Month: May 2020

by Jordan Harbeck

Huntington Prep’s Next Star: Mekhi Elmore!?

Thurgood Marshall 2022 guard, Mekhi Elmore

Dayton, Ohio — Mekhi Elmore is a name that is very well known in the Dayton basketball community. The Thurgood Marshall prodigy has proved that he’s one of the best players in Ohio’s class of 2022 since middle school. Triple Double Prospects, a scouting service covering Kentucky & Ohio basketball, ranked him the sixth best 2022 point guard in the state. His name was alongside the likes of Ohio’s best, Paul McMillan, Sencire Harris, Sonny Johnson Jr., and Sean Jones.

Alongside 2021 guards Chanze Amerson, Anthony McComb, and 2021 forward Prophet Johnson, Elmore led the cougars to a 19-7 (9-1) record & a second straight city championship. The instant impact from Elmore his freshman year solidified the fact that he deserved being named to the 2019 Dayton City League All-Conference 1st-Team, alongside McComb. Even with the many accomplishments Elmore has achieved over his only two seasons of high school basketball, it may still come as a surprise that he’s holding an offer from one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country, Huntington Prep (WV).

Like Mekhi Elmore, Huntington Prep is also no stranger to the city of Dayton. Huntington Prep has been a frequent participant in Dayton’s annual high school basketball invitational, ‘Flyin’ To The Hoop’. For the last ten years, Huntington Prep Academy has brought some of the world’s best high school basketball players to Trent Arena in Kettering, Ohio. Elmore has been offered the chance to follow in the foot steps of Andrew Wiggins (2013), Miles Bridges (2016), Jaemyn Brakefield (2020), and more. The academy finished their recent season 22-9, ranking 145th nationally and 1st in the state of West Virginia. With the long lasting relationship between Flyin’ To The Hoop’s founder, Eric Horstman, and Huntington Prep Academy, don’t expect the academy to be missing out on the invitational anytime soon.

If Elmore accepts Huntington’s offer, this could set up a potential rivalry game at the 21st annual Flyin’ To The Hoop Basketball Invitational against Elmore’s current team, the Thurgood Marshall Cougars. By this time, the cougars will have a new roster and have graduated their core in Anthony McComb, Chanze Amerson, Prophet Johnson (2021), Mekhi Elmore, and Ronnie Smith (2022). We’ve already seen a rivalry match at Flyin’ To The Hoop this recent year when Springfield native, Ra’Heim Moss, faced his alma mater with his new team in Spire Academy out of Geneva, Ohio. If history repeats itself, the Dayton fans are in for a special match up.

Thurgood will be an interesting team these next two years with a heavy 2020 & 2021 filled roster, along with the rumor of transfers and being led by one the best coaches in the Dayton area, Coach Shawn McCullough. Their lasting rivalry with Trotwood-Madison and their chase for a division 2 state championship will be a treat for fans in the area.

Unfortunately, Elmore is yet to receive any collegiate offers, but has racked up a ton of interest and was expected to pull in a few in his upcoming AAU season with Dayton’s Team Flyght. Hopefully his season isn’t cancelled. Flyght’s stacked 15U team last year consisted of Elmore, alongside Shawn Phillips (Belmont), Sellers Littles (TM), Jacob Conner (Alter), and Ryan Chew (Bellbrook).

Who knows what’s in store for Mekhi Elmore and the Thurgood Marshall Cougars these next two years. In three years could we see him facing Thurgood in a Huntington Prep jersey at Flyin’ To The Hoop? Or, could we see Elmore going up against the likes of Mikey Williams and Bronny James at the division 1 level?

Mekhi’s Contact Information & Highlight Tape

Email: mekhielmore@icloud.com

Dear players & coaches, if you come across any misinformation about you or your players, be sure to let us know by contacting us on one of our social media platforms !

by Rob Ellis

Brandon Gibson commits to Ohio Dominican

Chaminade Julienne senior guard Brandon Gibson

Dayton, Ohio — Chaminade Julienne guard and one of the top unsigned seniors in the Dayton area, Brandon Gibson will be continuing his athletic and academic career at Ohio Dominican. Gibson’s Eagles went 12-13 this season. Playing in the gauntlet that the GCL Co-Ed was this past season, CJ missed the leadership of graduated guard Milton Gage. Gibson played well in a balanced offense as he scored 9.6 points per game.

CJ had a pair of huge early upsets as they knocked off Beavercreek and Thurgood Marshall to begin the season. They then faced a pair of veteran GCL Co-Ed squads in Badin and McNicholas. They lost those two before falling to Moeller by 40 points a couple of weeks later. They then lost junior guard A.J. Solomon to a knee injury and were a very up and down team for the rest of the season. The Eagles were able to knock off the higher-seeded Tippecanoe Red Devils in the first round and then they beat Oakwood in the second round before facing Thurgood in a rematch. The Cougars prevailed 57-35 which ended Gibson’s high school career.

Ohio Dominican University is a private liberal arts college in Columbus, Ohio. They are a division two school that plays in the GMAC which hosts other teams like Cedarville, Findlay, Lake Erie, Tiffin and Walsh. Gibson will eventually play former CJ standout and Walsh guard Christian Montague as he prepares for his sophomore season.

by Jared Bergstrom

Wildcats’ Cole becomes a Bison

Springfield senior forward Raymans Cole

Dayton, Ohio — This afternoon Springfield’s Raymans Cole decided to continue his college and basketball career at Bethony College. Bethany is an NCAA Division 3 school located in West Virginia. Cole averaged 8 points and 7 rebounds a game during this last season.

by Rob Ellis

Chris Herbort commits to Florida Coastal Prep

Beavercreek senior guard Chris Herbort

Dayton, Ohio — As first reported on the Miami Valley Hoop Vault Instagram and Twitter pages, Beavercreek guard Chris Herbort will be continuing his athletic and academic career at Florida Coastal Prep. Herbort was part of the Beavercreek class that helped reshape the culture for the Beavers. Herbort was a major factor in their sixteen win season this past year as he averaged 12 points a game this season.

This was the Beavers’ first winning season since 2016 and the first ‘Creek team to make a district final appearance since 2000. Former Beavercreek big man and Dayton Flyer standout Steve Pittman took over for Mark Hess this past season at Beavercreek. Pittman won GWOC coach of the year and has put the Beavers back on the map in just one season.

Florida Coastal Prep is a preparatory academy located off the coast of Fort Walton in Florida. Herbort will be playing some of the nation’s best talent as he will take on teams like Oak Hill, IMG, and Montverde next season. To see more information about Herbort’s commitment and the Beaver’s season, be sure to check out episode one of “Between the Lines” debuting Friday on YouTube.

by Rob Ellis

Nolan Mader commits to Indiana Wesleyan

Tippecanoe senior guard Nolan Mader

Dayton, Ohio — As first reported on the Miami Valley Hoop Vault Instagram and Twitter pages, Tippecanoe guard Nolan Mader will be continuing his athletic and academic career at Indiana Wesleyan University. Mader had an up and down senior year as he missed a major portion of the senior due to injury. One major highlight of his senior year was a last second tip-in at Sidney to secure the MVL Miami title for the Red Devils.

Mader was sixth in scoring in the GWOC his junior year as he put up 18.3 points per game. He was expected to be one of the best players in the MVL heading into the season but his season was derailed due to an injury to his shins. He still continued to pick up offers and eventually found a new home at IWU. He finished the season averaging 10.5 points per game as he finally found his stride late in the season.

Indiana Wesleyan University is located in Marion, Indiana. Mader will be joining one of the top division two programs in the country at IWU, as the Wildcats have a very storied program.