Indians are losing 3 starters and plenty of scoring. Sanders and Clemmons have attracted D1 college interest and should keep Fairfield in the running.

Kings
18-6 (Eastern Cincinnati Conference)

Lost in Sectionals 73-66 to Western Hills

Who is Back: Talan Noyes (Sr), Tommy Clark (Jr), Myles Baker (Jr), Tyler Owens (So)- transfer from Covington Catholic (KY)

Who is Gone: Michael Mussari

Burning Question: Will the Knights get through the perennial powers in SW Ohio?

Outlook: Kings returns a lot of great guards and especially saw growth in Clark and Baker. Knights will challenge in the ECC

Lakota East
11-13 (Greater Miami Conference)

Lost in District Semifinals to Moeller 51-50

Who is Gone: Trey Perry (Jr), Tyler Bachman (Sr), Derek Jackson (Sr)

Who is Back: Jack Kronauge, Julian Mitchell, Lebron Bennie-Powell, Kayden Meadows

Burning Question: Will East rebound from a down year last season?

Outlook: The Thunderhawks have one of the best PGs in SW Ohio and a tradition that they will bounce back after a tough regular season in 2023.

Moeller
18-8 (GCL South)

Lost in District Finals 57-36 to Princeton

Who is Back: AJ McBride (Sr)- Niagara Commit, Kingston Land (Jr), Eric Mahaffey (Sr)- Akron Commit, Kyle Havens (Sr), Brady Franz (Jr)- transfer from Texas, Roman Mason (Jr), Alex Kazanecki (Jr)

Who is Gone: Donovan Mukes, Nick Williams, Jason Henning, Grant Smethwick

Burning Question: Can Moe say healthy and will McBride be back in time?

Outlook: Moeller is a very well coached program and if healthy, have a plethora of talent at their disposal. Should make a case to challenge for a District title again.

Princeton
19-8 (Greater Miami Conference)

Lost in Regional Semifinals 51-45 to Fairfield

Who is Back: Dorian Williams (Sr)- Vanderbilt football Commit, Cliff Cass (Jr), Kieran Granville-Britten (Jr)- transfer from Taft, Brendan Braddix (Sr), Amir Phillips (Fr)

Who is Gone: Riley Woods, Keven Adorno, Jaiden Arnold- transfer to Aiken

Burning Question: Can the Vikings replace the guard play departing and repeat last season’s success?

Outlook: Princeton has the pieces to have success, but they are going to need Cass and Williams to really step up. Will look to some younger players to fill in the gaps and will not have Granville-Britten due to injury.

St. Xavier
13-12 (GCL South)

Lost in District Semifinals 58-40 to Fairfield

Who is Back: Donovan Waleskowski (Jr)- 2nd Team All District, Jacob Wassler (Jr)

Who is Gone: Kyle Conner, Luke Eckert

Burning Question: Can the Bombers get back to their roots and find success in GCL play?

Outlook: Ryan Fleming joins the Bombers from Summit Country Day and will bring the same physicality and tenacity to compete in the GCL South. Bombers have enough to compete for a District title.

Sycamore
17-7 (Greater Miami Conference)

Lost in District Semifinals 47-45 to Elder

Who is Back: Raleigh Burgess (Sr)- Purdue commit, 2nd Team All District, Tariq Kimbrough (Jr), Sam Imade (Jr)

Who is Gone: Charlie Hall, Bryce Darbyshire, Austin Southerland, Des Bolden

Burning Question: Now with Burgess back healthy, can the Aves replace the rest of the experience graduated?

Outlook: There is a lot of talent gone and will be hard to replace. Burgess was having a monster year before getting injured and him healthy is enough to keep Sycamore in the running.

Wayne
21-5 (Greater Western Ohio Conference)

Lost in District Finals 76-51 to Fairfield

Who is Back: Juan Cranford Jr (Sr), Boots Perkins (Jr), Josiah Marshall (Sr), Josiah Howard-Morrison (Sr)

Who is Gone: Lawrent Rice (1st Team All District)

Burning Question: How will the Warriors look replacing one of the greatest players in their program?

Outlook: The Warriors return a great core of upperclassmen to replace Rice and should again be one of the best teams in the GWOC and in SW Ohio

Winton Woods
9-14 (Eastern Cincinnati Conference)

Lost in Sectionals 74-50 to Fairfield

Who is Back: Tyler McKinley (Sr)- Cincinnati commit- (transfer from Link Academy, MO), Sean Harmon Jr (Sr)-transfer from Walnut Hills, Jaylen Mercer (Fr)

Who is Gone: Jermaine Matthews, Javion Bostic

Burning Question: How far can McKinley get the Warriors in his return to Ohio?
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Outlook: Transfers change the dynamic of this team and the addition of a Top 100 player in the country (McKinley) makes this team a great chance to win the ECC and compete for a District title.