State Tournament Thoughts

[OptionQB]

After watching the state tournament games this past weekend, I came away rather impressed and really frustrated. I was impressed with the talent level within Ohio and these were just 16 teams of what the state has to offer. I was frustrated b/c of the many, many talented guys that have obvious MAC talent at the state championships, we're reported to be in on one or were in on one and he signed with UW-Milwaukee (Moeller's Ryan Childress).

For whatever it's worth and the answer is not much . . . Here are the top players in my opinion in Columbus (Note that I watched the last D-1 game Friday night and all of the championships on Saturday)

First Team, regardless of division
G- OJ Mayo, simply impressive and only a Soph. Not LeBron, but has a better jumpshot
G- Johnny Wolf, State Runner-up St. Xavier, a who's who of mid majors are listed on Rivals, but BG is not one of them. He's a lot quicker than Floyd, has as good of handles as Moon and a quicker release than both. At 6'3" he would serve very nicely at the combo guard slot we desperately need. Avg'd 22.7 on the year and singlehandedly kept X in the tournament
F- Bill Walker, OJ's running mate at NCH. A physcial specimen at 16. Deep range beyond the 3pt. line and excellent size at 6'7". Only a sophomore.
F- Jon Diebler, State Champion Upper Sandusky (D-2), He too is a sophomore. Already committed to Valpo with his senior brother. Jon is too talented for that level and could end up in the major D-1s. Valpo is rumored to be redshirting Jacob so they are a year apart if Jon does show up.
C- Raymar Morgan, State Champions Canton McKinley (D-1), the best player on the best team in Columbus. Only a junior and theInsiders has him listed at ****. Ridiculously quick at 6'7". Has great handles and projects as a smaller version of Jermaine O'Neal at PF.

Second Team
G- Dennis Gagai, State Runner-up Ironton, Another 6'3" shooter that willed his team within 30 seconds of one of the bigger upsets in recent memory. Only a junior and an absolute pleasure to watch.
G- Jon Liggins, 5'8" guard from Cleveland Hts. Lutheran East, that put up the most unselfish state record 42 points in a D-4 championship that I've ever seen. Could've had much more, but played very unselfish.
G- Jacob Diebler, State Champion Upper Sandusky. How does a kid who lives within 60 miles not end up here and goes to Valpo instead? He's not the quickest PG you've ever seen, but he's not any slower than Floyd and plays much more "heady" than anybody we have. Shows glimpses of Brandon Pardon in his game. The unquestioned leader of the Upper scoring machine.
F- Laquawn Perry, Columbus Africentric. A rolly-pooly type of body, but deceptively quick and a great passer. Really played well for the state champion Nubians in their second year of existence.
F- Cliffton Howard, State Runner-up Ironton. The guards (Gagai and Waginger) and Howard really kept Ironton in the game against the physically superior North College Hill. Undersized at 6'5", but dealt with 6'11" Keenan Ellis and the NCH frontline. If he would have made the two FTs with :30 on the clock down 1, he would be a state legend right now. Tremendous effort from the senior.

[redskins4ever]

I too saw the tournament... well at least 3 of the 4 games on Saturday, and i will say that I came away very impressed with every team that I saw with the exception of OJ Mayo and Crew.

Unfortunately Clifton Howard is not even close to a Division 1 player. He is fundamentally sound, but suffers from White Man's disease, and although he moved Ellis from NCH... he wouldnt do the same with the 6'6"+ guys in the MAC or anywhere else. His hands dont make him a strong enough two to become a SG... so you are left with a guy who has no where the ability of an Anthony Stacey or a Danny Horace... MAC players with similiar builds but better athletes overall.

Walker has gifted as he is on the court, he is going to get himself into way more trouble then he will ever be worth, and will likely try to go the NBA like his partner OJ. Unfortunately Walker got flustered by players who had half his talent, and three times his heart. Walker would likely fit in at UC based on his athletic gifts alone.

John Liggins is a great MAC choice, he should be going to either a Horizon League school or somewhere in the MAC. He is quick, good dribbling skills, and is lethal going to the hole or hitting a jumper.

John Deibler will have OSU and Indiana knocking on his door before its all over, unless Deibler is strongly passionate about playing with his brother, although the whopping his brother layed on him during a game where he was slugged by Jay was something else from the accounts I've been told.

Dennis Gagai was phenomal, he handle the pressur as well as any guard I saw all day long, and he could be your PG with deadly consequences from beyond the arc. With the right opportunity the kid could easily be a 12pt 5/6 assists night kid in the MAC. His quickness was strong as well as superior hands and a great knack for steals.

Laquawn Perry was a nice player to watch, however I dont think he would've done what he did in the D-IV game in other division. Afrocentric had 5 true scorers, and unfortunately many of his shots would've been blocked in any other divisional game. Nice player, sick moves, but I dont think he is a pg or Sg on the next level in major D-1 basketball.

[BleedOrange]

Thanks for this great post. It seems like the SO & JR classes in Ohio are tremendous.

How did you find out who lists BG, insiders.com and prepspotlight.com? Rivals? Van Colemans? It could be that we're hitting Detroit, Chicago, and the prep schools harder than Ohio.

[duckunder53]

I have heard many rumors (and it'll never be known true until it actually happens) that the Diebler family will once again be relocating. That family is full of great basketball players, starting with the oldest that played ball for Gibsonburg when his dad was the head boys coach there. I have heard that the senior this year is going to Valparaiso and the entire family is moving to Indiana. Jon, the Sophomore, will then become a part of what is considered the best recruiting class to ever exit the state of Indiana (and this is w/o knowing Jon will be there). I have heard the class of 2007 from Indiana is just stocked full of D-I talent.

[Metz]

starting with the oldest that played ball for Gibsonburg when his dad was the head boys coach there.

Are you talking about Jeremiah? I can proudly say he dunked on me at my high school's after prom! I swear that kid could touch the top of the backboard! He had some explosive hops and a great shot.

[kslates]

starting with the oldest that played ball for Gibsonburg when his dad was the head boys coach there.

Are you talking about Jeremiah? I can proudly say he dunked on me at my high school's after prom! I swear that kid could touch the top of the backboard! He had some explosive hops and a great shot.

Yeah Jeremiah was good, but that is because he shot 40 times a game. When we played him, he had between 30 and 50 every game but we won every game.

Anyway, my mom works with a friend of the Diebler's and Jon received a call from Roy Williams last week. No way he ends up at Valpo

[Falconboy]

Has anyone seen him play yet. His team did get pounded by Afrocentic in the playoffs. I still a little weary of these Div.4 guys. We need to stockpile Div.1 and Div.2's mainly with as few Div. 3's as possible. I'm not saying this Wilson kid can't ball but, I just the same it seems too many of our guys over the years have been these Div. 3 or 4 players, ala Cory Enyk who has underachieved his entire four years as far as I'm concerned.

[pardonfan]

Upper Sandusky doesn't win State without SG Greg Micheli.

He is going to play football at Mount Union....would have made a solid player for BG!!

[Germainfitch1]

Has anyone seen him play yet. His team did get pounded by Afrocentic in the playoffs. I still a little weary of these Div.4 guys. We need to stockpile Div.1 and Div.2's mainly with as few Div. 3's as possible. I'm not saying this Wilson kid can't ball but, I just the same it seems too many of our guys over the years have been these Div. 3 or 4 players, ala Cory Enyk who has underachieved his entire four years as far as I'm concerned.

Isnt Nick from New JErsey?

[Tswam]

Falconboy can relax. The Nick Wilson recruited by BG is from New Jersey and isn't the 6'4" post player from Continental.

Saw all 12 games at the state tournameent and there were a number of other top-notch players including 6'5" junior Daequan Cook from Dayton Dunbar (committed to OSU earlier this week); 6'8" sophomore Aaron Pogue from Dunbar (looks like he goes about 285); 6'6" junior Ricky Jackson from Canton McKinley; and 6'5' junior wing Todd Brown from Mckinley.

There was a 6'8" kid from Loudonville named Kyle Gillette who put up 27 points and 19 boards against the 6'11" kid from North College Hill even though his team lost by 30. Gillette supposedly wasn't being looked at by any D1 teams until the past couple of weeks when several began showing some interest. BG is supposed to be one of those with some interest.

[Germainfitch1]

Has anyone seen him play yet. His team did get pounded by Afrocentic in the playoffs. I still a little weary of these Div.4 guys. We need to stockpile Div.1 and Div.2's mainly with as few Div. 3's as possible. I'm not saying this Wilson kid can't ball but, I just the same it seems too many of our guys over the years have been these Div. 3 or 4 players, ala Cory Enyk who has underachieved his entire four years as far as I'm concerned.

It seems that Eyink-Montgomery and LEfeld are all in the same boat. That is what I fear about our recruiting class. How many of the four are from these lower level divisions?

[Schadenfreude]

i will say that I came away very impressed with every team that I saw with the exception of OJ Mayo and Crew.

Are you knocking O.J. Mayo?

I thought he was the second coming of LeBron.

What do you mean?

[Class of 61]

After watching the state tournament games this past weekend, I came away rather impressed and really frustrated. I was impressed with the talent level within Ohio and these were just 16 teams of what the state has to offer. I was frustrated b/c of the many, many talented guys that have obvious MAC talent at the state championships, we're reported to be in on one or were in on one and he signed with UW-Milwaukee (Moeller's Ryan Childress).

For whatever it's worth and the answer is not much . . . Here are the top players in my opinion in Columbus (Note that I watched the last D-1 game Friday night and all of the championships on Saturday)

First Team, regardless of division
G- OJ Mayo, simply impressive and only a Soph. Not LeBron, but has a better jumpshot
G- Johnny Wolf, State Runner-up St. Xavier, a who's who of mid majors are listed on Rivals, but BG is not one of them. He's a lot quicker than Floyd, has as good of handles as Moon and a quicker release than both. At 6'3" he would serve very nicely at the combo guard slot we desperately need. Avg'd 22.7 on the year and singlehandedly kept X in the tournament
F- Bill Walker, OJ's running mate at NCH. A physcial specimen at 16. Deep range beyond the 3pt. line and excellent size at 6'7". Only a sophomore.
F- Jon Diebler, State Champion Upper Sandusky (D-2), He too is a sophomore. Already committed to Valpo with his senior brother. Jon is too talented for that level and could end up in the major D-1s. Valpo is rumored to be redshirting Jacob so they are a year apart if Jon does show up.
C- Raymar Morgan, State Champions Canton McKinley (D-1), the best player on the best team in Columbus. Only a junior and theInsiders has him listed at ****. Ridiculously quick at 6'7". Has great handles and projects as a smaller version of Jermaine O'Neal at PF.

Second Team
G- Dennis Gagai, State Runner-up Ironton, Another 6'3" shooter that willed his team within 30 seconds of one of the bigger upsets in recent memory. Only a junior and an absolute pleasure to watch.
G- Jon Liggins, 5'8" guard from Cleveland Hts. Lutheran East, that put up the most unselfish state record 42 points in a D-4 championship that I've ever seen. Could've had much more, but played very unselfish.
G- Jacob Diebler, State Champion Upper Sandusky. How does a kid who lives within 60 miles not end up here and goes to Valpo instead? He's not the quickest PG you've ever seen, but he's not any slower than Floyd and plays much more "heady" than anybody we have. Shows glimpses of Brandon Pardon in his game. The unquestioned leader of the Upper scoring machine.
F- Laquawn Perry, Columbus Africentric. A rolly-pooly type of body, but deceptively quick and a great passer. Really played well for the state champion Nubians in their second year of existence.
F- Cliffton Howard, State Runner-up Ironton. The guards (Gagai and Waginger) and Howard really kept Ironton in the game against the physically superior North College Hill. Undersized at 6'5", but dealt with 6'11" Keenan Ellis and the NCH frontline. If he would have made the two FTs with :30 on the clock down 1, he would be a state legend right now. Tremendous effort from the senior.

Option,
FWIW, Liggins is a Junior...his brother was the senior on that team, but he was the one with the scoring record, if I read the PD correctly.

[OptionQB]

61,

Yes the "state record" Liggins is indeed a junior. That's how impressive he was!

As for the rest of the guys. I'm not saying that BG should be in on all of them. From my seat in a certain skybox, those were the best players that I saw. Like I mentioned, I didn't see any games Thursday and 1 on Friday (the late D-1 game). So from Saturday's games those were in my opinion the best players on the court, regardless of division. However, like it was mentioned above, that does not necessarily translate into D-1 players, much less players that BG should be targeting. I was making the comment on the lack of players we have been "reported" in on for the state tournament qualifiers as a whole, most notably the Diebler boys.