O-G, Alter and Dunbar among Ohio’s best basketball teams this decade…who else is?
By Kurt Stubbs (ohshoops.com)
Years: 1999-2000 to 2008-2009
We know that teams switch divisions and that is fine, which is why we have a winner for each division and an overall points champion.
Here is the way we broke it down since we didn’t want to just give our opinion not based on facts.
1 point- District Champion
2 points- Regional Finals
3 points- Regional Champion
4 points- State Finals
5 points- State Champion
In case of a tie, we broke the tie with the team owning the most state championships in the decade. If we still have a tie, then we will go state finals, regional championships, and so on.
**Credentials to be the winner of a division or the overall champion the team must have won at least one state championship.
It was a decade of dominance for the Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary’s Fighting Irish, which is why it is no surprise that school is our team of the decade.
The Irish started out the 21st Century with back-to-back state championship in D-3 led by the “Fab 5” of LeBron James, Dru Joyce, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee, and later Romeo Travis. The group along with Maverick Carter, John Taylor, Aly Samabaly, and Chad Mraz dominated D-III earning a collective record of (53-1) over the two-year span with its only loss coming to Oak Hill Academy (VA) in 2001.
The Irish took up step to D-II in 2001-2002 and were heavy favorites to win a third consecutive state championship, but Cincinnati Roger Bacon had other ideas and pulled the upset. Nonetheless, the Irish finished runner-up. SVSM would come roaring back the following year not only winning the state title but the mythical national championship as well.
The LBJ Era came to an end, but the wins certainly did not. The Irish, in 2004, were two points away from most likely claiming gold. Akron lost to eventual state champion Ottawa-Glandorf in the regional final by just two points.
In ’05, SVSM made it back to the regional final but this time lost to another eventual state champ in Upper Sandusky. The following year was another trip to the state tournament before losing to Dayton Dunbar in the semis.
2007 and 2008 were rare years for the Irish, they were losers in the district final to Akron Kenmore by two points in double overtime and the following year to Akron Hoban by one.
Though, the Green capped off the decade the way they started with one more state championship. Led by seniors Daylen Harrison and Michael Hammonds along with a host of underclassmen the Irish once again held the gold trophy high in the air at the conclusion of the 2008-2009 season.
With a team loaded with youngsters, there is no reason to believe SVSM won’t be in the thick of things for years to come.
Final Look for the Irish: (4) state championships, (1) state runner-up, (6) regional championships, (2) regional runner-ups, and (2) district runner-ups.
Overall Final Results:
Akron SVSM (31)
Canton McKinley (18)
Cincinnati St. Xavier (18)
Columbus Brookhaven (16)
Toledo St. John’s (16)
Cincinnati North College Hill (16)
Cleveland VASJ (16)
Ottawa-Glandorf (15)
Kettering Alter (14)
Holgate (14)
Dayton Dunbar (13)
Cincinnati Moeller (13)
Lakewood St. Edward’s (13)
Poland (12)
In D-I, we did end with a tie. Canton McKinley and Cincinnati St.Xavier both earned 18 points, but McKinley owned the tie-breaker with two state championships to the Bombers one.
Final results:
Canton McKinley (18)
Cincinnati St.Xavier (18)
Columbus Brookhaven (16)
Toledo St.John’s (16)
Lakewood St.Edward’s (14)
Cincinnati Moeller (13)
Decade State Champions:
2000- Cincinnati St.Xavier
2001- Cleveland St.Ignatius
2002- Columbus Brookhaven
2003- Cincinnati Moeller
2004- Hamilton
2005- Canton McKinley
2006- Canton McKinley
2007- Cincinnati Moeller
2008- Newark
2009- Columbus Northland
In D-II, it started with Lebron James and the Akron St.Vincent-St.Mary’s Fighting Irish being upset in 2002 but going on to win two state championships after that loss.
Final results:
Akron SVSM (21)
Kettering Alter (14)
Dayton Dunbar (13)
Poland (12)
Warrensville Heights (10)
Wooster Triway (10)
Roger Bacon (9)
Upper Sandusky (9)
Ottawa-Glandorf (9)
Columbus DeSales (9)
Columbus Beechcroft (9)
Chillicothe (8)
Cambridge (8)
Decade State Champions:
2000- Warrensville Heights
2001- Kettering Alter
2002- Cincinnati Roger Bacon
2003- Akron SVSM
2004- Ottawa-Glandorf
2005- Upper Sandusky
2006- Dayton Dunbar
2007- Dayton Dunbar
2008- Chillicothe
2009- Akron SVSM
In D-III, Cincinnati North College Hill made a late push with three state titles in a row from 2005-2007, while Akron SVSM won two golds in just two years in D-3 and VASJ was a measure of consistency throughout the 10-year span.
Final results:
Cincinnati North College (16)
Cleveland VASJ (16)
Archbold (11)
Akron SVSM (10)
Garaway (10)
Wheelersburg (9)
Versailles (9)
Cleveland CC (8)
Loudonville (8)
Decade State Champions:
2000- Akron SVSM
2001- Akron SVSM
2002- Clear Fork
2003- Reading
2004- St.Henry
2005- Cincinnati NCH
2006- Cincinnati NCH
2007- Cincinnati NCH
2008- Ottawa-Glandorf
2009- Cleveland CC
In D-IV, there were a plethora of teams near equal but Holgate’s state championship and consistency over the decade was enough to take the prize.
Final results:
Holgate (14)
South Webster (11)
Marion Local (11)
Lutheran East (11)
Worthington Christian (11)
Delphos St.John’s (9)
Lockland (9)
Decade State Champions:
2000- Fort Jennings
2001- Tipp City Bethel
2002- Delphos St.John’s
2003- Marion Local
2004- Holgate
2005- Lutheran East
2006- South Webster
2007- Georgetown
2008- New Knoxville
2009- Oak Hill
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