Trotwood takes aim at becoming Ohio's all-time scoring leader

Trotwood-Madison has reset the standard for uptempo, transition basketball.

Averaging 91 points over 28 games, the Rams are No. 3 among the most prolific single-season Ohio boys high school basketball teams of all time in total points scored, according to Ohio High School Athletic Association records. And the Rams have a great shot at becoming No. 1.

But that doesn’t mean the Greater Western Ohio Conference rep doesn’t get defensive. Those are two key reasons why Trotwood (26-2) will make its third state final four appearance during Thursday’s 2 p.m. rematch against Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (23-5) at Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center in Columbus.

“We play like there’s a shot clock,” admitted Trotwood coach Rocky Rockhold.

Trotwood has hit triple-digits a half-dozen times and takes a 13-game win streak against St. V-M. The Irish were on the receiving end of a 100-61 blitz at Trotwood on Jan. 14.

The OHSAA is limited to programs that submit these kinds of stats. Trotwood has amassed 2,546 points to rank No. 3 all time. No. 2 Pleasant City (2,569) should be overtaken before halftime of Thursday’s game. No. 1 Vienna Mathews (2,617) also is within reach. Both those teams are credited with having played 29 games in 1955.

As St. V-M found out in that first matchup against Trotwood, missing 3-pointers and not securing those long rebounds is akin to kicking the Rams into overdrive.

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“They’re a fast-breaking team, anyway,” Irish coach Dru Joyce said earlier this week. “They didn’t need any help from us to fast break and we gave them some additional help missing some of those shots and not trying to be as patient as you can be with the style of play they bring. Those are some of the things we have to be better at.”

That rapid-fire offense has been humming during Trotwood’s six-game postseason run. Senior Torrey Patton leads the Rams in scoring (19.0) and rebounding (8.7). But if teams commit to double-teaming him, there’s always senior Amir Foster (15.7), sophomore Amari Davis (15.3) and junior Myles Belyeu (14.8).

Trotwood also has willingly accepted Rockhold's challenge to ratchet up its defense. Dunbar was the latest to find that out, falling 83-54 in last Saturday's regional final mismatch at Fairmont's Trent Arena. That was in stark contrast to Trotwood's 98-89 shootout defeat of Dunbar in early February. There's a 30-point differential in what Trotwood scores and allows opponents per game.

“When there’s that many possessions, we have to be able to guard,” said Rockhold, who was promoted to head coach when the current seniors were seventh graders.

“What we like to do and play is really ingrained in them at this point,” he said. “It’s fun to watch young men to buy into something that’s bigger than themselves. I don’t want to speak for everyone, but that’s kind of rare sometimes when we start talking about sports and athletics.”

• Last season snapped a streak of 13 consecutive years an area team had advanced to the boys D-II state semifinals. Dunbar had the most appearances with six (2015, ’12, ’10 and 2005-07). Thurgood Marshall sent three teams (2014, ’11 and ’09) and Alter two (2013, ’03). Graham (2008) and Chaminade Julienne (’04) had one each.

Trotwood is the only area team to advance to the final four in any of the other four divisions this season.

• Trotwood will have a community send-off at the high school at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

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