Columbus City League Preview: South Bulldogs
Success. In one word, that describes the South High School Bulldogs over the past 4 seasons, see the two Columbus City League Championships in the past four years and a state Final Four appearance. The collection of talent they amassed…
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Continue ReadingSuccess. In one word, that describes the South High School Bulldogs over the past 4 seasons, see the two Columbus City League Championships in the past four years and a state Final Four appearance. The collection of talent they amassed and the coaching of Ramon Spears, his staff, and players have propelled them to a school that will continue to be in the mix for a Columbus City League title, and this coming season will test that more than ever.
The 2020 senior class for the Bulldogs set the standard for the culture of modern basketball at that school and it would be a tragedy the level of G-Baby passing in Hardball proportions if they were not mentioned. Marcus Johnson Marcus Johnson 6'5" | C St. Vincent-St. Mary | 2020 State OH , Taquan Simington, Chaz Thomas, Trevell Adams Trevell Adams 5'10" | PG Columbus South | 2020 State OH , Ja’Lawntee Dean, Sam Barton, and Shaiheem Pickens. Those young men will forever be remembered by the city, their classmates, the school and the community.
Transitioning from those guys will not be easy, “we’ve been preparing for this,” says coach Spears, understanding that this season will be tough, “unless you’re a power program, you usually get about a 6 year run.”
Going into the 2020 season, the South Bulldogs look to have increased scoring from Maurice Barnes.
“He has waited his turn,” coach Spears says of the three-year letterman Barnes, “for the last two years in practice he had to go against the likes of Treohn Watkins, Alvin Byrd, Trevell Adams Trevell Adams 5'10" | PG Columbus South | 2020 State OH …if you can check those guys and you can stay in front and compete when it’s your turn to play it should be easy.”
Maurice Barnes is a shifty 5-foot-11 guard with deceptive speed with the ball in his hands. The lefty uses his craftiness to get to the bucket and score and uses his mid-range jumper to keep defenders honest. He defends at a high level due to his competitiveness and the numerous all-district caliber players he has had to defend in his years at South.
Barnes is just one key to a successful 2020 season.
The Bulldogs have a two-headed combination down low in the 6-foot-5 Marquis Hawthorne and the 6-foot-4 Shermar Lindsay. Two more young men that have “waited their turn” and hope to shine this season.
Hawthorne had a season-high of 16 points and he is a rebounding machine and Lindsay scored 80 total points over this season. Coach Spears noted that “if they get in shape,” this team can be a factor in the Columbus City League’s south division, “that’s their biggest issue.”
Close to six seasons ago, the South High School Bulldogs and Ramon Spears began building a program, the last four being a meteoric rise. This season, they look to reload instead of rebuild and be back on top in a matter of a couple of seasons.