All-Ohio Claims First Tourney Win of Season

All-Ohio Red 2021-Tournament Champions

We had the opportunity to catch the 7^th grade semi-finals and championship games of the 13^th Annual Delaware Classic (OYB) yesterday at Westerville North High School.  As expected, Marty Finta’s All-Ohio Red 2021 squad ran through the field undefeated on their way to their first tournament championship of the year.  In the semi-final game, All-Ohio totally out classed the Marvels with a lopsided 64-20 win.  In that game, All-Ohio was paced by Bent Walker (6’5/C/2021/Huber Heights), who finished with a game-high 18 points and a ton of rebounds. Right behind him in scoring were Idris Lawrence

(5’5/SG/2021/Columbus), who finished with 10 points, followed by Gabe Finta (5’4/SG/2021/Columbus), who added 9 points and Patrick Daniels (5’5/WF/2021/Columbus), who contributed 7 points.

The outcome of the championship was not much different, as All-Ohio shook off a slow start on their way to a convincing 56-34 win over the Medina-based Stampede.  Although the Stampede was competitive early, and was actually tied with All-Ohio at 10-10 at the 10:00 mark in the first half, All-Ohio’s size, depth and pressure was simply too much for the Stampede to handle over the long haul. The leading scorer for All-Ohio was Wil Sizer (6’1/PF/2020/Cincinnati), who dropped a game-high 16 points. Dayton’s Alex Williams played well, finishing with 12 points, followed by Brent Walker’s 8 points and Quincy Clark’s 6 points.

Walker, Sizer, Clark & Williams

When we release our Power Rankings at the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase this Saturday, All-Ohio Red 2021 will be near the top.  Since last season, Finta’s squad has undergone a complete makeover with the addition of some key pieces. New to the squad is Gahanna’s Quincy Clark, a dynamic PG who can score or facilitate the offense. Finta has also added Patrick and Azzan Daniels and Elijah English, all of whom ran with Buckeye Prep last year, as well as Dayton’s Alex Williams and Idris Lawrence. New to the state-wide scene is Brent Walker, a super athletic big with a huge upside.  Walker is a man child who controls the boards, protects the rim and scores in bunches.  Returning to the team are Wil Sizer, a rebounding and scoring machine, Isaiah May, a scoring wing that can shoot it from deep or finish at the rim, and Gabe Finta, one of the team’s zone busters.

From what we saw yesterday, Finta’s squad is well constructed with solid PG play in Clark, scoring wings and solid post play.  In addition, they appear to be an unselfish team so far, and really pass the well, particularly in the interior. Clark is very effective breaking down his defender, getting into the paint and dropping off dime for an easy bucket or kicking it out to an open shooter.  Williams is a bigger guard who uses his big frame to muscle his way to the cup.  Patrick Daniels is a scorer who is effective driving to the cup and finishing. English is another long big the gives the team depth off the bench. Lawrence is another big addition and can provide scoring off the bench.

Not only is All Ohio Red 2021 loaded with talent, they are well coached, both from the top with Finta and on the bench with Clark.  Those guys know what they’re doing. If the parents and players can remain patient and willing to sacrifice playing time and individual accolades, this team is poised to have a lot of success.  It will also be important for the players and parents to be open to their kid being coached for this team to realize their full potential. We hope to get a closer look at Finta’s team against an upgrade in talent at the Buckeye Prep Invitational Tournament April 1-3^rd.  Congrats to All-Ohio’s players, parents, and coaches for a job well done.