Breaking down the four OHSAA boys basketball state semifinals for Columbus-area teams
For the first time in eight years, central Ohio boasts four teams in the boys basketball state tournament.
Two familiar matchups Saturday highlight the slate for area teams. The first Division III semifinal pits Africentric against Ottawa-Glandorf, a rematch from the same stage a year ago when a controversial technical foul call on Nubians star Dailyn Swain — who was ruled to have hung on the rim too long after a dunk — helped swing momentum against Africentric in a 53-48 loss.
In the first Division I semifinal, Pickerington Central and Centerville will tangle for the third time in 363 days. Central beat the Elks 55-48 in last year’s final, and Centerville pulled even with a 60-54 overtime win Dec. 17 at Nationwide Arena in the nightcap of the Ohio Play-by-Play Classic.
In Division II, Ready will make its first state appearance in nine years, and Harvest Prep advanced in Division III for the first time since 2019.
Here are previews for semifinals involving central Ohio teams:
Division I: Pickerington Central vs. Centerville, 5:15 p.m. Saturday
Secrets are few in this budding high-stakes rivalry, which features a handful of different players from last year’s championship contest and will be the final game for either Ohio State signee and Mr. Basketball Devin Royal or Elks guard Gabe Cupps, an Indiana recruit and last year’s Mr. Basketball.
Cupps averages 15.1 points, 6.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals. Junior guard Jonathan Powell, a 6-foot-6 transfer from Dayton Chaminade Julienne, scores a team-leading 17.0 points per game for Centerville (25-3).
Senior forward Dalguun “Tommy” Gankhuyag, a 6-7 transfer from Willoughby Andrews Osborne, adds 5.4 rebounds.
“We have to play a little differently (from last year) and guys’ roles are changed,” Centerville coach Brook Cupps said. “That’s presented some obstacles we’ve had to figure out to get up to speed.”
Mr. Basketball: Pickerington Central star Devin Royal earns honor
Royal’s 19.6 points and 7.6 rebounds pace Central (23-5), which like last year has thrived with an ensemble of role players. Senior forward Gavin Headings (8.7 points, 5.5 rebounds), junior guard Markell Johnson (8.3 points, 3.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds), sophomore guard Amare Spiva (7.4 points), senior guard Andrew Hedgepeth (6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists) and junior point guard Juwan Turner (5.6 points, 2.7 assists) play the bulk of minutes.
“We have to limit our mistakes, our turnovers (and) our defensive mismatches,” said senior forward R.J. Keuchler, who averages 3.1 rebounds largely off the bench. “They don’t shoot as many 3s as last year, but they’re still the same fundamentally sound team. They get the looks they want and they convert a lot.”
The winner faces Akron Hoban (24-3) or Toledo St. John’s (19-9) at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
Division II: Ready vs. Akron Buchtel, 2 p.m. Friday
Ready coach Tony Bisutti knows his unbeaten team will have its hands full against Buchtel (21-6), which is in its seventh state tournament and first since 2019.
The Silver Knights (28-0) are making their first state appearance since 2014 and seeking their first title since 1973, when they won their second consecutive Class AA championship.
The Knights are in their first season in Division II, having moved up from Division III.
“You look at (Buchtel's) roster and you don’t see a lot of size, but they play way bigger than they are,” Bisutti said. “They can jump and they’re quick, but they are also strong and physical. They’re going to be a handful on the boards for us. That’s something that we’re paying attention to.”
Ready: Luke Ruth keeps Silver Knights on point
Both teams feature three players scoring in double figures.
Ready is led by forwards Charlie Russell (17.6 points) and Kaleb Schaffer (15.1) and point guard Luke Ruth (12.5). The three seniors also lead the team in rebounding. Ruth was district Player of the Year, joining Russell and Schaffer on the first team.
“You can tell that Ready is a physically gifted team,” Buchtel coach Rayshon Dent said. “They’re very strong and they can score on all three levels, which would pose a challenge for any team. They move the ball well and they play selflessly. I expect them to be a handful, but that’s OK.”
Buchtel is led by senior guards Khoi Thurmon (19.1), Marcel Boyce Jr. (14.2) and Amire Robinson (13.2, 5.3 rebounds). Robinson is 6-3, while Boyce and Thurmon are 6-1.
Thurmon (Purdue Fort Wayne) and Robinson (Nevada) are Division I recruits.
“They don’t have a lot of sets,” Bisutti said. “They’re really good at reading and feeding off each other. ... They’re real simple in their approach (with) a lot of dribble-drive.”
The winner faces Chaminade Julienne (26-2) or Rocky River Lutheran West (24-3) at 10:45 a.m. Sunday.
Division III: Africentric vs. Ottawa-Glandorf, 10:45 a.m. Saturday
Members of the Africentric program still have bitter memories of last season’s state semifinal loss to Ottawa-Glandorf, which went on to lose to Cincinnati Taft 48-45 in the final.
Ottawa-Glandorf (24-3) is playing in its third consecutive state tournament and 10th overall. The Titans won titles in 2013, 2008 and 2004.
Africentric (22-5) is officially in its fifth state tournament; it had a state title vacated in 2005 for using an ineligible player. The Nubians were runners-up in 2018.
For Ottawa-Glandorf coach Tyson McGlaughlin, containing the 6-8 Swain is key. A two-time district Player of the Year, Swain leads Africentric in scoring (18.9 points) and is second in rebounding (7.5).
“We’re going to throw multiple guys at him,” McGlaughlin said. “We don’t have that one guy that we put out there, nor do I think anybody in the state of Ohio has just the one guy that they think is Dailyn Swain’s stopper. It’s going to be a collective effort for us, but we’re going to throw a lot of bodies at him and try to make it as difficult for him as possible.”
The Nubians also feature junior guards Cortez Freeman (17.5 points) and Laron Fuller (11.0) and senior forward Preston Steele, who is 6-6 and averages 10.3 points and 10.8 rebounds.
“It’s really important for us to make them take tough shots,” McGlaughlin said. “That’s something that we’re really harping on our guys to make sure we’re containing the ball and making them shoot over the top of us. But their athleticism and ability to crash the offensive glass is something we’re taking to heart and we’re taking notice every day in practice.”
Ottawa-Glandorf is led by 6-6 junior guard Colin White, who averages 20.5 points and 6.1 rebounds.
Junior forward Caden Erford (13.9 points) and senior center Theo Maag (12.0 points, 7.5 rebounds) are other key contributors. Erford is 6-4 and Maag is 6-7.
“Colin White is an absolute bucket,” Africentric coach Michael Bates said. “He can do it all. He can get it off the bounce. He can shoot the mid-range (jumper). He can step out and shoot the 3. He can get it going right (and) he can get it going left. He’s a very talented player ... but we can’t forget about Erford or Theo Maag in the post.”
The winner faces Harvest Prep or Cleveland Heights Lutheran East at 5:15 p.m. Sunday.
Division III: Harvest Prep vs. Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, 2 p.m. Saturday
While the statistics seem similar, Lutheran East coach Sam Liggins said that’s where the likenesses end for the semifinal matchup.
Harvest Prep (21-6) averages 72.6 points and Lutheran East (20-5) scores 71. Both teams have three scorers averaging double figures, but the means to those ends are why Liggins calls this “a style clash.”
'We have a true team': Balanced lineup carries Harvest Prep to state
“We have a size advantage, but I think they have a speed advantage,” said Liggins, whose team won Division III in 2021 and was a semifinalist a year ago. “They will cause a lot of turnovers so we have to take care of the basketball, and we’ll have to try to win the game in transition.
“They play a different brand of basketball than we play. They like to get up and down and they’ll pressure the basketball a lot. Our guys are long and we’ll throw the ball inside a lot.”
Senior guard Cody Head (19 points, 6 rebounds) leads the Falcons. Two underclassmen anchor the paint in 6-9 sophomore Jesse McCulloch (17 points, 11 rebounds) and 6-7 freshman T.J. Crumble (15 points, 5 rebounds), and 6-7 senior Nelson Johnson comes off the bench.
“They’re as advertised,” Harvest Prep coach David Dennis said. “They’re bigger than us and they’ll present problems. The question is how we deal with that. They shoot the ball very well and rebound well, and they’ve been there before.”
Senior forward Nyelle Shaheed (15.9 points, 6.3 rebounds) paces a balanced attack for the Warriors that includes senior guard Zyaun Hutson (12.1 points) and sophomore guard Brandon Roddy (11.8 points, 4.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds).
Harvest Prep is back for the first time since 2019, when it defeated Lutheran East 55-42 in the final, and seventh time overall.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio boys basketball: OHSAA state tournament preview
