OHSAA Division I Preseason Rankings: Watchlist Part 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The OHSAA basketball season tips off in just a couple weeks and we're finishing up our top 10 rankings in each Division. Since Division I has the largest depth of talent among any division, we're doing not one but two watchlist articles in addition to a top 10 ranking. In this article we'll break down the central Ohio teams that just missed the top 10 and in our next article we'll discuss NE and SW teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pickerington Central</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A powerhouse central Ohio program, the Tigers have been as successful as anybody in Division I over the past 15 years. The Tigers don't have the size and elite athleticism that have made them state title contenders in the past but they have really good guards. The Snyder twins and [player_tooltip player_id='2288381' first='Landon' last='Evans'] give Pickerington Central elite guard play. I expect Evans to take a massive jump in his Sophomore season and begin to establish himself as one of the top players in central Ohio regardless of class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pickerington North</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The other Pickerington school also finds themselves on this list, which is in no order of team strength. [player_tooltip player_id='1432005' first='Arness' last='Lawson'] is one of the top athletes in Ohio and he's continually improved his game year over year. I expect him to be one of the best players in the state this season and he'll make Pickerington North tough to beat with their defensive identity. Jr Bates and [player_tooltip player_id='2047488' first='Favor' last='McFadden'] are other notable names to watch for the Panthers this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Upper Arlington</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ohio State commit [player_tooltip player_id='1708701' first='Alex' last='Smith'] draws the headlines and the Golden Bears have a group that can win their most games since 2022 this season. After being one of the younger teams in the area the past two seasons, Smith has some experience and chemistry around him with guys like [player_tooltip player_id='2204430' first='Hayden' last='Henry'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2125753' first='Luke' last='Mitchell'] ready to take that next step with him. If Upper Arlington can defend and rebound, their shooting and offensive skill can win them a lot of games in the ultra-competitive OCC Division they find themselves in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dublin Coffman</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another set of rivals find themselves in a similar position in these rankings, Dublin Coffman has a nice mix of experience and youth on their roster. [player_tooltip player_id='1721059' first='Colin' last='McClure'] is one of the top guards in central Ohio and [player_tooltip player_id='2202107' first='Stone' last='Clifton'] provides versatility and size on the wing. Add in younger pieces like [player_tooltip player_id='2301451' first='Gabe' last='Schmidt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2462577' first='Thomas' last='Cochran'] who are ready to step in and make a varsity impact, they are key reasons why Dublin Coffman is in position to make a run this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hilliard Bradley</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another team from that same OCC Division, Hilliard Bradley has another duo of Mirgon-Norris for teams to defend. With [player_tooltip player_id='2140168' first='Ben' last='Mirgon'] taking the leadership role with [player_tooltip player_id='2461095' first='Kip' last='Norris'] entering the mix as a freshman, Hilliard Bradley is probably a year away from serious regional contention. But with strong guard play and elite defense, this is a team that can hang with anybody on the right night. Expect the Jags to get some younger pieces quality experience this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Olentangy Liberty</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The fourth team from this OCC Division (a fifth will be found in our top 10 as well) the Patriots have size and depth. With Northwestern commit [player_tooltip player_id='1480851' first='Tyler' last='Kropp'] leading the charge, he's one of the most skilled forwards in Ohio. Add in sharpshooting [player_tooltip player_id='2042519' first='Nick' last='Butterfield'], transfer [player_tooltip player_id='2125747' first='Jeffrey' last='Reynolds'] and more versatile forwards, Olentangy Liberty can physically wear down their opponents. If Olentangy Liberty can get quality guard play, this will be one of the top teams in central Ohio.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->