[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Cincy

3/27/06

NCH three-peat is likely

Trojans reign in Division III

BY TOM GROESCHEN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Bill Walker was doing a television interview after North College Hill won its second straight Division III state basketball title Saturday in Columbus, and the reporter concluded his questions to Walker by saying:
"I've got a feeling we'll be seeing you all up here again next year."
NCH, with superstars Walker and O.J. Mayo returning for their senior seasons, will be heavily favored to win its third consecutive state championship.
"I'd like to wrap it up with three in a row and be national champions next year," said Mayo, who had 34 points in Saturday's 90-73 championship win over Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph.
Said Walker, who had 22 points in the title game: "I don't see why we can't three-peat."
That's how it is when you have two of the nation's top-rated players competing against overmatched competition in Ohio Division III, the second smallest of the state's basketball classifications.
NCH (26-1 this season) is ranked No. 3 nationally by USA Today. The Trojans' only loss was 88-74 to Oak Hill Academy (Va.) on Feb. 18, with Oak Hill ranked No. 1 and NCH No. 2 nationally at the time.
NCH also will try for a piece of Ohio history next season. Only two other boys' programs, Dayton Stivers (1928-30) and Columbus Wehrle (1988-90), have won three consecutive state basketball titles. Stivers won in Class A, then the big-school division. Wehrle won in Division IV, Ohio's smallest classification.
Trojans coach Jamie Mahaffey is not ready to talk trifecta. Mahaffey admittedly is tired after a season of injuries, illnesses, player suspensions and national media coverage. The capper was Mayo being held out of the state semifinals because he missed some classes.
"I probably won't wake up until June," Mahaffey said, shortly after the title game ended. "I'm going to go home and go to sleep. It's been a rough year, but we stuck together as a family and pulled through."
The Trojans will lose starting forwards Andre Evans (9.2 points per game; 24 in the title game) and Paul Leary (6.0 ppg) and backup guard Elliott Horne (2.5 ppg) to graduation.
The top returnees will be guard Mayo (28.5 ppg) and forward Walker (22.4). Damon Butler (6.8 ppg), a sophomore and two-year starter at point guard, also returns as does junior guard Nathaniel Glover (5.0 ppg). The status of sophomore Courtney Davis (10.3 ppg) is not known. He missed the season's last four games for undisclosed reasons.
NCH athletic director Joe Nickel said the 2006-07 schedule is still being set, but said the Trojans might play Oak Hill Academy again.
The season opener probably will be against Huber Heights Wayne at University of Dayton Arena. Other possible opponents include La Salle, Hamilton, Hughes, Woodward and Columbus De Sales. There will be another trip to California for two games in late December, and another trip to West Virginia (original home of Mayo and Walker).
Yes, chances are.

A look aheadNorth College Hill loses three seniors from its Division III state title team but will return stars O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker for the 2006-07 season. Here's a look at where they stand according to this season's final varsity roster:

GRADUATING
PlayerHt.Yr.Pos.PPGAndre Evans6-4Sr.F9.2Paul Leary6-4Sr.F6.0Elliott Horne5-10Sr.G2.5

RETURNING
PlayerHt.Yr.Pos.PPGO.J. Mayo6-5Jr.G28.5Bill Walker6-6Jr.F22.4Dwayne Parks5-11Jr.G3.0Courtney Davis6-3So.F10.3Damon Butler5-11So.G6.8Alphonso McPherson6-3So.F5.6Mario Ward6-2So.FDNP