First Posted: 2/24/2015
1. Can this area’s two state champions from last season, Lima Central Catholic in Division III and Crestview in Division IV, repeat?
LCC remains one of northwest Ohio’s top Division III teams, even after Martyce Kimbrough graduated and Xavier Simpson transferred to Lima Senior. But adding Tre Cobbs’ recent shoulder injury to Jake Williams’ season-long shoulder problems is a big question mark.
Crestview’s outlook has also been clouded by injuries to Preston Zaleski, one of two returning starters from last season, and Cody Mefferd.
2. Can Lima Senior make a long tournament run and get out of Toledo?
After losing its first two games of the season, Lima Senior has been on a roll. Can that roll continue all the way to Columbus?
First things first. If the Spartans win their district, they would play in the Division I regional against the Toledo district winner. Historically, regionals in Toledo have not been kind to the Spartans.
The last time Lima Senior went north for a regional and advanced to the state tournament was in 1968. Its last two trips to state, in 1992 and 1982, came went the Spartans played in a Columbus regional.
A regional win wouldn’t be easy whoever comes out of Toledo. If the Spartans get to the regional, they could possibly end up facing No. 1-ranked Sylvania Southview or No. 12 Toledo St. John’s, which has already beaten them twice, in the semifinals. And chances are good the winner of that semifinal will have to get through last year’s state champion, Lakewood St. Edward, or No. 2-ranked Lorain in the championship game.
3. Will the Western Buckeye League continue to flex its muscles in the postseason?
In the last three seasons, Western Buckeye League teams have won a state championship (Ottawa-Glandorf in Division III in 2013), had a state runner-up (Elida in Division II in 2012) and had a state semifinalist (O-G in 2012).
It also has had three regional runners-up, and all three of those teams lost to the eventual state champion – Ottawa-Glandorf in Division III to Lima Central Catholic last season, and Bath in Division II to Norwalk last year and Columbus Watterson in 2013.
The WBL, especially state-ranked teams such as Celina and Defiance, and O-G want to continue that trend this year.
4. Can the MAC get its tournament mojo back?
From 1998 to 2004, Midwest Athletic Conference teams played in Division IV and Division III boys basketball state championship games nine times in seven years and won three state titles. Since 2005, only two MAC teams have reached a state championship game, with New Knoxville’s 2008 victory producing the only MAC state title.
St. Henry, ranked No. 3 in Division III, and Marion Local, ranked No. 9 in Division IV, potentially could change that trend this season.
5. Who will be the next player who plays the game of his life on the biggest stage at the state tournament?
Lima Central Catholic’s Martyce Kimbrough was the Thunderbirds’ leading scorer last season, and T.J. Metzger was Ottawa-Glandorf’s top scorer in 2013. But what they did in the last two Division III state championship games went beyond leading scorer territory into legendary status.
Kimbrough got LCC started toward its 64-62 win over Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph in last year’s Division III state championship game by scoring 18 points in the first half, including making 4 of 5 3-pointers. Metzger made a state tournament-record nine 3-pointers and scored 36 points in O-G’s 67-46 win over Versailles in 2013.
Will someone have that kind of performance again this year? It’s something to look for.
6. Will an unlikely hero emerge at some point on the tournament trail?
This is the 30th anniversary of maybe the greatest unknown player becomes the hero story in the history of Ohio’s boys state basketball tournament.
In 1985, the winning bucket at the end of Jackson Center’s Class A state championship over Graysville Skyvue came from Jeff Teeters, a substitute who had scored 18 points all season and was playing only because a starter had fouled out.
Will some other unlikely hero get to live out that kind of dream this season?
7. Will fans like the new super sectional-type tournament brackets, or will they complain about the extra travel some teams will face?
Under the new arrangement, teams are seeded by district rather than by sectional. Coaches like it because being seeded means more, and teams don’t necessarily have to play familiar opponents in the sectional.
But it also means a few teams will face long bus rides. St. Henry will have to travel 83 miles to Findlay to play its sectional opener rather than playing much closer to home in St. Marys. And Hopewell-Loudon also will have to go 83 miles to St. Marys instead of playing at the much nearer Findlay High School.
8. How many teams ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press poll will win state championships?
Crestview won the poll and the state championship last season in Division IV, but none of the other three poll champions raised the gold trophy over their heads in Columbus.
Only 35 of 196 poll winners in the last 60 years have gone on to win a boys basketball state championship, according to the Ohio High School Athletic Association website.
That means 82 percent of the state champions weren’t No. 1 The Associated Press state rankings. The last year more than one No. 1-ranked team won a state championship was in 1988.
9. Will there be a shocking upset?
They don’t happen that often. Last year none of the No. 1- seeded teams in northwest Ohio lost their first tournament game. But when they do happen, they’re unforgettable.
10. Who might be the biggest roadblocks from outside the area in Division II, III and IV regionals who could stop area teams from getting to state?
Division II looks wide open, but the Division III regional at Bowling Green could have top 10 teams such as No. 6 Colonel Crawford, No. 10 Huron and Worthington Christian, with its strong postseason tradition, matching up against area teams.
In Division IV at Bowling Green, Plymouth is a top 10 team at No. 6, and Sandusky St. Marys could be a sleeper with a schedule that includes several Division III teams and some Division II teams. The winner of the Wapakoneta district will go to the Dayton regional, where No. 1-ranked Tri-Village, a state semifinalist last season, could be in the field.
