By John Fanta ’13
There are only sixteen teams remaining in the 2013 OHSAA State Basketball Tournament, as the field has played out to a very interesting remaining group of teams. There is only one private school remaining (Cincinnati La Salle), as fifteen public schools stand in the field. Region by region, the intriguing stories of championship runs are just beginning to take shape. It certainly is not a field that is predictable, with tight district finals that went down to the wire last week. Here is what we have left in each of the four regions in the state.
Cleveland Region – Regional Semifinal Games on Wednesday; Regional Final on Saturday (7 pm)
Games at Cleveland State University
Mentor vs. North Canton Hoover @ 6:15 pm Wednesday
Out of the Alliance District, North Canton Hoover will be meeting the 8th ranked team in the state at Cleveland State on Wednesday night, the Mentor Cardinals. At 21-5, the Cards have had another terrific season. Hoover edged Uniontown Lake in the Alliance District Final 51-49, to advance to this point. Mentor breezed through the Euclid District, as they rolled Cleveland East Tech 88-58, to soar into Cleveland State. Coach Bob Krinzancic looks for big-time shooters Connor Krizancic and Brandon Fritts to keep forging the Cards ahead.
Shaker Heights vs. North Royalton @ 8:00 pm Wednesday
Coming out of a Solon District field that included four of the best teams in Cleveland (Shaker Heights, Saint Ignatius, Cleveland Heights, and Garfield Heights), the Red Raiders of Shaker Heights will put their 19-6 record to the test against the 23-2 North Royalton Bears on Wednesday night. The Red Raiders shot 23/25 from the free throw line to wear down Saint Ignatius in the Solon District Final, 61-52. Shaker Heights is led by 6’7’’ sophomore Esa Ahmad, who averages 21.5 points per game, 6’6’’ Rosel Hurley, who scores about 11.8 points per game, and Kash Blackwell, who scores 15 points per game.
Running the floor very efficiently, Danny Young’s Shaker Heights squad is quite athletic and full of talent. They make their second regional appearance in a row. As for the Bears of North Royalton, it will be the first time since 1993 that North Royalton is appearing in the Regional Round. The Bears knocked off St. Edward in the Brecksville District Championship, 53-51. Head coach Tim Matus relies on 6’0’’ Travis Tarnowski, who scored 19 points in the Brecksville District Final and is heading to Ashland next fall to pursue football, and freshman Omari Spellman, who scored 16 points and racked down 11 rebounds in the championship game. North Royalton is a stout defensive team, but they will have a tough task in getting back in transition and staying in front of the quick-paced Red Raiders.
Cleveland Region Prediction- Shaker Heights
Toledo Region– Regional Semifinal Games on Wednesday & Thursday; Regional Final on Saturday (3 pm)
Games at Akron and Toledo
Macedonia Nordonia vs. Brecksville-Broadview Heights @ 7:00 pm Wednesday
The Bees of Brecksville-Broadview Heights lived the wild life in the Grafton District. Their largest margin of victory was five, and that came in the 58-53 victory over Westlake in the District Final. They won a Sectional Final thriller over Olmsted Falls in overtime, 62-61. They roll with momentum into the Regional Semifinal at the University of Akron on Wednesday at 7 pm against Macedonia Nordonia, who dominated Hudson 66-48, to win the Copley District. Nordonia is defensively tough, as they bring plenty of pressure and body you up defensively.
Whitehouse Anthony Wayne vs. Toledo Rogers @ 7:00 pm Thursday
The University of Toledo hosts this Regional Semifinal, as Toledo Rogers comes off a memorable run in the Toledo District as a #4-seed. In the District Semifinals, Rogers upset one of the best teams in Ohio this season, #1-seed Toledo St. John, 66-55. They went on to roll through second-seeded Toledo Central Catholic, 60-39. Out of the Bowling Green District, Anthony Wayne took care of business as the top seed and takes their athleticism and versatility into the Regional Round.
Note- Regional Final will be at University of Toledo on Saturday.
Toledo Region Prediction- Toledo Rogers
Columbus Region – Regional Semifinal Games on Wednesday & Thursday; Regional Final on Saturday (7 pm)
Canton Timken vs. Columbus Northland @ 7:00 pm Wednesday
The top-ranked team in the state of Ohio looks to keep their season going coming off of a dominating performance in the Columbus 3 District. That’s Columbus Northland, who will meet Canton Timken on Wednesday at the Columbus Fairground Coliseum. Timken, who plays at a slower pace and likes to wear teams down defensively, steps into the Coliseum against arguably the most athletic team in the country. Coming off a 38-36 win over Barberton in the Canton District Final, Timken looks to build off that strong defensive performance on Wednesday.
Pickerington Central vs. Gahanna Lincoln @ 7:00 pm Thursday
The defending state champions, Pickerington Central won the Columbus 1 District Title over Olentangy Orange, 62-55. They will meet quick-paced and stifling Gahanna Lincoln (21-5) on Thursday night. The Lions are very physical and the run the floor really well.
Columbus Region Prediction- Columbus Northland
Cincinnati Region – Regional Semifinal Games on Tuesday; Regional Final on Friday (7:30 pm)
Cincinnati Colerain vs. Cincinnati La Salle @ 6:15 pm Tuesday
Colerain outlasted Cincinnati Withrow 75-68, as their hustle was enough to lift them to a Dayton 3 District Championship. #1-seeded Huber Heights Wayne was knocked off, and in convincing fashion by La Salle, who won 59-43. La Salle was the #8-seed in the Dayton 2 District, as they controlled Huber Heights Wayne to go on to the Cintas Center for the Regionals.
Cincinnati Walnut Hills vs. Springboro @ 8:00 pm Tuesday
The third-ranked team in the state of Ohio, Cincinnati Walnut Hill poses an offensive challenge to every team that they go up against, with many ways to produce offensively. They square off against Springboro, who edged Cincinnati Moeller in the Dayton 4 District Championship, 57-56. Walnut Hills won the Dayton 1 District as they rolled through Centerville 68-54. Walnut Hills is a stout, physical squad with talent all across the floor. They are a team to surely watch, as they have hung around the top spot in the OHSAA. The Cintas Center will be rocking this week with more high school hoops!
Cincinnati Region Prediction- Gahanna Lincoln
Follow me on twitter @JohnFanta13 and e-mail me to my inbox at [email protected]. Enjoy the basketball as it rolls on. The Sweet 16 in the OHSAA is here.
