Future augurs well for Trojans
By Tom Groeschen
Enquirer staff writer
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North College Hill sophomore Keenan Ellis (50) has a lot to shout about after the Trojans beat Ironton for the Division III state title Saturday at Ohio State's Value City Arena.
The Enquirer/Jeff Swinger
Zoom </TD></TR><!-- OTHER FEED PHOTOS --><!--RELATED PHOTO GALLERIES--><!-- RELATED MULTIMEDIA ASSETS --><!-- MAIN FACT BOX --><TR><TD class=sidebar_head>LOOKING STRONG</TD></TR><TR><TD class=sidebar_body>North College Hill's chance to repeat in Division III looks bright, as the Trojans only lose one starter to graduation.
DEPARTING SENIORS
*6-3 G, Darion Goins, 8 ppg
6-6 F, George Victorian, 6 ppg
TOP RETURNEES
(SENIORS IN '05-06)
6-4 F, Andre Evans, 7.2 ppg
6-5 F, Paul Leary, 4.4 ppg
(JUNIORS IN '05-06)
*6-5 G, O.J. Mayo, 27.4 ppg
*6-6 F, Bill Walker, 20.8 ppg
*6-11 C, Keenan Ellis, 14 ppg
6-0 G, Nathaniel Glover, 3.6 ppg
(SOPHOMORES IN '05-06)
*6-0 G, Damon Butler, 6 ppg
*Starter this season
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O.J. Mayo wants to win three consecutive state titles at North College Hill, essentially spiking rumors that he might transfer to another school.
Mayo and fellow sophomores Bill Walker and Keenan Ellis, all rated among the nation's top boys' basketball players in their class, led NCH to a 71-65 win over Ironton in the Ohio Division III state championship game Saturday in Columbus. Mayo had 22 points, Walker 19 and Ellis 14 in the title game.
"We've got a goal to win three state titles in a row and make history," Mayo said. "We want to leave as a dynasty."
Only two other Ohio boys' schools, Dayton Stivers (1928-30) and Columbus Wehrle (1988-90) have won three straight state basketball titles. Stivers won in Class A, then the big-school division. Wehrle won in Division IV, which remains Ohio's smallest classification.
LeBron James' Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary teams won three state titles in James' four seasons (2000-03), losing the Division II state title game to Roger Bacon in James' junior year.
"We want to be remembered as one of the top programs in any class," Mayo said. "We want to be up there with the Moellers and St. Xaviers and Akron St. Vincent-St. Marys."
Mayo and Walker transferred to NCH two years ago from Rose Hill Christian (Ashland, Ky.). Ellis arrived this season from Indianapolis. Rumors persist that Mayo and Co. next will transfer to national prep power Oak Hill Academy, but the players themselves refute such speculation.
"We set a goal to win state, and we did it," Walker said. "That's one. Two more to go."
NCH will lose two seniors, guard Darion Goins and forward George Victorian. Goins was a starter who averaged 8.0 points a game, while Victorian averaged 6.0 points off the bench.
Mayo, rated the nation's No. 1 sophomore by several scouting services, averaged 27.4 points a game this year and was named Ohio Mr. Basketball. Walker, who averaged 20.8 points, is rated anywhere from the No. 2 to No. 4 sophomore nationally. Ellis, who averaged 14.0 points, ranges between No. 12 and No. 55 in national sophomore ratings.
Point guard Damon Butler, who averaged 6.0 points a game as a freshman starter this year, also will return.
"We've got a great feeling right now, and that will last for a couple of months," NCH coach Jamie Mahaffey said. "But then we'll have to get right back at it."
NCH (27-1) pulverized its small-school Miami Valley Conference rivals by 56.1 points a game. NCH and the MVC have agreed the Trojans will be an "associate member" the next two years, playing each team once instead of twice. NCH will not be eligible for the league title.
The Trojans, rated No. 21 nationally by USA Today, lost only to eventual Division I state runner-up St. Xavier this season. Next season, the Trojans look to again play St. X and possibly other big-school Greater Catholic League and Greater Miami Conference teams.
NCH took a lot of heat for having so many transfers on this year's team, but the Ohio High School Athletic Association said the Trojans have played by the rules.
"We know we'll take everybody's best shot again next year," Mahaffey said. "We went through a lot this year, but our team showed a lot of composure and fought through it."
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