Columbus-area players help South sweep high school basketball all-star games: 5 takeaways
After a Thursday practice, a Friday morning shootaround and a few lighthearted skills competitions in between, 48 of the state’s best players participated in the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association all-star games Friday night at Olentangy Liberty.
Not only did central Ohio players enjoy victories in both the girls and boys games, they played large parts in determining the outcomes.
Africentric’s Dailyn Swain’s 14 points and 10 from St. Charles’ Chase Walker, six of which came consecutively as the South boys forged ahead early in the second half, powered their team to a 109-99 win.
Earlier in the evening, Liberty Union’s Abbie Riddle made the winning basket with 2:09 to play as the South girls edged the North 71-70. Canal Winchester’s Kate Ratliff made a handful of plays to kick-start a decisive 13-2 run midway through the second half.
Pickerington Central’s Madison Greene, a Vanderbilt signee, did not play because of a hamstring injury suffered in a recent track meet. Greene, who led the Tigers to a Division I state semifinal this winter, was honored at halftime as the OHSBCA’s Division I Player of the Year.
Here are five takeaways from the games:
1. Africentric's Dailyn Swain electrifies crowd early and often
The Xavier signee and state and OHSBCA Division III Player of the Year assigned himself a role and played it to the hilt practically from the opening tip.
Swain dunked 35 seconds in off an assist from Centerville’s Gabe Cupps, nearly converted another alley-oop from Huber Heights Wayne’s Lawrent Rice moments later and finished with two dunks, three rebounds and an assist in 19:05 of playing time.
“We were really competing but we also came out here to have fun, so I just wanted to give the crowd something to look at,” Swain said. “We drew that up on the first play. That was the plan for the whole game. We wanted to make a statement and show the North we were here.”
2. Liberty Union's Abbie Riddle goes to reliable move
A Bowling Green signee adept at playing both guard and forward, the shot Riddle hit to win the game was her favorite in more ways than one.
“I have trust in my jumper, so I knew that was a high-percentage shot for me,” Riddle said. “Going into the paint and getting up strong was my main goal. I just wanted to get us the lead.”
Riddle also assisted Ratliff on a layup with 10:56 left that got the South within 55-54. Riddle finished with four points, a rebound and a steal in 20:12.
Her other field goal also was a jump shot from about 10 feet with 6:40 left in the first half.
“If a smaller guard is guarding me, I can use more of my post moves because I can get under the rim and move around,” Riddle said. “If someone bigger is on me, I can take them to the rim, too.”
3. St. Charles' Chase Walker saves best for second half
The South trailed 48-46 at halftime before Walker — who, like Swain, was a starter — flashed his talents. The Illinois State signee had layups on consecutive possessions, then caught a pass from Swain and went in for a one-handed dunk to make it 61-55.
The North rallied to tie it at 65 before the South reeled off an 8-0 run to take the lead for good.
Walker had three rebounds, a block and an assist in 21 minutes.
“I wasn’t thinking about scoring or anything like that,” he said. “I was just sprinting, getting down the court and the ball found me. I was in the right place at the right time.
“When you love basketball like we all do, it is fun even when you want to take out the guy in front of you, even if he’s one of your best friends.”
4. Canal Winchester's Kate Ratliff helps key South girls' winning run
Ratliff said it took a few minutes to settle in given the nature of an all-star game in which few, if any, of the participants had played together at any level. Once she did, the Gannon signee flexed her muscle.
Ratliff had three steals, a rebound, an assist and a block in the second half and finished with eight points in just under 20 minutes. After coming back into the game with 12:08 left and the South trailing 53-46, she went coast-to-coast for a layup, converted a 3-point play and assisted Sardinia Eastern Brown’s Rylee Leonard for a go-ahead layup on the next possession.
“It took a few minutes but I really got comfortable, especially not having played with any of these girls,” Ratliff said. “The way I look at (an all-star game) is have fun, get better and don’t get hurt.”
5. Statewide players shine; central Ohio coaches honored
Albany Alexander’s Kyler D’Augustino’s game-high 23 points earned him MVP honors in the boys game. He and Swain were roommates Thursday night.
Tori Hinkle of Proctorville Fairland, which was undefeated until losing in a Division III state semifinal, scored 11 points to lead the South girls and clinch game MVP.
Ohio State signee Austin Parks, from St. Marys Memorial, led the North boys with 18 points.
Hartley’s Donald Dennis co-coached the South girls team, and Linden-McKinley’s Kevin Darthard helped coach the South boys.
Ready boys coach Tony Bisutti was the OHSBCA’s Division II Coach of the Year after leading the Silver Knights to a 28-0 start and a state semifinal. Grove City girls assistant Josh Blankenship was honored as the OHSBCA’s Division I Assistant Coach of the Year.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio players shine in high school basketball all-star games
