Opening Weekend in Northeast Ohio
Opening Weekend in Northeast Ohio provided area basketball fans with some early insights for the 2019-2020 season. Here are 5 thoughts about Northeast Ohio hoops after the first weekend of games: Medina is the real deal. The Battling Bees –…
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Continue ReadingOpening Weekend in Northeast Ohio provided area basketball fans with some early insights for the 2019-2020 season.
Here are 5 thoughts about Northeast Ohio hoops after the first weekend of games:
- Medina is the real deal.
The Battling Bees – led by head coach Karen Kase – shocked many in the area with a 71-52 opening-season victory over Jackson – who a number of basketball fans consider to be the early-season favorites in the Federal League. With that being said – maybe we shouldn’t be surprised, because the Bees won 23 games last season and return a large core of that successful group. Duquesne commit Lindsey Linard and her teammate Sarah McKee are a devastating front-court duo. Alyson Dwyer, Elizabeth Stuart and a host of others are more than formidable handling the ball and initiating the offense.
- Canton McKinley is ready for some new faces to emerge.
The Lady Pups may have lost 3x Miss Basketball Kierstan Bell (now at Ohio State University) and state championship winning head coach Pam Davis – now at Hoban, but they return some serious talent and seem to be gelling nicely. New bench boss Bryant Bowden (pictured above; Photo Credit – Canton Repository) is a legend at McKinley – the former DePaul standout has helped both the boys and girls programs over the past decade. The Bulldogs return a trio of guards in Nakyah Terrell, Kyla Foster and Kenedy Flinn. A 54-47 season-opening loss to Sylvania Southview at the Bulldog Battle was avenged with a huge 65-47 win over Eastlake North.
- The hype is real for Laurel.
The Gators defeated Lutheran East by an 87-44 margin on opening night. Mari Bickley – perhaps the top freshman in Ohio – had 19 points and 5 assists, while her fellow 9th graders Autumn Taylor (13 points) and Kendall Braaten (5 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists) were also impressive. The returners were not too shabby either – Taylor Thierry had 18 points and Giuliana Marinozzi had 15 points and 10 assists. Laurel (Division II) should be in Columbus at the end of the year.
- Nordonia is balanced (and healthy).
While talent is certainly important – in Nordonia’s case it is even more important that all of their talent is finally healthy. They were ravaged by injuries a year ago, but seem ready to make a run in the Suburban League. A 52-47 victory over North Canton Hoover was definitely an impressive way to start the season. Hallie Majoros (Wisconsin Milwaukee commit), Ella Gorta and Madison Cluse each had 9 points and Lizzie Imrie and Kennedy Syllaba had 8 a piece.
- Wadsworth may not be healthy – but they are still Wadsworth.
Unfortunately for Andy Booth and the Grizzlies – they have already been bitten by the injury bug. Sienna Heights commit E’Anna Won and junior Steph Andrews are injured – the return timetables for them are both up in the air. Wadsworth is happy to have Maggie Long returning from her knee-injury though, Long made 4 3-pointers and finished with 17 tallies in her team’s season-opening 45-26 victory over Norton. Taylor Leather – an all-district performer – added 13 in the win.