Preseason Central Ohio Division l Top Five Teams

It’s to early to make a lengthy list or a preseason pole, so we’re looking at the top five teams to start the season, in Division l of Central Ohio. Multiple things go into these decisions. Team build, new faces expected to step up, coaching, what teams have returning and what they have lost. <h3>Top Five:</h3> #1 Hilliard Bradley Hilliard Bradley has been talented the last few years from top to bottom. Maybe the most well coached team in the area, Bradley will be a force on defense as they usually are under Coach Norris. Bradley returns a hand full of starters including Princeton commit Matt Allocco. Allocco will once again stuff the stat sheets this season and potentially even see a boost in scoring. The senior guard has been shooting the ball better, which bodes well for the whole team. On the inside Bradley will have a workhorse in Michigan State football commit Chris Mayfield. Mayfield will grab rebounds, fight for loose balls and be the toughness that the Jaguars need. Chris’s younger brother Tayshaun will bring high energy and lockdown defending as well, a 6-2 wing that has the ability to play inside with the best of them. Keaton Norris and AJ Mirgon return as starters as well, two guards that can do multiple things for Bradley including shooting. A team full of high IQ basketball players. It’s hard not to put this Bradley team at one, even with Jack Pugh not playing basketball anymore. Bradley will be the favorite in the OCC-Cardinal and has the all-around team to make a postseason run. #2 Columbus South The Bulldogs are in an interesting position moving up from Division ll just a year after being the state runner up. South will face a tougher road this postseason in Division l, but have one of the best starting fives in the area to challenge the rest. Losing Treohn Watkins and Alvin Byrd will be tough to replace, but South has other faces ready to step in. Trevell Adams will now being the starting point guard a year after being one of the best sixth men in the entire state. The high Division ll prospect has the athleticism and play making ability to matchup with any backcourt they will come across. At the other guard postion will be TaQuan Simmington, maybe the most athletically gifted player in the area. Simmington will be a lockdown defender, a terror in transition and another scoring threat for South. Marcus Johnson is set up to be the Swiss Army Knife for the Bulldogs. The versatile wing guard can matchup with bigger players at 6-4, or be a perimeter defender. His length will benefit them on defense, as will his finishing ability. At the big position South has one of the more underrated players returning in Samuel Barton. Barton was huge down the postseason stretch last year, showing he can play with elite teams. He stretches the floor better than ever now, underrated passer and is tough inside. South has above average role players in Tyrique Hawkins. Hawkins impressed us recently and should be a big boost for the Bulldogs if they decide to roll that way, off the bench or a bigger role. Don’t count out the team from the City League-South. #3 Pickerington North The Panthers could end up higher on this list, but questions remain of who is going to step up with the loss of their best player, Jack Sawyer. Sawyer will miss this season healing from a football related injury and will be a huge loss, the predicted leading scorer and rebounder of this team will be hard to replace. But, the Panthers are still one of the more talented teams in Central Ohio. Wings such as Hunter Shedenhelm and Chris Scott will lock down the perimeter as well as have a hand in on the scoring. Especially Shedenhelm’s shooting ability which will be heavily relied on. North will have the depth this season with guards. Idris Lawrence will be a go to guard for them, a tough guard that brings scoring ability as well as a ball handler. Casey George will bring back experience as well at the position. This is where it gets interesting, Dior Conners and Jerry Saunders are two VERY talented sophomore guards. Both will be Division l prospects and big parts of the success of Pick North this season. Elijah Hawk will be vital for the Panthers. They will need the forward to step up big time with the loss of Sawyer and he is a candidate to be capable of exactly that. Pickerington North will compete for their conference title, as well as a postseason run. Don’t sleep on them, as they’re one of the best teams in Central Ohio even without their standout junior. #4 Pickerington Central The Tigers are an interesting team to look at this coming season, as they have some unknowns. Losing Javohn Garcia is hard to replace, it will take a committee. Also, gone from last years team are key contributors such as Jay Rodgers, Coleton Landis, Jaidon Lipscomb and Sam Towns. Opportunity can often be life changing for a player, maybe it’s all they need. That’s exactly what several Tigers will have, the chance to step up and help their team be the best version they can be. Central returns guards such as Conner Maciag and Tahleik Walker who will now man the backcourt. Both bring good experience and Walker is a defender they will heavily rely on. Garner Wallace would be the easy pick to lead this team. Showing flashes last season, Wallace is a two-way player that gets it done on both ends and will do exactly that this season. Add in Elhadji Thiam as the teams big and Central is solid on paper. Newer faces such as Sonny Styles and Devin Royal will be freshman that should have a role on this team. Both were highly touted out of middle school and should fit right in the varsity rotation. Josh Harlan will be another sophomore guard that will fit into the lineup. A program like Pickerington Central always finds a way to win, which is a testament to good coaching and player development, the Tigers have both. Pick Central could struggle early as they figure out their team, but it’s safe to say come February, they’ll be ready. #5 Thomas Worthington The Cardinals were solid last year, but could be one of the most improved teams this season. When you put one of the best, if not the best junior classes in the state on one team, they will be dangerous. Thomas Worthington lost Ben Wight to a Division l college program, but will replace him with no problem, maybe even better a better fit. Tyrese Hughey came over from Licking Heights and is one of the best bigs in the junior class. His mom defensive ability as well as his motor will do big time dividends for the Cardinals. Returning are Jalen Sullinger and Isaac Settles, a duo of a backcourt that is hardly matched by anyone in the area. These two can put up a lot of points and they will. Throw in junior Maurice Collins and Thomas Worthington has a starting five to matchup with anyone. This team has good experience including knocking off Hilliard Bradley in the tournament last season. Thomas Worthington has young players such as freshman Joey Zalewski who will look to have a role early. Thomas Worthington could be a year away in the end, but they have the team to make some noise now.