'This is a special team': Buchtel students, staff celebrate basketball state championship

The Buchtel boys basketball team returned home to Akron from Dayton earlier this week with the Division II state championship trophy and first-place medals.

The Griffins celebrated that title, the first in program history, Wednesday in a pep assembly that included high school and middle school students and teachers inside Appleby Gymnasium.

Buchtel principal LaCresia Beecher and Akron Public Schools athletic directors Joe Vassalotti and Ron Linger welcomed Griffins players and coaches into their home gym.

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Buchtel seniors Marcel Boyce Jr., Khoi Thurmon, Amire Robinson, Jayden Maxwell, Tajh Poole and Marques Turner led the team onto the court as students and teachers clapped and music played.

The Griffins had fun last weekend at University of Dayton Arena with a state semifinal win over previously undefeated Columbus Bishop Ready and a state final victory over Lutheran West.

“It has been pretty dope seeing all of the support that we have gotten from our school and our community,” Boyce said. “It has really been dope seeing how everybody has come together as one so we can achieve one goal.”

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Boyce, Thurmon, Robinson and Maxwell were in Buchtel’s starting five at UD Arena along with sophomore Stevie Diamond.

“We are getting a lot of love from the city of Akron,” Diamond said. “It is great to see it. … This is a special team.”

Said Maxwell: “We play as a team, we work hard and we support each other. Our chemistry on this team was crazy.”

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The city of Akron announced Wednesday it is holding a parade at 2 p.m. Sunday to celebrate Akron's two state championship boys basketball teams: Buchtel and Hoban.

“I am really excited about the parade this upcoming weekend,” Boyce said. “A lot of kids from Buchtel and Hoban know each other, especially the players on the basketball team. I feel like is great for the community to see kids come together from different schools and being celebrated.”

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The parade is set for Main Street, starting at Cedar and ending at Bowery. This marks the first time multiple Akron boys basketball teams won a state championship in the same season.

“I think this parade in downtown Akron is a great idea,” Robinson said. “If you type in Akron [on a computer search], all that pops up is violence and fighting. Now, you type in Akron, and oh, you see two state championships and a parade and everybody happy. I think this is a great look for Akron.”

Buchtel boys basketball players joined students and teachers in a dodge ball tournament after the celebration assembly. Griffins coach Rayshon Dent and assistant Steve Culp smiled as they watched the competition unfold on the court.

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“This is a great feeling for not only us, but for the Akron community as well, Thurmon said. “I enjoyed having a great time out there with my brothers. We worked hard together. I think we needed to achieve this goal as well just to show people in Akron that we can do other things besides just being in the streets. We showed that Akron is more than just violence. We can play sports very well.”

Boyce, Thurmon, Robinson and Maxwell were on Team Masonry, a winner in the dodge ball tournament.

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“I was fortunate enough to be one of the few people in the gym in Dayton in 1986 and in 2023 to watch Central-Hower and Buchtel win boys basketball state championships,” said Linger, a former physical education, health and driver’s training teacher at Central-Hower who also was the Eagles football coach and athletic director.

“I was talking with [former C-H coach] Mike Meneer the day before the state championship game about the similarities between the two teams from Central-Hower in ‘86 to Buchtel in ‘23. The great team play that each team had, the contributions from different people every game. Every kid played hard, played within themselves, they had roles that they all followed through on and it wasn’t a one man show from either team. It was truly team basketball at its finest with the ‘86 Central-Hower team and the ‘23 Buchtel team, and great coaching by both coaching staffs in ‘86 and ‘23.”

Dent said “the buzz around this team has been unreal.”

“Our community has stepped up to the call for support and celebration,” Dent said. “They have been here for us since the regular season games and it is still ongoing after the state tournament. The excitement around town has been amazing. Our guys are appreciative of the support.”

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Buchtel players celebrate OHSAA state championship at pep assembly