»RELATED: Wednesday’s high school roundup
Both teams are young. This shouldn’t be the last time they decide a GWOC title.
Centerville (10-11, 8-4) won the first meeting 56-45 on Dec. 20.
Four of the Elks top six scorers are underclassmen, including freshman Gabe Cupps (9.7 points) and sophomores Rich Rolf (7.2), Tom House (6.4) and Kebba Njie (5.5). Junior Jayson Hayes chips in at 6.8.
Senior and leading scorer Mo Njie (11.2) has missed the last six games with a right ankle injury suffered at Flyin’ to the Hoop. The 6-foot-9 center leads the GWOC in blocks (2.5) and field goal percentage (64.8).
Centerville, which won five straight divisional titles from 2005-09, is looking to defend its 2019 co-championship and claim the program’s seventh GWOC crown.
“We don’t have one guy,” Centerville head coach Brook Cupps said. “That’s just how we do it.”
Beavercreek (13-7, 7-5) employs a similar model.
A pair of 6-foot-7 sophomores – Adam Duvall and Gabe Phillips – and a pair of senior guards – Chris Herbort and Yousef Saleh – command attention.
Duvall is third in the GWOC in scoring (14.9 points) and fifth in rebounding (7.4). Phillips is second in blocked shots (2.4) and field goal percentage (63.8). He averages 5.9 points and 5.1 rebounds.
Saleh (11. 7 points) and Herbort (12.3 points) are among the GWOC leaders in assists, averaging 4.2 and 4.0, respectively.
Beavercreek, an area heavyweight under former coach Larry Holden, won 10 of its 11 league titles before 2001 (mostly in the Western Ohio League).
Creek’s 2012 GWOC Central Division title (outright) is the lone in program history.
Title Fight: Tippecanoe's 53-52 win over Sidney on Tuesday secured the Red Devils (13-8, 12-5) an outright Miami Valley League Miami Division boys title. It also kept West Carrollton's hopes alive for an MVL Valley championship.
The Pirates (15-5, 14-3) can claim a share of the program’s first league title since 2005 (Mid-Miami League South Division) with a win at Stebbins (16-5, 12-5) on Friday. WC won the first meeting 62-59.
Sidney (17-4, 14-3) can claim a share of the MVL Valley title with a win over visiting Greenville (5-15, 3-14).
Title Fight II: Waynesville (15-6, 8-3) will travel to Madison (18-2, 9-2) on Friday looking to claim a share of the Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division boys title. The schools split the championship last year. Waynesville is looking for its ninth title in 17 years, while Madison is searching for its third straight.
Historic Run: The Piqua girls basketball team is in the midst of the program's best season in 33 years. After starting 3-3, the Indians won 12 of their next 14 games to reach 15 wins, the program's most since the 1985-86 squad also won 15. No. 10 seed Piqua (15-7) opens the Division I sectional Saturday against No. 7 Miamisburg (10-12) at Butler (1:30 p.m. tip).
Senior Tylah Yeomans (19.7 points) leads the Miami Valley League in scoring and set the Piqua single-season record for points in a 53-46 win over Greenville on Feb. 1. Yeomans’ 396 points tops the previous record of 373 set by Wendi Ousley. Yeomans, the Piqua record holder for career kills in volleyball, ranks fourth on the basketball program’s career scoring list with 861 points. She also ranks second in the MVL in field goal percentage (54.5%) and third in rebounding (7.7).
Aubrey Schrubb, a 5-11 sophomore forward that averages 9.4 points, leads the MVL in rebounding (12), blocks (2.6) and field goal percentage (55.4%).
Senior guard Tayler Grunkemeyer ranks fourth in the MVL in assists (3.9), while junior guard Karley Johns averages 9.7 points, 3.8 assists, 3.3 assists and 2.4 steals.
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