Shane's Division 4 Final Four Previews and Predicitons

<a href="https://officials.myohsaa.org/Admin/Bracket/PublicBracket?TournamentId=4157" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Division 4</a> has a couple teams that have not been here in a long time. This tells you two things, 1 that they are pretty dang good and 2 they have a special group that is ready to make history.   Games start on Friday, March 14th at 5:30 pm at Wittenburg University with Maysville vs Wyoming and then Saturday at 1 pm at Canton Field House for Glenville vs Hawken. The winner plays at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps?q=1801,Edwin,C,Moses,Blvd,Dayton,45417-4666" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UD Arena</a> at Dayton University on Friday, March 21st at 4:15 pm.   Friday 5:30 pm – Maysville vs Wyoming – <a href="https://www.google.com/maps?q=250,Bill,Edwards,Drive,Springfield,45501" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wittenburg University</a>   Both these teas have a combined 50 wins and only 5 losses. This game will have a great atmosphere and teams that slow it down and dissect you.   Maysville is 25-3 and is going to be another contender next year for this team as their starting five are all juniors. They are top 5 in both <a href="https://x.com/MartinRPI/status/1894062230628659541/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">point differential</a> and <a href="https://x.com/MartinRPI/status/1894059471854297215/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">points scored</a> this regular season for Martin RPI. This team is very good at playing together and tough. They have great actions to get buckets and do exactly that.   [player_tooltip player_id='2386466' first='Gator' last='Nichols'] (great name) is the go-to guy for this Panthers squad. He is going to throw up some wild shots in the course of the game and that is because he can score all of them. He is like a quarterback who can make every throw, he can make every shot. He has a quick release and confidence. He is a high-volume shooter and scorer. [player_tooltip player_id='2386467' first='Jordyn' last='Watson'] is another shooter on this squad who can put it on the ground or catch-n-shoot. He is a sniper and this duo is a big reason why this team averages 72 points a game.   Wyoming is 25-2 and is the favorite to win it all in the 4 teams that remain. This team is really good. They have a good size with great guard play. They rank 2nd in <a href="https://x.com/MartinRPI/status/1894062230628659541/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">point differential</a> and <a href="https://x.com/MartinRPI/status/1894061091635781743/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fewest points</a> allowed D4 in the state this season according to Martin RPI. They are coming off a tough win over Alter and have the squad to go all the way.   They are led by junior [player_tooltip player_id='1888254' first='Kellen' last='Wiley'] who is a good playmaker for his teammates but can score at a high level for himself. He will be a player that needs to be slowed down, but that is easier said than done. [player_tooltip player_id='2366691' first='Devin' last='Evans'] is a really good three-level scorer for this Wyoming squad. He has good touch with the ball and can score it well. [player_tooltip player_id='1925832' first='Darren' last='Gray'] is an ultra-quick guard who can get to the rim whenever he wants. The big fella holding down the post is [player_tooltip player_id='2366692' first='Carlyle' last='Billingsley'] who is 6'7 and has the length to match up and stop any big and protect the rim. This team has high attention to the defensive end. They do not allow many points and this is because of their effort, pressure, and rebounding.   Prediction: The Wyoming Cowboys get the job done over Maysville. Wyoming has more avenues to win this game and coming off their best win of the season they are going to be playing with a ton of confidence.   Saturday 1 pm – Glenville vs Hawken - <a href="https://www.google.com/maps?q=1815,Harrison,Ave,NW,Canton,44708" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canton Field House</a>   This will be a great game in the Field House. Both these teams play with an edge and play with confidence.   Glenville is 19-7 but is top 10 in <a href="https://x.com/MartinRPI/status/1894062230628659541/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">point differential</a> and top 3 in <a href="https://x.com/MartinRPI/status/1894059471854297215/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">points scored</a> this season in division 4 according to Martin RPI. They have an intensity to them. They speed you up and let their defense turn into offense for them. They have good size and athleticism that you want.   They are led by [player_tooltip player_id='1617867' first='Xavier' last='Vickerstaff'] who is a strong player who can defend the ball well but scores it well. He is a knockdown shooter and has a knack for making momentum shots. [player_tooltip player_id='1845820' first='Theo' last='Castro'] is an ultra-quick point guard for this squad who attacks and plays well along with providing good defensive pressure. [player_tooltip player_id='1432029' first='Braylyn' last='Irby'] is a nice long guard who can score it for the Tarblooders. [player_tooltip player_id='2052131' first='Lorenzo' last='Staley'] is a 6'7 athletic big who has great defense around the rim. He is a great rim protector and good in the drop-off position. Jahi Hobsen is a sophomore with good size and can get to the rim and score well. They have a lot of weapons to score the ball.   Hawken comes into this 20-7 record and a team who have gone further than most expect. They are playing their best ball of the season are the right time of the season. They have a lot of confidence and are clicking scoring the ball. This is a dangerous team to play.   They are led by juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1705959' first='Daron' last='Hill'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2113257' first='Gregory' last='Price']. Hill is an athletic guard who is scoring the ball at a high level.  He is getting more efficient at scoring at the rim and beyond the arch. He is playing with confidence and with a player like Price spreading the floor this opens it up for the entire Hawken squad. Price is a sniper for this team. He is a player who can shoot it any way you need him to. He can catch-n-shoot, off the dribble, on the move, and has great range.   Prediction: Glenville gets the job done in this one. They have too much size, athleticism, and scoring power in this one. They will be in a closer game than I think some expect but Glenville will get the job done to get down to Dayton.   Shane's Division 4 State Championship Game: Glenville vs Wyoming   This is going to be played at 1 pm on Friday, March 21st. I think this will be an intense game with two teams who have a contrast in playstyle. It will be interesting to see which style overpowers the other.   Shane's Division 4 State Champions: Wyoming Cowboys   The Wyoming Cowboys get the job done and win the state. Their teams have too much talent, size, and athleticism in any match they will face. They score the ball well and have this entire season. I expect this game to be a classic and possibly one of the best games of the championship weekend.

Division 4 has a couple teams that have not been here in a long time. This tells you two things, 1 that they are pretty dang good and 2 they have a special group that is ready to make history.