Lima Central Catholic (26-1)
Nickname: Thunderbirds
Boys Enrollment: 255 Final 2016 Ranking: 1st
State Appearances: 2016, 2015 (2nd), 2014 (1st), 2010 (1st), 2000, 1994 (2nd), 1993, 1992, 1989 (2nd)
Head Coach: Frank Kill
School Rec.: 141-18 (6 yrs.)
PPG: 71.0; OPP: 47.0
G 5 Tre Cobbs, 6-1, Sr., 19.7 ppg
G 14 Nick Taflinger, 6-1, Sr., 7.5 ppg
G 23 Josh Dixon, 5-11, Sr., 9.7 ppg
W 24 Ethan O’Connor, 6-3, Sr., 6.5 ppg
W 32 Dantez Walton, 6-5, Sr., 18.5 ppg
Notes: Lima Central Catholic, the 2010 and 2014 state champions, makes its third-straight appearance at state. … Earlier this year, the program picked up its 900th basketball win in school history. … Dantez Walton has signed to play college basketball at Northern Kentucky University. … LCC finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in Division III.
ROSTER
5 Tre Cobbs G 6-1 Sr.
10 Anthony Venturella W 6-1 Jr.
12 Matthew Cecala G 5-9 So.
14 Nick Taflinger G 6-0 Sr.
20 Jamison Bradley W 6-0 Sr.
22 Gavin Sargent W 5-11 Sr.
23 Josh Dixon G 5-11 Sr.
24 Ethan O’Connor W 6-3 Sr.
30 Brendan Stolly W 5-11 So.
32 Dantez Walton W 6-5 Sr.
34 Thomas Williams P 6-4 Jr.
44 Mark Janowski P 6-8 So.
St. Bernard Roger Bacon (21-7)
Nickname: Spartans
Boys Enrollment: 172
Final 2016 Ranking: Not Ranked
State Appearances: 2016, 2014, 2002 (1st),
Head Coach: Brian Neal
School Rec.: 180-96 (11 yrs.)
1982 (1st), 1939 (2nd), 1938
PPG: 67.2; OPP: 52.3
G 0 William Greene, 6-0, Sr., 7.6 ppg
G 15 Craig McGee Jr., 6-0, Jr., 6.8 ppg
F 20 James Johnson, 6-3, Jr., 10.0 ppg
F 22 Justin Johnson, 6-5, Jr., 11.6 ppg
F 32 Elijah Fulton, 6-47, sr., 15.2 ppg
Notes: Roger Bacon has won six district titles in the last seven years and seven GCL Central titles in the last eight years. … Coach Brian Neal passed Bill Brewer’s career wins record this year. … Roger Bacon won the state championship in 1982. … Notable alumni include Buddy LaRosa, Dave Foley, Dr. Thomas J. Fogarty, Eugene Lane, Brandon McIntosh and Steve Thomas.
ROSTER
0 William Greene G 6-0 Sr.
1 Luke Baker G 6-1 Sr.
2 Brandon Bibbs G 5-9 So.
3 Nick Pfriem F 6-3 So.
4 Jack Bishop G 5-6 Jr.
5 Trey Salzi G 5-11 Jr.
11 Alec Pfriem G 6-3 Fr.
15 Craig McGee G 6-0 Jr.
20 James Johnson F 6-5 Jr.
21 Darius Harris F 6-5 Jr.
22 Justin Johnson G 6-4 Jr.
23 Tony Luken F 6-2 Jr.
25 Craig Moore G 5-11 So.
32 Elijah Fulton F 6-4 Sr.
33 Clark Willhoite F 6-6 So.
Lynchburg-Clay (25-2)
Nickname: Mustangs
Boys Enrollment: 134
Final 2016 Ranking: Not Ranked
State Appearances: 2016, 1993
Head Coach: Matt Carson
School Rec.: 55-19 (3 yrs.)
PPG: 68.2; OPP: 53.0
PG 10 Zach Blankenship, 6-0, Sr., 6.2 ppg
F 12 Eric McLaughlin, 6-4, So., 11.9 ppg
G 22 River Mullins, 6-2, Jr., 8.2 ppg
G 23 Devin Pierson, 6-0, Sr., 19.1 ppg
F 30 Joe Giorando, 6-3, Jr., 11.4 ppg
Notes: Lynchburg-Clay likes to push the ball down the floor and use its defense to create offense. … The Mustangs set a record this year for most wins by a team in history (24) and won their first conference championship. … Senior Devin Pierson stands at 1,639 career points, behind Paul Cluxton’s 2,111. … This is the second Lynchburg-Clay team to win a district championship, dating back to 1993. That team also made it to the final four. … Paul Cluxton, the leading scorer in school history, went on to play collegiately at Northern Kentucky University. Whitney Lewis played at Wright State.
ROSTER
3 Josh Goble G 6-0 Sr.
10 Zach Blankenship PG 6-0 Sr.
11 Brandon Storer G 6-0 Sr.
12 Eric McLaughlin F 6-4 So.
14 Noah Scott G 5-9 Sr.
15 Michael Heindel G 6-1 Jr.
20 Tyler Barton G 5-10 Sr.
22 River Mullins G 6-2 Jr.
23 Devin Pierson G 6-0 Sr.
24 Josh Ahrmann C 6-1 Sr.
30 Joe Giordano F 6-3 Jr.
32 Morgan Ryan F 6-0 Sr.
34 Christian Inman F 6-2 Sr.
42 Brian Lampkin F 6-0 Jr.
45 AJ Stroop C 6-6 Jr.
Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (22-5)
Nickname: Vikings
Boys Enrollment: 155
Final 2016 Ranking: 8th
State Appearances: 2016, 2015 (1st), 2014 (2nd), 2013 (1st), 2008, 2007, 2006, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1992, 1991, 1989, 1987, 1979
Head Coach: Babe Kwasniak
School Rec.: 114-36 (6 yrs.)
PPG: 67.3; OPP: 51.5
G 21 Sherman Dean, 6-2, Sr., 15.5 ppg
G 25 Gene Higgins, 5-8, So., 12.4 ppg
C 50 Jacob Stauffer, 6-7, Sr., 6.1 ppg
F 12 Danny McGarry, 6-4, Jr., 4.6 ppg
F 3 Kevin Roberts, 6-2, Sr., 8.2 ppg
Notes: Villa Angela-St. Joseph’s won a school record number of games in four years and produced five Division I college players in the past three years. … VASJ is a six-time state champion and won a state championship in every OHSAA division. … VASJ finished second in the NorthCoast League this year. … Sherman Dean made 78 3-pointers this year, while Gene Higgins has 60 steals. … Notable alumni of the school include Clark Kellogg, Desmond Howard, Elvis Grbac, Stan Kimbrough, Kevin Edwards, London Fletcher, Eric Riley, Treg Lee, David Lighty, Carlton Bragg, Brian Parker, Demonte Flannigan, Derek Pardon and Duane Gibson.
ROSTER
0 Phil Bessick F 6-3 Sr.
1 Chad Potter F 6-2 Jr.
3 Kevin Roberts F 6-2 Sr.
4 Noah Newlon G 6-2 Jr.
5 Will Butler G 6-0 Jr.
10 Terrence Lawler G 5-10 Jr.
12 Danny McGarry F 6-3 Jr.
14 Andre George G 5-9 Jr.
15 Gene Higgins G 5-8 So.
21 Sherman Dean III G 6-1 Sr.
22 Anthony Turk F 6-3 Sr.
23 Alonzo Gaffney C 6-7 Fr.
35 Graham Koppleman F 6-3 Fr.
50 Jacob Stauffer C 6-6 Sr.
