By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
For most of the state's basketball teams the regular season came to a close this past weekend and now the second season begins - the OHSAA tournament.
Final AP Poll
Ohio sports writers crowned their champions Tuesday, cranking out the final Associated Press boys basketball rankings. Here is a look at No. 1 in each of the four divisions;
D-I: Lakewood St. Edward - MaxPreps' No. 1 team nationally - completed a perfect 20-0 season and finished the regular season at No. 1.
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D-II: In perhaps the states most competitive division, Greenfield McClain's 21-0 mark propelled the Tigers to the top spot.
D-III: Findlay's Liberty-Benton was the obvious choice as the division's only undefeated team. The Eagles enter the postseason with a 19-0 record.
D-IV: New Knoxville (19-0) maneuvered through the Midwest Athletic Conference without a blemish.
The Run for Columbus
Last year the talent which converged upon Ohio State University's Schottenstein Center was a laundry list of Division I blue chip recruits. This year the individual talent might be a bit down, but all four divisions are wide open and the chase for the big trophies should be very interesting.
Division I
There is no doubt the best talent is found in the big schools and consequently picking a favorite in D-I is a difficult task.
The team with the biggest target on its back is undoubtedly St. Edward and its perfect, 20-0 record. Led by junior forward Delvon Roe, the Eagles are flying high and will be a difficult out in the tournament.
Trotwood-Madison (No. 4 in MaxPreps' Ohio rankings) is battle-tested and poised for another shot at the state title. After falling to Canton McKinley in the championship game last season, Trotwood is set for another long run. Led by University of Dayton-bound forward Chris Wright, Madison might be the most athletic team in the field.
Ready to step up if Trotwood falters is a pair of Greater Catholic League teams, both more than capable of taking the crown - Cincinnati's Archbishop Moeller (18-2) and Elder (18-2).
The Crusaders spent most of the season at or near the top of most D-I polls after winning their first 16 games, but lost back-to-back contest to Elder and LaSalle. The Panthers are on a roll with big wins over Moeller and Kettering Alter.
Toledo Libby, Canton GlenOak, Dublin Scioto, Columbus Northland, and Canton McKinley will push for a ticket to Columbus.
Division II
Of the four divisions, this one might be the most unsettled.
Last season Dayton Dunbar was the clear favorite. This year there is no Dunbar.
The closest to it might be Greenfield McClain. Led by Dante Jackson, the Tigers are 21-0 on the season with a number of big wins. The biggest might have been the 52-49 victory over Wheelersburg, who is not only a rival, but a legitimate title contender in Division III.
Kettering Alter grabbed the state's attention by battling Elder to the wire in a 68-66 loss. Already a respected program, the Knights are without doubt one of the best teams in the division.
Even though Tippecanoe completed consecutive perfect regular seasons, it wasn't until a blow out win over Dayton Dunbar that people looked at them as title contenders. Now the Devils are 20-0 and poised to make a trip to Columbus.
Dayton Dunbar and Upper Sandusky are two teams nobody wants to see in their bracket. Dunbar has been inconsistent at times, but they still sport tremendous talent led by Aaron Poque and Anthony Oden, brother of Ohio State star Greg Oden.
As for Upper Sandusky, two words say it all - Jon Diebler. He is a 6-7 scoring machine, leading the nation at over 42 points per game, and headed to Ohio State. With a player capable of scoring 60 - maybe even 70 points - on any given night, Diebler makes the Rams a legitimate threat.
Divisions III and IV
The biggest swing in Division III took place this summer with the exodus of O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker from North College Hill. In a heartbeat Division III went from a sure thing to a toss up.
Some of the candidates looking to take the title away from NCH are Liberty-Benton, Oakwood, Cleveland St. Villa St. Joseph, Purcell Marian, and Wheelersburg.
The separation between these teams is minimal and those making the trip Columbus might rely more on a bounce here and there than on talent.
Division IV is the same story. Among the top teams are New Knoxville, Russia, Lockland, Toledo Christian, Continenta,l and Berlin Hilard.
Somewhere in Ohio, Cinderella is polishing the glass slipper and is about to become the talk of the town.