Winton Woods senior shines at Flyin to the Hoop – and for the Buckeyes?
Just when it looked like things couldn’t get any better for Winton Woods senior Dominique Brown – they did.
A standout quarterback who led the Warriors to the D-II state football title in December, Brown was offered a scholarship by Ohio State on Thursday night. Saturday he scored the game-winning basket as the Warriors beat Garfield Heights 72-70 in overtime at the Flyin to the Hoop basketball invitational at Trent Arena in Kettering.
Brown, still undecided as to his college football future, showed no hesitation in keeping Winton Woods’ hoop record spotless with his basket with four seconds left. The Warriors improved to 9-0 thanks to Brown’s 23 points and 12 rebounds.
“I was in the right spot at the right time,” Brown said. “I told my teammates it’s like football basically. This isn’t really my thing but I want the ball in crucial situations.”
There’s no doubting Brown’s future – it’s football. Where exactly he plays is in question.
A Cincinnati verbal, Brown has opened up his recruiting again thanks to the departure of former Bearcats and current Notre Dame head Coach Brian Kelly.
“It’s kind of put a lot of pressure on me, because I wanted that out of my mind my senior year,” Brown said. “That was going to be the least of my worries, but now that (Kelly)left I’m opening up my recruiting again.”
Brown has offers from Cincinnati and Ohio State, which came via phone call at 11 p.m. Thursday. He also expects offers from Georgia Tech, Louisville, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Hawaii shortly.
Does he have a favorite?
He says no, but Ohio State was Brown’s favorite team growing up and mention of the Buckeyes offer brings a big smile.
“I was a (Buckeye) growing up and I told coach my freshman year that I wanted to go to Ohio State,” Brown said. “Now I’m happy that they offered me. But when they called it was like 11 o’clock and I was kind of tired. I had school in the morning.”
It’s easy to see why schools – like Ohio State – are jumping at the chance to snag a suddenly undecided Brown.
A three-year starter under center, Brown rushed for over 1,000 yards his sophomore, junior and senior seasons and ended his final three years with 4,672 yards and 64 touchdowns.
This past season was his centerpiece.
Brown led the Warriors to their first state title by rushing for 1,985 yards and 32 TDs. He also threw for 723 yards and seven TDs.
Brown commanded an offense that averaged 42 points n the regular season and 47 in the playoffs. The Warriors were a mirror image of Brown who turned it up under pressure by rushing for 855 yards and 16 TDs in five postseason games.
In a 69-35 state semifinal win over Columbus Marion-Franklin (and Ohio State recruit Verlon Reed), Brown racked up 249 yards and scored seven TDs.
In the state final – a 42-12 rout of Maple Heights – Brown tied D-II championship game records for rushing TDs (four) and points (24).
The Warriors 376 yards rushing in the state final was a D-II record. The 633 points Winton Woods scored this season ranks eighth all-time for a season in OHSAA history.
“I want to play quarterback in college and certain schools want to keep me there and certain ones want to make me a slot receiver,” Brown said. “I’m going to talk to my parents and see what I want to do, but I want to play my freshman year.”
Ohio State has told Brown they want him to play slot receiver/flanker – not quarterback.
Is that a snag?
“No sir,” Brown said laughing. “It’s Ohio State. It’s not that big of a deal.”
Brown said he didn’t plan to commit until after National Signing Day. He also plans to take his official visits in February. Where exactly those will be he didn’t know – except for one. When prodded for where he might make potential visits, Brown hesitated for the first time all day.
“Uh…no I don’t (know where I’m going to go),” said Brown, quickly recovering: “But I do know I’m going to Hawaii for sure.”
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