Big School Boys Capsules: Maysville, Tri-Valley highlight strong Big School Division

The Muskingum Valley League Big School Division should be a close race, as Maysville looks to defend its boys basketball title from last year.

Zanesville also returns a strong core in an effort to compete in the Licking County League Buckeye Division.

Let's take a look at the area's seven big schools entering the upcoming season.

Small School Girls Basketball Capsules: Can New Lex make it 4 straight division titles?

Big School Girls Basketball Capsules: Sheridan, John Glenn enter with high expectations

Maysville

Coach: Dave Brown, 7th year

Last season’s results: 24-2, 15-1 MVL Big School Champions, Sectional and District Champions

Players graduated/lost: Hayden Jarrett, Connor Larimer, Cole Roberts, Kyler Ryan

Returning letterwinners: Senior Guard Alex Bobb (19.1 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game, Honorable Mention All-Ohio; Senior Guard Wesley Armstead (5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, Honorable Mention MVL and 2nd Team District 12); Senior Forward Coen Fink (2 points and 4 rebounds, Honorable Mention MVL); Senior Guard/Forward Sammy Scott (1.6 points); Sophomore Guard Gator Nichols (2 points); Sophomore Forward Jordyn Watson (2 points)

Key newcomers: Sophomores Kane Roehrig (Forward), Kade Rock (Forward) and Landon Iden (Guard), Freshman Guard Gavin Ferguson.

Quote: "We have some experience returning to South-Town. We will need to continue to get better every single day to be able to compete at a high level. We will try to push the pace as much as possible again. We have a good group of kids that like each other and want to give their best day in and day out."

Tri-Valley

Coach: Todd McLoughlin, 26 years overall

Last year's results: 19-8, District champions

Players graduated/lost: Jaiden Walker, Aaron Frueh, Jack Winland

Returning letterwinners: Senior Terrell Darden (12.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 2.2 assists, 1st Team MVL and District 12, 3rd Team East District); Junior Max Lyall (13.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 1.6 assists, 1st Team MVL, East District, District 12); Senior Erik Neal (2nd Team District 12, Honorable Mention MVL and East District); Junior Nohah Nichols

Key Newcomers: Juniors Devin Crane and Keaton Hahn; Sophomore Ryan Lamonica

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Sheridan

Coach: Doug Fisher, 9th season with the boys (31st overall after 22 with the girls); Staff: Wes Martens (Varsity Asst.) Ryan Yzenski (JV Coach), Clay Fisher (Freshmen Coach), Landen Russell

Last year's results: 14-9, 10-6 third place in Big School

Players graduated/lost: Reed Coconis (1st team All-MVL, 1st team All-District 12, 1st Team All-Southeast District, led team in scoring (14.0 points), rebounding, assists, 3pt goals)

Returning letterwinners: Senior Raine Rodich (12.0 points per game last season, Special mention All-MVL, 2nd Team Al-District 12, 3rd team All-Southeast District); Junior shooting guard Evan Anderson (best 3pt shooter); Junior post Andon Hamner (Averaged 5.0 points off the bench).

Key Newcomers: Senior Brayden Weaver (6-1, hard nosed post player, “energy guy”); Senior Ryan Kuhn (6-0), Junior Brody White (6-4, gives some size length); Junior Kory Holden (5-9 point guard, very quick & excellent defender); Sophomore Owen Cains (5-10 guard, steady ball handler, good 3pt shooter); Sophomore Logan Hupp (6-0 guard, very quick, hustler, defender (another “energy guy”); Freshman Logan Russell (5-11 versatile player (can play inside and out, hard worker).

Quote: "I really like the kids we have right now. They all want to be here and have all put the time in during the summer and preseason. I especially like how they work and compete hard against each other in practices every night. We do have some inexperience and youth, so it's inevitable that we're going to have some inconsistency and growing pains early, but with their work ethic and competitiveness, I see this team improving as the season progresses."

John Glenn

Coach: Eric Sheck, 5th year (16th season as a coach)

Last year's results: 14-12, Sectional Champion, District runner-up

Players graduated/lost: Nathan Walker (16.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1st Team All-MVL, 2nd Team East District, HM All-Ohio); Kaiden Walls (10.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, Honorable Mention All-MVL); Bexlee Woodard (8.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG)

Returning letterwinners: Senior 6-6 post Caleb Larrick (7.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.7 blocks); Senior 6-1 Wing Noah Winland (4.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assist); Senior 5-7 Guard Nelson Cameron (2.1 points); Junior 5-7 Guard Jr. Will Nicolozakes (3.4 points, 1.6 assist, 1.2 steals); Sophomore 6-0 Guard Stehl Bates (4 points, 2 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.6 assists).

Key Newcomers: Sophomores CJ Dolan, Brayden Davis and Cooper Briggs, Junior Andrew Glaub, Senior D'Andre Fowler

Quote: "Losing the leadership and presence of 1,000-point scorer and two-time 1st Team All-MVL performer Nathan Walker as well as his former classmates, Kaiden Walls and Bexlee Woodard, won’t be easy. Heading into the 2023-24 season, our guys know that the MVL goes through Maysville (returning champions) and Tri-Valley (return an abundance of size/strength/talent). In addition, there are several teams on our schedule that return some very talented players on their rosters. We hope that our depth enables us to wear teams down over the course of 32 minutes against an always tough MVL slate of games and a challenging non-league schedule that includes Garaway, New Philadelphia, Marietta, Indian Valley, Tusky Valley, and the annual Catfish Challenge with Cambridge."

Zanesville

Coach: Cedric Harris, 3rd year

Last year: 7-16, 5-9 Licking County League

Players graduated/lost: Xavier Riley (9.9 points, 3.0 rebounds)

Returning letterwinners: Senior Rashaud Hampton (14.5 points; 1st team All-LCL and All-District 12); Senior Drake Tabler; Senior Maddox Hayes (4.5 points, 5.5 rebounds; Honorable Mention All-District 12); Senior Drew Doyle (8.9 points, 4.1 assists; 2nd team All-LCL and 1st team All-District 12); Junior Greyson Goines (2.5 rebounds); Junior Mikey Johnson (8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 39 3FGM)

Key newcomers: Senior Kooper Cain (6-4 transfer from Morgan), 6-1 junior Avery Mohler

Quote: "We’re excited to get this year rolling. Our players had a great summer and fall that hopefully snowballs into the season. We have tremendous student-athletes that are bought into each other and the program."

Philo

Coach: Jason Trout, 2nd year (6 years head coaching experience)

Last year's results: 4-19 (lost 7 games by 10 points or less)

Players graduated/lost: Cade Searls (21.0 points), Demetrius Strickland, Wesley Wilson

Returning letterwinners: Senior post/wing Drew Wright; Junior point guard Cooper Radcliffe (Honorable Mention All MVL, District 12, East District); Junior forward Talon Preston; Senior guard Brayden Bleakney.

Key newcomers: Junior 5-11 guard Malachi Strickland and Freshman 5-9 guard Rusty Trout will be starters; Sophomore Camden Stoner (6-5 Forward); Freshmen Carter Crabtree (6-0 guard), Slade Sprankle (5-7 guard), Kole Cash (5-10 Forward) and KJ Philip (5-11 Guard); Senior 6-1 forward Will Pettigrew; Juniors Masen Runkle (6-2 Forward) and Logan Lyon (5-11 Guard).

Quote: "I am excited to build on the changes we made last year, our team and staff know each other much better heading into this season compared to last. We lost some very important players in Cade Searls and Demetrius Strickland, but our returning upperclassmen had a great summer and a great preseason. We will be young at times on the floor with half of our varsity roster being composed of freshman and sophomores, but our juniors and seniors are doing an amazing job of showing them what is expected and leading them to meet the standards of Philo basketball. Cooper, Talon, Drew, and Brayden are unquestionably our leaders every day and I am excited to see how they lead this team this year."

River View

Coach: Dale Jennings, 1st year

Last year's results: 8-15

Players graduated/lost: Owen Emig, Brody Border, Preston Yoder, Brody Shrimplin, Robbie Chandler, Scottie Guilliams.

Returning letterwinners: Junior forward Laired Williamson (Special Mention East District 6.4 points, 4 rebounds 1.7 steals, 1.4 assists), Sophomore center/forward Layton Massie (7.5 points, 6.7 rebounds), Junior Cael Summers.

Key Newcomers: Sophomore guard/forward Parker Andrews, Junior point guard Hayden Walters, Sophomore guard/forward Carter Wesney, Sophomore guard Reid Johnson.

Quote: "This team's strength will be its athleticism and flexibility with most of the top 8 players being lettermen coming off of a regional soccer team. One of our weaknesses will be our inexperience and learning a new system. We will depend heavily on newcomers to the varsity program, Parker Andrews, Carter Wesney and junior point guard Hayden Walters, who would have lettered last year if not for an injury. We will bring back returning starter in Laired Williamson and Layton Massie, who started half of last season. Our versatility and athleticism should allow us the time to develop and build a good team chemistry."

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Check out the Big School squads before the boys season tips off Friday