Area teams prepare for basketball playoffs

A year ago four area boys basketball teams advanced to regionals, with Dalton leading the way with a trip to the regional finals in Division VI. Norwayne (Div. V), Smithville (Div. VI) and Hillsdale (Div. VII) rounded out the quartet, all clinching district titles en route to trips to regionals.

It’s a new year, a new season, and hope springs anew for each area team.

Below is a breakdown of the area teams' postseason paths.

Div. III

Team: Wooster (37th seed).

Outlook: The Generals have a tall task to start the tournament, opening on the road against No. 9 St. Vincent-St. Mary in the Northeast 5 bracket. Wooster seeks to snap a three-game losing skid in the playoffs.

Div. IV

Teams: Orrville (sixth) and West Holmes (14th).

Outlook: Featuring the area’s most talented roster, the Red Riders will look to change their recent fortunes in the playoffs in the Northeast 1 bracket. Since 2020 Orrville has gone 2-6 in the playoffs but has a path to the district finals, where anything can happen. Opening at home against No. 19 West Geauga in the sectional finals, the Red Riders could potentially meet No. 8 Brookside at districts. A second win could earn them a date with No. 1 Canfield in the district finals.

“We would definitely like to transition our success,” Orrville coach Sly Slaughter said. “We want to finish the regular season on a good note and start playing our best basketball. We feel that we got a good draw, but we will have to play and continue working hard. To be successful, we will have to get better in the halfcourt, offensively and defensively. The further you go in the tournaments, the more we will have to be strong in the halfcourt and just need to keep improving, forcing tough shots and rebounding the basketball.”

In the East 1 bracket, the Knights will open with a tough assignment against Maysville. The Panthers beat defending Div. V state champion Lutheran East 82-76 on Feb. 1 at The Battle in the Berkey.

Div. V

Teams: Norwayne (11th), Triway (12th), Garaway (14th), Chippewa (15th), Waynedale (21st), Tuslaw (22nd) and Northwestern (34th).

Outlook: Playing in the Northeast 2 bracket, there is no question the Bobcats won’t be an easy out. With the best teams being No. 2 Chagrin Falls and No. 3 Keystone, both are teams Norwayne has to like its shot against, even without injured standout junior Braylon Arnold. Having played some common opponents that have beaten both teams extremely close and having one of the area’s top three coaches on the bench, the Bobcats will eye their ninth trip to regionals.

“We are happy with getting a home game and feel like we avoided the teams that would be difficult to match up with,” Norwayne coach Brian West said. “The kids have been playing with much more confidence as of late, and hopefully getting a home game will help with our lack of tournament experience.”

The owners of a four-game winning streak, the Titans will set their sights on the program's second trip to districts since 2021. Hosting Wellington to open the tournament, the matchups are favorable for Triway in the Northeast 1 bracket until the district finals, where the defending state champion, Lutheran East, will most likely loom.

Waynedale and Northwestern are both in the Northeast 4 bracket, with the Huskies traveling to No. 4 Manchester and the Golden Bears heading to No. 16 Black River.

In the Northeast 3 bracket, the Chipps will host the Mustangs as they look to lock up their first back-to-back trips to districts since the turn of 2000.

In the East 2 bracket, the Pirates will head on the road to play at No. 3 Martins Ferry.

Div. VI

Teams: Hiland (first), Smithville (third), Dalton (19th), Rittman (28th) and Loudonville (31st).

Outlook: Hiland is by far the area’s most successful program in the playoffs, boasting a 133-29 record since 1998. Along the way, the Hawks added to their illustrious history with 32 trips to districts, 22 to regionals and 14 to state. They will look to add to it this spring with yet another talented roster. Hiland will start its tournament at home against the winner of No. 8 Shenandoah and No. 9 Crooksville in the East 1 bracket.

Two of the area’s top teams of late, the Smithies and the Bulldogs, will look to extend their recent run of success. Smithville has gone 10-4 over the past four years, with its first run to regionals since 2009 a year ago. Dalton has piled up a record of 12-3 over the last three years with three straight trips to regionals, a first for the program since the turn of 2000. The Smithies have a clear path back to regionals, as it starts with hosting No. 30 Southern in the Northeast 3 bracket. Dalton’s path won’t be easy, as it will travel to No. 11 Cuyahoga Heights to open up its tourney trail in the Northeast 2 bracket.

The Indians will hit the road to No. 6 Newton Falls, and the Redbirds will travel to No. 9 Richmond Heights to open up their tournament, with both competing in the Northeast 2 bracket.

Div. VII

Teams: Hillsdale (fifth) and Central Christian (seventh).

Outlook: A chance to return to regionals is definitely there for Hillsdale, as it opens at home against No. 24 Sebring McKinley in the Northeast 1 bracket. Potential hurdles are matchups with No. 1 McDonald, No. 11 Maplewood and No. 12 Badger. For the Falcons, they would love to clinch back-to-back trips to regionals after advancing to their first one since 2001 a year ago.

The Comets will host Windham to open up their tournament in the Northeast 2 bracket.