Fourteen Marion-area basketball players earn All-Ohio nods for 2023-24 season
COLUMBUS — Fourteen Marion-area basketball players earned All-Ohio honors from the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association this week.
There were eight boys and six girls getting honors.
Basketball honors: OPSWA announces its All-Central District boys and girls basketball teams for 2023-24
More basketball honors: Check out who made All-District 11 in boys and girls basketball from the Marion area
Leading the way with a first-team nod in boys Division IV was Northmor senior Grant Bentley. The 6-foot-3 guard put up 19.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals on shooting splits of 48 percent on field goals, 37 percent on 3-pointers and 76 percent on free throws.
Bentley was the Player of the Year and first-team Central District, District 11 Player of the Year and first team, KMAC Player of the Year and first team and All-Marion Star first team. He helped the Golden Knights to a share of the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference championship and a second straight district runner-up trophy.
River Valley senior Carson Smith was a third-team pick in Division II among boys. The 6-4 senior guard/forward averaged 22.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.5 steals, while shooting 43 percent on field goals, 32 percent on 3-pointers and 81 percent on free throws.
Smith was first-team All-Marion Star and its player of the year, plus first-team Central District, District 11 Player of the Year and first-team and first-team Mid Ohio Athletic Conference. He led the area in scoring and made 3-pointers with 74 this year, and he holds the single-game scoring and 3-point records with 48 and 11 respectively. He also moved up to second place behind Danyon Hempy on the school's all-time scoring list.
Two boys were special mention in Division III.
Pleasant 6-1 senior guard Trey Booker averaged 20.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals, while shooting 47 percent on field goals, 29 percent on 3-pointers and 89 percent free throws. North Union 6-3 senior guard/forward Max Parish produced 19.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals, on 58 percent field goals, 28 percent 3-pointers and 71 percent free throws.
There were four boys making honorable mention.
In Division I, Marion Harding 6-2 senior guard/forward Marquis Long Jr. averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.1 steals. In Division IV, Elgin's 5-10 senior guard Stephen Castillo-Carey recorded 14.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.4 steals, while Ridgedale 5-8 sophomore guard Eric Gottfried contributed 13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals, and Northmor 6-2 junior guard Jax Wenger put up 15.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.6 steals.
In girls basketball, making special mention in Division II was North Union 5-8 senior guard Audrey Benedict, who averaged 14.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 steals with shooting of 40 percent on field goals, 24 percent on 3-pointers and 72 percent on free throws.
Five girls were honorable mention.
In Division I, Marion Harding 5-3 junior guard Aniya Mitchell averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 3.3 steals; in Division II, North Union 5-4 senior guard Zoe Wedding averaged 8.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.2 steals; in Division III, Pleasant 5-9 junior guard Avah Steele averaged 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.1 steals; in Division IV, Ridgedale 5-7 senior forward Lauren Leslie averaged 8.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.8 steals; and Mount Gilead 5-7 junior guard Faith White averaged 9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 steals.
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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: All-Ohioans named. Who made the basketball list from the Marion area?
