WishIWasGolfing
Active member
Definitely a hidden gem in that area. Really impressed with the layout. Hoping that's the new spot for the outing moving forward.
Mid-State League ‘22-23
- Thread starter The Dock
- Start date
JokesOnYou
Active member
How are the teams looking this year? Any big time players graduated? What teams improved/regressed from last season?
JokesOnYou
Active member
Harvest Prep lost 7 players from last years team. 3 graduated and 4 transferred. While those players might not have been stars, they gave Harvest Prep some added depth. The new team will still be good as Xavier commit Brandon Roddy, junior Adonus Abrams, senior Zyaun Hudson, and big man Nyelle Shaheed all return. The depth looks questionable, but had some talented players on JV/MS. Although I do think they will be a top-10 team in the division, I do not think they will make it to State.
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
Haven’t heard it from a primary source, but I have heard several people say a key player on the Fairfield County side of the Cardinal isn’t playing this winter.
bballfan48
Active member
I am guessing that is coming from the Grove? Would not be surprised if the QB sat out.
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
Right. My understanding is he’s focusing on his post-HS plans. Maybe he does end up playing, but I completely get if he doesn’t and instead is putting time and energy toward bigger things.
bballfan48
Active member
One week into practices. How are things shaping up in the Cardinal? The prediction for the league looks like this:
HP
GCC
Rosecrans
FCA
Millersport
FC
Berne
Miller
HP
GCC
Rosecrans
FCA
Millersport
FC
Berne
Miller
JokesOnYou
Active member
HP scrimmaged Independence and Centennial. Pretty good debut, won all but 1 Half.
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
That chunk of Rosecrans and FCA, at 3 & 4, will be tough. In most other years I feel either of this year’s iterations for the respective squads could finish second in league play.
Looking at the schedule we have, if we roll 3-4 or 4-3 through the first round robin then we’ll be middle of the pack I think.
Our 11th game is the return game vs Port in The Greenery. 4-4 through the first eight league games, or 3-5, would put us on track for 6-8/5-9 — anything above that is gravy, IMO.
— — —
Good luck to Independence, and Coach Aden. Good to see the Cardinal guys give back to the game and lead the way.
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bballfan48
Active member
When was the last time GCC won in Lancaster on a weekend?
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
December 2015 at William V.
GCC’s record at The Greenery on the weekend is 1-5. Thankfully, those games are not memorable in any way, shape, meaning or form!
L’s
12-13 (Saturday)
13-14 (Saturday)
14-15 (Friday)
20-21 (Friday)
21-22 (Friday)
W’s
15-16 (Friday)
— — —
Now over at The Dungeon, GCC has sporadically been more successful on the weekend over the years.
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bballfan48
Active member
Took in the Eagle's first scrimmage of the season. They handled Shekinah with ease throughout. Timlin developed some depth in the off-season. They played ten guys with not a lot of drop-off. He probably made emphasis on depth because they pressed all six quarters and just kept rotating.
JokesOnYou
Active member
Sounds like another top 3 finish in the league. Great that they found some much needed depth. I remember last year that GCC was hanging around Harvest Prep for 2-3 quarters before finally running out of gas. With Harvest Prep losing a lot of players, this series will be an interesting and exciting matchup.
WishIWasGolfing
Active member
Good to hear! I saw a game last year in which they only played six and got away with it. Hoping to see 3-5 this season. Good luck!
JokesOnYou
Active member
MSL Predictions
1. Harvest Prep- The gap will close a little bit this year, but still sitting comfortable at the top.
2. GCC- second best team last year that did not lose a lot of players.
3 Rosecrans- Team did not have any bench players last year, which worries me a little bit. However, Rosecrans middle school team competed very well against HPS middle school team, even beating them once 2 years ago. Hopefully they add depth.
4. Millersport- 4-6 is pretty tricky, but I think Millersport is 4. Not nearly as good as the team from 2 years ago, but a tough out for anyone.
5. FCA- FCA has been middle of the pack the last two years. Don’t know much else.
6. FC- Tough team for anyone to beat, but did not have a lot of ball handlers last year. If the Freshman from last year takes a sophomore leap, could battle for a top 3 spot.
7. Berne- Lost a very good point guard, but that might be a good thing for them. JV team was not good last year at all.
8. Miller- I believe they lost their best player. They do not have a lot of depth.
1. Harvest Prep- The gap will close a little bit this year, but still sitting comfortable at the top.
2. GCC- second best team last year that did not lose a lot of players.
3 Rosecrans- Team did not have any bench players last year, which worries me a little bit. However, Rosecrans middle school team competed very well against HPS middle school team, even beating them once 2 years ago. Hopefully they add depth.
4. Millersport- 4-6 is pretty tricky, but I think Millersport is 4. Not nearly as good as the team from 2 years ago, but a tough out for anyone.
5. FCA- FCA has been middle of the pack the last two years. Don’t know much else.
6. FC- Tough team for anyone to beat, but did not have a lot of ball handlers last year. If the Freshman from last year takes a sophomore leap, could battle for a top 3 spot.
7. Berne- Lost a very good point guard, but that might be a good thing for them. JV team was not good last year at all.
8. Miller- I believe they lost their best player. They do not have a lot of depth.
My buddy is still coaching as a part-time assistant in the MOCAL. He hasn't given me as much as previous years, but I'll take a shot at it by taking JokesOnYou's lead.
Quick note: I feel like there was a pretty strong argument that the MOCAL was better than the Cardinal last season from top to bottom (not including HP of course). While the conference didn't have a top-level team to make a district run, numerous teams won a tournament game and were generally way more competitive outside of the conference than past years.
This year is a little different. I think the top 2 teams (maybe top 3) could make a serious run at a District Finals appearance. However, I could see the bottom of the league taking a step back and resembling the MOCAL of old. I'll revisit this in 3.5 months and see how I did.
1) Northside Christian - I think it's the year. Based on their HUDL page, they didn't get any new transfers yet. However, their MS teams demolished everyone for 2 years, Vanderwarker has developed into a high-level D1 prospect (visits to OSU, Purdue, Va. Tech I believe), and they have added 3 Jackson brothers since those dominant MS teams. That type of athleticism isn't found in the MOCAL and is rarely found in Central Ohio D4. The scary thing is that they are still a year away from really hitting their stride. I've also heard that Ben Patrick (former head coach at numerous area schools) is coming on as an assistant, which means they'll likely be aggressive and press with their strong depth and speed. If anyone else wants a conference win this season, it had better be early before the team finds its groove.
2) Tree of Life - Rumor has it that they've gotten two transfers. They lost a couple key players from last year, but they are very deep, return a former starter who missed last year with an ACL injury, and have an number of upperclassmen. They also have a big post who isn't stiff and plenty of athleticism. They could certainly win the conference, but being D3 this season means they won't go anywhere in the tournament.
3) Delaware Christian - Ready to take the leap. Good MS classes recently, deep team, and lots of size. They are young and might be inconsistent early, but they have a guy who would normally be a leading candidate for POY if not for Vanderwarker at Northside.
Big drop...
4) Liberty Christian - IF they get everyone back, they should be okay. However, looking at their MaxPreps page, they didn't list their tall player (6'5" freshman last year) on their roster. If he's not back, that hurts alot. Still, their starting backcourt is very good and could carry the team on any given night. The rest of the roster is filled with soccer players, so I would imaging they will be aggressive defensively but maybe struggle a bit on offense outside of their seniors in the backcourt, especially if the post isn't playing.
5) Shekinah Christian - Not really sure where they would fall. Looking at MaxPreps, they had their worst winning % on record last year. I've heard they have some skilled freshmen, but I don't know of their athleticism. I've also heard that arguably their best player had a freak injury in an open gym where his leg snapped in half, causing him to miss the season. They could be anywhere 5-7 I suppose.
6) Granville Christian - Lost POY Joe Benvie (20+ ppg) and another 4-year letterman in the backcourt. Replacing their two best scorers will be a challenge, but they do return 30+ ppg from last season (based on 270 Hoops stats). However, outside of their top 5, who were role players on a solid team last year, I don't think they have any depth. They haven't had a JV team for several years and their MS teams have won 2 games in 2 years. Maybe their new coach has something that can surprise their opponents.
7) Madison Christian - Again, could be anywhere from 4-7 really. They had their best season I could find on record last year, but they lost some impact seniors, had a key player transfer out, and word on the street is that their 6'6" post player is injured and out for the season. Not sure what to expect but they'll need to replace alot from last year's team to compete.
Overall, I think 1-3 could theoretically beat each other and 4-7 could do the same. Maybe Liberty Christian (if they have their post) could knock off a top level team on a good night, but otherwise I think this will be a split conference in terms of competitiveness.
Quick note: I feel like there was a pretty strong argument that the MOCAL was better than the Cardinal last season from top to bottom (not including HP of course). While the conference didn't have a top-level team to make a district run, numerous teams won a tournament game and were generally way more competitive outside of the conference than past years.
This year is a little different. I think the top 2 teams (maybe top 3) could make a serious run at a District Finals appearance. However, I could see the bottom of the league taking a step back and resembling the MOCAL of old. I'll revisit this in 3.5 months and see how I did.
1) Northside Christian - I think it's the year. Based on their HUDL page, they didn't get any new transfers yet. However, their MS teams demolished everyone for 2 years, Vanderwarker has developed into a high-level D1 prospect (visits to OSU, Purdue, Va. Tech I believe), and they have added 3 Jackson brothers since those dominant MS teams. That type of athleticism isn't found in the MOCAL and is rarely found in Central Ohio D4. The scary thing is that they are still a year away from really hitting their stride. I've also heard that Ben Patrick (former head coach at numerous area schools) is coming on as an assistant, which means they'll likely be aggressive and press with their strong depth and speed. If anyone else wants a conference win this season, it had better be early before the team finds its groove.
2) Tree of Life - Rumor has it that they've gotten two transfers. They lost a couple key players from last year, but they are very deep, return a former starter who missed last year with an ACL injury, and have an number of upperclassmen. They also have a big post who isn't stiff and plenty of athleticism. They could certainly win the conference, but being D3 this season means they won't go anywhere in the tournament.
3) Delaware Christian - Ready to take the leap. Good MS classes recently, deep team, and lots of size. They are young and might be inconsistent early, but they have a guy who would normally be a leading candidate for POY if not for Vanderwarker at Northside.
Big drop...
4) Liberty Christian - IF they get everyone back, they should be okay. However, looking at their MaxPreps page, they didn't list their tall player (6'5" freshman last year) on their roster. If he's not back, that hurts alot. Still, their starting backcourt is very good and could carry the team on any given night. The rest of the roster is filled with soccer players, so I would imaging they will be aggressive defensively but maybe struggle a bit on offense outside of their seniors in the backcourt, especially if the post isn't playing.
5) Shekinah Christian - Not really sure where they would fall. Looking at MaxPreps, they had their worst winning % on record last year. I've heard they have some skilled freshmen, but I don't know of their athleticism. I've also heard that arguably their best player had a freak injury in an open gym where his leg snapped in half, causing him to miss the season. They could be anywhere 5-7 I suppose.
6) Granville Christian - Lost POY Joe Benvie (20+ ppg) and another 4-year letterman in the backcourt. Replacing their two best scorers will be a challenge, but they do return 30+ ppg from last season (based on 270 Hoops stats). However, outside of their top 5, who were role players on a solid team last year, I don't think they have any depth. They haven't had a JV team for several years and their MS teams have won 2 games in 2 years. Maybe their new coach has something that can surprise their opponents.
7) Madison Christian - Again, could be anywhere from 4-7 really. They had their best season I could find on record last year, but they lost some impact seniors, had a key player transfer out, and word on the street is that their 6'6" post player is injured and out for the season. Not sure what to expect but they'll need to replace alot from last year's team to compete.
Overall, I think 1-3 could theoretically beat each other and 4-7 could do the same. Maybe Liberty Christian (if they have their post) could knock off a top level team on a good night, but otherwise I think this will be a split conference in terms of competitiveness.
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
Dispatch said it was UVA, not VT, FWIW.
Main thing on him is he’s going to need to ditch NCS and go to the OCC, or something like SPIRE, down the line. Even the CCL would be great (I’m sure Tony Bennett would appreciate it.)
JokesOnYou
Active member
Tree of Life got a player that went to Harvest Prep last year and played Varsity. He should bring some added shooting to Tree of Life.
Whoops my mistake! And yeah that's the thing. Last I heard, he wanted to stay at NCS and enjoy the small school atmosphere while his dad coached him. However, I do agree that if a power 5 conference wants him to go to a prep school, I can't imagine him turning that down. The question then remains, what happens to the other transfers who have come to Northside to play with him? Those classes were pretty good even before he came, so I think they would be still decent (especially if the transfers stay), but I don't know if this blip of strong success is going to have much of a carryover effect (especially if nearby Genoa Christian keeps growing at the rate they are with their new facility).
JokesOnYou
Active member
Harvest Prep women’s basketball is about a year or two away from being D3 state championship contender. Their middle school 8th grade team dominated the MSL. However, the team probably will finish 3rd behind FC and Berne this year.
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
It could be a three-way split this year, but if anyones making it out undefeated…
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
The coaches recruiting him are going to develop an opinion, quick, on how they think he can acclimate to a) the college game, on the court; b) the college game, off the court. And that’s where NCS just doesn’t make sense down the line. To your point on his dad’s involvement (whatever the level that may be) — admirable and meaningful on one hand, but on the other…
If the kid was a 7’ big who could play well, the drawback of 4-years-of-NCS dwindles. 7’ guys with good game? They don’t grow on trees. Supply vs demand. Wings? I don’t doubt the kid can ball, he can. But there’s a lot of wings in the country. And they come from better groundswells, against better competition and come from places that can actually get you ready for college sports at any level.
As hackneyed as it may sound, compare who he’s playing this year to who Jerry Easter and Darryn Peterson are playing this year. I know Easter may be an unfair example, but Emmanuel is playing up in the regular season. CVCA is making it worthwhile for Peterson to play there. It’s just mind-boggling to see this “big fish in a small pond” situation play out, and possibly continue to play out. Where do we see this going?
JokesOnYou
Active member
How did the MSL basketball teams do in the playoffs? I know Harvest Prep went to Regional Semis, GCC and Bishop Ready made it to the district final, but I do not know anyone else's playoff run.
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
BC lost in district finals to Linden-McKinley, and Grandview lost in district finals to NC.
JokesOnYou
Active member
A similar situation happened with Harvest Prep. BJ Mullens, who played in the NBA, transferred to Canal Winchester after playing one year at Harvest Prep, which makes sense. Going up against better competition will get you more acclimated to how playing in College will feel.
The Dock
Persona Non Grata
I was waiting for someone to get the conversation to the point where BJ would be brought up!!
And even at HP, BJ played in gyms that had 7-10x the fans that NCS games accrue! Ahhh!!!!!
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