Ohio High School Basketball Tournament

[WVRed]

North College Hill knocked off Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy 96-37(CHCA scored 37 points all three times these teams played ). Mayo scored 30 and Walker scored 25, with NCH advancing to play SCPA in the second round.

I dont know much about Ohio basketball(just following NCH), but can any team in the Dayton 2 bracket knock off NCH? Only team I see that might be able to is Batavia.

Any thoughts or other team throughout the state you are pulling for?

[Roy Tucker]

Nah, I don't see anyone beating them through the whole tournament. They are in the Division III, traditionally small rural schools. Their talent level is waaaay above that.

It's like Lebron's senior year, nobody came within 20 points of them the whole tourney. But Roger Bacon did beat them and win state in his junior year in one of the all-time big upsets.

I think NCH would have a shot at winning the Div 1 crown with the talent they have.

There are a couple kids on the Mason HS team that I've know since they were little kids, so I'm rooting for them.

Lakota East and Moeller have the best shot from Cinci. St. X could sneak in there too.

[Fil3232]

The strength of Division III lies in the CHL in the Cincy area. Last year NCH breezed throught their league and then got beat pretty good by Reading in the second or third round. NCH is a lot better this year, but their style of plays allows for teams who play and defend well together to have a chance. If (and I'm not sure if the divisions are still the same) Indian Hill is D3, they would be a legit contender to NCH. Also well-coached teams like Reading and Madeira are always dangerous.

Roy, I thought Lebron lost to Roger Bacon his senior year. If I remember correctly, which is no given, I thought he won D3 titles his first three years and then moved to D2 and lost.

[paintmered]

Originally Posted by Fil3232

Roy, I thought Lebron lost to Roger Bacon his senior year. If I remember correctly, which is no given, I thought he won D3 titles his first three years and then moved to D2 and lost.

I don't know about his frosh year, but he won state his sophomore year in DIII (I was there in the front row). SVSM made the jump up to DII and was beat by Roger Bacon his junior year. They beat Alter in the finals his senior year.

[Fil3232]

PMR-

Thanks, my memory is fleeting. I was at the state championships his freshman year, a game they won. Probably the most amazing state championship team I have ever seen. Started 4 freshmen and 1 sophmore.

[ochre]

I think they beat Miami East (ASVSM featuring Lebron) in the finals one year.

[paintmered]

Originally Posted by ochre

I think they beat Miami East (ASVSM featuring Lebron) in the finals one year.

Yep, that was his sophomore year. Lebron was held shotless for the first quarter. East was leading at the half but lost it late in the game when SVSM started to press.

SVSM had a slew of athletes on that team. If Lebron didn't beat you, his teammates would.

Classic david/goliath matchup. SVSM was ranked top 5 in the nation at the time and Miami East is a small farm school.

[CbusRed]

Anyone going to the state semis/finals this year? A bunch of buddies and myself take a 5 day weekend from work and go to almost every game. We tailgate too, if its nice enough.

[Redsfaithful]

I might, depends on who's playing. I'm rooting pretty hard for Greenfield McClain, a school a few minutes from where I grew up. They've got a sophomore named Dante Jackson who's supposed to be the second or third best sophomore in the state.

[Roy Tucker]

Still follow HS hoops in the paper, don't get to as many games as I once did.

I used to take a day off work and go down to the UD Arena to watch the District finals and then another day for the Regional games (I was single, I had time). Generally speaking, these teams were very good and it was fun to every once in a while see a lousy team that caught fire at the end of the season.

High school kids pour their hearts and souls into these games and you usually get to see some teams that have had success and some good ball. It was fun and interesting to watch these games and you could assess pretty quickly why they were good and who the players were.

I've kept this link in my "Sports - other" folder for a long time. I always thought it was great. I still can't go to the UD Arena without thinking about one day back in Feb. of 1970.

http://www.jjhuddle.com/ubb/Archives...-2-012454.html

I'm going to give you the unvarnished truth:

One of the toughest moments of my life up to the 18 year point. You describe the scenario well. Time running out. Game out of reach. Opponents slapping each other and their crowd roaring. Coach puts next year's starter in for you.

You don't want to leave. You're getting beat but you don't want to leave. You look at the guy who has come out to replace you. You want to tell him to go away. Put more time on the clock. With just a little more time you can come back and keep it going.

But he won't go away. He shakes your hand and you have to walk to that bench. Once you cross that line your career is over. You look at the bench but you make out no one in particular. You hear nothing now. Your coaches step out to shake your hand and congratulate you, but you don't feel it and you don't hear it. You are numb. You cross the line.

It is over. You cannot believe it, but it is real because you are an 18 year old man and you are crying in public. You bury your head in a towel and wait out the clock. Your career flashes before you--from the driveway games against your brother to what you should have done better in this one. You replay each moment of the last 14 years.

There is no way to articulate it cleary, but 14 years or so of total commitment comes to this. You are not conscious of it, but that is really what this is about. You are finished in spite of your very best efforts after hours and hours and hours of practice. After shoveling snow off the driveway, after playing till your hands are numb, after not missing a practice in spite of 102 fevers, or bleeding, blister covered feet, or pulled muscles that kept you up all night long.

I have watched that final game on tape several times in the last 20 years. Each time it ends the same way. And each time I end up walking off the court, with no more games to play.

Yes, there are things more important, things that cause real pain. Your father's death or mother's death. A friend's death. The pain of your child when sick or hurt. But you never put so much into anything into your life before that point, and that loss is like death. Indeed, it is death--death of your career, death of that team, death of that season.

It is a hard, hard moment.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Redsfaithful

I might, depends on who's playing. I'm rooting pretty hard for Greenfield McClain, a school a few minutes from where I grew up. They've got a sophomore named Dante Jackson who's supposed to be the second or third best sophomore in the state.

Ahead of Bill Walker and Keenan Ellis?(Walker ranked 5th in the nation, Ellis ranked 20th)

[Redsfaithful]

Originally Posted by WVRed

Ahead of Bill Walker and Keenan Ellis?(Walker ranked 5th in the nation, Ellis ranked 20th)

Fourth then I guess? Not that I take prep player rankings terribly seriously.

[Redsfaithful]

WV I found this:

http://cleveland.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=382056

If Ohio State primary recruit Daequan Cook of Dayton Dunbar is the undisputed top slasher among Ohio juniors, teammates O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker of Cincinnati North College Hill seem to share that title when it comes to Ohio sophomores. However, just below Mayo and Walker is an athlete deluxe in playmaking guard Dante Jackson of Greenfield (Ohio) McClain, who may come to be known as "Action" Jackson.

Rest of the article is subscription though.

[WVRed]

New article in the enquirer today about NCH.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d...419/1069/SPT03