Marquee Matchups: Week 3 in Central Ohio
We’re entering week three in the Ohio high school basketball season. All that means is another strong slate of games around the state, so let’s get into it with this week’s version of Marquee Matchups.
Dec. 11: The Wellington School at Bishop Hartley
After dropping two of their first three games, Wellington will look to get back on track against one of the top Central Ohio Division II teams. Hartley sits at 3-0 as Garrett Tipton and Morgan Safford are playing up to expectation. Tipton, a Bellarmine commit, is averaging 16.6 points while Safford, a junior, has put up 17.5 per game in his two showings. Hartley is also getting a big contribution from Payton Collins, a 6’7” junior forward averaging 15 points.
You can look forward to a test for Collins, who will likely be matched up with 6’7” senior Noah Berry. They have a well-balanced scoring attack from seniors Solomon Pierre-Louis, Bob Faller, and John Faller, and junior Dallas Patrick.
Dec. 16: Dublin Coffman at Reynoldsburg
The game of the week in Columbus is on Saturday at Reynoldsburg. The home team will need to first address the problem of defending Coffman’s sophomore point guard Dominiq Penn, who went for 35 points on Saturday against Walnut Ridge. Penn is surrounded by experienced forwards and wings in Nicholas Carlson, Trevor Grady, Derek Van Vlerah, and Will Hunter.
On the other hand, Reynoldsburg will run their offense through the paint, with 6’6”-6’7” forward/center Tre Williams. The senior is one of the top unsigned big men in the state, averaging 23.7 points through three games. Senior point guard Jamiel Goliday will likely draw the Penn assignment. Also, they’ll need production from junior 6’4” wing Ben Fort.
Dec. 16: Eastmoor Academy at Purcell Marian
Coming into the week, Eastmoor has only played one game, a loss to Archbishop Moeller. By the time they make their second road trip south for a game against Purcell, they’ll have two more games under their belt. It’s a big week for a team that came into the season as Columbus City League favorites and one of the best Division II teams in Central Ohio.
Purcell presents a big challenge, as they are currently 3-1 and only lost to Moeller by 10 points this Saturday. They’re led by junior Javonta Lyons, who is averaging nearly 20 a game and having a breakout season. Alex Dotson and AJ Garrett are two other juniors that make up a strong 2019 class for them.