First Family of Ohio Basketball

my2sense

my2sense

Well-known member
Front page story on Dru Joyce and sons in the Akron Beacon Journal all coaching this weekend made me wonder - who is Ohio's first family of high school basketball?

I go with the Huggins - dad Charlie is a HOF coach, son Bob should be one already, son Harry was an All-Ohio player who played at Rice and youngest son Larry "Hambone" Higgins was All Ohio and started at Ohio State.
 
 
Very interesting topic. I'm looking forward to the names and stories that will be coming up! I can't fault anyone for selecting the Huggins family. A new contender is the Etzler family from Crestview. Kalen is the D4 POY and an OSU commit. His brother Javin plays for Miami. His uncle Doug played at OSU in the 90's and coaches Crestview now I believe. Plus Kalen's grandfather, Ray, was a HOF coach at the school for 28 years. Plus, his parents played collegiately at Ashland.

https://bvmsports.com/2021/02/18/et...ng-as-he-looks-ahead-to-future-at-ohio-state/

Maybe not First Family of Ohio, but certainly worthy of consideration.
 
Coaching trees. I'll enjoy this thread. Should be some spill-over into girl's b-ball coaching in some of those trees. Joyce's came to my mind also being all current.

Bates out of Toledo would be one. Leroy at Libbey. Sons Michale and Jason were both down in Columbus.
 
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Moran family deserves an honorable mention I think. Especially with the success of Like Chicone on the court this year.
 
Gotta think the Sheldon's from the Bucyrus area have to be in the mix. Rob started as a JV coach at Ottawa Glandorf then moved on to Wynford. Heck of a lot more "connection" than the Joyces and their recruits lol. Also the Dieblers from Upper Sandusky/Fostoria.....everyone knows them
 
Sullinger family in Columbus is 3rd generation now if you count Satch Sullinger as coach.

Johnson family in Cuyahoga County has 3 generations of coaches and D1 players also, and state tournament appearances for the coaches. Mr. Basketball award in the family and Meechie is at OSU. Sonny Jr is a PSU commit so the younger generation is strong.

These families deserve mention.
 
Dayton area the Trice family is probably worth some recognition here. Travis Sr. has been a highly successful coach at Wayne HS on both the boys and girls varsity levels with a state championship with the boys in 2015. He was a big time high school player in Indiana and played at Purdue and Butler prior to finding his way to Ohio.

Son Travis Jr. played point guard at Michigan State and is currently a pro in Europe, son D'Mitrik is the point guard at Wisconsin and should also have a European pro career, and daughter Olivia is a guard at BGSU.
 
Here's a family name from Eastern Ohio - Huggins
Tuscarawas County

:>---

SALT
 
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Northwest HS in Canal Fulton,the Lower family with the father coaching both sons.One the head coach now at that school and the other brother head coach elsewhere,both fine players.
 
my2sense said:
Front page story on Dru Joyce and sons in the Akron Beacon Journal all coaching this weekend made me wonder - who is Ohio's first family of high school basketball?

I go with the Huggins - dad Charlie is a HOF coach, son Bob should be one already, son Harry was an All-Ohio player who played at Rice and youngest son Larry "Hambone" Higgins was All Ohio and started at Ohio State.
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A little more information on the Huggins family -

In Charlie's 20 year career he had a 398-74 record, made it to the Final Four 7 times, and won 3 State Championships.
All 3 boys were on teams that won a State Championship.
The family founded and has run the well known and highly respected EOSC Basketball Camp for over 50 years.
Bob is one of only 6 Division 1 coaches to win 900 games.
 
Irish60 said:
Very interesting topic. I'm looking forward to the names and stories that will be coming up! I can't fault anyone for selecting the Huggins family. A new contender is the Etzler family from Crestview. Kalen is the D4 POY and an OSU commit. His brother Javin plays for Miami. His uncle Doug played at OSU in the 90's and coaches Crestview now I believe. Plus Kalen's grandfather, Ray, was a HOF coach at the school for 28 years. Plus, his parents played collegiately at Ashland.

https://bvmsports.com/2021/02/18/et...ng-as-he-looks-ahead-to-future-at-ohio-state/

Maybe not First Family of Ohio, but certainly worthy of consideration.
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Good choice. I wasn't thinking of them until I read your post. Would have to be considered

I was thinking though the Arnzen family out of Delphos St Johns.
 
Mackinbiner said:
Here's a very touching tribute to Bob Huggins.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=140175858011152
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Gotta put in a vote for Huggins family. Bob is somewhat of a character over the years but he was the one I most attribute to teaching me to value defense above all else in basketball. Offense is fun and comes natural to work on by most players, yet, the discipline of defense is the difference between a win and a loss in most close games. The Huggins family while prolific scorers brought their A game defensively as well to "protect the differential of points scored between two combatants".
 
Sadly, I just found out Darren Davenport passed away. WCPO did a story on the family about a month ago. Mom, dad, and five kids- six have played DI basketball and the seventh is a junior on track to make it seven:

www.wcpo.com

Standout Davenport siblings having a ball as they chase basketball dreams

The Davenports are known for their basketball success. Away from the court, the seven-member family also excels in academics.
www.wcpo.com www.wcpo.com
 
Albert’s family from Wooster, father Mark was a longtime coach. Sons Mark Jr and Mason both head coaches. Daughter Marcy played at OSU and is a head coach.
 
Richard "Red" Hopkins and Richard "D" Hopkins both coached state championship teams at Portsmouth. Red won the 1931 state title, while D won the 1978 state title. They were father and son. I don't know if it still holds true today, but they were the only father/son combo in Ohio that both coached state championship teams at the same school. D's son, Rick, coached Portsmouth from 2002-2006.
 
The McCurdy family from Springfield. All brothers played at Catholic Central. They were Ed, Bob, Jon, Charles, Dave. Ed's son Matt also played for Central. Matt coach's Kenton Ridge girls and Ed also an assistant at Central.
 
The Greynolds family of Barberton. Jack was a HOF coach for the Magics and piloted one of the greatest teams in Ohio HS basketball history. His son, Jack Jr., coached at Glen Oak and Barberton. And Jackie's son, Jordan, played for his dad at Glen Oak and Barberton as well.
 
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