Week 4 Recap/New Power Rankings

Taft senior post Adolphus Washington

Mixed results for local teams in Holiday Tournaments, with many more coming next week, led to an interesting week in Cincinnati high school hoops; with many storylines and great individual and team performances....

Week Four Top Performers

• De’arius Young- ’12 Princeton C: The man they call “Tank” scored 51 total points in three Viking wins in their Championship performance in Florida.
• Adolphus Washington- ’12 Taft C: The Diesel scored at least 20 in all four Taft games in Florida, including a 31 point outing in a loss to Louisville Trinity.
• Willie Moore- ’12 Aiken SG: The top ranked player in Cincinnati had a 30 point game, followed by a 32 point game the next night, in Aiken’s 1-1 finish in Memphis.
• Josh Davenport- ’13 Moeller SG: The junior slasher dominated the game against Middletown with his aggressiveness. Davenport has a chance to be a special one for the Crusaders, who have taken over CPHR’s #1 spot.
• Mitch Stevens- ’12 Turpin PG: The senior scored over 20 points in both Spartan wins this week, helping lead his team to their 5-0 start.
• Kwan Cheatham- ’13 Winton Woods PF: 31 point breakout game on Wednesday proved that Cheatham is one of the top juniors in the state as a 6’8 combo forward.
• Isaiah Johnson- ’13 Walnut Hills C: The big man put the Eagles on his back with a 15 point and 17 rebound performance in a road win at St. Xavier.
• Isaiah Brown- ’13 Sycamore SG: In two big Aviator wins (Colerain and Anderson) Brown scored a career high 21 points then followed that with 17 the next game.
• Antonio Woods- ’14 Summit PG: The most underrated player in the city, and best unknown PG in the Midwest, Woods is not getting near enough credit for Summit’s 7-0 start.
• Sterling Gilmore- ’13 Walnut Hills PG: The Eagles needed the clutch shooting of Gilmore to turn their season around against St. Xavier and he delivered as Walnut Hills is looking like the talented team that they’re capable of becoming.

Week 5 Power Rankings (12/25)

Moeller junior wing Joshua Davenport
**Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Enquirer**

Division I 


1. Moeller: The Crusaders take over the top spot after dismantling Middletown on Friday. The production they get out of their little used seniors is incredible, starters like Voss and Sabato don’t get enough credit, PG Keith Watkins is set to return, and Galemmo and Davenport are dominant. What else do you need?
2. Withrow: Tigers move down a spot at no fault of their own, they’re still the most talented but Moeller has the best team right now. Withrow has a big week ahead with three games in Detroit to solidify if they’re for real or not.
3. Princeton: The Vikings went to Florida and came back with a trophy behind three big games from De’arius Young. Leading scorer Malcolm Smith is back from injury and the Vikings bench is contributing. Number one spot might be in contention.
4. LaSalle: Lancers are used to being undefeated, 5-0, at this point. Expect them to hit 8-0 before a big time matchup at home with Mason.
5. Winton Woods: Emerging frontline of McCorkle, Cheatham, and Donald has FAVC West teams worried. PG Ronnie Rousseau is coming into his own now that he has a little experience. Warriors just keep getting better and better.
6. Middletown: Loss at Moeller is just that, a loss; the margin is irrelevant. Middies need to develop more options besides McKnight and Edwards, but they’re very good.
7. Mason: CPHR is hesitant to move them any higher as they only have three scoring options, but this team gets it done and in big ways.
8. Fairfield: 6-1 going into Christmas? Unheard of, but Coach Austing has Indian fans believing. Can they continue to get wins in the GMC?
9. Turpin: 5-0 heading into Christmas, this is the Spartans team that fans hoped they would be. McCormick and Stevens are an elite backcourt in the city.
10. Walnut Hills: Impressive road win at St. Xavier has CPHR thinking that they are turning the corner. No doubt still the most dangerous team in the FAVC East.

Just Missed: Ross, Colerain, Lakota West, Lakota East, West High, St. Xavier, Milford, Sycamore

Division II-IV


1. Taft: The Senators might have dropped 4 out of 5 games in their road trip but no other local team could’ve done any better. Taft is still an overwhelming number one in these rankings. Adolphus Washington is going to make a run at Mr. Basketball by March.
2. Summit: Knights looked excellent in blowout over Woodward. A favorable stretch should put them at 10-0 heading into the North College Hill game.
3. Aiken: Tough emotional week for the Falcons yielded one win and one loss in Memphis. Team is coming together but role players need to be consistent.
4. Franklin: Three headed monster still rocking and rolling for the Wildcats with no ending in site soon. Their next game against Springboro will tell us just how good they are.
5. North College Hill: Disappointing loss to KY Newport Central Catholic but the new look Trojans are still sitting on just one loss going into Christmas.
6. Lockland: Tough schedule has them at 4-3 but the Panthers are the undisputed top Division IV team in Cincinnati.
7. Roger Bacon: Young team that is struggling with consistency is improving on the defensive end. Still the favorites in the struggling GCL-Central.
8. Badin: A blowout win over division rival Purcell and then a two point loss to GCL South school Elder keeps them in the rankings.
9. Madeira: Leading the CHL early with a 3-0 league record.
10. Indian Hill: CPHR likes their two man scoring punch to finish 2nd in the CHL, and maybe even make a run at 1st?

Just Missed: Finneytown, McNicholas, Clark, Mariemont, Hughes

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, 

and thank you for reading from CPHR!