Weekend Top Performances

In an exciting opening weekend we saw several great performances from some known talents, and some new names. Let's take a look at who shined the first weekend: 

• 

  Austin Grimes- Player of the Week

  Week 1 MVP: Austin Grimes- Sophomore SF from Aiken
  • Austin was dominant in his Aiken debut this weekend. Friday, in a loss to Taft he scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Saturday, in a win against Shroder he looked even more comfortable out there and recorded 19 points to go with 13 rebounds. When Austin is aggressive he is nearly unstoppable; he is simply too strong, too athletic, and too skilled to be guarded. If he can continue to make an impact on the glass then Aiken should have a good year. Expect Grimes to keep putting up scoring numbers as he becomes more comfortable playing with his new teammates.
    
    
• The Sophomore Class: This is class is just so talented and deep. Here are the top performers, besides player of the week Austin Grimes. These guys are just getting started.
  • Woodward's Trent Donald, a PF, scored 23 against Withrow then followed that up with a solid performance in a win over Hughes.
  • Devin Williams a PF from Withrow went for 18 and 12 against Woodward.
  • Kevin Johnson a PG from Summit scored 24 against Reading.
  • Josh Davenport was effective in his Moeller varsity debut with 6 points and 10 boards.
  • DJ Wingfield scored 13 in his Lockland debut.
  • Monty Boykins of Lakota West scored 16, Corey Wise of Hamilton scored a dozen, Ramar Hariston of Northwest scored 17, Sterling Gilmore of Walnut Hills had 12, Princeton's Dorian Jordan scored 12, Bryan Porter of Colerain had 10, and Middletown's Jalin Marshall had 10.

    

    Orlando Berry Jr.

    
    
    
    
• Orlando Berry Jr: Much like Kemba Walker of Connecticut, Orlando is known as a traditional pass first point guard; but this season it's time for both of them to put points up. Berry scored 15 in a win against Aiken and followed that up with 18 against West High; leading this loaded Taft team in scoring is very impressive. Taft was the most dominant team of the weekend with two blow out wins against solid CMAC competition.

• 

  Tyonte Robertson

  Tyonte Robertson: The freshman got off to a pretty good start, scoring 8 on Friday and then 12 on Saturday. Considering the two opponents that is very impressive. Tyonte really hit his stride against Shroder and dominated the point guard matchup. Give him a few more games to adjust to the varsity style and then watch out!

• Jalen Billups: The only player for Shroder that was effective against Aiken. Jalen scored 19 points and was active on the glass, he probably had double digit rebounds. Jalen is really skilled on the block with his foot work, particularly his double pivot move to get by shotblockers.

• GCL Veterans: None of these performances are too surprising because they come from guys that are used to filling up the stat sheet. First for LaSalle, junior PG Josh Lemmons scored 18 points while Brandon Neel scored his usual 21. For Moeller senior Alex Barlow poured in 21 points, Barlow was more of a glue guy last year but it looks like he has the green light as a senior. Roger Bacon got a pair of great outings as Jabriel Coaston went for 20 points and 10 rebounds and Paul Byrd scored a career high 27.

  

  Brandon Neel

  
  

• Under the Radar Juniors: Three guys from lesser known hoops programs put up big numbers this weekend. Paul Woodson of Clark went for 18 points and 12 rebounds, Paul is a terrific athlete and plays with a great motor. Deontez McGee of Norwood had 21 points; 'Tez is a great shooter that can fill it up when he gets going. Darrin Harris of Mason scored 20 points for The Comets in their first game; Harris is a versatile PF that can step out and shoot or post up.

• Sycamore: After suffering through a long season the Aves got off on the right foot this year with a convincing 11 point win over traditional powerhouse Indian Hill. Add in that Coach Moss of Sycamore spent several years at the Braves head coach and the win should feel even sweeter.

Saturday's Results

Austin Grimes- Back to back great nights

A night of lopsided scored in the big games. Here's the run down of what happened: Pictures

• Aiken 67 Shroder 47: Aiken was coasting with a ten point lead through the first three quarters, thanks to sophomore Austin Grimes 19 points (and at least 10 rebounds), then Willy Moore started hitting shots. Willy scored 11 of his 16 in the 4^th and showed the talent that should be on display throughout the year and busting this game wide open. Tyonte Robertson looked much better on both ends in his second game, he really cut down on the TO's, and finished with a solid 12 points. Femi Thompson also chipped in 13 for Aiken. The only productive played for Shroder was Jalen Billups who had 10 big points inside and was very active on the glass on both ends. It was nice to see Billups play with that kind of effort, if keeps it up expect Shroder to stay relevant and for Billups to end up playing D1 ball next year. Shroder also got 9 points from Trey Dees, but Dees was largely infective due to too many turnovers. This was a big win for Aiken, they proved that last night was not a real assessment of where they are at. If Aiken can match tonight's performance on a consistent basis they will be a team to watch. 

  

  Jalen Billups 19 weren't enough to keep
  Shroder in the game tonight against Aiken

  
  

• Taft 90 West High 58: Taft used their balanced scoring attack to destroy The Mustangs. Taft showed just how dominant they will be when their big men are able to stay out of foul trouble. From all accounts the second half became a dunk fest for The Senators. Dwayne Stanford scored 19 and Orlando Berry Jr had 18. 

• North College Hill 72 Lockland 64: Dontonio Wingfield Jr. scored 13 in his Lockland debut but it wasn't enough as NCH got the victory on their home floor.

• Woodward 64 Hughes 54: Mark Durrgan had a big night shooting the basketball for Woodward and Trent Donald followed up last night's performance with another solid outing. Donald is really becoming a force on offense, something he showed glimpses of last year. He looks to be a guy that will be productive all season long.
  
  
  Check back in tomorrow for a look at the top performers from this weekend!

Saturday in the CMAC Preview

Saturday should be even more exciting then Friday in the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference. We have a chance to see 3 league match-ups. Including four teams that played last night. Taft and West High riding high off of wins last night will meet to see who can remain undefeated; while Aiken and Woodward try to rebound from tough losses and avoid going 0-2 against teams that were off last night. Withrow does not play Saturday.

Let's look at the games:

• Shroder @ Aiken: Aiken cannot be happy with the way things turned out against Taft and they will be out to prove that they are still a very good team, Shroder on the other hand wants to get started on the right foot and prove that they are in the title discussion in the CMAC. Aiken freshman PG Tyonte Robertson gets another tough test in his young career as he will be doing battle with veteran Shroder PG Trey Dees. Expect that to be an exciting matchup as Robertson bounces back from last night and Dees brings his best to counter. The rest of the game will be dictated similarly to the Taft game: Aiken wants to get up and down and let their talented wings attack (hopefully without turning the ball over as much), Shroder wants to pound it inside to Jalen Billups, Ladell Griffin, and Randale Griffith. Whoever controls the pace should win this game.
  • Prediction:  Expect a close game the whole way. Shroder really gives Aiken a run but Aiken pulls away late and wins by a few points. Willy Moore will not have two bad nights in a row from the field, expect a big scoring night from him.
    
    
• Woodward @ Hughes: Does Hughes have a way to stop Trent Donald as they play their first home game in the newly renovated gym? Trent went for 19 against Withrow, but does he have enough gas in the tank to produce back to back nights? This will be one of the determining factors as Woodward faces a motivated Big Red team. PG play is a question area for both teams as freshman Aaron Oden makes his debut for Hughes while Woodward is still trying to find the answer in that department. 

  • 

    Woodward's Trent Donald got his season started
    off the right way last night. Now can he lead
    his team to a win in the new Hughes gym?

    Prediction: It took a lot of energy for Woodward to stay with Withrow till the final shot last night. Expect Hughes to get off to a hot start and capitalize on fresher legs. If they can slow down Donald the game will come down to the wire. Woodward's pressure should be too much and The Bulldogs will come back for a close win.
    
    
• Taft @ West High: Taft didn't play up to their potential last night against a top ten team in Aiken, and they still won by 24. Meaning that Taft is really good. West High got started in a positive way with a road win against a decent Oak Hills team, and now they get to play at home where they are always tough. This game has the makings of an intense and physical showdown. West High has the bodies inside to bang with Adolphus Washington and Dwayne Stanford; who will both be motivated after sub-par opening performances. Can West High's guards handle Taft's pressure defense? That's going to be a tall order for a group known more for shooting then ballhandling.
  • Prediction: Taft will really look to play at a fast pace, which should be too much for West High to handle. Washington and Stanford both turn in nice performances. West High is much improved but they're just not quite ready to match up with conference favorites like Taft. Taft by about 15 on the road.
    
    

Friday Night Results

Taft's Orlando Berry and Aiken's Gene Primus.
Both of these guys have to prepare their teams
for another battle tomorrow night.

Great first night of basketball led by a thriller between Withrow and Woodward. The Taft and Aiken game was more then sloppy then the fans would have liked to see but there was some great team basketball on display in the second half by Taft.: Pictures from Aiken vs Taft

• Taft 77 Aiken 53: Predicted result, unexpected margin. Without much production out of star big men Adolphus Washington and Dwayne Stanford (due to foul trouble from both), Taft was still able to dominate the second half and bust the game wide open late in the third. The point guard combination of Kadeem Palmer and Orlando Berry Jr. was way too much to handle for Aiken. Orlando finished with 15 big points for The Senators while Kadeem had 9. In the anticipated debut of the Lowe brothers Chris had only 4 points but really did a good job on the glass and Jelean got going late and scored 10 points. Jermaine Freeman should get a lot of credit for holding Aiken star Willy Moore to just 2 points. For Aiken, sophomore transfer Austin Grimes led the way in his debut with 15 points. Tyonte Robertson, Landen Gaulden, and Gene Primus all saw a few shots go in but everyone on Aiken struggled with turnover problems causing their offense to be very stagnant.

  

  Kadeem Palmer, Adolphus Washington, and Dwayne Stanford

  
  

• Withrow 63 Woodward 62: Much closer then anticipated thanks to the play of Woodward sophomore big Trent Donald who scored 19 points for The Bulldogs. Aaron Thomas did not have the greatest overall game in his Withrow debut but did finish with a game high 22 for The Tigers while sophomore post Devin Williams added 18.

• Other Scores from Tonight:
  • West High 52 Oak Hills 46: Sophomore PF Marquez Mathis scored 18 for The Mustangs who also got contributions from Josh Chancellor, Bubba Hill, and Darell Bullock.
  • Walnut Hills 63 Purcell Marian 52: Sophomore guard Sterling Gilmore scored 10.
  • Reading 47 Summit 46: Kevin Johnson led Summit with 24 in a loss.
  • Middletown 65 Beavercreek 43
  • Moeller 58 Northmont 41
  • LaSalle 57 Fairfield 32
  • Colerain 54 Harrison 27
    
    
    Updated Scores: Lakota West 55 Wilmington 40, Princeton 50 Centerville 40, Sycamore 63 Indian Hill 54, Roger Bacon 74 Finneytown 42
    
    
    Now that the results are in for the four CMAC teams that have to play back to back games this weekend it's time to look at a preview for their Saturday games. Check back in early tomorrow for a previews of:
    
    
    West High @ Taft
    Shroder @ Aiken
    Woodward @ Hughes

Game Day is Here

Carl Porter kicks off his senior year
tonight for Withrow. Look out
for big things out of this D1 propsect.

Finally, the season has started. Heading out now to go over to Withrow to watch the JV and Varsity games between Aiken and the host Taft. Should be a great game!

Good luck to everyone playing tonight.

Check in later tonight for a recap of Aiken and Taft as well as some scores and stats from several of the other big games being played tonight.

Also, look out for predictions for Saturday's CMAC matchups.

Games to Watch This Weekend

What will Landen Gaulden
do in his return at Aiken?

Friday, December 3^rd, 2010:

• Aiken @ Taft (game will be played at Withrow):
  • Expect this to as exciting as last year's opening contest. Aiken is out to prove that they can still win without Aaron Thomas, while Taft wants to show that they haven't lost a step from last year's really successful team. One of the questions is how well will freshman PG Tyonte Robertson for Aiken handles the defensive pressure of Taft (particularly Orlando Berry Jr)? Expect Tyonte to settle in and do just fine but it will be interesting early. This game will probably come down to offensive tempo; is Taft's interior based offense led by Adolphus Washington and Dwayne Stanford able to dominate or will it be Aiken's up and down game led by Gene Primus, Willy Moore, Landen Gaulden, and Austin Grimes?

  • 

    Adolphus Washington will be a tough
    matchup down low against Aiken

    Prediction: Will be a great game, expect lots of runs. Taft finds a way to pull it out late.

• Withrow @ Woodward:
  • This game is extremely intriguing for two reason: First, the Withrow Tiger debut of top 50 player Aaron Thomas; and second, the matchup down low of star sophomores (and AAU teammates) Devin Williams of Withrow and Trent Donald of Woodward. Thomas should be able to have his way with The Bulldogs. As for the big men, both will probably be able to score on the each other about equally. A storyline to follow is how well Withrow can work in it's main role players such as Carl Porter, Kevin Jones, and Rozelle Nix to go with Thomas and Williams. For Woodward it should be nice to see Demetrius Pruitt back in the CMAC and it will be interesting to watch PG Mark Durrgan play against his former school.
  • Prediction: Withrow has too much talent for Woodward to handle. Withrow wins big.

• Other big games:
  • Dayton Northmont @ Moeller 
  • West High @ Oak Hills
  • Summit @ Reading
  • Finneytown @ Roger Bacon
    
    

Saturday, December 4^th, 2010:

• Shroder @ Aiken:
  • A more in depth preview of this game will go up following a look at Aiken on Friday night but this should be another good game, and another tough test on a brutal schedule for Aiken. Shroder has a chance to be very good and they will be out for blood against The Swoop. Check back in Saturday morning for the scoop on what to expect........

• Lockland @ North College Hill:
  • A big time battle for early season MVC bragging rights. Everyone is eager to see the Lockland debut of DJ Wingfield.
  • Prediction: Wingfield has his way but NCH pulls out the win in a close game.

• Other big games: More info on both these games after seeing Friday's results.
  • Woodward @ Hughes (first game in the new Hughes gym)
  • Taft @ West High    

Conference Previews: MVC, FAVC, CHL

The last of our conference previews takes a look at three other leagues that have some serious talent in it. All three of these leagues have talents that can take down D1 teams on any given night.

Miami Valley Conference

Summit's Milt Davis

While the top of this league might not be as deep as other leagues, the MVC does have some good ballplayers in it. Super sophomores Kevin Johnson of Summit and Dontonio Wingfield Jr. of Lockland lead a talented group of young players this year.

1. Summit Country Day: Coach Bradley has a lot of talent to work with in his first year. It starts with Kevin Johnson (3^rd in our '13 rankings) who has lots of potential as a scoring guard with great athleticism. Summit is a very young team with sophomore guard Milton Davis, freshman guard Antonio Woods, and freshman forward Mike Barwick all looking to see significant time. Junior wing Tommy Kreyenhagen returns for his third year as a starter and yet again brings his deep shooting range to a Silver Knights team that should be able to find him spotting up. Inside Summit has senior power forwards Ryan Glass, a versatile player known for defense, and Jack Gustafson who is more of a scorer. Look for juniors Matt Fry and Holdy Hertzel to see time down low as more traditional big men.

• 

  Kevin Johnson the top '13 PG

  Key Players: This is one of the most talented teams Summit has ever had.
  • Kevin Johnson- Sophomore PG
  • Antonio Woods- Freshman PG
  • Milton Davis- Sophomore SG
  • Tommy Kreyenhagen – Junior SG
• Bottom Line: Summit has a great combination of size, athleticism, depth, talent, and experience. This team has a chance to be special. Johnson is an emerging prospect to keep a very close eye on and Kreyenhagen is a proven star in the MVC.

2. Lockland: In what has become an annual tradition at Lockland, they brought in a major transfer when Dontonio Wingfield Jr. (ranked in the top 5 of the '13 rankings) came over from CCD. Wingfield is one of the most skilled players in the state with his smooth slashing game. He averaged almost 20 ppg last year and don't expect anything different this season. Lockland also has another talented sophomore in Dylan Wedlock, a wing with varsity experience. Big man Avery Barnes returns for his junior year and should bring defense and rebounding to the post. Barnes had a nice year last year and is one to watch this season. At the point Mike Beasley takes over and is said to have nice quickness in the full court.

• 

  DJ Wingfield should lead the MVC in scoring

  Key Players: Wingfield will keep them near the top of the standings 
  • Dontonio Wingfield Jr. - Sophomore SG
  • Dylan Wedlock – Sophomore SF
• Bottom Line: Lockland might not have as much talent as in year's past but under Coach Andrews they have always been successful. Don't expect much to change with Wingfield attacking the basket.

3. Clark Montessori: Senior scoring wing Alphonso Upshaw will yet again lead a Clark team that is better then most fans realize. Upshaw has been putting points up for years, that won't change this year. Big men Paul Woodson and CJ Briggerman return and both of these players have some athleticism on the inside. Woodson is a very intriguing prospect who has the ability to play the wing. Junior Max Hassel is a shifty guard that can score and pass for The Cougars.

4. North College Hill: The Trojans are feeling the blow of losing the talented Lowe brothers to Taft. They do return a trio of seniors with talent and experience. Donald Bush is a tough and quick point guard that can make plays, Vince Edwards and Greg Sevilla are forwards with enough versatility to create mismatches.

Fort Ancient Valley Conference

Semaj is a stud at
Winton Woods

Not a league that is necessarily known for producing elite players (expect for Winton Woods), the FAVC always seems to have a few studs. One prospect to keep an eye is Anderson sophomore power forward Joe Cossins who is skilled and still growing at 6'8. This league is really wide open this year; lets take a look at who the three top teams might be: 

1. Winton Woods: No team in the city lost more talent to graduation then Winton Woods who lost Allen Payne (Auburn), Dominique Brown (Louisville football), and Nate Mason. They still have at least one stud in senior point guard Semaj Christon; Semaj is a major scoring talent that is as good as any guard in the city. Expect big things from him and senior guard Dennis Thomas who returns from a solid junior campaign. A guy to keep an eye on at WW is junior post Zach McKorkle who has the athleticism and skill to be a special player this year.
   
   
2. Northwest: Not traditionally known as a powerhouse, that could start to change this year at NW. Senior SG Melvin Hunter can score with anyone out there and will lead the team again this year as they try to take the league title. Expect big things out of versatile sophomore guard Ramar Hairston who can score and is a great defender. Juniors Quez Evans and Chaz Gwinn as well as sophomore post Kevin Worsham are players to keep an eye on up at NW.

   

   Walnut Hill's Sterling Gilmore

   

   Ramar Hairston of NW
   

   
   
3. 

   Alex McGlothin- Hopefully
   can make it back this year

   Walnut Hills: The Eagles have one of the best players in the city in senior wing Alex McGlothin; unfortunately, he is out for possibly the season with an injury. Without McGlothin, Coach Moman will have to rely on two young guards with serious game; these guards are undersized but quick Kyree Burton who is a great passer, and Sterling Gilmore a scorer who can set up teammates and really competes. Big man Benson Browne returns inside and is complimented nicely by sophomore Isiah Johnson. The Eagles are always near the top of the standings and if McGlothin can find a way on the court they will be favorites to take the league title. 

Cincinnati Hills League:

No one wants to agree on who the pre-season favorite is this year. There might not be any elite teams but several teams are capable of playing with the city's top teams.

1. Madeira: Lot of young talent, solid program that doesn't get enough credit.

2. Wyoming: As usual has the most talent in the league.

3. Mariemont: Emerging program that could have a breakout year.

4. Indian Hill: Great program, lost a lot, but could finish at the top without surprising anyone.

5. Reading: Team that is poised to have a breakout year.

6. Finneytown: Lot of returning talent this year, coach's new system might determine record.

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

Conference Preview: Greater Catholic League

Brandon Neel (#2 in our '11 rankings) is the pre-season
player of the year choice for the GCL

Always a tough league, the GCL is know for a deliberate style of play, a detail oriented approach, and the most stifling defense in the state of Ohio. But don't let the style of play fool you, there is some major talent in this league. Year in year out the GCL south is the most competitive division and that is still the case this year. Expect LaSalle and Moeller to be at the top all year, who the champion will be is a close call but give LaSalle the slight advantage. The central division title will go through vine street just like last year as Roger Bacon brings back a lot of talent. Up north look for Bishop Fenwick and Chaminade Julianne of Dayton to battle for the north division title. Here is a profile of who The CPHR thinks are the top teams this year in the GCL:

1. 

   Speedy Josh Lemmons returns
   at the point for the Lancers

   LaSalle: LaSalle returns their five best players from last year in point guard Josh Lemmons as well as senior wings Brandon Neel (the likely player of the year), Ryan Fleming (another all league choice), Trey Casey, and Matt Woeste. Expect big things from this undersized but tenacious lineup. There is a lot of firepower here with Lemmons and Fleming knocking in open threes while Neel can score in bunches from anywhere on the floor. Trey Casey is an underrated player in the GCL as he brings scoring and a mistake free style to the Lancer offense. As always expect LaSalle to bring the heat on defense with full court pressure after every made basket or whistle.

• 

  Ryan Fleming- Great shooter

  Key Players:
  • Brandon Neel- Senior SG
  • Ryan Fleming- Senior SF
  • Josh Lemmons- Junior PG
  • Trey Casey- Senior SG
  • Matt Woeste- Senior SF
• Bottom Line: Expect LaSalle to finally break through and make the final four this year. With a relative lack of size in the GCL this year LaSalle has a huge advantage because they have the unquestioned best guard play. Coach Fleming and his boys still have a bad taste in their mouths from last year's regional final loss to Moeller and are out for revenge.

2. Moeller: Big man Griffin McKenzie might have moved down Montgomery Rd. to XU but that doesn't mean Moeller isn't ready for another run to the final four this year. Moeller returns seniors Charlie Byers, Alex Barlow, Hayden Frey, and Shaquille Jinks; all of whom were major contributors last year. Byers (another player of the year candidate) is the man this year for The Crusaders and will handle the ball for them as well as score and guard the top perimeter player. Barlow is another underrated player who really does it all for Moe from the small forward spot. Frey and Jinks are two power forward role players who can score and rebound. Junior Ben Galemmo returns from a promising sophomore season in which he made a name for himself as the premiere marksman in the league. Ben really has unlimited range and opponents must know where he is at all times. The Crusaders also have two talented sophomores in small forward Joshua Davenport (ranked #1 in our 2013 rankings) as well as combo guard Keith Watkins. Expect to see more and more of those two as the season goes on; especially Davenport as he is an elite talent that could really help carry the scoring load. Finally, don't sleep on junior center Tony Sabato or junior small forward Alex Voss; both could have a breakout year.

• 

  Chuck Byers is the leader this year at Moe

  Key Players:
  • Charlie Byers- Senior PG
  • Shaquille Jinks- Senior SF
  • Alex Barlow- Senior SG
  • Joshua Davenport- Sophomore SF
• Bottom Line: Moeller's advantage over LaSalle is their depth; something that The Crusaders have plenty of. Expect Coach Kramer to have the guys as prepared as ever and for him to experiment with different lineups early in the season. Moeller has the potential to be just as good as last year.

Jared Bryant- A force on the low block

3. Roger Bacon: The Spartans play with the same defensive mindset as their neighbors in the south division and have the advantage of playing in a weaker division. This team has enough talent to cruise through the division and make a run in the D2 playoffs. Bacon is led by the senior trio of Paul Byrd, Jabriel Coaston, and Jared Bryant. All three played prominent roles last year and don't expect anything different. Byrd is changing positions this year as we will see him play a lot more at the point then in years past. At the point he brings nice size and a craftiness to his game; as well as shooting touch and the capability to set up the offense. Expect Coaston to be the high point man all year; he has a nice ability to take the ball to the basket and finish as well as get points from the line, transition, rebounding, and even hit the outside shot. Bryant a 6'9 skilled and strong big is a tough match-up for anyone in the conference and should have his way inside this year for Bacon.

• Key Players: Bacon will rely on their big three this year with role players to compliment their senior trio.
  • Jared Bryant- Senior C

  • 

    Jabriel Coaston has a lot of talent on
    the wing for Roger Bacon

    Jabriel Coaston- Senior SF
  • Paul Byrd- Senior SG
• Bottom Line: Although they might not have the talent of a Moeller or LaSalle, Roger Bacon is good enough to win their division and challenge for one of the top seeds in the tournament at the D2 level.

Conference Preview: Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference

The season starts in only 3 days so it's time to look at the city league:

The city league is always, for me, the most exciting league to follow because of the high intensity created by players that all know each other and the fact that year in year out this league is loaded with talent. This year is no exception. Every team on here has enough firepower to challenge anyone in Ohio. At the top of the league expect Taft, Withrow, and Aiken to fight a heavyweight battle for the league title; Any of these three are capable of finishing on top of the standings. Shroder and West High are two talented teams that could surprise some people; and never count out two of the city's historic programs the scrappy Woodward Bulldogs and the young Hughes Big Red.

No matter what happens it's going to be a crazy ride this year in the CMAC. Here's my take on what fans should expect:

Pre- Season Team Rankings: Predicted Order of Finish

1. 

   Jelean Lowe and his brother Chris
   bring their shooting touch to Taft this year.

   Taft: This season at Taft will be a case of same book, different chapter. The Lowe brothers come over from NCH to replace Coach Mitchell's twin guards who graduated last spring. Kadeem Palmer has also transferred in to give The Senators another scoring punch and point guard threat. Taft returns the core of its team last year that made a real run at the state title. Junior big men Adolphus “Diesel” Washington and Dwayne “Too Tall” Stanford are the main scoring and rebounding threats. The guy who makes it all possible is point guard Orlando Berry Jr. who does not get the credit his playmaking deserves. Senior Marquez Johnson also returns to add depth on the wings with Chris Lowe and Jelean Lowe; both of whom are big time shooters. With the defensive intensity that their coaching staff demands Taft will be a force to reckon with in the city. 

• 

  Orlando Berry is the point man

  Key Players: Washington and Stanford are league player of the year candidates. Taft also is loaded on the outside with shooters and set up men
  • Orlando Berry Jr- Junior PG
  • Adolphus Washington- Junior C
  • Dwayne Stanford- Junior PF
  • Jelean Lowe- Junior SG
  • Chris Lowe- Senior SF
  • Kadeem Palmer- Senior PG
  • Marquez Johnson- Senior SF
• Bottom Line: Expect Taft to be on top at the end of the season because of their defense, rebounding, and balanced scoring attack. Coach Mitch has them primed to take the title this year. Taft has a deep team, don't forget about junior wings Jermaine Freeman and Ra'Saan Jackson, and has a great combo of inside and outside. The Lowe brothers really add another level to this team from a scoring standpoint, this is particularly important considering Washington and Stanford demand double teams.

2. 

   Aaron Thomas- One of the top
   players in the country.

   Withrow: Not only did the top player in the state transfer over to Withrow for the upcoming season, they were already loaded. Senior wing Aaron Thomas is as good of a scorer as anyone in the country; when Aaron gets hot it really is game over. Combine that with Devin Williams in the post and The Tigers seem like a state title contender. Williams is one of the highest ranked sophomores in the state and is only getting better. Withrow has two solid role players in wing Kevin Jones and versatile power forward Carl Porter. These two are more then capable scorers who would be stars on most teams. This group also has some other talent in big man Rozelle Nix, scoring guard Damon Gooch, and several other young players. There might be questions about point guard play, shooting, and the distribution of shots; but Withrow has more talent then any team in Cincinnati and will be an intimidating sight for opposing teams.

• 

  Devin Williams expected to do even
  bigger things in his sophomore year

  Key Players: McDonald's All American candidate Aaron Thomas and big man Devin Williams lead the way with Carl Porter and Kevin Jones as solid role players.
  • Aaron Thomas- Senior SG
  • Devin Williams- Sophomore PF
  • Carl Porter- Senior PF
  • Kevin Jones- Senior SF
  • Rozelle Nix- Junior C
• Bottom Line: If they get solid point guard play and can find the right combination of role players to put with their dynamic duo then Withrow will end up wining the league. Coach TY has a great team this year that will be fun to follow.

3. 

   Willy Moore will challenge Thomas
   for the scoring title this year in the CMAC

   Aiken: It would be tough to find a team in the state that is capable of trading blows with the Falcons on the perimeter this year. Elite talent Willy Moore will be the main playmaker this year and is guaranteed to have a huge season. Proven commodities in transfer student Austin Grimes and seasoned guard Gene Primus bring an energy that few players can match. At the point Aiken has two viable options in freshman Tyonte Robertson and talented junior Landen Gaulden, who missed last year. The Swoop is thin on postmen this year but they do have Femi Thompson returning who is truly one of the most under rated players in the league. Keep an eye on sophomore Mikey Thompson who brings a lot of versatility to the table as a wing or post.

• 

  Austin Grimes is a big time wing prospect

  Key Players: Aiken has a seemingly endless bench of guards that will put up big offensive numbers and apply defensive heat all season for Coach Leon.
  • Willy Moore- Junior SG
  • Gene Primus- Senior SG
  • Austin Grimes- Sophomore SF
  • Tyonte Robertson- Freshman PG
  • Landen Gaulden- Junior SG
  • Femi Thompson- Senior PF
•  Bottom Line: If Aiken's perimeter players buy in to sharing the ball and playing together, as well as bringing effort on defense every possession, then they can easily win the league this year. No one has more scoring talent then them as a team. Primus and Thompson are great leaders, Moore is a big time talent, Robertson and Gaulden are very good point guard prospects, and Grimes bring a level of toughness that makes Aiken tough to beat.
  

4. 

   Jalen Billups is a talented low post scorer for the Jags

   Shroder: Plenty of size and experience are the main strengths at Shroder this year. One of the big keys to their success will be how well point guard Trey Dees can distribute the ball to his big men inside. Look for Dees to have a breakout year this year. The possible weakness' are quickness to guard smaller lineups and outside shooting ability. Kairo Cannon is the only known shooter on the team, although the bench has a few marksmen on it. Keep an eye on junior big man Ladell Griffin, the D1 prospect is improving everyday, he is a know shot-blocker and really plays hard. Shroder also gets help from transfer Randale Griffith who has big time offensive talent inside and outside and is a tough match-up for any team. Finally, Shroder returns big man Jalen Billups who has seemingly been there forever. Jalen is a proven low post scorer and rebounder who is back for one more season for the Jaguars.

• 

  Trey Dees (shown on defense) will be leading the show again
  this year at Shroder

  Key Players: Shroder returns four key players from a team that made a run in last year's tournament. Depth is a concern but the starting five is loaded with talent and experience.
  • Trey Dees- Junior PG
  • Kairo Cannon- Senior SG
  • Randale Griffith- Junior PF
  • Ladell Griffin- Junior C
  • Jalen Billups- Senior PF
• Bottom Line: This team really plays together and looks focused on making an impact in a deep conference. They are going to be in every game and will probably end up being much better then the fans think they will. This could be Shroder's year.

5. West High: The Mustangs have a chance to earn some major respect this year in the league because this team has talent on it. The guard spots are loaded with scoring power with Lionel Hill and Jamarcus Crawford expected to start and Darell Bullock and Ivan Dunn both seeing some time. Junior Kevin Tyus returns as does young postman Marquez Carpenter on the inside. Expect to see Woodward transfer Josh Chancellor on the low block all season for the Mustangs; and keep an eye on Cortez Adams another post man that can really rebound.

• Key Players: The Mustangs have a great combination of guards and big men.
  • Jamarcus Crawford- Senior PG
  • Lionel Hill- Junior PG
  • Darell Bullock- Junior SG
  • Josh Chancellor- Senior C
  • Marquez Carpenter- Sophomore PF
  • Kevin Tyus- Junior PF
• Bottom Line: West High can be really good this year. They are going to be able to score with everybody, especially if Hill and Crawford can get hot from the outside. Their depth on the interior gives them an opportunity to turn heads.

6. Woodward: The Bulldogs might have had a lot of guys transfer out from last years team but they still have some guys that are willing to go to war with Coach Timmons. Expect Trent Donald to step up and handle the scoring load this year. Wing players Demetrius Pruitt and Zacheriah Mustafa are also big time assets for Coach Timmons. Transfer point guard Mark Durrgan will probably see the majority of the action as the primary ballhandler.

• Top Players: There are some diamond in the rough type of players this year at Woodward. Don't sleep on giant center Isaiah McCullar who could have a big year.
  • Trent Donald- Sophomore PF
  • Zacheriah Mustafa- Junior SF
  • Mark Durrgan- Senior PG
  • Demetrius Pruitt- Senior SG
  • Isaiah McCullar- Junior C
• Bottom Line: No one really knows what to expect from Woodward this year; but know this, Coach will have them competing. With a lot of new faces they might need some time to gel but the talent is there to match anyone in the league.

7. Hughes: The graduation of three year starters BJ Lowry and Jack Jackson will be felt this year over at Hughes. The cupboard is not bare however; Coach Wyant has several talented freshman and enough returning guys to make a run. Returning players Shaquille Prather, Terry Cook, and Ryan Green give them some solid wing players and junior D'Juan Bankhead could take them to the next level. Inside is a concern as Hughes will probably end up playing a wing heavy lineup. Freshman David Mitchell and Dwight Nored could be counted on early inside. At the guard spots expect to see Terry Cook and Ryan Green getting the majority of the shot attempts with freshman point guard Aaron Oden running the show. Freshman guard Kevin Daniels also could crack the rotation at some point early in the year.

• Key Players: Many of the top players are underclassmen this year.
  • Ryan Green- Senior SF
  • Terry Cook- Sophomore SG
  • Aaron Oden- Freshman PG
  • David Mitchell- Freshman PF
• Bottom Line: There are a lot of question marks at Hughes this year but these guys will play hard and they overcame a lot of doubts to make a run last year. They are probably a year away but expect to see some impact from the talented freshman class. If Cook and Green can put some points up then Hughes could be better then expected.

Pre-Season Awards:

• Player of the Year:
  • Aaron Thomas- Senior SG Aiken

• 

  Dwayne Stanford is a all-league
  candidate at Taft
  

  All League: 
  • Willy Moore- Junior SG Aiken
  • Dwayne Stanford- Junior PF Taft
  • Adolphus Washington- Junior C Taft
  • Devin Williams- Sophomore PF Withrow
  • Jalen Billups- Senior PF Shroder

• Freshman of The Year: Tyonte Robertson – Aiken & Aaron Oden - Hughes
• Best Shooter: Jelean Lowe – Taft & Lionel Hill – West High
• Best Dunker: Carl Porter & Aaron Thomas – Withrow
• Best Scorer: Aaron Thomas – Withrow & Willy Moore - Aiken
• Best Defender: Gene Primus- Aiken & Ladell Griffin – Shroder
• Best Passer: Trey Dees- Shroder & Kadeem Palmer – Taft
• Sleeper Player: Jamarcus Crawford – West High & Carl Porter – Withrow
• Best 6^th Man: Landen Gaulden – Aiken & Jermaine Freeman – Taft

• 

  Gene Primus can be counted on to
  bring maximum effort every single game

  All Heart Team:
  • Orlando Berry – Taft
  • Devin Williams – Withrow
  • Gene Primus – Aiken
  • Ladell Griffin – Shroder
  • Chris Lowe- Taft
• Austin Grimes – Aiken    

It would be tough to find a place other then the CMAC where players, coaches, and fans would disagree with each other more on who has the best team. So obviously some argument is expected here. You think I'm crazy? Drop me a line at cincyprephoopsreport@gmail.com. If I like what I read then I'll put your comments up here on The CPHR.