Yes, that matters, but Iggy and Orange both only have 1 D1 senior too (Iggy might have some underclassmen too). The major difference is how well they play offensively and how well their non-D1 guys pass and shoot. Really thought X had several guys capable of that coming into the year, but they didn’t progress at all.
GMC
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Moeller been without their guy basically all year. looks like he played in like 3 games for less than 5 minutes each. and he's only 6' 8". not 6' 10".
St. X Wassler being gone definitely much more impactful since he played every game up until the tourney.
either way, they're all GONE. can't play the if's, and's, or but's game here.
Good pre-game breakdowns by JBaller!! Haven't talked with anyone who has seen St. Ignatius but Orange is the favorite for State Title. Olentangy Liberty is also a contender. They could play in State Finals. Can Lakota West avenge the two regular season losses? They did underachieve this season but making up for it now. Should be a great battle.
Iggy and Orange went to overtime when they played this year, with Orange winning. Orange needed a big comeback to get the game to overtime. Liberty is also quite good, but Orange handled them twice this year.
Lakota West does somewhat have the talent to come close to those teams, but they would need to play their best basketball, which they have rarely done this year. Fairfield doesn't have the horses outside Lewis and Crim. Fairfield-Lakota West should be another really good game though.
Believe me, if St X has the horses they will run. Both Fleming and Martin like to play up tempo. But when you ain't get em you have to adjust.
I still think they can play much quicker. Everybody in the city can. I always compare current GCL-S teams to the 2007 season, where Moeller and X met in the state finals, Elder shared the GCL-S title with Moeller, and La Salle was also quite good. The four teams in the league averaged 64.4, 64.3, 60.1, and 63.4 ppg respectively. Compare that to this year, where the averages were 50.1, 52.9, 49.4, and 49.5 ppg respectively, and it's night-and-day. Same with the GMC. Go back to the first year on the GMC website, 2005 (the year after Hamilton won the GMC's last state title), and the ppg averages ranged from 48.2 up to 69.6 with only 2 teams under 50 ppg and 4 teams over 60 ppg. This year, averages ranged from 36.7 ppg to 59.5 ppg, with 4 teams under 50 ppg and none over 60 ppg.
After seeing Olentangy Orange last night, the biggest difference I see is an offense that was constantly moving with all five players on the court a threat to score. While Orange ran plenty of isos for Devin Brown, they paired the iso with flare screens on both sides of him to create movement and free up shooters. I compare that to Fairfield, who runs 4 out, 1 in, with the only movement a couple of dribble handoffs between the two guards with the two shooters stagnant in the low wing. Orange also played off of transition at every opportunity. Only Lakota West really tries to do that here. Orange also didn't waste time initiating their offense and rushed the ball across half court and initiated action immediately. Sycamore actually did do a good job staying in front of Orange drives, but Orange got Sycamore moving and freed up open shooters. They were something like 3-7 from 2 in the 1st half.........and 11-17 from 3. I think they had 6 different players hit 3s. Everybody was a threat.
I've seen Orange, Liberty and Groveport in the tournament. And will see Reynoldsburg and Liberty again tonight. Liberty starts 6-9, 6-7, 6-5, 6-5, 6-0. They lost by 4 and 19 to Orange. Groveport won't beat Orange but they get after it and will be quicker than Orange. Reynoldsburg has a couple kids going to Ohio U so I'm looking forward to watching them.
513 Hoop Fan
New member
IMO, wouldn’t necessarily call it “underachievement”. West finished the regular season 17-5, with big wins over a very good team from Florida and St. X. The only knocks are the two Fairfield losses and slipping up against Oak Hills. With limited depth and two of their best players still as sophomores, it's hard to call it underachieving as they still finished 2nd place in the league. Props to Fairfield Indians this season… outside of the Princeton match up, they’ve definitely proven themselves in big games. Should be a barnburner at the Cintas Sunday afternoon!
Yes, Reynoldsburg vs. Olentangy Liberty will be a very good Region 2 final. Still don't think those teams are quite on Iggy or Orange's level, but they are probably the 3rd and 4th best teams in D1, and certainly much closer to the top teams from SWO. I'm surprised Liberty presses as much as they do with that size. Elder was able to play with them for 3 quarters before Liberty pulled away late. Princeton lost to Reynoldsburg by 2. I don't think Groveport-Madison is that good. They were lucky to get by Beavercreek in the last game (if only Princeton were so lucky) and they would be a team I would expect the Lakota West-Fairfield winner to beat.
Valid, IMO they should have won the league, that's why I made that statement.
Groveport is 19-6 with 1 maybe bad loss. They are probably the most overall athletic team left in DI. Not the best basketball players but they play hard as hell. They beat a very good Delaware Hayes team when I watched them, who was Columbus' 4 seed. They are fun to watch
Update...
CometCountry
Well-known member
Good Luck to Lakota West to carry the GMC to a state title appearance this weekend.
For those GMC fans looking to the 2025-26 season and # of returning players and points from Varsity games in 24-25:
1. Princeton -------40.8 points return and 5 varsity players
2. Mason -----------40.2 points return and 6 varsity players
3. Colerain----------35.8 points return and 6 varsity players
4. Hamilton----------32.6 points return and 6 varsity players
5. Lakota West----32.2 points return and 3 varsity players
6. Lakota East-----19.7 points return and 5 varsity players
7. Sycamore -------14.6 points return and 3 varsity players
8. Fairfield ----------14.4 points return and 4 varsity players
9. Middletown------11.8 points return and 3 varsity players
10. Oak Hills--------8.8 points return and 3 varsity players
Princeton and West appear to be the early favorites for 25-26, while Mason,Colerain and Hamilton have a great chance to move up from the bottom of the standings to competing in the top 5 in 2025-26---other schools will have to rely on JV players to fill in to help those schools re-tool---work hard in the off season and get ready for 25-26!!!!
For those GMC fans looking to the 2025-26 season and # of returning players and points from Varsity games in 24-25:
1. Princeton -------40.8 points return and 5 varsity players
2. Mason -----------40.2 points return and 6 varsity players
3. Colerain----------35.8 points return and 6 varsity players
4. Hamilton----------32.6 points return and 6 varsity players
5. Lakota West----32.2 points return and 3 varsity players
6. Lakota East-----19.7 points return and 5 varsity players
7. Sycamore -------14.6 points return and 3 varsity players
8. Fairfield ----------14.4 points return and 4 varsity players
9. Middletown------11.8 points return and 3 varsity players
10. Oak Hills--------8.8 points return and 3 varsity players
Princeton and West appear to be the early favorites for 25-26, while Mason,Colerain and Hamilton have a great chance to move up from the bottom of the standings to competing in the top 5 in 2025-26---other schools will have to rely on JV players to fill in to help those schools re-tool---work hard in the off season and get ready for 25-26!!!!
Orca
Well-known member
I don't know if "Colerain" and "top 5" belong in the same sentence
strickly_layups
Active member
What are the thoughts for the matchup between Lakota and Reynoldsburg? Should be a great game..
Colerain Varsity Team vs GMC JV Teams this past season. Where would they finish?
It's the best matchup they could have hoped for in the Final Four. Olentangy Orange and St. Ignatius are just a lot better than everybody else. Reynoldsburg is super athletic but plays very helter-skelter. If Lakota West can keep their composure, they can score right with Reynoldsburg. Lakota West has the right players to rip-and-go against Reynoldsburg's over-pressure. I wouldn't say Lakota West is favored, but they certainly can win this game.
PPG returning is a very deceiving stat. Certainly, Princeton and Lakota West are going to be awesome with what they have returning next year and I would expect nothing less than them being the top 2 teams in the league again. Despite returning the fewest PPG, Oak Hills has a lot coming up and I expect them to be pretty good. Middletown does not have much coming up, and I expect them to take a big step back. Mason should be improved, but they really need a new coach (are they getting one?). Sycamore and Fairfield won't be great, but should be competitive most nights. I think Hamilton will be vastly improved, and Lakota East should be pretty good as well. Way-to-early rankings for me for next year:
1. Lakota West
2. Princeton
3. Oak Hills
4. Lakota East
5. Hamilton
6. Fairfield
7. Sycamore
8. Mason
9. Middletown
10. Colerain
cincyhoops
Well-known member
Will Lakota West players be wearing athletic cups for the matchup with Reynoldsburg?