OHIO PREP REPORT
by Chris Johnson, Ohio & International Editor of the HOOP SCOOP

Published on June 9, 2005

Editor's Note:  The list of the top players in Ohio compiled by Chris Johnson, which includes his ranking of the top 101 seniors, 107 juniors, 80 sophomores, and 40 freshmen, 17 8th Graders, 10 7th Graders, and 10 6th Graders, can be found by clicking below on Johnson Ranks 'Em:  The Top High School Players in Ohio.

ANOTHER GOLDEN AGE FROM OHIO STATE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL IS UPON US
by Clark Francis, Editor & Publisher

                   Lee Caryer published a book four years ago that was called the Golden Age of Ohio State Basketball and, with the overabundance of great players on the horizon, our Ohio Editor Chris Johnson is already talking about the next few years in the Buckeye State being another Golden Age.  And believe it nor not, two sophomores - 6'4 Soph O.J. Mayo from Cincinnati (North College Hill) OH and 6'6 Soph Bill Walker from Cincinnati (North College Hill) OH - are not only the best two players in the state right now, but they also are the best two players in nationally in the Class of 2007 and they are two of our top five ranked players nationally regardless of class.  There also are 65 Jr Daequan Cook from Dunbar (Dunbar) OH, who is ranked #9 nationally in the Class of 2006 by the HOOP SCOOP, and 6'8 Frosh Yancey Gates from Cincinnati (Hughes) OH, 6'7 Jr Delvon Roe from Lakewood (St. Edward) OH, and 6'11 B.J. Mullens from Canal Winchester (World Harvest) OH, all of whom will be ranked among the top 20 players nationally in the sophomore class the next time we update our rankings for the Class of 2007.  In other words, we're talking about six potential McDonald's All-American's.  And it looks like the Renaissance is already well under way, as there already are more juniors (10) and almost as many sophomores (eight) as there are seniors (nine) on the above six five man all-state teams, which includes our ranking of the top players in the state regardless of class and position. 
                    The Class of 2005 does have one player ranked among our top 100 seniors nationally in 6'6 Ben Raymond from Toledo (St. John's) OH and seven players ranked among our top 300 seniors nationally in Raymond, 6'7 Derrick Brown from Dayton (Chaminade-Julienne) OH, 6'7 Zach Hillesland from Toledo (St. John's) OH, 6'5 Jamelle Cornley from Columbus (Brookhaven) OH, 6'0 Korey Spates from Warrenville Heights (H.S.) OH, 6'7 Chris Knight from Cincinnati (Withrow) OH, and 6'2 Travis Walton from Lima (Senior) OH.  And, while this is not especially good news for Ohio State, as the new Buckeye regime attempts to re-build the program, it's great news for Xavier, which has landed three of the top nine-ranked players in the state in Raymond, Brown, and 6'2 John Wolf from Cincinnati (St. Xavier) OH.  But it looks like Ohio State has wasted no time in getting a head start on the future, as the Buckeyes already have early verbal commitments from Cook, 6'7 Jr David Lighty from Cleveland (St. Joseph) OH and 6'11 Frosh B.J. Mullens from Canal Winchester (World Harvest) OH.  And 6'4 Jr James Dews from Liberty Township (Lakota East) OH has already gone to Miami-FL, 6'9 Jr Richard Semrau from Rocky River (Lutheran West) OH has already gone to Illinois, 6'9 Jr Kurt Huelsman from St. Henry (H.S.) OH has already gone to Dayton, 6'6 Soph Nate Miles from Toledo (Libbey) OH has already gone to Xavier, and 6'6 Soph Jon Diebler from Upper Sandusky (H.S.) OH has already gone to Valparaiso, which means that half of the top 10-ranked juniors and two of the top seven ranked sophomores are already off the board.  Moral to the story, it appears to be tougher than ever to beat Ohio State for the very elite players and schools like Xavier and Dayton for the good players in the state. 
                    We also think it will be extremely interesting to see what happens with 6'4 Soph O.J. Mayo from Cincinnati (North College Hill) OH and 6'6 Soph Bill Walker from Cincinnati (North College Hill) OH.  If they don't put an age limit into the collective bargaining agreement that is supposed to be renegotiated this summer, then it's our guess that both of them will end up at the University of Cincinnati.  Remember, that's the first school that Mayo and Walker mentioned when we got their list of schools at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions a week-and-a-half ago and we don't think it was any accident when both Mayo and Walker transferred from Ashland (Rose Hill) KY to Cincinnati (North College Hill) OH.  And just think what might happen if both Mayo and Walker came out publicly and said they wanted to play for Bobby Huggins at Cincinnati.  Forget about Huggins not getting a contract extension.  Instead, they might have to fire the school president on the spot.  The rest of Mayo's list included Louisville, Connecticut, Texas, North Carolina, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Florida, Texas A&M, and Ohio State.  Walker also mentioned Louisville, West Virginia, and Connecticut, plus he confirmed that the possibility of a package to the same school does exist.  
                    The Class of 2006 in Ohio has some size, as there are seven players - 6'8 Jr Josh Chichester from West Chester (Lakota West) OH, 6'9 Jr Richard Semrau from Rocky River (Lutheran West) OH, 6'9 Jr Kurt Huelsman from St. Henry (H.S.) OH, 6'9 Jr Brant Leitnaker from Lancaster (H.S.) OH, 6'8 Jr Tyrone Bradshaw from Cincinnati (Taft) OH, 6'10 Jr Orlando Allen from Cincinnati (Woodward) OH, and 6'8 Jr Justin Dobbins from Cleveland (Glenville) OH - who are 6'8 or bigger ranked in the top 30 players in the state.  And it has good depth, as there are eight players - 6'5 Jr Daequan Cook from Dayton (Dunbar) OH, 6'5 Jr David Lighty from Cleveland (St. Joseph) OH, 6'4 Jr Adrian Graves from Cincinnati (Hughes) OH, 6'4 Jr James Dews from Liberty Township (Lakota East) OH, 6'8 Jr Josh Chichester from West Chester Lakota West) OH, 6'3 Jr Marcus Johnson from Akron (St. Vincent-St. Mary) OH, and 6'9 Richard Semrau from Rocky River (Lutheran West) IL - who are good enough to step in right away and make a major impact at the high Division I level.  However, what really makes this a great class is the fact that it comes right after the Class of 2005, which pales in comparison.  And the Class of 2007 is even better, as in addition to Mayo and Walker, it features three players who are 6'9 or bigger in 6'10 Jr Kosta Koufos from Canton (Glen Oak) OH, 6'9 Jr Dallas Lauderdale from Solon (H.S.) OH, and 6'11 Jr Keenan Ellis from Cincinnati (North College Hill) OH. 
                    But it's the Class of 2008 that really has everybody excited, as 6'8 Frosh Yancy Gates from Cincinnati (Hughes) OH, 6'7 Frosh Delvon Roe from Lakewood (St. Edward) OH, 6'11 Frosh B.J. Mullens from Canal Winchester (World Harvest) OH, 6'5 Frosh William Buford from Toledo (Libbey) OH, 6'0 Frosh Anthony McBride from Cincinnati (Withrow) OH, 6'5 Frosh Rayshawn Goins from Cleveland (Rhodes) OH, 6'10 Frosh Kenny Frease from Massillon (Perry) OH, 6'7 Frosh Anthony Parrish from Clayton (Northmont) OH, 6'1 Frosh Devon Moore from Columbus (Northland) OH, and 6'5 Frosh Chris Grimes from Cincinnati (Woodward) OH are all already being projected as high Division I players.