Akron Product: Tiondre Johnson

Checkout former Buchtel & Woodridge standout Tiondre Johnson doing his thing.

High school all-stars jam at Akron classic

Terrell Stembridge drives to the rack as Revere's Eric Smith looks on
(Karen Schiely /Akron Beacon Journal)

Article by Michael Beaven - Akron Beacon Journal
The disc jockey was spinning and the basketball players were running and jumping Saturday night at Kenmore.

A raucous atmosphere greeted the players and spectators for the Akron Prep All-Star Basketball Classic with a DJ playing rap music.

Count St. Vincent-St. Mary seniors DaVonte' Beard, Ricky Johnson Jr. and Aaron Carey among the players who enjoyed themselves the most after the trio helped the Premier Team defeat the Elite Team 120-106.

''It was a pretty fun game,'' said Beard, who earned the MVP honor with 32 points.

''I got to play with some of my teammates for the last time. I have a lot of friends that played on both teams here. We talked trash to each other and had fun, and when a lot of us were in the game together, we would talk about who scored the most points and who was the best player. It was fun to play hard against each other.''

As expected in an all-star game, defense became optional early. Slam dunks and 3-pointers were the preferred plays.

''It was a good experience to play with and against a lot of good players in the city,'' Johnson said.
Stow senior Mike Garrison scored 28 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for Premier.

Stow big man Mike Garrison throws down during the 1st half
(Karen Schiely /Akron Beacon Journal)

''It was fun and fast-paced, which I am kind of not used to,'' Garrison said. ''It was a laid-back type of atmosphere, and just a fun time to play basketball.''

Garrison scored 20 points in the first half, helping Premier to a 63-50 halftime advantage.
Johnson added 21 points and Carey had two points.

''It was a lot of fun, but it was also kind of sad that this is senior year and I will not be able to play with my friends again,'' Carey said.

Western Reserve Academy's Kasey Tuttle (16 points) and Revere's Eric Smith (14 points) also scored in double figures for Premier. Mogadore's Ryan Tarter and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy's T.J. Heginbotham combined for nine points.

''It is cool to coach one of your kids and other kids from other teams,'' Revere coach Dean Rahas said. ''A lot of these kids I had never seen play. It was cool from that standpoint. I also liked how they had the DJ going with the music. That kind of hyped it up a little bit. It was certainly a lively atmosphere.''
Garfield's DeAndre Patterson paced Elite with 22 points and eight rebounds and won the 3-point shootout before the game.

Buchtel's Shawntrail Smith (18 points) also scored in double figures for Elite, along with East's Trevoris Bell (16 points), Buchtel's Jontel Garrett (15 points) and Copley's Ben Veach (10 points).
''It was a good night,'' Copley coach Mark Dente said. ''I enjoyed the experience.''

Buchtel's Shawntrail Smith twists & turns for the put back
(Karen Schiely /Akron Beacon Journal)

Barberton's Anthony Keys, East's Terrell Stembridge, Ellet's Ernest Smith and Buchtel's Jazel Garrett combined to score 25 points for Elite.

Beard, who made six 3-pointers, scored 21 points in the second half.

''I love them like brothers,'' Beard said of Johnson and Carey. ''They are my best friends and we love to play with each other.''

St Vincent St Mary's DaVonte Beard puts one up over Copley's Ben Veach
(Karen Schiely /Akron Beacon Journal)

Firestone's Darius Carter won the slam-dunk contest before the game, which organizers hope will become an annual event.

Terrell Stembridge Gets a Second Chance

Back on the Court
Article by Michael Beaven & George Thomas - Akron Beacon Journal

Terrell Stembridge will get the opportunity to compete in a basketball game with other varsity players after all.

Stembridge, the subject of a recent Akron Beacon Journal article, has been selected to play in the first annual Akron Prep All-Star Basketball Classic on Saturday night at Kenmore High School.

Stembridge is on schedule to graduate from East High School this spring but was declared ineligible to play this season by the Ohio High School Athletic Association after relocating to Akron from Charlotte, N.C.

''Trevoris Bell pushed me toward inviting him to play,'' said Michael Murphy Jr., the game organizer and CEO of Next Level Sports Development. ''It was a shame that he missed his senior year, which is an important year.

''I thought it would be nice to give him an opportunity. He is a good kid that has good grades. It was an unfortunate situation that he was not able to play this year.''

Darius Carter & Trevoris Bell Headline Dunk Contest

City Series Player of the Year Darius Carter of Firestone High School and the high energy, super athletic Trevoris Bell of East High School headline a spectacular list of dunkers for this Saturday's Dunk Contest.

Darius Carter dunked on people all season long
(Photo via Plain Dealer)

Don't be so quick to hand the title to Carter or Bell. Also participating is Buchtel's high flying Tyrell Murphy, East high-riser Bronson Pennington, and the electric Junior guard, Evan Payne of Walsh Jesuit. I definitely would not miss out on this. Pre-game events start at 7pm. Get there.

Evan Payne, Walsh Jesuit
(Jeff Brewer/SportsInk.com)

Dean Rahas Named PREMIERE All Stars Coach

Northeast Inland District Coach of the Year, Dean Rahas, has been named head coach of the PREMIERE All Stars. Rahas enjoyed a successful season in which his team posted a 21-2 record while claiming the Suburban League title. Rahas' star studded team will include Revere standout Eric Smith.

Revere's Head Coach, Dean Rahas
(Jeff Brewer/SportsInk.com)

Copley Coach Mark Dente to Lead ELITE All Stars

First year head coach Mark Dente of Copley HS has been named head coach of the ELITE All Stars for this year's Akron Prep All Star Basketball Classic.



Coach Mark Dente of Copley HS
(Jeff Brewer / SportsInk.com)



Article by Tim Rodgers - Cleveland Plain Dealer

Dente, a 1989 graduate of the school, served as an assistant coach for the boys and girls programs but was not involved with either for the past two years. He was the assistant coach for the boys team that went 20-1 and won the Suburban League championship in 2007-08 and he was the starting guard on the 1989 team, which also finished as the Suburban League champions.

Akron Prep All Star Basketball Classic Rosters

Here are the rosters for this Saturday's Akron Prep All Star Basketball Classic. Purchase your tickets NOW

ELITE All Stars

Coach Mark Dente - Copley
                                

Ben Veach - Copley

Marlon Oden - Buchtel

Jazel Garrett - Buchtel

Shawntrail Smith – Buchtel

Anthony Keys - Barberton

DeAndre Patterson - Garfield

Trevoris Bell - East

Terrell Stembridge – East / Mallard Creek HS (Charlotte, NC)

Ernest Smith - Ellet

PREMIER All Stars
Coach Dean Rahas - Revere

Eric Smith - Revere

Ricky Johnson Jr - St Vincent St Mary

DaVonte Beard - St Vincent St Mary

Aaron Carey - St Vincent St Mary

Mike Garrison - Stow

TJ Heginbotham - Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy

Ryan Tarter - Mogadore

Nick Robertson - Nordonia

Kasey Tuttle - Western Reserve Academy

Confirmed Players *UPDATED*

Below is a list of the confirmed players for next week's Akron Prep All Star Basketball Classic.

DaVonte Beard - St Vincent St Mary
Ricky Johnson Jr - St Vincent St Mary
Aaron Carey - St Vincent St Mary
Jazell Garrett - Buchtel
Shawntrail Smith - Buchtel
Marlon Oden - Buchtel
Trevoris Bell - East
Terrell Stembridge - East via Mallard Creek HS (Charlotte, NC)
Deandre Patterson - Garfield
Anthony Keys - Barberton
Ryan Tarter - Mogadore
Mike Garrison - Stow
TJ Heginbotham - Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
Eric Smith - Revere
Ben Veach - Copley
Nick Robertson - Nordonia
Kasey Tuttle - Western Reserve Academy
Ernest Smith - Ellet

Tickets Available Online NOW

You can now purchase your Akron Prep All Star Basketball Classic tickets online and avoid trying to find tickets and standing in line. The tickets are $5 plus a $1.11 online processing fee. Tickets will be $7 the day of the event and are not guaranteed to be available. Purchase them now by clicking HERE

Nordonia's Nick Robertson to Play in All Star Game

Nick Robertson (on left)

Robertson averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds per game for Nordonia this season.

Buchtel Trio Commits to Akron Prep All Star Basketball Classic

Jazel Garrett
(Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)

Shawntrail Smith
(Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)

Marlon Oden
(Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)

Players Begin to Commit to Akron Prep All Star Classic



Devonte Beard of St. Vincent - St. Mary HS
(Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)




Aaron Carey of St. Vincent - St. Mary HS
(Jeff Brewer/ Sportsink.com)




Eric Smith of Revere HS
(Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)




Trevoris Bell of Akron East HS
(Jeff Brewer/Sportsink.com)



Akron Prep All Star Basketball Classic

You've never experienced high school basketball like this...Get there April 16th

Tickets to go on sale soon. Please continue to check back for additional information.

St Vincent St Mary Captures 5th State Championship

Article by George Thomas - Akron Beacon Journal

Players congratulate Coach Dru Joyce (Photo by Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)

COLUMBUS: The Fighting Irish started the celebration with almost 23 ticks left on the clock.
There was a collective sigh and hugs all around.

The season's adversities washed away Saturday as Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary defeated Dayton Thurgood Marshall 57-46 for the second time in as many years, capturing a second Division II state basketball title in three years.

''We got two rings,'' senior guard Ricky Johnson said with a huge grin afterward.
Irish basketball alumni poured from the stands at Value City Arena as coach Dru Joyce stood by to inform the ushers that ''these are my players.''

SVSM's Kristian Taylor (Photo by Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal)

St Vincent St Mary - Post Game Press Conference

Dorm Rumor: Danny Peters

Article by Mylan Murphy - DormRumor.com

Danny Peters
High School: Lakota East High School
College/Mascot: The Ohio State University / Buckeyes
Sport: MBB
Class: 2010
Current City: Tucson, AZ
Hometown: The State of Ohio
Birth date: 7-5-86
Age: 24
Height/Weight: 6’1 180

On your sport…

How long have you played? What inspired you to start playing?
I've played basketball for as long as I can remember. My father was a college basketball coach so I always wanted to follow him along and ended up staying in the gym playing basketball.


Where is your favorite place to play?
When I lived in Cincinnati I had a half court in my back yard that I loved to play on.  I was fortunate enough to have a Shoot-a-way and my father and I would stay up there all night shooting jump shots and talking hoops.  Most of my knowledge about the game was learned on that court.

What is your favorite number? Why?
I am a big Maravich fan (coach’s son, come on… he is the greatest of them all) so I was #44 in high school and wanted to wear it into college but it was reserved for William Bufford. I decided to wear #13 to honor a player my father coached at the University of Cincinnati, Lenny Stokes.  He was like a big brother to me, took me to movies, gave me sneakers, shot around with me during the summer, etc.  Every time I put that jersey on or signed my name it reminded me how he treated me and how I should continue to do the same.

SVSM State Semifinal Highlights

Akron Prep All Star Classic

Roster nominations for the Akron Prep All Star Classic have been sent out. Please check back as we plan to finalize and post the rosters.

All District Teams Named

Associated Press Northeast Inland All-District teams

Division I
FIRST TEAM:   Pat Forsythe, Brunswick, 6-10, sr., 22.5;  Larry   Nance, Revere, 6-7, sr., 16.5; Darius Carter, Firestone, 6-7, sr., 22.0; David Walker, Stow-Munroe Falls, 6-6, jr., 15.0.
Player of the Year: Pat Forsythe, Brunswick
Coach of the Year: Dean Rahas, Revere

SECOND TEAM: Davonte Brunson, East, 5-10, jr., 24.6; Kenny Kaminski, Medina, 6-8, jr., 18.5; Prescott Williams, Wadsworth, 6-3, sr, 18.4; Chris Witmer, Green, 6-3, sr., 12.7; D.J. Bettinger, Revere, 6-1, sr., 14.1.

THIRD TEAM: Josh Kipfer, Wadsworth, 6-6, jr., 16.8; Bruce Thomas, Kent Roosevelt, 6-7, jr., 15.4; Kevin Brewton, Akron Garfield, 6-4, sr., 15.4.
HONORABLE MENTION
Zach Brett, Kent Roosevelt; Chad Sedio, Highland; Justin Letts, Medina; Zack Miglich, Cloverleaf; John Alexander, Highland; Anthony Keys, Barberton; Cory Asbury, Cuyahoga Falls; Tim Bridenthal, Cuyahoga Falls; Evan Keeslar, Green; Andrew Pratt, Green; Kyle Scelza, Stow-Munroe Falls; Mike Garrison, Stow-Munroe Falls; Ryan Yurkschatt, Stow-Munroe Falls; Eric Smith, Revere; Mycle Shadie, East; DeAndre Patterson, Akron Garfield; Ben Veach, Copley; Jordan Burke, Copley; Nick Robertson, Nordonia; Jarrett Ruffin, Nordonia; Nick Rodriguez, Nordonia; Zack Brandy, Hudson.

Division II
FIRST TEAM: Evan Payne, Walsh Jesuit, 6-1, jr., 24.5; DaVonte’ Beard, St. Vincent-St. Mary, 6-2, sr., 19.0; Evan Pannell, Archbishop Hoban, 6-1, sr., 20.2; Jazel Garrett, Buchtel, 5-9, sr., 14.0; Antonio Hearn, Kenmore, 5-9, jr., 25.6.
Player of the Year: Evan Payne, Walsh Jesuit

SECOND TEAM: Ricky Johnson Jr., St. Vincent-St. Mary, 5-9, sr., 15.0; Ben Gency, Streetsboro, 6-6, jr., 19.4; Clay Walters, Crestwood, 6-2, sr., 12.0; Shawntrail Smith, Buchtel, 6-2, sr., 10.0.

THIRD TEAM: Leon Hedgepeth, Streetsboro, 5-10, sr., 16.4; Lorenzo Cugini, St. Vincent-St. Mary, 6-6, jr., 15.0; Marlon Oden, Buchtel, 5-11, sr., 13.0; Isaiah Sanders, Ravenna, 6-2, sr., 16.0; Travon Ambrose, Kenmore, 6-3, sr., 17.7; Justin Pratt, Norton, 6-6, sr., 15.2.

HONORABLE MENTION
Brendan Scott, Buckeye; Wes Skupski, Crestwood; Cory Usher, Crestwood; Joey DeJacimo, Southeast; Noah Kainrad, Southeast; Josh Miller, Ravenna; Jimmy Cercek, Field; Spencer Boyd, Walsh Jesuit; DeAllen Jackson, Archbishop Hoban; Sean Robbins, Archbishop Hoban.

Division III
FIRST TEAM: Mark Noble, Manchester, 6-2, sr., 15.4; Bob Peters, CVCA, 6-0, so. 21.1; Jordan Jenior, Rootstown, 5-10, jr., 16.2; Brendan Milburn, Waterloo, 6-1, sr., 16.5.
SECOND TEAM: Ryan Burfield, East Canton, 6-0, sr., 16.4; Kyle Dack, Manchester, 5-8, sr., 11.8; Cody Berg, Garrettsville Garfield, 5-9, jr., 21.0.

THIRD TEAM: T.J. Heginbotham, CVCA, 6-3, sr., 10.0; Mike Conley, Rootstown, 5-11, jr., 17.3.

HONORABLE MENTION
Drew Peterson, CVCA; Nick Miller, Manchester; Joe Tutie, Black River; Nathan Franks, Waterloo.

Division IV
FIRST TEAM: Matt Knight, Windham, 5-10, so., 16.9; Ryan Tarter, Mogadore, 5-10, sr., 16.0.

HONORABLE MENTION
Kodey Chance, Mogadore

New Kicks: LeBron 8 SVSM PE

Checkout pics of the LeBron 8 St Vincent St Mary Player Exclusives. These kicks are FIRE.

Dorm Rumor: Ricky Johnson Jr.

Article by Mylan Murphy - GlobalGrind.com / DormRumor.com

When you hear “St. Vincent-St. Mary High School”, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is LeBron James; since that is the high school he attended. You might have also seen the movie “More Than A Game” which focuses on the lives of LeBron and the “Fab 5” from Akron, OH (LeBron James, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee, Dru Joyce III, and Romeo Travis) who all attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School together. Regardless, you get the point; there is nothing but HISTORY and TRADITION behind the name of this high school! I’m here to tell you about a young hooper that is currently at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School following the lead and tradition that his big homies established; Ricky Johnson Jr.

Revere Tops Buchtel at Home

Article by Micahel Beaven for Akron Beacon Journal

Senior Night at Buchtel on Tuesday turned into an opportunity for the other school's seniors to shine.

Revere seniors Eric Smith, Larry Nance, DJ Bettinger and Ryan Wonders all scored in double figures to guide the Minutemen to a 67-58 win over the host Griffins in a nonleague boys game at Appleby Gymnasium.

Smith led the Revere (19-1) past Buchtel (17-3) with 19 points. Nance contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Jazell Garrett goes up over Ryan Wonders (Michael Chritton/Akron Beacon Journal)

Buchtel, the City Series champion and ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press Division II state poll, never led.

''I think it was a big game for us going against a state-ranked opponent,'' Revere coach Dean Rahas said. ''They are a team that pressures a lot [defensively] and is real athletic. Coming to their place, playing hard and handling their pressure is big for us. We were aggressive and continued to attack.''

Revere, unranked in Division I, held leads of 20-11 after the first quarter, 40-26 at halftime and 51-45 following three quarters.

All Star Kicks

Derrick Rose - Adidas adiZero

Blake Griffin - Nike Hyperdunk 10.0

Ray Allen - Jordan 2011

LeBron James - Nike LeBron VIII v2

Kobe Bryant - Nike Zoom Kobe VI

Kobe Bryant: The Black Mamba