Reigning boys basketball state champs Buchtel, Hoban heating up; Stow wins in Arizona

The Archbishop Hoban and Buchtel boys basketball teams are still basking in the glow of winning state championships last year.

But Buchtel and Hoban's coaches, players and fans are celebrating what happened in the past while also focusing on this year.

Hoban raised a Division I state championship banner to close out 2023 before a 60-56 win over Centerville on Dec. 30.

"It was a great opportunity because of the Christmas break timing," Hoban coach T.K. Griffith said. "We knew that was going to be a tough game with Centerville, so it wasn't ideal. It presented itself as a nice opportunity to wrap up the state championship and allow the kids who were a part of it to come back from college and get to see the banner.

"... It was cool for the team and the program. It is in the past, but it is a great memory you don't want to forget. We do have to remember that it is over, but the banner will hang in the gym, so that is pretty cool."

Buchtel is set to raise a Division II state championship banner on Jan. 23 before a game against East.

Here is a look at what is happening around Summit County.

Hoban boys basketball rounding into form with Jonas Nichols

Hoban (5-4) is set to host rival St. Vincent-St. Mary (3-6) at 7 p.m. Friday.

Hoban opened the season with a win over Firestone, and losses to Warren JFK, Louisville and North Canton Hoover. The Knights then topped Wilson Academy (Georgia), lost to Covington Catholic (Kentucky) and ran off wins over Newport Central Catholic, Trinity and Centerville.

"I credit a lot of our turnaround to Jonas Nichols and his leadership," Griffith said. "Jonas, Josh Greer, Joey Hardman and Sam Mazzola are senior leaders. Jonas had a meeting with the team before the Wilson Academy game. He and Joey have been there before in the big moments. I think they rallied the troops for us."

Nichols scored 24 points against Centerville and Scott contributed 13 points.

Nichols, Hardman, junior Kenny Scott, sophomore Sam Greer and freshman John Johnson are Hoban's starters. Senior Josh Greer and junior James McCarthy are Hoban's top reserves.

Buchtel boys basketball wins games with balanced scoring

Buchtel (5-2, 5-0) will visit City Series rival Firestone at 7 p.m. Tuesday after not having a game for three weeks.

Buchtel handled Garfield 65-29 on Dec. 19 after dominating Firestone, North, Ellet and East. The Griffins' loses are to Pickerington North and Rocky River Lutheran West.

Griffins coach Rayshon Dent is starting seniors Diaire Pride Jr. and Zevin Gadson and juniors Stevie Diamond, Demetrice Coates and Moustapha Ndao.

Buchtel's top reserves are seniors Qi'Marreon Marks, Dakota Taylor and Damien Johnson and junior Ta'Shawn Thomas.

"We have the talent to do something special once again, but it is going to take a lot of work to get there," Dent said.

LaVelle Sharpe Jr. guides CVCA boys basketball to perfect start to season

CVCA coach Matt Futch said his players "have an edge to them" that has produced an undefeated start to the season at 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the Principals Athletic Conference.

"We have 10 guys playing over 10 minutes a game," Futch said.

Senior LaVelle Sharpe Jr. is averaging 17 points, junior Niles Nuru is averaging 13 and sophomore Charley Levak is averaging 11.

"LaVelle Sharpe Jr. is a talented and natural scorer," Futch said. "Niles Nuru is a hard-working dude who scored 18 points in a win against Brush ... and Charley Levak makes everything go for us."

Sharpe scored 21 points in the victory over Brush and a career-high 26 points in a win over Orrville.

The Royals also have wins over Whitehall-Yearling, Fairless, Canton South, Hunting Valley University School, Triway, Toledo Emmanuel Christian and Manchester.

CVCA's other regulars on the court are sophomores Tony Collins, Joey Kopec, Brayden Harris and Connor Gray, junior Joey Casalinova and seniors Hayden Grant and Ricky Levak.

Futch praised his players for "practicing hard" and being "well connected."

Barberton boys basketball is winless no more with seven wins in a row

Barberton (7-1, 3-1 SLAC) takes a seven-game win streak into Friday's game at home against Tallmadge.

Magics coach Chad Hazard describes his team as "a hungry unit" after last season's winless finish.

Barberton lost to Revere to open this season, and then topped Rootstown, Copley, Aurora, Cuyahoga Falls, Elyria Catholic, Willoughby South and Firestone.

"We have been playing very well defensively," Hazard said. "We have really guarded all year. We are really good defensively in the half-court and have fed off of our defense. The offense has come and gone. ... We score a lot off of turnovers that we force."

Barberton's starters are seniors Mike Jones and Kenny Larry and juniors De’Arion Holley, Kardiay Tyler and Kameryn Kennerly.

"Mike Jones has led us in scoring and rebounding during the last six games," Hazard said. "Mike is averaging around 17 points and 10 rebounds, and shooting 65 percent from the field."

Barberton's top reserves are Cory Martin, Mark Tavanello, Robert Davis and Xzavier Macon.

Brady Rollyson leads Green boys basketball into 2024

Green (6-1, 3-1) visits Canton McKinley (5-2, 4-0) for a Federal League clash Friday.

Green features a starting five of seniors Brady Rollyson, Jarrett Taylor, Luke Jansen and Lucas Bitong and junior Antonio Martin.

"The first five games, each guy led us in scoring," Green coach Mark Kinsley said.

Rollyson, an Ohio State baseball recruit, is averaging 15.3 points. Martin is at 11.6 points and Taylor is at 10.8 points.

Samino Manson, Anthony Fortunato, AJ Fortunato and Tommy Zajac are Green's top reserves.

"We are starting to come into our own now with that late start because of football," Kinsley said. "Five of the guys play football."

Sean Spicer steps into larger role for Walsh Jesuit boys basketball

Walsh Jesuit takes a 5-3 record into Friday's game at Louisville (9-1).

WJ is led by senior starters Tyler Bell, Sean Spicer, Jesse James, Joe Sitarz and Nick Mitchell.

Warriors coach Joe Wojcik described Spicer, Bell and James as a "Big Three." Spicer is averaging 15 points, Bell 12 points and James 10 points.

Senior Sam Weber, junior Henry Fudo, senior Quinn McKiernan and sophomore Grant Blascak are WJ's top reserves.

WJ has wins over Highland, Stow, Painesville Riverside, Parkersburg South and Cuyahoga Falls, and losses to Gilmour, Massillon and Medina.

"We have been pretty pleased, except for the Medina game," Wojcik said. "I thought we would fare better at home in that game. We only have eight home games."

Reece Raymond-Smith leads Stow to boys basketball wins in Arizona

Stow (6-4) went 2-1 in the Cactus Jam Phoenix Hoop Classic at Scottsdale Christian Academy to close out 2023.

Stow earned a 56-48 win over Olympia (Washington) on Dec. 27 and a 65-62 victory over Lower Merion (Pennsylvania) on Dec. 28 before falling 64-55 to Cleveland Heights on Dec. 30.

"This was fun," Stow coach Dave Close said of the trip. "I have a great group of kids and they had a lot of fun.

"... Olympia was Washington's large school state champion in 2022 and the state runner-up in 2023. Lower Merion is Kobe Bryant's alma mater. They have another talented team that was 9-0 and scored 93 points in their first game."

Stow seniors Reece Raymond-Smith and Tyler Fleishour made the All-Tournament Team.

Raymond-Smith tied a career-high with 27 points against Olympia and scored 22 points versus Lower Merion and 22 points against Cleveland Heights.

Fleishour scored a career-high 25 points against Lower Merion.

Raymond-Smith and Fleishour start with junior Cam Marconi and seniors Andrew Mergen and Michael Romano. Stow's top reserves are Austin Wilhoit, Tyler Spiegel, Michael Calcaterra and Tyler Harrington.

The trip also featured a visit to the Grand Canyon before leaving Dec. 31 and arriving back home on New Year's Day.

"That has been on my bucket list," Close said of seeing the Grand Canyon. "This was the first time I was there. Pictures don't do it justice. It is so awe inspiring. We had a great tour guide, Glen. He looked like Santa. He said he takes one Santa gig everyday from Nov. 6 through Christmas."

Stow visits rival Hudson at 7 p.m. Friday.

Hudson boys basketball wins seventh game to match last season's total

Hudson (7-2) is enjoying a resurgence under first-year coach Michael Brown, even with sophomore guard Louie Castellarin out with a season-ending shoulder injury and junior center Nikola Mijovic sidelined with a foot injury.

The Explorers are led by senior Nolan Yanak, senior twin brothers Reece Chokan and Hunter Chokan, sophomores Nathan Judy and Jayden Carlton and Fisher Zappone and junior Caleb Fitz.

Judy is averaging 14 points, Carlton 12 points and Yanak 10 points.

Hudson has wins over Kent Roosevelt, Aurora, Nordonia, North Royalton, Kenston, Solon and Warren Howland and losses to Brecksville and Streetsboro.

"I am proud of the way these guys have competed," Brown said. "They have really bought into the defensive end of the floor and that has allowed us to build some leads. In games where we shoot well, we extend leads."

STVM showing improvement with young boys basketball team

STVM entered the week 3-6 with wins over Fairfax (Los Angeles, California), Canton McKinley and Youngstown Ursuline, and losses to Pickerington Central, Reynoldsburg and Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, Lakewood St. Edward and Cleveland St. Ignatius.

"This is something that we haven't experienced in a long, long time," STVM coach Dru Joyce II said. "Not that we haven't had our share of guys graduate, but this year we have struggled because we are young and we are playing a lot of young guys. ... We are growing. I think that when it comes to tournament time we will be ready."

STVM senior Jayson Walker, junior Noah Chambers and sophomore DeCarlo Prince average between 10 to 12 points per game.

Joyce is also seeing improvement from sophomore Rayshawn Hamilton, junior John Whorton, sophomore Leigh Cotton and seniors SirCharles Gordon, Daniel Ajose and Nehemiah Hackworth.

Eight-game win streak sets Norton up for success in boys basketball

Norton topped Field 63-37 Thursday to enter the weekend 9-2 overall and 5-1 in the Metro Athletic Conference.

Seniors Luke Dobbins, Noah Willig, Andrew Lewis and Zach Bowman and sophomores Buddy Willig and Isaac Hunter have started during the season.

Norton opened with a loss to Streetsboro and then won eight in a row by topping Carrollton, Woodridge, Coventry, Northwestern, Springfield, Cloverleaf, Buckeye and Bay Village Bay. A loss to Northwest ended the win streak.

"It took us a little bit of time to get our legs, obviously with our football team making another run," Norton coach BJ Sanderson said. "First game of the year is one we wish we could have back because guys were getting their basketball legs. We have got athleticism. We have guys who play hard and we defend. We are not very big, but we have speed and create points off our defense."

Norton's key reserves are senior Russell Duncan, sophomore Stone Hardy, junior Landon Abernathy and sophomore Jake Gabriel.

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: What's up at Hoban, Buchtel, Stow, Hudson, CVCA, STVM boys basketball