Preseason First Team All-North Central Ohio

Brandon Little

November 20, 2019 @ 05:01 AM

Considering team success and one’s individual influence towards winning, who will be the five faces of Rural Northwest Ohio basketball this season? Tahj Staveskie (2020) | 6-0 PG | Sandusky Sandusky was eliminated in the first round of the postseason last year, a sort of upset loss against Shelby. But, the good thing is the Blue Streaks return a lot, including their best player Tahj Staveskie. Staveskie is the easy favorite as best point guard in the area. His ability to create his own shot off the dribble and beat the defender in multiple ways separates him. Floating around the high teen’s last season in terms of scoring, it isn’t crazy to say that the senior may average 20 points a contest this season. Sandusky isn’t a team that will be projected to go to the final four or anything, but they won’t be overlooked with players like Staveskie. A workhorse that has a clean handle to the game and doesn’t allow defenders to speed him up. Cooper Parrott (2020) | 6-3 SG | Willard Willard was able to make it to the Bowling Green Regional last season, winning 19 games overall. Bringing back some key pieces from that team, they should once again be solid. Cooper Parrott could lead that group, speaking into existence. Maybe the best scoring two guard in the SBC and area, Parrott can go. Scoring his 1,000th point as a junior, no easy feat that many don’t get until their senior season or not at all. The 6-3 guard scores it off the catch, off of screens and at the basket. Happens to really fill it up at times, projects as sharpshooter at the college level. Parrott is going to put some big numbers up this season, it’ll be exciting to see. TJ Pugh (2021) | 6-5 SF | Shelby Shelby seen their up’s and down’s last season, their first season in the MOAC. Finishing in the middle of the pack last season, it’s fair to expect more this winter’s go around. TJ Pugh is the standout Whippet who could lead the team in a ton of statistical categories this season, including scoring. At the high school level the junior is as versatile as they come. Can play multiple positions, create, rebound and score it at a high chip inside. A legit player to watch this season that could average 20-10-4 potentially. Shelby should be near the top of the MOAC, if everything works out. Garrett Chapin (2021) | 6-4 WF | Norwalk With the loss of Brandon Haraway due to graduation, Norwalk will need a new go-to player. That player very well could be the junior Garrett Chapin. At 6-4 Garrett is a multi-sport athlete that brings the footwork from his QB1 position and translates it to basketball. Norwalk won 23 games last season and made it to the Bowling Green Regional, where they ran into state runner-up Columbus South. Chappin seen a breakout game against the Bulldogs scoring 25 points in a seven point loss that was a lot closer. Norwalk’s junior Trucker has the ability to shoot it off the catch, is dangerous in the midrange and plays bully-ball inside against the defender. Chapin’s size and aggressiveness allows him to play inside, as well as be a physical defender. Mitch Raifsnider (2021) | 6-8 PF | Margaretta This summer was a big one for Raifsnider, as the small town prospect proved he is a legit big in the class of 2021, out of Margaretta. Raifsnider is the perfect player for today’s day and age as he’s a four that can do multiple things at a high level. Margaretta seen a couple postseason wins last year, before running into a close loss against a solid South Central squad. Winning 16 games is a decent season for plenty of schools, as it was for the Polar Bears. Raifsnider will take many of his opponents by storm this year as he’s simply bigger and a higher skill level than the rest. Can face up and finish inside with a smooth touch, or stretch the floor out and burry the three ball. The junior is only going to keep getting better and stronger on the defensive end as he improves his strength. A big season looms for the power forward. Offer from Ashland