McDonalds All-American Nominations (Ohio)

The initial round of nominations were handed out for the McDonals All-American Game today, and in total, 30 Ohio kids made the initial cut. The selection process is lengthy, and invloves 4 rounds of cut.s Twenty four lucky players will find themselve on the final rosters.  This year, the Bucuckeye State will need some luck to have representation in this storied showcase. If you will recall, Northland's Jarred Sullinger was the only Ohio player to compete in the game last year. The game is scheduled for March 30th in Chicago, Illinois.  Congratulations to all of the Ohio nominees and good luck making the final roster! Below is a complete list of the Ohio nominees.

McDonalds All-American Nominations (Ohio)


Nate Anderson -Teays Valley High School Ashville OH
Aaron Ashley- Cleveland Heights High School Cleveland Heights OH
Dwayne Bazemore- Walnut Ridge Scots High School Columbus OH
Davonte Beard -St.Vincent/St.Mary's High School Akron OH
Jalen Billups- Shroder High School Cincinnati OH
Tre' Brown- Warren G. Harding High School Warren OH
Jared Bryant -Roger Bacon High School St. Bernard OH
Trey Burke- Northland High School Columbus OH
Darius Carter -Firestone High School Akron OH
Lance Carter- Troy High School Troy OH
Jehvon Clarke- Timken High School Cantan OH
Sam Collins- Cleveland Heights High School Cleveland Heights OH
Markus Crider -Wayne High School Huber Heights OH
Robert Davis -E.L. Bowsher High School Toledo OH
Nyles Evans- North Canton Hoover High School North Canton OH
Pat Forsythe -Brunswick High School Brunswick OH
Paul Honigford -Garaway High School Sugarcreek OH
Traevon Jackson -Westerville South High School Westerville OH
Ricky Johnson- St.Vincent/St.Mary's High School Akron OH
Cole Krizancic- Mentor High School Mentor OH
Trey Lewis- Garfield Heights High School Garfield Heights OH
Delbert Love -St. Edward High School Lake Wood OH
Cody Martin- Cleveland Heights High School Cleveland Heights OH
Chester McFadden- Springfield High School Holland OH
Shonn Miller -St. Ignatius High School Cleveland OH
Cheatam Norrils- St. Johns Jesuit High School Toledo OH
Jalen Ragland- Chillicothe High School Chillicothe OH
Desmond Rorie-Timken High School Cantan OH
Brian Sullivan -Upper Arlington High School Columbus OH
Rayshaun Sumlin -Martin L. King High School Cleveland OH
Khristian Taylor- St.Vincent/St.Mary's High School Akron OH
Stevie Taylor -Gahanna Lincoln High School Gahanna OH
Aaron Thomas -Withrow High School Cincinnati OH
Austin Traylor -Walnut Ridge Scots High School Columbus OH
Travis Trice -Wayne High School Huber Heights OH
Adam Westbelt -Kettering Fairmont High School Kettering OH
Aaron White -Strongsville High School Strongsville OH
Kirby Wright -Middletown High School Middletown OH

Play By Play Classic Returns to Columbus

If you want to see some competitive high school basketball this weekend, you might want to head over to Capital University in Columbus on Saturday and take in the action at the annual Play-By-Play Classic. This year’s event will offer another slate of 8 quality teams and highly ranked players. Some of the top players expected to compete in the event include: Laquinton Ross (Ohio State), Trey Burke (Michigan), Treavon Jackson (Wisconson), Stevie Taylor (Ohio), Jalen Ragland (UTEP), Malik London (Chillicothe), Isaiah “Zeek” Rogers (Westerville South), Devon Scott (Northland), Ricky Johnson (SVSM) and Jalen Robinson (Northland). Tickets are $12 and must be purchased online. Below is the event schedule including start times.

Saturday Schedule

2:45-Walnut Ridge v Dublin Coffman

4:30-Gahanna Lincoln v Chillicothe

6:15-Life Center NJ v Westerville South

8:00-St. Vincent St. Mary v Northland


Sunday Schedule (Value City Arena)

12:15- Bishop Hartley v Canal Winchester

2:00- Roger Bacon v Teays Valley

3:45- Peebles-\v Fairfield

Dayton Airmen MLK Holiday Tournament-Monday

As I try to do every year about this time, I spent Monday in Dayton covering Al Powell’s holiday grade school tournament. This year’s event hosted boys teams in grades 4th-6th, and was held at the Corinthian Baptist Church on the east side of Dayton. As is the case every year, the competition was fierce. While I was there, I was able to catch some very competitive games in both the 5th and 6th grade divisions.

One of the best games of the tournament pitted the 5th grade Dayton Airmen against Salvation Army. After having watched Salvation Army dispatch Cliff Greens’ Team Pit Bull 46-41 in an earlier game, my money was on Salvation Army to take this one. Although Salvation Army took an early lead and held on to it for most of the contest, the Airmen came storming back to take a late game lead. The Airmen went on to win 26-25 to advance to the 5th grade championship game. In the championship game, the Beavercreek Stars upended the Dayton Airmen. Some of the top 5th graders I saw included: TJ Owens (Trotwood), James Shanklin (Huber Heights), Dylan Craver (Dayton), Omari Peek-Greene (Fairfield), Cleveland Farmer (Mt. Healthy), Hezekiah Shaw (Dayton), Antown Johnson (Dayton) and Shalom Seals.

The top teams in the 6th division included the Dayton Airmen Maroon, Team Blue and Scott Bradley’s New Birth Warriors from Columbus. Earlier in the day, I watched Team Blue dismantled a grossly over matched Beavercreek Stars team (48-15 final) in a quarter-final game. A little later, New Birth easily defeated Dayton Airmen Gold 32-14 to advance to the semi-final game with Dayton Airmen Maroon. Later in the evening, Team Blue defeated the Dayton Airmen Gold team to set up a rematch with the Airmen’s top team.

Although many Dayton area fans had already penciled in the Dayton Airmen’s Maroon team as the eventual champions, due in part to their 4-point win over Team Blue earlier in the year and a close win in pool play over the weekend; Anthony Parker’s Team Blue had different plans. In the championship game Team Blue defeated the Airmen 48-46 for the second time in as many days to claim the championship. Some of the top players I saw over the weekend included: Torrey Patton (Airmen), Keagon Saben (Airmen), Kobe Vinegar (Airmen), Jacquel Freeman-Parks (Team Blue), Dujuan Ford (Team Blue), Shamari Jamison (Team Blue) Jordan Mitchell (New Birth), Paul “PJ” Jones (New Birth) and Ty Wiley (New Birth). All-in-all, it was a great weekend of basketball. To see the pictures I took at the event, visit the Buckeye Prep Facebook Fan Page.

Martin Luther King Holiday Classic-Saturday

Over the weekend, I had a chance to shoot down to Cincinnati to check out the grade school action at the Martin Luther King Holiday Classic at Sports Plus. Sponsored by MWX Tournaments, the event hosted teams in grades 2nd-high school. Although I intended to watch more of the 6th grade division, I was most intrigued by some 4th graders. All-Ohio Purple, a Cincinnati based 4th grade team sponsored by Orlando Berry, has a chance to be one of the best teams in the state for many years. I know it’s still very early, but this team is simply loaded with talent, as evidenced by their 25-0 overall record. In the game I watched, All-Ohio destroyed a Lakota-based team 52-3.

Of course blowouts are common these days, but this team was surgical in how it picked Lakota apart with stifling defensive pressure, which often led to easy offense. Also, let me be the first to introduce Joey Edmonds, a 4’10 PG from Wyoming. The son of an assistant high school coach at Moeller, Edmonds posses a skill set and determination beyond his years! Of course many of you will say I’m just hyping up another 4th grader, but for real, this kid has a chance to be really good. Not only is the kid very skilled, his attitude is tough and rugged, he has great basketball instincts already, and he plays the game with intensity. As an example, during a timeout, I saw the kid on the sidelines doing pushups as a self-imposed punishment for missing a shot. Edmonds is already making moves that some middle and high school kids can make yet.

Let me be clear, there are several talented players on this team, including Mike Hill (Finney Town), Kevin Singleton (Westwood), Greg Tribble (Forrest Park), Demarko Bradley (Price Hill), Jalen Rose (Bon Hill) and Donte Mosley (Westwood). I know it’s way too early for a lot of my colleagues, but I’m going to keep an eye on this group of kids! A couple of other talented 4th graders I saw included: Chris’seon Brown (Hamilton), Corey Davis (Hamilton), Terry Evans (Forrest Park) and Zuri Edmondson (Hurtwell).

I did get a chance to watch some 6th grade ball, as the Central Ohio Knights took on the Cincy Buckeyes. The Knights made the trek down to Cincinnati in search of competition, as they have dominated the teams in the Columbus area. Needles to say, they got what they asked for, as the Buckeyes erased and early first half lead, and had a chance to win the game at the free throw line with under 2 minutes left. The knights held on to win by a score of 42-35. The Knights went on to claim the title with a win over the Friars Hawks in the championship game. Some of the top players I saw included: Trey Pugh (Hilliard), Braden Budd (Hilliard), Nick Irwin (Grove City), Brendon White (Olentangy) and Preston Easnaugle (Grove City). For the Cincy Buckeyes, Raymere Jeters (Madisonville), Mykel Anderson (College Hill), Trey Releford (Evanston) and Carlos Weathers played well.

As most of you know, Ohio kids cannot play in AAU-type tournaments during the middle school season; however, that rule does not apply to Kentucky kids who benefit from relaxed rules. Because of those opportunities to get in more basketball against greater competition, the Northern Kentucky Legends’ 7th grade squad traveled a few minutes north looking to build on their 14-1 record. By the time I left the gym, the Legends were well on their way to running their record to 15-0. However, the Legends were downed by the Sherwin Stars in the Jr. high championship game. Some of the top kids for the Legends included: Brennon Englemon (Florence), Jacob Smith (Covington), Brandon Moore (Covington), Andrew Arnold (Covington) and Cameron Snapp (Brackon County).

Finally, although Buckeye Prep has rarely covers girls hoops, I have to say a few words about a very talented All-Ohio group from Columbus. Coach Jon Bethea, better known as “JB” in girls’ hoops circles, has once again assembled a juggernaut with his 6th grade girls team. Over the weekend, with their superior size, athleticism and talent, All-Ohio breezed through the tournament to until they were upended by the Friars Blue Wave in the championship game. To see the pictures I took at the event, visit the Buckeye Prep Facebook Fanpage.

Dayton Airmen's MLK Tourney Tips off Friday

For the 14th consecutive year, Al Powell's Dayton Airmen organization will host their annual MLK tournament at Corinthian Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio. This year's tournament will encompasses 42 games over the 4-day MLK weekend, and will again feature a  number of very talented 4-6th grade teams. For a recap of this annual tournament, continue to follow Buckeye Prep. Also, for more information about the event, contact Mark Landers at 939-304-8784.

Dayton Airmen Claim Title

The 6th grade Dayton Airmen closed out 2010 with a convincing 63-39 win over the Springfield Beasts to claim the Red Division championship yesterday at Kingdom Sports Center's Southern Ohio Prep Shootout. Although the Beast began the game with a lot of intensity and an early lead, after the Airmen employed a 2-2-1 full court press, turnovers led to a reversal of fortunes for Springfield and an eventual blowout victory for the Airmen.

The leading scores for the Airmen included Keegan Saben (16), Kobe Vinegar (12) and Chris Jackson (9). Springfield was led in scoring by Ben Harris (15) and Danny Davis (11). To advance to the championship game, the Airmen defeated the South Dayton Knights (57-44). In the other semi-final game, the Springfield Beasts got by the New Birth Warriors (48-35) to reach the championship game. Brunner Catholic won the Blue Division championship with a 55-23 win over the Cincinnati Buckeyes. In the 5th grade division, the Cincinnati Buckeyes defeated the Middletown Middies (44-42) to claim the championship. Lorenzo Sparks led all scorers wth 18 points while Dominic Brewton finished with 11 points. Below is a list of some of the top players I saw at the event.

Top Players:

Keegan Saben-Dayton Airmen (Pictured)
Kobe Vineger-Dayton Airmen
Chris Jackson-Dayton Airmen
Ben Harris-Springfield Beasts
Dashawn Parker-Springfield Beasts (5th grader)
Darious Quisenberry-Springfield Beast (5th Grader)
Paul Jones-New Birth Warriors (5th grader)
Jordan Mitchell-New Birth Warriors (4th Grader)
Ty Wiley-New Birth Warriors (5th Grader)
Nate Schumann-South Dayton Knights
Tony Boddie-Brunner Catholic
Miles Joiner-Brunner Catholic
Evan Clayborne-Brunner Catholic
Lorenzop Sparks-Cincinnati Buckeyes (5th Grader)
Dominic Brewton-Cincinnati Buckeyes (5th Grader)
EJ Williams-Middletown Middies (5th Grade)

To see the pictures I took at the event, visit the Buckeye Prep Facebook Fan page.