Marquee Matchups: Week 6 in Southern Ohio
The picture will continue to take shape in the Greater Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) and Greater Miami Conference after week six in Southern Ohio.
Jan. 5: Lebanon at Springfield
The trio of Harrison Hookfin, Drew Sekerak, and Brendan Lamb, have Lebanon at a quiet 9-1 record entering the month. They’ve beaten teams like Xenia, Beavercreek, and Fenwick for solid victories; but, a win against Springfield would put them all the way on the map in the Dayton-area. The Wildcats are 8-0 despite playing most of their season without guards Jajuan “Jay” Rodgers and Michael Wallace. Senior Leonard Taylor and junior RaHeim Moss have been outstanding with an increased role.
Jan. 5: Oak Hills at Mason
Mason graduated most of their starting lineup this past fall. Yet, they haven’t skipped a beat, starting 7-0 behind 13.6 points per game from Noah Pedelty and 13.3 from Tanner Knue. Senior Nick Deifel and Oak Hills is Mason’s most challenging opponent yet. At 5-3, Oak Hills has only dropped games against Moeller, St. Xavier, and Princeton.
Whoever wins this game will be poised for a runner-up finish in the Greater Miami Conference, as Princeton looks locked into first place right now.
Jan. 6: Hughes at Eastmoor Academy
Eastmoor might have the toughest non-conference schedule in Ohio this season, including their home game against Hughes on Saturday. Hughes has rattled off seven wins in a row, after losing to Woodward on Dec. 1. Meanwhile, EA is 7-2 with impressive wins over Columbus South, DeLaSalle (MI), Africentric, and Purcell Marion.
The matchup to watch for is between two of the best unsigned guard prospects in the senior class. EA’s 6’4” combo guard Taevion Kinsey is an explosive athlete, lockdown defender, and an ultra competitor. For Hughes, Giovanni Santiago averages 19.1 points, 7.6 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals.