Division II - Canton Regional

Who will be the D-II Canton Regional Champ?

  • Canfield

    Votes: 2 7.7%

  • Cleveland Villa Angela-St.Joseph

    Votes: 4 15.4%

  • Warrensville Heights

    Votes: 1 3.8%

  • Youngstown Ursuline

    Votes: 19 73.1%
  • Total voters
    26
  • Poll closed .
C'Town216

C'Town216

Well-known member
General discussion and updates for this region.

When: March 14th and March 16th
Times: Semi 1-6pm, Semi 2 -8pm, Final -7pm
Where: Canton Memorial Fieldhouse
Game 1: Cleveland VASJ vs Youngstown Ursuline 6pm tipoff.
Game 2: Warrensville Heights vs Canfield approximately after Game 1.

This will be an interesting Regional to see. Knowing for the first time in recent memory where this region is being played outside of the Canton Civic Center and being played at arguably the best hoops venue in the state being the Canton Memorial Fieldhouse which always brings a great environment for these games.

VASJ and Ursuline yet again meet on the storied parquet floor of the Fieldhouse in the regional round where VASJ has taken the last 3 meetings against the Irish in the postseason. This was with both schools being in Division III at the time, seeing the Vikings winning in 2006 in the regional semi’s and in 2014 and 2015 in the regional finals.

Warrensville and Canfield are meeting in the final game on Thursday night where Warrensville is coming off a come from behind win over West Branch. Canfield is coming off a defeating Glenville 64-51 leaving this region being a battle of Cleveland vs Youngstown.

Below are the records of each team although at this point, records are thrown out the window.

Ursuline: 22-3
Canfield: 22-4
Warrensville Hts: 18-6
VASJ: 18-7

Best of luck to all teams next week, hoping for some good basketball, should be fun.
 
 
Both games on Thursday are gonna be really exciting, and are nothing short of having great storylines. Whoever comes out of this region will definitely have earned their trip to Dayton. Canfield is back for the first time since 2000, and Warrensville for the first time since 2020. Both teams met in the regional round almost 25 years ago.
 
This may be the best NEO regional of the 4 divisions. It looks like Lutheran East and Richmond Hts have a clear path in Div 3&4. Ignatius seems to be a step above the field in Div 1 (and I'd love to see them & Garfield Hts in the state final). I don't know who to favor out of the NEO Div 2 field though and I'm really looking forward to 3 great games there. I travel to follow most of the top teams in NEO throughout the season but somehow i missed seeing Canfield play until it's past 2 games and I was very impressed with their skill and unselfish team play. Gotta admit I'm rooting for them a bit. Any opinions out there on these matchups ?
 
NorthLawrence said:
This may be the best NEO regional of the 4 divisions. It looks like Lutheran East and Richmond Hts have a clear path in Div 3&4. Ignatius seems to be a step above the field in Div 1 (and I'd love to see them & Garfield Hts in the state final). I don't know who to favor out of the NEO Div 2 field though and I'm really looking forward to 3 great games there. I travel to follow most of the top teams in NEO throughout the season but somehow i missed seeing Canfield play until it's past 2 games and I was very impressed with their skill and unselfish team play. Gotta admit I'm rooting for them a bit. Any opinions out there on these matchups ?
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From a VASJ perspective, I see Ursuline being the favorite going into this match up based on resume and should have the upper hand in talent. They are definitely not going up against a Vikings team that would be favorites to advance to the Final Four, like in years past. Instead a team that is still young, scrappy, and have nothing to lose which in itself can be dangerous.

VASJ despite only having a couple of seniors with the majority of the roster being majority juniors and sophomores, they can play up tempo, get to the basket, make shots and give teams a run for their money. Their undoings that they have encountered, whether it’s not closing opponents out and letting them back, unforced errors, free throws, allowing offensive rebounds, and not taking good shots. If Ursuline makes the Vikings uncomfortable, the Irish will be playing Saturday.

If the Vikings play to their strengths and play solid defense, box out on missed shots and not let Ursuline get out in the open, allow offensive boards, they should be able to make it a ballgame. This VASJ roster is a far cry from what everyone is used to seeing from the Vikings, and competing for State Titles. They are, believe it or not, are still in the rebuilding phase of getting the program back up to everyone’s standards but are close to being where this program once was.
 
VASJ must have good guard play. I didn't get to their game eliminating CVCA but throughout the season the only teams I saw give CVCA trouble were those who could handle a lot of up tempo pressure - they relied on pressing defense to create a lot of their offense. Ursuline is definitely talented but at this stage everyone is beatable on the right night.
 
NorthLawrence said:
VASJ must have good guard play. I didn't get to their game eliminating CVCA but throughout the season the only teams I saw give CVCA trouble were those who could handle a lot of up tempo pressure - they relied on pressing defense to create a lot of their offense. Ursuline is definitely talented but at this stage everyone is beatable on the right night.
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The guard play is very so so. A lot of errant passes and dumb avoidable turnovers like unforced backcourts, 5 seconds, and passes that leave you scratching your head. It’s a far cry from guards we’ve had in the past. They grew up on Saturday regarding composure and not letting the press get to them but are still fortunate to still be playing despite all the miscues.

Definitely a far cry of guard play after seeing names like Ron Hollis, Nate Barnes, David Lighty, Duane Gibson, Brian Parker, and Jerry Higgins back during the Wojciechowski and Kwasniak era’s of the mid 00’s and 10’s in recent memory.
 
C'Town216 said:
From a VASJ perspective, I see Ursuline being the favorite going into this match up based on resume and should have the upper hand in talent. They are definitely not going up against a Vikings team that would be favorites to advance to the Final Four, like in years past. Instead a team that is still young, scrappy, and have nothing to lose which in itself can be dangerous.

VASJ despite only having a couple of seniors with the majority of the roster being majority juniors and sophomores, they can play up tempo, get to the basket, make shots and give teams a run for their money. Their undoings that they have encountered, whether it’s not closing opponents out and letting them back, unforced errors, free throws, allowing offensive rebounds, and not taking good shots. If Ursuline makes the Vikings uncomfortable, the Irish will be playing Saturday.

If the Vikings play to their strengths and play solid defense, box out on missed shots and not let Ursuline get out in the open, allow offensive boards, they should be able to make it a ballgame. This VASJ roster is a far cry from what everyone is used to seeing from the Vikings, and competing for State Titles. They are, believe it or not, are still in the rebuilding phase of getting the program back up to everyone’s standards but are close to being where this program once was.
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Seems like The Irish and The Vikings have a lot of similarities. Ursuline is very young, starting two Freshmen with another freshman and a sophomore in their rotation. Most of the time they do not give Freshmen and Sophomore energy, but in spurts you can see their youth (i.e. bad shots, turnovers, weak transition defense). Their two senior starters are very good, especially around the rim, with Payne being a traditional post and Lucente more of a slashing 3/4. When things get tough, these two have stepped up all year long to put games away.

Not much has changed defensively from years past. The Irish are still looking to pressure you non-stop, out of man and zone. Junior guard Deshaun Will can be a menace on the ball.

I Think this is going to be a very fun game and a very competitive regional (Don't Sleep on Canfield!). Ursuline is probably the favorite, especially if they shoot the ball well. However, they aren't the overwhelming favorites like some of those vintage VASJ teams that crushed our dreams.
 
Ursuline said:
Seems like The Irish and The Vikings have a lot of similarities. Ursuline is very young, starting two Freshmen with another freshman and a sophomore in their rotation. Most of the time they do not give Freshmen and Sophomore energy, but in spurts you can see their youth (i.e. bad shots, turnovers, weak transition defense). Their two senior starters are very good, especially around the rim, with Payne being a traditional post and Lucente more of a slashing 3/4. When things get tough, these two have stepped up all year long to put games away.

Not much has changed defensively from years past. The Irish are still looking to pressure you non-stop, out of man and zone. Junior guard Deshaun Will can be a menace on the ball.

I Think this is going to be a very fun game and a very competitive regional (Don't Sleep on Canfield!). Ursuline is probably the favorite, especially if they shoot the ball well. However, they aren't the overwhelming favorites like some of those vintage VASJ teams that crushed our dreams.
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I can tell these are two teams that mirror each other in many ways. If the Irish get the win, this would be the year to do so and likely get another rivalry going with a fellow Ursuline sponsored school like in football. I’m definitely surprised we haven’t scheduled each other in the regular season for hoops yet. I think those matchups would be fun and exciting and to give both teams a solid test.

The Vikings do have some size down below but nothing compared to what Ursuline saw back in 14 and 15 dealing with Pardon and Bragg. Brown 6’4 (Jr.), Daniels 6’5 (Sr.), and Owens 6’6 (So.) can grab boards and get the Vikings 2nd chance points but have had problems letting themselves get out rebounded.

Shenker (Jr.) is good shooter but can get cold if his shot isn’t falling but I still wouldn’t sleep on him since despite having an off night, was able to hit 2 clutch threes in crunch time to get the game tied against CVCA.

Wright (Sr.) and Martin (Jr.) are the primary ball handlers who can get the ball to the rim but are proned to give the ball away or commit unforced errors. Wright on Saturday did a good job of being able to get past the CVCA defenders breaking their press but with some boneheaded plays mixed in.

Overall they won’t give in very easily and have grown a lot since the beginning of the season after dropping 3 in a row. I expect this one to be a close exciting game. Will be curious to see if the they can limit the turnovers and mistakes. Key thing that has been the Achilles heel and allowed for teams to stay in games have been the foul shooting. If they can make shots, FT’s, and limit TO’s then they will be ok. If not, it will be a long night for the Village.
 
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simkon said:
I can tell you this Canfield will be very well coached and very disciplined, don't expect them to make many mistakes and expect them to have a good gameplan/strategy. Coach Cullen always does an excellent job of making the most of the boys he has to work with...
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Cullen is an absolute Canfield legend and an outstanding basketball coach.
 
As I had a feeling going into yesterday’s game, I had a hunch Ursuline was gonna win but didn’t really expect it to be laugher like it was. The stage seemed too big for a Viking squad that’s never played on a big stage like the Regional Round. You can tell the youthfulness showed itself by making costly mistakes and digging themselves in too deep of a hole to get out of, but I see it as a positive to add motivation to get better over the summer be right back next season with only losing a couple of seniors.

Ursuline had all the momentum right from the jump and was hot from deep, especially Gunther. Hell of a shooter! Best of luck Irish on Saturday against Canfield, I think this is the year where Ursuline gets to the final 4. We will see you guys on the gridiron this fall at our new stadium!
 
VASJ just never fixed their turnover and bad decision making all year. The team misses way to many easy shots, fails to get rebounds and turns the ball over way to much. Hopefully this year's run gives them valuable experience. There is talent in the building, but until they fix those key issues nothing will change. They have a few kids at key positions that play selfish basketball. Maybe next year the Vikings will increase their schedule toughness and repair the few areas that are broken.
 
Ursuline-Canfield should be a great regional final. I know Ursuline is favored and beat them by 10 early in the season but Canfield seems to be hitting on all cylinders right now. Really fundamentally skilled, good ball movement and help defense. Lots of interchangeable parts so the opposing defense has to respect the whole floor. I think #15 is the real glue guy for them but coaching is a big part too. I'm rooting for them to get to state. (I can't help but think how good they might have been if they didn't lose their big center before the season started!)
 
cinco said:
Is this game on tv?
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It will be on Nfhsnetwork.com, which is hit or miss. It was okay for the Ursuline-VASJ, but wouldn't come on for the Canfield game or JFK final for me. You just never know what kind of stream you're going to get.
 
And just like that, NFHS stream is not working for the Mooney game. YSN broadcasts get a lot of hate on here, but at least they are consistent. Plan on listening to the audio broadcast for the Ursuline/Canfield game, if you're not going.
 
Best of luck to Ursuline in Dayton. They really need to implement a shot clock as an aside. Saw a game in Texas where the one team held the ball for half the game.
 
simkon said:
Best of luck to Ursuline in Dayton. They really need to implement a shot clock as an aside. Saw a game in Texas where the one team held the ball for half the game.
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I agree about needing a shot clock but it wouldn't have mattered in this game. Canfield couldn't hit a shot to save their life. They looked really tight and nervous all night.
 
Jaws31 said:
I agree about needing a shot clock but it wouldn't have mattered in this game. Canfield couldn't hit a shot to save their life. They looked really tight and nervous all night.
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I never said it would have made a difference in this game. Just saying boys high school basketball should have a 40 second shot clock, in light of what happened in the game in Texas where a team literally held the ball for half the game. I am just generally annoyed by teams holding the ball or playing keep away.
 
I have no dog in the fight, nor am I an advocate of separating public vs. private. But when a parihocal football school in DIII, and that same school is DII basketball, reaches the state regional finals in football (elite 8), and the state finals in basketball (final 4 with champ yet to be determined), and that said school has 0 “dual athletes” between the two sports (I could be wrong, but if I am, it can’t be off by more than a impact player), this school is considered an athletic “academy” and not a catholic school.

For a school of Ursuline’s size (small) to be that dominant in both sports WITHOUT dual athletes leads you to believe this machine is an athletic academy (vouchers) rather than a school of higher education.

I was rooting for Canfield tonight, obviously, but in reality, they had 0 chance.
 
topperbounce said:
I have no dog in the fight, nor am I an advocate of separating public vs. private. But when a parihocal football school in DIII, and that same school is DII basketball, reaches the state regional finals in football (elite 8), and the state finals in basketball (final 4 with champ yet to be determined), and that said school has 0 “dual athletes” between the two sports (I could be wrong, but if I am, it can’t be off by more than a impact player), this school is considered an athletic “academy” and not a catholic school.

For a school of Ursuline’s size (small) to be that dominant in both sports WITHOUT dual athletes leads you to believe this machine is an athletic academy (vouchers) rather than a school of higher education.

I was rooting for Canfield tonight, obviously, but in reality, they had 0 chance.
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Really? This is what grinds your gears after this Ursuline victory?

First and foremost Ursuline has 520 students, which has grown from the low 400s from over a decade ago. It is the only high school in Mahoning and Trumbull County to see its enrollment grow since 2010. It is well respected locally as being a high school strong in academics (has the most AP courses in the Valley, consistent 98%+ graduation rate, consistent higher ACT scores than state average), as well as strong in the arts and athletics. Its Catholic identity is strong within its curriculum as well. Ursuline is not merely an "athletic academy" as you claim.

Lastly, you do realize this is Ursuline's first trip to the Final Four in boy's basketball in THIRTY YEARS when they had a miraculous run to a state championship victory? Ursuline's long time head coach Keith Gunther's son is a freshman on this team and is a key contributor, along with a nice mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen. They have played very well this year, especially after their last loss to local.... public school... Austintown Fitch.

Perhaps Ursuline simply has a great group of players, coupled with outstanding coaching, to help get them this far???
 
topperbounce said:
I have no dog in the fight, nor am I an advocate of separating public vs. private. But when a parihocal football school in DIII, and that same school is DII basketball, reaches the state regional finals in football (elite 8), and the state finals in basketball (final 4 with champ yet to be determined), and that said school has 0 “dual athletes” between the two sports (I could be wrong, but if I am, it can’t be off by more than a impact player), this school is considered an athletic “academy” and not a catholic school.

For a school of Ursuline’s size (small) to be that dominant in both sports WITHOUT dual athletes leads you to believe this machine is an athletic academy (vouchers) rather than a school of higher education.

I was rooting for Canfield tonight, obviously, but in reality, they had 0 chance.
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The whole "athletic academy" idea is just you speaking out of ignorance. There are many dual sport athletes on the football team. A large percentage of the track team are football players. Same goes for baseball. It just so happens that basketball isn't the second sport that they play.

In the YO pointed out a lot of the plusses about the school but I will add a few. Ursuline is considered a college preparatory school and is very rigorous academically. Not everyone can handle it nor is everyone just accepted into the school. My son is a freshman and there were quite of few kids were denied acceptance in his class. Preference is given to kids that come from catholic feeder schools and entrance exams are given. In other words, the doors aren't just opened because you can play ball. Those that do play sports are true Student-athletes. 43 kids on the football team had a 3.0 or better and 29 were on the high honor roll with a 3.5 or better. I cant speak for basketball but I would hazard a guess that it is about the same. "Athletic Academy " is just utter nonsense.
 
I don't see anything wrong with Ursuline, it is a fine school. That said if you were to compare the academic sucess of Ursuline to say Canfield, or South Range or Poland, they may compare very favorably in some respects and in others maybe not quite as well, nonetheless I have no issues with Ursuline, Cardinal Mooney, St. Charles, St. Christine's or any of the other parochial schools in the area as it pertains to their curriculum, academics and students.
Although I am fairly confident if you would compare Ursuline’s basketball or football team against Canfield's, and evaluate them on a basis of ACT/SAT scores or some criteria other than GPA which cannot be compared between different schools, you would probably find Canfield to be better, but Ursuline has some bright students as well.

This discussion kind of reminds me of when my mother attended Princeton Jr High for part of a year on the South side, and then transferred to St. Dom's. If you would compare the students of St. Pat's and St. Dom's to the students of Princeton and other YCS of the time you would find that the students at the Catholic Parochial schools to be far superior and they have had a lot of really bright students over the years that went on to be extremely successful.
 
Not of a fan of Ursuline, but that was a pretty dominate win. I guess if anyone should be upset it would be Boardman fans. I believe this years Ursuline starting QB and starting center (I assume that's his position) were both in the Boardman LSD pipeline a few years back.
 
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