Weekend Preview

It's officially that time of year again! With Ohio teams beginning their regular season schedules this weekend we wanted to take our traditional look at the top games, as well as CPHR's picks on who will win........

Friday-  12/2/11

·         Winton Woods @ Moeller: What an opening night game! CPHR’s #2 ranked team in Moeller faces the #6 team in Winton Woods. Both teams have tremendous depth but youth might play a factor here as this will be the first varsity game for almost the entire Winton Woods teams, and the first game with Winton Woods for transfers Trent Donald and Jerrell Wilkins. The size and skill battles should be about even and while Winton Woods has an athleticism advantage that has never been a problem from the men of Moe to overcome. This game could easily come down to the last shot and we wouldn’t be surprised to see it go either way.  

o   Prediction: Home court and experience play the deciding factor as Moeller wins a season opening thriller between two heavyweights.

·         Aiken @ Taft: The annual season opening clash will be as loaded with talent as usual this year. Taft will bring back four starters, and five key players, on a team made up entirely of seniors from last year’s State Championship team. This matchup features Cincinnati’s pre-season top two D-II teams and Aiken has some horses, led by senior SG Willie Moore (Duquesne signee). Expect the game to stay close for a half but for Adolphus Washington to take over in the second half.

o   Prediction: Aiken hangs around for a while but Taft wins by double digits.

·         Centerville @ Princeton: There’s a lot of hype around Coach Anderson’s first game as head coach of the Vikings as they host a perennially solid Dayton D-I team. Princeton is the superior team athletically and should settle in and wear down Centerville.

o   Prediction: Princeton by twenty plus.

·         Lockland @ Lakota East: Cincinnati’s top D-IV team travels to take on a D-I team that has been decimated by injuries early and is forced to play some freshman on the varsity. Lockland has the talent to hang around but the defensive intensity of East should prevail in a low scoring affair.

o   Preview: Lakota East wins comfortably with a great defensive effort.

·         Beavercreek @ Middletown: A talented group from Dayton comes down to play a Middies team that will be playing for the first time with their football guys dressed. The Middies are big favorites here but Beavercreek is a bit of an unknown with a lot of young talent.

o   Prediction: Might be close for a half but Coach Andrews gets a convincing win in his first game at the helm of the Middies.

·         Withrow @ Woodward: It’s never easy to defeat a rival on the road, especially in a season opener, but Withrow has an overwhelming talent advantage in this one. Expect junior PF Devin Williams to have a career day inside for Withrow.

o   Prediction: Coach Gilbert will not allow this season opener to be a repeat of last year’s where Woodward hung around until the last shot. Withrow dominates early and wins big.

·         Turpin @ Amelia

·         Harrison @ Colerain

·         Fairmont @ Fairfield

·         Oak Hills @ West High

·         Roger Bacon @ Finneytown

·         Reading @ Summit

·         Madeira @ Clark

·         Oyler @ Hughes

·         Purcell Marian @ Walnut Hills

·         Sycamore @ Indian Hill

Saturday- 12/3/11

·         Aiken @ Shroder: Win or lose Friday at Taft the Aiken Falcons will have to mentally regroup to face what will be a fresh Shroder team. Aiken has a clear talent advantage here but they have to worry about looking past the Jaguars, with so much hype revolving around Friday’s game. The key to this game will be how well Shroder handles the Aiken press as well as if they can apply pressure of their own to keep the game low scoring; by far and away their best chance to win.

o   Prediction: Shroder simply has no answer for Willie Moore or Austin Grimes. Aiken should control this game from the start and win handily.

·         Hughes @ Woodward: Assuming they take care of business on Friday the Big Red of Hughes will have a chance to surpass last year’s win total in just their second game. The tough part will be winning on the road for a team that went winless in the CMAC last year. Woodward knows that these are the type of games that they have to win at home. Look for this to be a perimeter dominated scoring game that is more than likely low scoring.

o   Prediction: Hughes starts off 2-0 with a close win.

·         West High @ Taft: Both of these teams plan on being 1-0 going into this matchup. If West High wants to establish themselves as one of the elite teams in the city they have to show up in this type of atmosphere. Taft is a heavy favorite but there is always a chance for a letdown after an emotional opener like Aiken. West High has the depth inside to contain Adolphus Washington but can their guards slow down Jalean Lowe’s scoring?

o   Prediction: Taft wins convincingly, until Keevin Tyus returns from injury West High cannot keep up with Taft offensively.

·         Lebanon @ Mason

·         North College Hill @ Wyoming

Updated Rankings

Monty Boykins of Lakota West

To celebrate the start of the new season CPHR has been working hard on our affiliate site, Triple Double Prospects, to make sure our rankings are as up to date as possible. Over the last month we have taken careful note as to who we believe has been improving the most. While several decisions were tough, particularly the '14 point guards (where the margins are razor thin between players), these are the rankings that we believe to be accurate.

The biggest change? A new name on top of the '13 SG list in Lakota West's Monty Boykins, who has been on a scoring rampage this fall every time CPHR has been in the gym. Here are the links to the new rankings, they can also be accessed by going to www.tripledoubleprospects.com and or by clicking on the rankings on the tabs at the top of this page.

2012 Cincinnati Player Rankings

2013 Cincinnati Player Rankings

2014 Cincinnati Player Rankings

Editors Note: If you're a player, or family/friend of a player, who does not have a profile but is ranked on Triple Double Prospects (or if your simply missing a photo) please be patient. We are working feverishly on having profiles for everyone before tip-off on Friday night!

2011-2012 Cincinnati HS Season Preview

The boy's high school basketball season starts in Cincinnati on Friday and no one is more excited then CPHR. Although we are only releasing our full "season preview" in our magazine (available at CPHR covered games or, more conveniently, here: Buy Magazine) we still wanted to give fans who are unable to get the magazine a quick preview of the winter. Here are our weekly power rankings, a new future that CPHR is extremely proud to introduce. We will release our rankings every Sunday and after the article they will stay in the box on the top left of this page. We also have included who we think will earn all-city honors going into the season, although that inevitably will change as much as team rankings. Thanks for reading and enjoy the beginning of the season!

Weekly Power Rankings

Division I

1. Withrow- The city’s most talented team goes 9 deep without losing anything. Big man Devin Williams is dominant, especially alongside 6’10 Rozelle Nix. A talented group of guards led by Corey Wise, Tyonte Robertson, and Tim Coleman can really make plays. Keep an eye on senior forward Erron Nichols, a tough, versatile athlete and glue guy.
2. Moeller- Returns 4 key players from a Regional Final team. Ben Galemmo, Josh Davenport, and Tony Sabato should handle most of the scoring while Alex Voss and Keith Watkins should play key roles on a team with great depth and leadership. 
3.  Princeton- Most talented GMC team is deep and athletic under new coach Mike Anderson. Malcolm Smith, Dorian Jordan, Deion Isham, and “Tank” Young were all contributors next year. Junior forward Eric Tivis should have a breakout season.
4. Middletown- Two superstars in Geovonie McKnight and Vincent Edwards lead an athletic team adapting to a new coach in Josh Andrews. Co-favorites in GMC.
5. LaSalle- Reloaded from last year’s State Title they return PG Josh Lemons and have a well coached group of role players led by Jeff Larkin and Chris Rodriguez.
6. Winton Woods- Might be young, only 1 varsity player returns, but a plethora of talented sophomores and transfer Trent Donald give them as talented a team as anyone. Watch out for junior forward Kwan Cheatham who could be the breakout player of the year.
7.  Mason- Darrin Harris, Michael Van Kleunen, and JD Sprague give them a trio of weapons on a disciplined team that knows how to win ball games.
8. Walnut Hills- Return 4 junior starters, post Isaiah Johnson is a load down low while little guards Sterling Gilmore, Ricardo Hill, and Kyree Burton are all talented weapons.
9. Lakota East- Missing Mark Minch till January hurts but Stedman Lowry and Robbie Harpring can hold down the fort with a well disciplined, but young, supporting cast.
10. St Xavier- The future is now for a young team led by sophomore forward Roderick Mills and a slew of talented and athletic juniors. Expect more of an up-tempo Bomber squad.

Just Missed: Colerain, Lakota West, Fairfield, Turpin, Northwest 

Division II-IV

1.  Taft- All 10 varsity players are seniors, return 4 starters and a their high scoring 6^th man from last year’s State Championship team. Adolphus Washington, Orlando Berry, Jalean Lowe, Dwayne Stanford, and Jermaine Freeman have been playing together for ten years and will be a tough out for opposing teams in their final year together.
2. Aiken- Willie Moore and Austin Grimes return to carry the scoring load with transfer PF Paul Woodson holding down the middle on a talented team.
3. Franklin- 6’8 twins Jacob and Justin Rossi lead the way with Ohio’s top freshman Luke Kennard running the point at 6’5. Tall under the radar team with great shooting ability.
4.  Summit- Loss of Tommy Kreyenhagen to injury slows them down but Antonio Woods and Kevin Johnson are a dynamic backcourt.
5. Shroder- Seniors Trey Dees, Randle Griffith, and Ladell Griffin all return from a Sectional Final team. They have great size, if they find some scoring they’ll be very good early.
6. Lockland- Returns top 6 players including scoring threats DJ Wingfield and Dylan Wedlock off a District team from last season.
7.  McNicholas- Drew Hall is a big time scorer, favorite to win the GCL Central.
8. Roger Bacon- Reloaded with young talent and defensive intensity of Coach Neal.
9. North College Hill- Young team led by senior PG Louis Walker.
10. Indian Hill- Return three starters from last year and our favorites to win the CHL.

Just Missed: Hughes, Clark, Seven Hills, Finneytown, Wyoming, Maderia, Mariemont, Badin, Cincinnati Christian

Pre-Season All-City Team

·         Adolphus Washington- Senior C Taft

·         Willie Moore- Senior SG Aiken

·         Josh Lemons- Senior PG LaSalle

·         Orlando Berry Jr- Senior PG Taft

·         Geovonie McKnight- Senior PG/SG Middletown

·         Devin Williams- Junior PF Withrow

·         Vincent Edwards- Sophomore SF Middletown

·         Mark Minch- Senior SG/SF Lakota East **Will miss first half of season with injury**

·         Monty Boykins- Junior SG Lakota West

·         Isaiah Johnson- Junior C Walnut Hills

·         Zach McCormick- Sophomore PG/SG Turpin

·         Jacob Rossi- Senior SF/PF Franklin

·         Drew Hall- Senior SF McNicholas

·         Kevin Johnson- Junior PG Summit

·         Malcolm Smith- Senior SG Princeton

·         Darrin Harris- Senior SF Mason

·         Jalean Lowe- Senior SF Taft

·         Keevin Tyus- Senior SG/SF West High **Will mist first month of season with injury**

·         Trent Donald- Junior PF Winton Woods

Honorable Mention: Tyonte Robertson (Withrow PG), Dorian Jordan (Princeton PG), Ben Galemmo (Moeller SG), Tony Sabato (Moeller C), Bryan Porter (Colerain SG), Lionel Hill (West High PG), Sterling Gilmore (PG Walnut Hills), Dwayne Stanford (Taft PF), Jermaine Freeman (Taft SG), Paul Woodson (Aiken PF), Austin Grimes (Aiken SF), Luke Kennard (Franklin SG/SF), Justin Rossi (Franklin PF), Antonio Woods (Summit PG), DJ Wingfield (SG Lockland), Kevin Daniels (SG Hughes), Roderick Mills (St. Xavier SF), Rozelle Nix (Withrow C), Deontez McGee (SG Norwood), Ramar Hairston (Northwest SG), Kwan Cheatham (Winton Woods PF), Stedman Lowry (Lakota East SG), Chris Connell (Woodward C)

Still need more coverage of the top teams and players this season? Want in depth team previews with conference rankings as well? Click on the link to buy CPHR's Season Preview Magazine: Buy Magazine

Queen City Superstars Season Preview- Recap

Zach McCorkle

The first annual Queen City Superstars Season Preview took place on Saturday evening at Woodward HS, hosted by Woodward head coach Lanis Timmons and his wife Annie. The event turned out to be a great success as fans were able to watch five games, eight of the ten teams being local teams that CPHR covers regularly, each consisting of two 8 minute halves. After checking out all five games we have some thoughts, as well as recaps, of what each team showed us tonight. With the season beginning in only six days the games were competitive and for most teams it was their last practice game before the real season begins on Friday. Game Photos 

• Winton Woods 29 Withrow 21: The final game of the day was billed as the main event in the days leading up to the preview. Withrow, CPHR's pre-season #1 team in Division I, could not handle the defensive pressure of an equally deep and athletic Winton Woods team that capitalized on every Withrow mistake to get easy baskets on the other end. CPHR came away extremely impressed with the inside play of Winton Woods starting front court of senior PF Zach McCorkle, junior SF/PF Kwan Cheatham, and junior SF/PF Trent Donald. All three showed toughness and energy on the glass while providing a lot of scoring on the offensive end. With Cheatham as a shooter, Donald as a creator, and McCorkle as a dirty work guy (who played one of his best ever games today) the Warriors have great promise inside. Sophomore PG Ronnie Rousseau, under the bright lights for the first time, was excellent as well as he created offense, took care of the ball, and hit two open three pointers. Withrow was led by junior post Devin Williams and junior guard Corey Wise. Williams was able to get some baskets inside when matched 1-1 but for the most part the Warriors defense did a good job helping on him and making him take tough shots. 

Kwan Cheatham

• Colerain 30 Woodward 21: The point guard play of junior Deiontay Waiters and sophomore Kiere Bennie sparked the Cardinals as they continue their scrimmage style of using pressure defense to turnover teams and create easy offense. While they didn't shoot the ball very well the inside presence of junior CJ Reed and senior transfer Allante Foster was strong on the boards and able to finish some misses. Woodward was led by junior wing Tyrone Whitehead and senior wing Eric Hill for a team that was able to get stops but needs to continue to improve on the offensive end. 

• Trotwood Madison 40 Hughes 37: While there are never moral victories at the varsity level Coach Wyant has to be pleased with the improvement that his Hughes Big Red squad has made from last season. A huge portion of that improvement can be attributed to sophomore PG Angel Rivera, a transfer who just arrived in the United States from Puerto Rico. Rivera showed tremendous court vision, ballhandling, and confidence in handling pressure. While he isn't the quickest guard in the city his understanding of how to change speed and direction made it tough for pressing Trotwood defenders to check him. Sophomore wing Kevin Daniels handled most of the scoring duties for Hughes as he attacked the rim and scored efficiently around the basket. While they are far from a finished product this Hughes team could potentially make a big jump in the CMAC standings this season. 

Angel Rivera

• Lockland 30 Talawanda 21: Junior SG Dylan Wedlock led the Panthers in scoring over a team that they were able to athletically dominate. Wedlock showed off a nice mid-range shooting stroke while scoring points from a variety of spots on the floor. Junior guard DJ Wingfield also impressed as, with Lockland missing C Avery Barnes, he guarded all five positions on the floor at various points as he is their tallest player at 6'5. Wingfield also played some PG offensively for the Panthers and did a nice job of setting up the Panthers zone motion offense. 

• Fairfield 40 Shroder 25: The Indians came out scorching the nets and never looked back as they buried at least seven three pointers in the blow out win. Senior guards Devon Barlow and James Turner each hit a couple three balls and paced the scoring while guard Kyle Smith showed the best shooting touch by hitting a trio of treys. Fairfield's most impressive player was sophomore PG Tim Fleming who did a nice job of penetrating and kicking to create the open threes as well as handling the pressure of the Shroder defense. The Shroder Jags were paced by senior PG Trey Dees who was able to penetrate and find open teammates but shots simply were not falling for a Shroder team that is still trying to find an offensive identity. 

Moeller @ Lakota East (Foundation Game) Recap:

Alex Voss

The Crusaders ran away with the game midway through the third when they scored 10 straight, capped by a powerful two hand dunk from senior post Tony Sabato, en route to a 62-43 road win over hosts Lakota East on Friday night in each teams foundation game; a game that is played like a normal high school game but does not count towards either team's record. Event Photos

Moeller went deep into their bench early and often and got consistent play from their whole team all night. Holding down the point duties while junior Keith Watkins makes the transition from football was senior SG Ben Galemmo. While he led Moeller with 16 points, including 4 three pointers, it was his improved feel for running the offense that impressed CPHR. Once they entered the ball to start the play Galemmo became more of a SG as junior wing Josh Davenport became the guy counted on to attack and create. 

Perhaps the most impressive player tonight for the Crusaders, Alex Voss, scored 11 points and showed some real aggressiveness that should lead to a big senior season for the forward. Voss has good height for a forward at 6'5 but can play like a guard and really passes the ball well. Moe's other top contributors were Tony Sabato with 8 points, junior post Pat Wrencher with 6, and Davenport with 4.

The three sophomores playing up with the varsity did impress as SG Grant Benzinger played the most minutes and scored 5 points while PG Trey Hawkins and post Blake Simpson did see some minutes sparingly.

Stedman Lowry

A Lakota East team devastated by the loss of senior wing Mark Minch, who is out until at least mid-January with a foot injury, has turned to junior SG's Stedman Lowry and Robbie Harpring for scoring. They led the way against the Crusaders as Lowry scored 12 and Harpring added 11, the only two Thunderhawks in double figures. Both are very good shooters and Lowry showed CPHR an increased ability to create his own shot off the dribble, and the confidence to attack, both things that East will need early and often from him. Junior post Zach Panzeca played tough down low against the army of Moeller big men and sophomore PG Ryan Leppert showed why East coaches think he is the point man of the future as his vision is excellent and will get better with some refinement. 

The main bright spot for Lakota East was the play of their two freshman on the varsity level. Wing/forward Myo Baxter, a big bodied scorer with athleticism, and small but skilled combo guard Dylan Lowry each provided quality sparks off the bench and should be major contributors all season long.

Tuesday & Wednesday Scrimmage Report.......

Two high profile scrimmages in two days for CPHR as we continue to watch teams show signs of how good they can be this year. Here are our thoughts from Tuesday and Wednesday action.....

Middletown's Chance Sorrel

Results from Tuesday's four team scrimmage at Dayton Dunbar HS: 

• Taft: Finished with a 3-0 record behind the shooting stroke of senior wing Jalean Lowe, who hit about a dozen triples in the three games. Senior post Adolphus Washington is slowly getting his basketball touch back and was effective on the block against the bigger Northland defenders. With Orlando Berry and Jermaine Freeman taking care of ballhandling duties the Senators got a lift from senior wing Fred Cannaday, starting for the injured Dwayne Stanford. Fred was able to take defenders off the dribble, hit the three pointer, and provided great energy on the defensive end. If the scrimmage at Dunbar taught us one thing it's that the road to the Ohio Division II State Title goes through Taft. 

• Middletown: Still playing without two starters, as Jalin Marshall and Zach Edwards recover from football injuries, the Middies played very well posting a 1-2 record with a win over Columbus Northland. While the Middies did struggle against the pressure defense of Taft and Dunbar they got solid attacking play from senior combo guard Geovonie McKnight. The key to the Middletown season might be how productive sophomore forward Vince Edwards and sophomore center Chance Sorrel are inside. Both had very good games in the win over a larger and physical Northland squad. 

Northland's Ty Hairston

• Dayton Dunbar: The hosts left the gym unhappy with their 1-2 win, the lone win coming against Middletown, but there obviously is talent on the team and it seems like they just had a bad day. Senior forward Deontae Hawkins and junior forward Damarion Geter weren't particularly active and Dunbar decided to shorten their rotation, which also hampered their intensity. Senior guard Andre Yates and senior wing Gary Akbar handled most of the scoring load for the Wolverines. Ultra-talented young guards Willie Greene (sophomore) and AJ Harris (freshman) struggled some against the pressure of such accomplished older players but showed that they have the talent to be stars at the highest level. 

• Columbus Northland: The almost unanimous preseason #1 team in Ohio at the Division I level did not play like it at Dunbar by posting a 1-2; with their lone win coming off a controversial no-call goaltending play against Dunbar. Northland did have two players produce however. Senior post Devon Scott looks like he might be a steal for the University of Dayton as his production on the boards and defense was matched by an increased offensive awareness down low, as well as flashing to the high post and passing the ball out of some of the Vikings' set plays. The other intriguing piece to the puzzle was the lone non-senior starter in SG Ty Hairston. Although he has some development left to do Hairston showed nice aggressiveness as well as some passing and ball-handling abilities. 

Results from Wednesday's three team scrimmage at Aiken:

Dunbar's AJ Harris

• Aiken: The Falcons are much improved in both their halfcourt offense and defense, providing a nice change of pace from the usual Aiken teams. Offensively senior SG Willie Moore did a nice job driving the lane and creating shots for the hot shooting sophomore SG Correy Cavins. The team also was effective in getting high-low action and lobbing the ball to senior forward Paul Woodson for easy scores. Defensively Aiken pressured the ball, led by senior PG Stevon Nelms, and forced some turnovers. It was poor ballhandling decisions against pressure that cost the Falcons some wins as late in games their lack of depth did show some. Aiken finished 1-1 against Winton Woods and 1-1 against Princeton. 

• Princeton: The Vikings might be a little disappointed in dropping both games to Winton Woods and splitting with Aiken but they were playing without likely leading scorer Malcolm Smith, a senior wing, who is out a few days with a minor injury. Senior combo guard Deion Isham was excellent today in attacking the rim and creating offense. Princeton got better play off the bench today but it is still a little tough to figure out exactly which players will fit best into Coach Anderson's rotation as most have played with inconsistency. 

• Winton Woods: In games CPHR saw Winton Woods posted the most wins, with a 2-0 record over Princeton and a 1-1 split against Aiken. This team is young but the talent is crazy! 6'7 junior wing Kwan Cheatham looked much improved today as his signature three point shot was falling and he was more active inside on the boards. Junior forward Trent Donald also was a high scorer for the Warriors as his power inside was tough for teams to match. The Warriors are another team that is extremely effective as a pressing defense but not yet refined at playing against the press as sophomores Ronnie Rousseau and Demetrius Suesberry showed their obvious talents but they also have to work on slowing down against pressure and not forcing the issue. By mid-season Winton Woods might be the team to beat in Division I locally. 

After enjoying Thanksgiving tomorrow CPHR will be spending all day Friday and Saturday in the gym seeing some of the top teams in Cincinnati, and Soutwest Ohio; stay tuned!

Saturday 11/19 Scrimmage Report

Erron Nichols

Cincy Prep Hoops Report was all over the Greater Cincinnati area today, hitting 5 different scrimmages in an 8 hour period, trying to get a better feel for who the top teams are going into the season; which is creeping up quicker and quicker. Here are some thoughts on what we saw today........

• Middletown @ Withrow
• Middletown: New coach Josh Andrews seems to have really emphasized rebounding as his team did a great job boxing out the bigger Withrow team and pushing the break. While he didn't have a huge scoring day senior PG Geovonie McKnight did a excellent job setting up teammates and deferred most of the scoring duties to star sophomore wing Vincent Edwards. A bright spot for Middletown was 6'6 sophomore Chance Sorrel, who missed last year with injury. Sorrel is a wide-body inside with a love for physicality, soft hands, and the decent ability to run the floor. Considering that two starters have still not joined the team yet, as they took a week off after football season, the Middies appear to have one of Cincy's top Division I squads. 
• Withrow: The depth of Withrow continues to overwhelm CPHR. Missing big men Rozelle Nix and Devin Williams, as well as PG Tyonte Robertson, for the first two quarters the Tigers still used 6 quality players and beat Middletown by 7 points in those quarters. Senior forwards Erron Nichols and Tyler Jordan continue to be the story as their versatility from the wing of post, toughness on defense, and athletic rebounding ability make substituting that much more difficult for Coach Gilbert. For the guards, juniors Tim Coleman and Corey Wise were aggressive attacking and creating shots today while senior Damon Gooch showed consistent range on his jumpshot. 

Luke Kennard

• Franklin/Turpin @ Woodward 
• Franklin: For a unknown Division II team the Franklin Wildcats are really good, and really big! 6'5 freshman wing Luke Kennard, CPHR's #1 ranked freshman, played the point today for a team that plays a 6'6 post and two 6'8 forwards in the Rossi twins. Franklin also has the shooting ability to stretch the floor and showed a variety of well played defenses that kept opponents off balance. 
• Turpin: Sophomore guard Zach McCormick continues to show CPHR that he is one of Ohio's elite talents in his class as he was able to create shots off the dribble while the rest of the Spartan team showed they are a deep and talented group capable of making a run at Walnut Hills for the FAVC divisional crown. 
• Woodward: The Bulldogs struggled for the day but did have spurts of pressure defense turning into instant offense as they were the most athletic team at their scrimmage. Senior SF Eric Hill led the scoring for Woodward.

• Walnut Hills @ Shroder
• Walnut Hills: While they didn't have their most efficient day the Eagles got a lift from junior PG Kyree Burton who's three point shot was falling while he also was able to attack the lane. The Eagles might not have great depth but they have a talented starting group that should be really hard for opposing offenses to score on. 
• Shroder: The Jaguars impressed with their defensive intensity and played just as well on offense as they played Walnut Hills to a tie. Senior PG Trey Dees did a good job pushing the ball and then becoming more of a scorer in the half court, something that Shroder will desperately need. Senior posts Ladell Griffin and Randale Griffith did a good job on WH star post Isaiah Johnson while contributing offensively by running the floor and making some nice passes out of post-up situations when they were double teamed. 

• Colerain @ Covington Holmes (KY)
• Colerain: The Cardinals are very talented but are definitely a work in progress. The depth at the guard spot is incredible with Kiere Bennie and Bryan Porter leading the way today while Eli'sha Campbell, Milt Davis, Deiontay Waiters, and Kane Thompson played their role. Missing two of their bigger players Colerain turned up the heat and forced several Holmes turnovers; effectively turning defense into offense with fastbreak buckets. Their half court offense is in development but with their defensive effort the Cards should start the season on a good note. 

• Summit @ Simon Kenton (KY)
• Summit: In a physical full mock-game scrimmage the Silver Knights rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat Simon Kenton 60-51. The Knights look like a good team but with senior SG Tommy Kreyenhagen sidelined until February with a shoulder injury an even  heavier burden is going to be placed on junior PG Kevin Johnson and sophomore PG Antonio Woods. Both looked great today as Johnson aggressively attacked the rim and scored while Woods played his usual set-up role, with double digit assists and only one turnover. Without Kreyenhagen the Knights are in need of shooting and they might have found a spark with Joey Kreyenhagen, Tommy's sophomore brother, who provided good minutes off the bench. 

With some big time scrimmages coming up this week stay tuned to CPHR for all the team reports!

Dayton Dunbar @ Lasalle- Scrimmage Report

Cincy Prep Hoops Report had a chance to stop by the home of the defending Ohio Division I State Champions, the LaSalle Lancers, as they scrimmaged one of the most hyped teams in the midwest this season in Dayton Dunbar. In a fast and furious run, which Dunbar's starters were able to comfortably defeat LaSalle with their pressure and overwhelming firepower, we learned a lot about both teams:

Sophomore PG/SG Jeff Larkin could have a breakout year

LaSalle Lancers- 

• This team is going to have to find a way to handle pressure with other players besides Josh Lemons. Dunbar's defense was most effective because it wore Lemons down; and with Lemons worn down it becomes tough for the Lancers to run offense and get to the rim (remember Lemons is the only returning starter off the State Championship team). 
• This team shoots the ball much better then last year. Lemons, Connor Speed, Chris Rodriguez, Jeff Larkin, and several other Lancer role-players really looked good shooting the ball. The outside shot is critical to the LaSalle offense as teams have to be careful how much they help off of shooter while defending Lemons and the Lancer's complex Princeton offense.
• Pressure can beat pressure. Even though they struggled against the Dunbar starters the Lancers were able to apply pressure of their own, in typical LaSalle style, causing turnovers and leading to easy buckets. 
• The two football stars- Joe Berger and Ryan Leahy give this team a true inside dynamic that they didn't have last year. Both these players provide rebounding, finishing, experience, and toughness in the Lancer system. 
• The thing that CPHR most noticed tonight about LaSalle- Jeff Larkin is ready to play! The 6'0 sophomore combo guard is a pure shooter that can take his man off the dribble and pull up with a quick release. Larkin also handles the ball, and tough pressure, very well for a sophomore. Most importantly to Coach Fleming is that Larkin has the quickness, tenacity, and tough mentality to guard opposing guards and turn them over in the Lancer press.

Dayton Dunbar Wolverines-

• Believe the hype! The Wolverines are as good as advertised. Their projected starting five was the one that took the floor tonight and dominated the game. Seniors Andre Yates, Gary Akbar, and Deontae Hawkins all looked motivated to make a run to another Dunbar State Championship.
• Freshman PG Amos "AJ" Harris is for real! Considered one of the truly elite PG's in the country for freshman Harris was sensational off the dribble by rocking his man to sleep and delivering pin-point passes into tight locations. What CPHR loved about Harris tonight was the look of his lefty shooting stroke and his ability to control the game, without trying to do too much. 
• They have more depth then people realize. Dunbar ran 12 different players into the game and really didn't miss a beat. Their size and strength inside was a pleasant surprise as several wide-bodied big men provide a nice complement to the leaner 6'7 Deontae Hawkins and 6'7 Damarion Geter. CPHR was particularly impressed with the bench spark provided by 6'3 junior PF/C Jamal Clemmens and 6'0 senior PG/SG LaQuon Archie. 
• Sophomore combo guard Willie Green will have a chance to be very good. Harris and Green seem like the Dunbar backcourt of the future as Green has big time quickness and a killer mentality that, with some refinements to his decision making, can turn him into a elite scorer. At 6'2 with athleticism, a tight handle, and a knack for blowing by his man Green is able to get in the lane and score at will but needs to focus on making the simple play, as opposed to the spectacular to reach his potential. 

Saturday Scrimmage Report

Most of Cincinnati's teams started the fall scrimmage season over the weekend and CPHR was able to take in action at two locations Saturday. The competition was intense and we were reminded just how much depth there is in the city as Taft, Princeton, Withrow, and Lakota West all showed versatile lineups that were loaded with talent.....

• Taft @ Princeton
• Taft- Playing without an injured Dwayne Stanford and without Adolphus Washington (official visit to UC for football) the Senators relied heavily on their three other returning guys; Orlando Berry Jr, Jermaine Freeman, and Jalean Lowe. The Senators played several new varsity players and were effective in their pressure defense, winning 4 out 6 periods against Princeton (and defeating the Vikings in total score). The Senator offense relied on the abilities of Berry and Freeman to get the ball downcourt in a hurry and score it or kick to Jalean Lowe who, along with senior guards Ra'saan Jackson and Fred Cannaday, his several three pointers. 
• Princeton- The Vikings should be able to overwhelm most teams with their depth, athleticism, and pressuring style of play. Unfortunately for them today they played Taft, who is not most teams. The Senators turned the tables on the Vikings and won the battle of tempo and pressure, forcing Princeton in too way too many turnovers. The Vikings did show that they belong in the conversation for best D1 team in the city as Deion Isham and Malcolm Smith enjoyed solid scoring days another 10 players providing sparks in their roles. 

• Group Scrimmage @ Lakota West
• Lakota West- Before the scrimmage everyone knew that Monty Boykins, Ali Barnes, and Tyler Williams could play. What fans did not know is that West is a physical, deep, athletic, and much improved team from last year that can really push the tempo of a game. Boykins has taken his offensive game to a whole new level and was relentless attacking the rim while several of his teammates knocked down shots. Playing fullcourt without traditional big men the Firebirds showed that this year their offense can match their defense in a program known for intensity. 
• Withrow- Going into today CPHR was torn as to if Withrow, Princeton, or Moeller was the top D1 team in Cincinnati pre-season. After today, although we haven't seen Moeller, it's tough to not pick Withrow as they dominated teams with their depth and size. Devin Williams scored at will in the post, along with senior Rozelle Nix, and their group of guards did a great job feeding the big men all day long. Senior forwards Erron Nichols and Tyler Jordan also showed that they will be playing huge roles this year as they led Withrow in scoring at times while providing toughness, energy, and leadership.
• Trotwood Madison, Loveland, Reading, and Talawanda also participated.

• Rumblings from around the city........
• Word is that Moeller handily defeated Springboro yesterday in their scrimmage.
• Roger Bacon is said to have a nice core of young talent, in particular the development of sophomore wing Carlas Jackson. Bacon defeated Northwest and Hughes in today.
• West High and Covington Catholic (KY) split games today in a tri-scrimmage.
• Winton Woods defeated Badin

Willie Moore Signs with Duquesne

Moore with Aiken head coach Leon Ellison

Today was a busy day for college and high school coaches across America as it was the first day of the fall signing period for Division I schools. Over 30 players across Ohio are currently committed to Division I schools with most planning to sign their National Letter of Intent during the one week fall period. 

While two Cincinnati prospects are committed to Division I schools as of press time CPHR had only received word of one of them signing. Moeller C Tony Sabato is expected to sign with Elon this week; while Aiken SG Willie Moore, Triple Double Prospects top ranked SG in Ohio in 2012, signed his LOI with Duquesne out of the Atlantic 10. 

In a signing day ceremony at the school Aiken coach Leon Ellison expressed how proud he was of Willie both on and off the court, and particularly in the classroom as his dream is coming to fruition; to play Division I college basketball. Moore says he is ready for the challenge and looking forward to his time in Pittsburgh playing with the Dukes. 

More photos from the ceremony are available on CPHR's Twitter (@CincyPrepHoops) and Facebook (search Cincy Prep Hoops Report) pages. 

Brewster Duo Signs their LOI's

Former Cincinnati high school stars Aaron Thomas and Semaj Christon also signed letters of intent today. Christon, a '11 graduate of Winton Woods, signed with Xavier where he is being billed as the impact PG of the future to replace Tu Holloway. Thomas, a scoring wing and '11 graduate of Withrow, sent his signature to Florida State; where he has been committed since fall of his senior year of Withrow last school year.