25 players to watch in the postseason
The boys basketball postseason starts Saturday, and once again there are players of significance in almost every district.
That’s why the USA Today Network decided to take a deep dive for you and give you 25 can’t-miss players to watch among districts in the Greater Akron area.
Every single one of them is a returning All-Ohioan.
Take a look at the players and numbers heading into this week:
OHSAA Division I, Northeast 1 boys basketball district
Teams: St. Ignatius, Cuyahoga Falls, North Olmsted, Lakewood, Midview, Hudson, Normandy, Elyria, Stow, North Ridgeville, Austintown Fitch, Solon, Walsh Jesuit
Jayden Crutcher, Elyria: The 6foot-5 guard is averaging 19.6 points and 4.4 rebounds as a junior. Crutcher was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
Reece Raymond-Smith, Stow: The 6-6 swingman is averaging 23.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks as a senior. Raymond-Smith was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
OHSAA Division I, Northeast 2 boys basketball district
Teams: Firestone, Louisville, North, Medina, John Hay, Bedford, Cleveland JFK, Canton McKinley, Cleveland Heights, Mayfield, Nordonia, Copley, GlenOak
Hayden Nigro, Louisville: The 6-5 guard is averaging 20.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a senior. Nigro was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
Ja’Corey Lipkins, Glenoak: The 6-1 guard is averaging 19.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists as a senior. Lipkins was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
OHSAA Division I, Northeast 3 boys basketball district
Teams: Green, Aurora, Kent Roosevelt, John Adams, Eastlake North, Chardon, Mentor, Dover, Maple Heights, Cleveland Rhodes, Ellet, Jackson, Garrett Morgan
Brady Rollyson, Green: The 6-3 forward/center is averaging 17.3 points, and 7.3 rebounds as a senior. Rollyson was special mention All-Ohio last season and is an Ohio State signee in baseball.
Jarrett Taylor, Green: The 6-4 forward is averaging 10.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists as a senior. Taylor was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
Sean Register Jr., Eastlake North: The 6-7 forward is averaging 29.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.9 blocks as a senior. Register was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
Ian Ioppolo, Mentor: The 6-5 guard is averaging 27.6 points and 8.8 rebounds as a senior. Ioppolo was thirdteam All-Ohio last season.
Kyle Monterrubio, Jackson: The 6-3 swingman is averaging 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists as a junior. Monterrubio was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
OHSAA Division I, Northeast 5 boys basketball district
Teams: Brecksville, Highland, Olmsted Falls, Avon Lake, Hoover, Lorain, Strongsville, University School, Willoughby South, Hoban, Perry, Boardman
Luke Skaljac, Brecksville: The 6-3 guard is averaging 21.5 points, 5.5 assists and 4.5 steals as a senior. Skaljac was first-team All-Ohio last season. He has signed with Miami (Ohio).
Hunter Winston, Highland: The 6-4 forward is averaging 16.1 points as a senior. Winston was honorable mention All-Ohio last season. He has signed to play baseball with Ohio University.
Jonas Nichols, Hoban: The 6-4 guard is averaging 19.2 points and 6.2 rebounds as a senior. Nichols was first team All-Ohio last season. He is the school’s all-time leading scorer and has signed with Kent State.
OHSAA Division I, Northeast 6 boys basketball district
Teams: Garfield Heights, Lakeside, John Marshall, Wadsworth, Westlake, Berea-Midpark, North Royalton, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Shaker Heights, Massillon, Warren Harding, Barberton
Marcus Johnson, Garfield Heights: The 6-1 guard is averaging 23.4 points, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals as a sophomore. Johnson was first-team All-Ohio last season. He has offers from more than 15 schools, including LSU and Ohio State.
Maxx Bosley, Wadsworth: The 6-0 guard is averaging 26.7 points as a senior. Bosley was honorable mention AllOhio last season. He is the school’s alltime career point leader and is third in Medina County.
OHSAA Division II, Northeast 2 boys basketball district
Teams: Warrensville Heights, Woodridge, Salem, Coventry, Cloverleaf, Norton, Elyria Catholic, Hawken, Revere, Buckeye, East Tech, Youngstown East, West Branch
Logan Forbes, Cloverleaf: The 6-8 center is averaging 19.7 points as a senior. Forbes was honorable mention AllOhio last season.
OHSAA Division II, Northeast 3 boys basketball district
Teams: Poland Seminary, Canton South, Padua, CVCA, Springfield, Tallmadge, Villa Angela-St. Joseph, Chaney, Niles McKinley, Alliance, Holy Name, Orrville
Riley Cervenka, Padua: The 6-0 foot guard is averaging 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a junior. Cervenka was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
Kaden Davis, Tallmadge: The 6-4 swingman is averaging 20.2 points as a junior. Davis was special mention AllOhio last season.
OHSAA Division III, Northeast 1 boys basketball district
Teams: LaBrae, Manchester, Keystone, Pymatuning Valley, Lake Catholic, Campbell Memorial, Trinity, Liberty, Canton Central Catholic, Tuslaw, Crestwood, Smithville, Fairless
Dekota Johnson, Crestwood: The 6-0 guard is averaging 20.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists as a junior. Johnson was honorable mention AllOhio.
OHSAA Division IV, Northeast 3 boys basketball district
Teams: Dalton, East Canton, Youngstown Academy for Urban Scholars, Andrews Osborne, Sebring McKinley, Lake Ridge Academy, Mogadore, Lake Center Christian, Columbia, Lordstown, Lowellville, New Middletown Springfield, Open Door Christian
Caleb Shilling, East Canton: The 610 forward/center is averaging 22.9 points and 11.9 rebounds and is the school’s all-time leader in free throws. Shilling was honorable mention AllOhio last season.
Layne Miller, Mogadore: The 6-0 guard is averaging 23.4 points as a senior. Miller was honorable mention AllOhio last season.
Matt Warder, Lake Center Christian: The 6-0 guard is averaging 22.7 points and 5.8 rebounds as a senior. Warder was special mention All-Ohio last season.
Tanner Norman, Lake Center Christian: The 5-9 guard is averaging 16.1 points and 4.7 assists as a senior. Norman was honorable mention AllOhio last season.
Nathan Borling, Columbia: The 6-2 guard is averaging 22.2 points and 8.6 rebounds as a senior. Borling was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
Anthony Januzzi, Open Door Christian: The 6-1 guard is averaging 17.6 points and 6.0 assists as a senior. Januzzi was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.
R.J. Penney, Open Door Christian: The 6-1 guard is averaging 15.0 points as a senior. Penney was honorable mention All-Ohio last season.