Mahoning Valley boys basketball district preview

WEST BRANCH

Coach: John Hancock (3rd season, 9-33).

2010-11 record: 4-17.

Projected starters: Drake Lohnes (5-8 junior), Austen Rekolt (5-9 senior), Jalen Shelton (6-0 senior), Matt Latham (6-4 senior), Jacob Griffith (6-7 junior).

Other contributors: Scott Muckleroy (6-2 senior), Beau Taylor (5-9 junior), Kip DeShields (6-5 freshman), Jake Ross (5-6 junior), Tyler Ware (6-1 junior), Lucas Austin (6-1 sophomore), Zach Mucklo (6-4 junior).

Outlook: Warriors look for more victories but need to find a go-to scorer. Latham could be that guy – he averaged 9.2 ppg a season ago, and Rekolt is good from the 3-point line. Defense will be a key as well.

Schedule: Dec. 2 — at United (W, 40-21); Dec. 6 — Southeast (W, 49-44); Dec. 9 — at Salem (W, 65-64); Dec. 16 — Carrollton; Dec. 23 — at Alliance; Dec. 30 — Canton South; Jan. 6 — at Minerva; Jan. 10 — Louisville; Jan. 13 — Marlington; Jan. 17 — East Liverpool; Jan. 20 — Salem; Jan. 24 — at Carrollton; Jan. 27 — Alliance; Feb. 3 — at Canton South; Feb. 7 — Minerva; Feb. 10 — at Louisville; Feb. 14 — at St. Thomas; Feb. 17 — at Marlington; Feb. 21 — at Poland; Feb. 24 — South Range.

OTHER SCHEDULES

BADGER

Dec. 2 — Grand Valley (L, 24-50); Dec. 7 — Cardinal (L, 40-58); Dec. 9 — at Conneaut (L, 29-50); Dec. 14 — at Newbury (L, 32-45); Dec. 16 — Maplewood; Dec. 20 — at Mathews; Dec. 23 — Bristol; Jan. 3 — at Southington; Jan. 6 — Bloomfield; Jan. 10 — at Py. Valley; Jan. 13 — Southington; Jan. 20 — at Bristol; Jan. 24 — at Maplewood; Jan. 27 — Mathews; Feb. 3 — Py. Valley; Feb. 7 — at Grand Valley; Feb. 10 — at Lordstown; Feb. 14 — Mineral Ridge; Feb. 17 — Ledgemont; Feb. 21 — Girard.

BLOOMFIELD

Dec. 6 — at Grand River Academy (L, 34-65); Dec. 9 — at Bristol (L, 28-62); Dec. 16 — Ledgemont; Dec. 20 — at Lordstown; Jan. 4 — at Ash. Sts. John & Paul; Jan. 6 — at Badger; Jan. 10 — at Southington; Jan. 13 — at Mathews; Jan. 20 — Maplewood; Jan. 24 — at Ledgemont; Jan. 27 — Lordstown; Jan. 31 — Grand River Academy; Feb. 3 — Southington; Feb. 7 — Bristol; Feb. 10 — Py. Valley; Feb. 14 — Cardinal; Feb. 17 — at Grand Valley; Feb. 21 — Newbury; Feb. 24 — Ash. Sts. John & Paul.

BRISTOL

Dec. 2 — at Maplewood (L, 55-76); Dec. 6 — at Jackson-Milton (W, 42-41); Dec. 9 — Bloomfield (W, 62-28); Dec. 16 — at Southington; Dec. 23 — at Badger; Dec. 27 — Champion; Jan. 3 — Heartland Christian; Jan. 6 — at Ledgemont; Jan. 10 — Lordstown; Jan. 13 — at Py. Valley; Jan. 17 — at Garrettsville; Jan. 20 — Badger; Jan. 24 — Southington; Jan. 27 — at Grand Valley; Jan. 31 — Ledgemont; Feb. 3 — at Lordstown; Feb. 7 — at Bloomfield; Feb. 10 — Maplewood; Feb. 17 — at Mathews; Feb. 24 — Newbury.

EAST LIVERPOOL

Dec. 3 — at Zanesville (W, 60-56); Dec. 6 — Carrollton (W, 66-57); Dec. 13 — Beaver Local (W, 107-79); Dec. 20 — at Salem; Dec. 22 — at Wellsville; Dec. 27-28 — Potter Classic; Jan. 3 — Minerva; Jan. 6 — Mooney; Jan. 10 — at Claymont; Jan. 13 — at Steubenville; Jan. 14 — at Oak Glen (W. Va.); Jan. 17 — at West Branch; Jan. 21 — at Coaches vs. Cancer (vs. TBA, Geneva College); Jan. 27 — Oak Glen (W. Va.); Feb. 4 — Lincoln Park (Pa.); Feb. 7 — at Beaver Local; Feb. 11 — Wellsville; TBA — OVAC tournament.

HEARTLAND CHRISTIAN

Dec. 2 — at Lowellville (L, 39-65); Dec. 6 — at Southern (L, 26-72); Dec. 9 — at Lake Center Christian (L, 39-61); Dec. 16 — Youngstown Christian; Dec. 23 — Lowellville; Dec. 27 — United; Dec. 29 — Crestview; Jan. 3 — at Bristol; Jan. 17 — Lordstown; Jan. 20 — at Youngstown Christian; Jan. 24 — at Rootstown; Jan. 31 — First Baptist Christian; Feb. 10 — Heritage Christian; Feb. 17 — Southern; Feb. 18 — East Palestine; Feb. 21 — at Crestview; Feb. 24 — Lisbon.

LORDSTOWN

Dec. 2 — Sebring (L, 36-61); Dec. 9 — at Ledgemont (W, 53-34); Dec. 16 — at Mathews; Dec. 20 — Bloomfield; Dec. 27 — at Mineral Ridge; Dec. 30 — at Jackson-Milton; Jan. 3 — Windham; Jan. 6 — Southington; Jan. 10 — at Bristol; Jan. 13 — at Maplewood; Jan. 17 — at Heartland Christian; Jan. 20 — Grand Valley; Jan. 27 — at Bloomfield; Jan. 31 — at Southington; Feb. 3 — Bristol; Feb. 7 — Ledgemont; Feb. 10 — Badger; Feb. 14 — Western Reserve; Feb. 17 — at Py. Valley; Feb. 21 — Leetonia.

MAPLEWOOD

Dec. 2 — Bristol (W, 76-55); Dec. 9 — Mathews (L, 59-61); Dec. 13 — Girard (L, 54-57); Dec. 16 — at Badger; Dec. 20 — Py. Valley; Dec. 23 — at Brookfield; Dec. 27 — Warren JFK; Dec. 30 — at Southington; Jan. 6 — at Grand Valley; Jan. 10 — LaBrae; Jan. 13 — Lordstown; Jan. 17 — at Champion; Jan. 20 — at Bloomfield; Jan. 24 — Badger; Jan. 27 — at Py. Valley; Jan. 31 — Grandy Valley; Feb. 3 — Ledgemont; Feb. 7 — at Mathews; Feb. 10 — at Bristol; Feb. 17 — Southington.

MATHEWS

Dec. 2 — Warren JFK (W, 80-60); Dec. 6 — at Lowellville (W, 70-58); Dec. 9 — at Maplewood (W. 61-59); Dec. 13 — Brookfield (L, 61-77); Dec. 16 — Lordstown; Dec. 20 — Badger; Dec. 27 — at Western Reserve; Dec. 30 — at Mineral Ridge; Jan. 3 — at Jackson-Milton; Jan. 6 — Py. Valley; Jan. 10 — Grand Valley; Jan. 13 — Bloomfield; Jan. 20 — at Southington; Jan. 24 — Youngstown Christian; Jan. 27 — at Badger; Jan. 31 — at Py. Valley; Feb. 3 — at Grand Valley; Feb. 7 — Maplewood; Feb. 10 — at Ledgemont; Feb. 17 — Bristol.

SOUTHINGTON

Dec. 6 — at Newbury (L, 41-51); Dec. 9 — at Py. Valley (L, 39-57); Dec. 16 — Bristol; Dec. 20 — Ledgemont; Dec. 23 — at Ash. Sts. John & Paul; Dec. 27 — Jackson-Milton; Dec. 30 — Maplewood; Jan. 3 — Badger; Jan. 6 — at Lordstown; Jan. 10 — Bloomfield; Jan. 13 — at Badger; Jan. 20 — Mathews; Jan. 24 — at Bristol; Jan. 27 — at Ledgemont; Jan. 31 — Lordstown; Feb. 3 — at Bloomfield; Feb. 10 — Grand Valley; Feb. 14 — at Columbiana; Feb. 17 — at Maplewood; Feb. 24 — at Sebring.

WARREN HARDING

Dec. 9 — at Lorain (W, 52-38); Dec. 13 — Can. McKinley (W, 48-43); Dec. 16 — Shaker Heights; Dec. 20 — Canfield; Dec. 22 — Cle. St. Ignatius; Dec. 30 — Cle. Glenville; Jan. 6 — Maple Heights; Jan. 8 — Lakewood St. Edward (at Cleveland State, 1 p.m.); Jan. 13 — at Shaw; Jan. 20 — at Shaker Heights; Jan. 24 — at Warrensville Heights; Jan. 27 — Shaw; Jan. 29 — Medina (at University of Akron, 1 p.m.); Jan. 31 — at East; Feb. 4 — at Can. Timken (Canton Fieldhouse); Feb. 7 — at Bedford; Feb. 11 — at Maple Heights; Feb. 14 — Lorain; Feb. 17 — Euclid; Feb. 24 — Cleveland Heights.

WARREN JFK

Dec. 2 — at Mathews (L, 60-80); Dec. 9 — at Brookfield (L, 63-65); Dec. 16 — Cle. VA-SJ; Dec. 20 — Champion; Dec. 23 — at Holy Name; Dec. 27 — at Maplewood; Dec. 30 — Windham; Jan. 6 — Trinity; Jan. 13 — Bedford Chanel; Jan. 14 — at Girard; Jan. 20 — at Cle. Cent. Cath.; Jan. 21 — Newton Falls; Jan. 27 — at Cle. VA-SJ: Feb. 3 — Holy Name; Feb. 4 — at Howland; Feb. 10 — at Bedford Chanel; Feb. 11 — at Southington; Feb. 17 — at Trinity; Feb. 18 — Py. Valley; Feb. 24 — Cle. Cent. Cath.

YOUNGSTOWN CHRISTIAN

Dec. 2 — East Palestine (W, 67-58); Dec. 6 — at South Range (L, 45-70); Dec. 9 — at Mooney (W, 44-43); Dec. 16 — at Heartland Christian; Dec. 20 — Heritage Christian; Dec. 22 — Springfield; Jan. 3 — at Maplewood; Jan. 7 — Lake Center Christian; Jan. 10 — at Lutheran East; Jan. 13 — Imani Christian (Pa.); Jan. 17 — at New Day Academy; Jan. 20 — Heartland Christian; Jan. 24 — at Mathews; Jan. 27 — at East; Feb. 1 — Lutheran East; Feb. 3 — Mooney; Feb. 7 — at Brookfield; Feb 14 — at Conneaut; Feb. 17 — New Day Academy; Feb. 21 — Newton Falls.

Staff reports