Peyton’s dream place? Value City Arena

March 16, 2013 at 12:08a.m.

CANTON

Peyton Aldridge is no stranger to Ohio State University’s Value City Arena, the home of next week’s Ohio High School Athletic Association’s basketball championship games.

This March, LaBrae High’s top player has Ohio’s capital on his mind more than ever.

“I think about it a lot because I’ve been going there every year since I can remember,” said Aldridge after his Vikings (23-3) advanced to tonight’s Division III regional championship game. “So I know how amazing it is down there.

“Seeing the team down there would be a dream come true.”

Standing in the way of the Vikings’ first trip to state is Beachwood, also 23-3 and playing in its first regional final.

The Bison advanced to today’s 7 p.m. game at the Canton Fieldhouse with a 54-50 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas (14-12), the winners of the Salem district. John Davis led the Bison with 17 points while Jordan Richardson scored 16.

The Vikings advanced with an easy 75-52 victory over Oberlin (18-8). Aldridge, a junior, scored 28 points and made 12 rebounds and one block. Oberlin had no answer for him early on as Aldridge scored five baskets in the first quarter.

“I just try to attack early and if it’s on, I just keep trying,” said Aldridge, the two-time Northeast Inland district player of the year who already has nine Division I college scholarship offers. “It definitely gives you a little boost when you keep seeing them go in.”

The Vikings cruised to a 32-13 lead in the second quarter then watched the Phoenix mount an 8-0 run to end the first half. But the Vikings again started strong, posting a 7-2 run on baskets by Aldridge and seniors John Richards and Nate Middleton to turn the game into a rout.

“We’re trying to get to state,” said point guard Chris Clevenger, another senior starter. “That’s what we are looking forward to.”

Despite Wednesday’s romp, LaBrae coach Chad Kiser said there is room to improve.

“We need to tighten up our ballgame to get ready, that’s for sure,” Kiser said. “We got sloppy at the end.

“We want to get to Columbus and I’m sure Beachwood does, too.” Kiser said. “Everyone’s goal is to get to Columbus.

“We had some pretty good teams the past two years and we weren’t able to get it done,” Kiser said. “This year, I think we’re on our way if we work together and keep moving the ball like we did, and rebound.”

While Aldridge gets most of the attention, Kiser said the Vikings must play well together or will ponder a missed opportunity.

“We’re running offenses in half-court sets to make sure we can pound it in,” Kiser said. “If they [double-team Aldridge], then the backside guy is open or we can kick out and keep playing team basketball.

“That’s all we preach is to play hard, smart and together. We did a nice job of that [against Oberlin].”

A bonus for the Vikings will be more playing time for junior forward Marcell Richardson, who sat out the end of last Saturday’s 68-61 double-overtime win over Ursuline after smacking heads with the Irish’s Desmond McElroy.

After practicing very little on Monday and Tuesday, Richardson did not start against Oberlin. Kiser said Richardson will play a big role trying to stop Beachwood’s Jordan Richardson.

“He’ll be a key for us, no doubt about it, [tonight] because they are not real big,” Kiser said. “[Richardson] killed St. Thomas with offensive rebounds and finishing inside. So it will be big for us to have another big guy.

“We’ll do that by committee, obviously with Peyton and Nate Middleton, and Marcell off the bench with Paul Zigmont,” Kiser said. “I like our depth. We’ve got some guys we can rotate in there in case we get into any type of foul trouble.”