Coach Wolfy, Thurgood Enjoy Lengthy Run in OHSAA Tourney; Cougars Seek 1st District Title Ever; Face #1 Purcell Marian Tonight

Coach Wolfy, Thurgood Enjoy Lengthy Run in OHSAA Tourney; Cougars Seek 1st District Title Ever;

 Face State Champion Purcell Marian Tonight

 by Deon Cash 

Coach Duane "Wolfy" Hutchinson has had success on the court as head coach, but this year has went almost exactly how he planned it. 

The Thurgood Marshall Lady Cougars won tueir 3rd consecutive City League Championship.  That was something the team desperately wanted.

He watched his seniors emabark on great personal career acheivements. Then he watched three of those seniors (Samara Gibson, Makayla Williams, Morganne Postell) get scholarship opportunities to play at Central State, his old coaching grounds. 

 They won two games in the OHSAA tourney this year after winning their first game under the "Wolfy" regime last year. 

 They got a chance to hoist a elusive OHSAA Sectional Title for the first time in his coaching career after a 3 OT marathon against Bellfountaine in which All-League G-F Williams dropped a season high 32 points. 

Hutchinson led the Lady Cougars to a 3rd consecutive City League title, but he did it behind a brutal schedule knowing that it would hopefully pay off come playoff time. 

And it has, as the Lady Cougars now will face their toughest opponent all season in Cincinnati Purcell Marian tonight (5pm), who are led by All-Amercian and arguably the top player in the 2025 class, Dee Alexander.  

For Hutchinson and the program, it would definitely be a historic moment to knock off the likes of the Lady Cavaliers.

 Wolfy told his team yesterday in practice:

 "I feel really good about where we are at. We plan to play this game in 2 min intervals, and we know how extremely talented Purcell is. We have to take care of the ball and hit shots. Our defense will be  ready. 

It's only a few teams still playing basketball in Ohio and I'm just thankful that we are." 

Regardless of the outcome, the Thurgood Marshall Lady Cougars have made history once again, just a year after a groundbreaking season. 

Will the magic continue to last? That remains to be seen. But expect the Thurgood Marshall Lady Cougars to be ready for war tonight at Mason HS. 

They've had a dream season so far. Will the March Magic continue for the Lady Cougars? 

Stay tuned. 

Follow Coach Dwayne "Wolfy" Hutchinson, Thurgood Marshall Girls Basketball, Dayton Weekly Newspaper, Deon Cash and SELive365  for more content.

Clark State Men Defeats Edison State For 1st Time in Team History; Will Face Cuyahoga Today in Huge Battle for Playoff Position

 The Clark State Mens basketball team has done something no Eagles team has ever done.

The Eagles defeated Edison State in Piqua by a score of 89-85 in OT to win the "Rivalry" for the first time in school history.

In a balanced effort, the Eagles were able to hold off a very tough and aggressive Edison State team in overtime, as they were led by Mo Fofana (21) and Isaiah Masteller (18). 

With the win the Eagles moved to 7-2 in the OCCAC, in sole possession of 2nd place, behind undefeated Lakeland. Edison State falls to 7-2 as well.

The top 3 teams in the conference go to the Regional Tournament. 

"This is a huge milestone for the team and this organization. To never have defeated this team in our history and get it done in my first game up here? 

It's truly a blessing."  Head coach Quinton Alsotrk stated.

While that rivaly win was huge, it puts the Eagles in sole possession of first place. But now comes the hard part.

The Eagles will have a three game homestand against the likes of Cuyahoga, Hocking, and finally, Lakeland on the 10th of February. 

With the race being so close as 5 teams battle for 3 spots, its in the Eagles hands and they will have their chances against the OCCAC best at home in Springfield. 

"We have to handle business, and stay focused. Its a one game at a time mentality. It's gonna be tough. These are some very good teams. But we can do it." 

Today they will play a doubleheader at Cuyahoga comes into ttown. Cuyahoga currently sits in 5th place at 5-3. 

The boys will play at 1pm ET while the girls will play afterwards. 

With a win today, it would give Clark State sole possession of 2nd place with 6 games left, sitting only 1 game out of first place regardless of what Lakeland and Hocking do.

 Follow the Clark State Eagles Athetics Today on Youtube to Watch the game on LIVE Stream.

 

Stivers Cotton - Cash Leads Tigers Over Meadowdale; #1 Ranked Player Drops 28 in Loss

Stivers Cotton - Cash Leads Tigers Over Meadowdale; 

#1 Ranked Player Drops 28 in Loss 

Tigers Face Taft Tonight 

The Stivers Tigers senior F Kelvin Cotton - Cash had been looking for a breakout game this season. He had some solid games, but nothing spectacular.  

The Stivers Tigers needed a good shooting perfromance as a team. 

For a night, both Cotton-Cash and the Tigers offense was able to find a rhythm as he helped lead the Tigers over the Meadowdale Lions last weekend.

The Tigers, who came into the season with high hopes, had some key factors on their behalf:

(1) Bringing back a coach from the area who came from winning championships 

 (2) Having a experienced team 

(3) Looking like a team in the summer who was in the running for a Dayton Public Schools title.

However, once the season started, poor shooting, turnovers, and inconsistent play has ruined the Tigers chances of winning the city.

While Cotton-Cash, son of former DPS All-League and College Standout Erica Cash (Patterson), and grandson of Dunbar legend and former NBA player Corneilius Cash, had been struggling with his shot early in the season, coach Bobby Porter never wavered.

 He stood on his faith of the talent and hard work that Cotton - Cash displayed this summer. 

And now it seems to be paying off. 

"These guys worked hard all summer. We are finally seeing some of that hard work pay off. I'm really happy to see Cotton-Cash have some success. We need that from him." Porter said. 

Cotton-Cash, a 6'5, lanky wing forward who has a lot in the tool box, scored 19 points on over 60% shooting, had 4 steals and hit 3 three-pointers on the night. 

Fellow senior and Top 10-15 player G Amaury Hawes dropped 15 while junior rising star G-F Gavin Wright dropped 16 in the big win. 

The #1 player in the initial Dayton Weekly Rankings (DPS) Sean Caldwell, Meadowdale F,  exploded for 29 in the loss. Caldwell is tied with Eric Brewer for the top scorer in DPS (18.5 ppg). 

But clearly for the Tigers, Cash is the key.

When Cotton-Cash plays well, the Tigers have a much better chance to win. However, sometimes being in a slump can hurt your demeanor, and cause you to stay in droughts longer than normal. And it was obvious in earlier games that Cotton-Cash was fighting the demons. 

 He has next level skills, and despite his early FG struggles he rebounds, can pass and has a lot to offer the team, especially rebounding and defense. 

But now is the time for Cash and the Tigers to step up, like teams in the past at Stivers.

They will face a gritty Taft team today. If Cash can continue to make improvements, look for a much tougher Tigers team come Mid-February. 

Cotton Cash just had a birthday so look for his fortune to change. 

Follow Cotton-Cash, Stivers and The Dayton Weekly for more content. 

Its Official: Thurgood Marshall Wins 3rd Consecutive City League Title

 Its Official: Thurgood Marshall Wins 3rd Consecutive Dayton Public School Title Under "Wolfy" Era on Senior Night

The Thurgood Marshall Lady Cougars celebrated a myriad of accomplishments on Monday night in front of a packed house. 

First, Coach Duane "Wolfy" Hutchinson and the Lady Cougars celebrated the senior class that has led the Thurgood girls team to a Dayton Public Schools title run that hasn't been done since the Montgomery era in the 80s and 90s. 

The senior class of Samara Gibson, Morganne Postell, Ma'Kayla Williams, Kimora Williams and Raevyn Mcrae has accumulated nearly 3,000 points and countless assists, steals, rebounds and other great numbers, along with their scholarship offers.

They were honored by the city of Dayton Representative Willis E Blackshear Jr., who came and gave the seniors a special gift along with a great speech and some encouraging words. 

During the announcements the seniors and their families would walk over a red carpet, which made the vibe feel top tier. Each player was given a jersey, and a senior bag with Gibson, Williams and Postell getting a signature basketball commending them on their special accomplishments during their careers. 

During the game, it was all Cougars as they dismantled the Stivers Lady Tigers by a score of 69-24. 

All of the seniors contributed heavily to the big win, and it was a festive atmosphere for most at the game - unless you were rooting for the Lady Tigers.

In the first half, the overwhelming defensive presssure (led by Gibson) and fast break finishes (led by Williams) gave Hutchinson and the Lady Cougars a lead they'd never relinquish. Once the 3-bombs started falling, (led by Postell), there was no stopping the Lady Cougars.

With the win the Lady Cougars (9-1) have clinched at least a share of the DPS title. 

They now will face the State Champion Alter Lady Knights as they prep for the OHSAA Basketball Tournament in 3 weeks. 

"I'm very blessed to have this amazing group, and I was always told to win your league. We've done that three years in a row now. We will enjoy this moment but I'm already preparing for the final two matchups and the tournament." Hutchinson would say after the game. 

One intriguing storyline is that they could win the City League outright, if Meadowdale (7-1) stumbles in their last game. The Lions last game vs Belmont was canceled. They have one game left. They tied for the Title last year with Thurgood. 

Regardless, congratulations to the Lady Cougars, on creating history. 

Three consecutive Dayton Public School championships. And three ladies signing to hoop for Central State as well.

That is the kind of stuff kids and parents dream of.

By the way, it is Duane "Wolfy" Hutchinson birthday, so happy birthday to Wolfy who is now being called a goat by some. 

Make no mistake; it has been Wolfy who has definitely changed the culture for HS hoops in Dayton Public Schools.

 Its time to follow his lead. 

Congrats to the Lady Cougars and the organization and Happy Birthday to Coach Wolf. 

#2 Clark State vs #1 Lakeland, Battle for 1st Place To Be Rescheduled; Eagles Head To Hocking College Tonight

 #2 Clark State vs #1 Lakeland Battle for 1st Place in OCCAC To Be Rescheduled; 

Eagles Head To Hocking College Tonight  

The Clark State Eagles are riding a huge conference win streak and with it the momentum as they sit in 2nd place as we hit the 2nd portion of the college hoop season.

When the 1st year head coach of Clark State (Quinton Alstork) was asked what he wanted to do coming into his first season, he stated, 

"We want to compete for the league championship."

While early in the season, it seemed a little far fetched, as the Eagles were looking for momentum and some type of flow after some tough losses and uninspiring wins. But the tables have turned and  recently, after a 5-game winning streak, the Eagles now sit 1 game back (5-1) at the halfway point of the season. 

Unfortunately the game on January 20th at Lakeland had to be rescheduled due to weather conditions last weekend.  

Clark State will face them in Lakeland  at a later date TBD. Until then, they will see the current and only undefeated team in the OCCAC at home on Feb 10th. 

When asked about where his team is and how he feels, here's Alstorks' response: 

"It feels good to be in this position at this point of the season." Alstork said.

"These boys want it man. We're all really motivated and working hard. All the camaraderie and chemistry continues to get better and better. Despite not having height on the frontline and big roster numbers to work with, these kids are grinding and giving everything they got." 

The Eagles have 5 guys who are scoring in double figures, led by Mo Fofana and Chris Herbort.  

Tonight the Eagles head to Hocking College to a non-conference road contest before a conference tilt on the road at Bryant & Stratton (Ohio). 

For more coverage and content, go to Clark State Athletics, Quinton Alstork and SELive365. 

Dunbar Stops Stivers in City League Play; Wolverines Stay 1 Game Behind Belmont

Here is the recap from last night series of games in the City League as we move near the Mid Season mark of the OHSAA basketball season:

Dunbar Stops Stivers, Stays in City League Championship Race

The Dunbar Wolverines used a fast and physical style of play to get control of the game and, in turn, knock off Stivers by a score of 65-50.  

The game was in the balance early until the Wolverines turned up the pressure and left Head Coach Bobby Porter and his troops rattled and off their game. 

The Wolverines were led by Dayton Weekly News #4 ranked Eric Brewer Jr.  who has been on fire of late.  Brewer, athletic, extremely active wing 6'3 G-F, is coming of a 33-point outburst at Flyin to The Hoop, which is one of the top showcases in the country for HS hoops exposure. 

He was unstoppable last night as well in leading Dunbar to a big road win which keeps them 1-game behind Belmont for a City League crown. 

As far as the Tigers, they were led by junior 6'4 G-F Gavin Wright, as he had 16 points to lead all scorers. 

Wright, who is #19 in the Dayton Weekly Hoop Rankings (DPS + Twood) and a Top 5 underclassmen, showed his worth as he led the squad with a barrage of jump shots and next level drives to the basket. He also played good defense and literally kept the Tigers in the game in the loss. 

Belmont Thumps Thurgood, Stays in Sole Possession of 1st Place

The Belmont Bison continued to stay in first place as they dismantled Thurgood by a score of 84-59. Behing their dynamic duo of Denzel Ogle and Judah Baldwin, the Cougars were no match for Coach Art Winston and his squad.

Ogle, a spicy combo guard, is ranked #6 in the Dayton Weekly Newspaper Monthly Rankings (DPS + Trotwood), while Baldwin, a double double machine with range is ranked #7.

With the win Belmont improves to 5-2 in the City League ,while Thurgood drops to 3-4. The Cougars had won 2 of their last 3 in the city league before the loss. 

Meadowdale Holds Off Ponitz in Wild Ending

The Meadowdale Lions got a big win over the Ponitz Panthers in exciting fashion by a score of 65-64.

The Lions are led by the dynamic duo of #3 Ranked Sean Caldwell (18.2ppg leads DPS) and Quinton Jones (3rd in scoring at 15.6ppg) who is ranked #9 in the Dayton Weekly HS Hoop Rankings. 

The Panthers were led by elite scoring guard and playmaker Lawrence Bell, who is top 5 in scoring and ranked #8 in the Dayton Weekly (DPS +Trotwood) Rankings.

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