Conference Preview: Greater Miami Conference

The GMC is much more then a football conference! Just like last year this league is full of talented players, many of whom appear on the player ranking posts of CPHR. This will be another league to watch closely because it could be a wide open one. Expect Middletown to be champions but, plenty of other teams could make surprise runs. A league with Geonvonie McKnight, Kirby Wright, Jaihlen Teague, Mike Boyd, Mark Minch, Eli'sha Campbell, Ulysses Thomas, Jay McCants, Monty Boykins, Corey Wise, and more in it should be entertaining to say the least. Here is a look at what can be expected out of the teams: 

G. McKnight one of the top
junior guards in Ohio.

1. Middletown: The Middie's have a talented team filled with experience this season. They are led by seniors Kirby Wright, Josh Johnson, Jaihlen Teague (who transferred from Princeton), and junior Geovonie McKnight. McKnight is one the favorites to win the league player of the year award and is one of the hottest names on the recruiting circuit right now. Known as a scoring guard McKnight is ready to take it to a new level this year. Wright, a consensus D1 recruit, returns with all of his talents at the power forward spot to give Middletown extra scoring and lots of athleticism. Teague is a great shooter and all around scorer that plays with a great swagger. Expect big things out of him. Johnson is an athletic do it all type of role player. The sleeper for this team is sophomore Jalin Marshall, a highly touted quarterback recruit, who has the potential to be a good basketball player as well.

• Key Players: The big four shown below has as much talent as any group in the league

  • 

    Kirby Wright

    Kirby Wright- Senior PF
  • Geovonie McKnight- Junior SG
  • Jaihlen Teague- Senior SG
  • Josh Johnson – Senior SF
• Bottom Line: Middletown should be really good again this year. If Wright plays up to his potential they will most likely be league champions. Expect big things out of McKnight all season long. This team should be a really interesting one to follow.

Mike Boyd- ready to
make a statement 

2. Lakota East: The Thunderhawks are another team that is deep, experienced, athletic, and very talented. All league point guard Mike Boyd returns for his senior season after being hurt last year. Boyd is a difference maker for this team that will give them ballhandling, playmaking, and some scoring. Coach Vickers has three other returning senior contributors in shooter Jalen Goodwin, slasher Cameron Lee, and the versatile and highly competitive RJ Leppert. East's most talented player is probably junior swingman Mark Minch. Minch is extremely skilled and very strong for a perimeter player. Another junior that could be very effective this season is Princeton transfer Allante Foster who can play on the wing or down low. Allante will be one of the best athletes in the GMC this year.

• 

  Mark Minch is a talented wing

  Key Players: East is probably the deepest team in the league this season.
  • Mike Boyd – Senior PG
  • Jalen Goodwin – Senior SG
  • RJ Leppert – Senior SF
  • Cammeron Lee – Senior SF
  • Mark Minch – Junior SG
• Bottom Line: You know that Lakota East is always going to defend with toughness. This team might have enough offensive punch to put them on top of the standings. This is a very deep group, something that really helps with their tenacious style of play. Look for The Thunderhawks to really make noise this year in the GMC.

3. Colerain: The Cardinals are in unfamiliar territory near the top of the pre-season standings. Last year they shocked everyone and won 19 games. Equaling that will be tough but even with the departures they still have the talent to make that happen. Colerain has two really talented wings in athletic junior Eli'sha Campbell and sophomore Bryan Porter. Campbell is trying to add a level of consistency to his game this year and should really take off as one of the league's premiere scorers; Porter will be playing his first season on varsity and should be a big contributor. Inside Colerain plays football superstar Jared Grace; Grade is a very good role player who works his tail off on the block. Sophomore point guard Deante Walters should get the majority of the ballhandling duties and freshman Trey Hudson will also be counted on to add depth to the wing spot.

• 

  Eli Campbell has major bounce
  for the Colerain Cards

  Key Players: Colerain has enough young talent, depth inside is maybe a concern.
  • Eli'sha Campbell – Junior SG
  • Bryan Porter – Sophomore SF
  • Jared Grace – Senior PF
• Bottom Line: The main question is can their offense keep up with their physical (football style) defense? Other then Campbell there are not many known scorers on the team. If they find ways to put points up they will be very, very good again this year.

4. Princeton: It seems like every year The Vikings are in rebuilding mode and then all of the sudden some new names emerge on the scoreline. This year could be no different as many have Princeton ranked in the top five in the city. However, the talent is not quite as deep as last year. Senior wing Ulysses Thomas, a great shooter and athlete, get his chance to be the man this season and he will be complemented nicely by athletic power forward Jay McCants, also a senior. Princeton also brings back another talented wing in senior Lionel Hill, who knows how to put points up. Look for sophomore Dorian Jordan to get the ballhandling duties while giant junior Tank Young tries to earn minutes in the post.

• 

  Uylsses has waited his turn
  now Princeton is his team

  Key Players: These three seniors will do most of the scoring in Viking land.
  • Ulysses Thomas- Senior SF
  • Jay McCants – Senior PF
  • Lionel Hill – Senior SF
• Bottom Line: This team will not be as good as last year's but still expect to see them near the top of the conference standings. Thomas is a very good player that will surprise some people and McCants (an Indiana football signee) also is all league material.

5. Oak Hills: Point guard Corey Burgin and post man Thomas Schneider lead a solid group of seniors. The Highlanders, always well coached, can get it done on both ends of the floor.

6. Lakota West: After sustaining heavy losses the pressure falls on senior forward Phil Cooke (a big time athlete), post man Chris Connell, and sweet shooting sophomore Monty Boykins to produce for The Firebirds. They are another team that can really guard however, so you never know what they're capable of.

7. Mason: The junior trio of Darrin Harris, JD Sprague, and Alex Woelk will be relied on to bring The Comets back to relevance in the GMC.

8. Fairfield: Jordan Ammon and Jeff Woods lead Fairfield as they try and earn more respect.

9. Hamilton: Sophomore Corey Wise is a rare scoring talent on the wing, he will have to put up big numbers this year for the Big Blue to be successful.

Hamilton sophomore stud
Corey Wise shoots the jumper

10. Sycamore: Junior big man AJ Williams leads an Aviator team that should improve significantly in year two under Coach Moss.

Monty Boykins of Lakota West is a
promising prospect that can
really shoot the ball from deep