111 replies to this topic

[BlueBuckIjays]

Please name your high school and who you think are the top three boys basketball players of the last 50 years and it doesn't have to be the higher scorers. being from Delphos St Johns this is tough one for me, so many good players over the years. I'm going to go with #1-Jim Arnzen, the Class AA Player of the Year in 1976. #2 Alan Kortokrax, the Class A Ohio Player of the Year in 82 and future Buckeye great :-) #3-Steve Jettinghoff-late 80s-early 90s scoring machine. So many others-Jack Kill( unfortunately never got to see him play), Tim Pohlman- Center for the number one ranked 76 team. Pat Koester- went on to a good career at Ohio Northern. Tim Kroeger, Nate Klaus, Steve Pohlman and many others.

[flounder]

BlueBuck.......

You didn't even touch the tip........Gene Klaus, Jim and Jerry Carder, Jack Kill(er), Jim Arnzen, Pat Koester, Al Kortokrax, Ron Shoemacher, Kevin Trentman, Mark Wurst, Steve Jettinghoff, Greg Grothouse, Gavin Sever, Mike Anthony, Rocky Klaus.........all of these players I feel were unselfish and played the total game....great D as well as the offensive side........during the Norris years, there really wasn't.....what you could call a great go to guy.......it was all about the team.....also, I really liked Ryan Buschor from last season.....very unselfish and great team player!!!!!

[BlueBuckIjays]

Yes I know I didn't mention a lot of them. Also Steve Klaus, Dan Youngpeter, Johnny Miller, Wayne Morris, Keith Wagner, a number of Geise's and many more.

[dhsdawg06]

I haven't been on the planet long enough to accurately rank the Defiance players from the 70s, so I'll defer to the all time scoring list and say Mark Hetz, Kirk Lehman, Jay Lehman.

Best player I've personally got to watch was Anthony Kidston.

[basketballstud]

Ottoville

1. Josh Vorst
2. Dave Schlagbaum
3. Brent Schnipke

IMO

[Coach]

Carder twins for DSJ would have to be among the top.

[flounder]

From Fort Jennings........

Eugene 'Red' Menke
Bob 'Cousy' Lause
Ryan 'Grease Lightening' Stechschulte

[BlueBuckIjays]

dhsdawg06, on 10 January 2014 - 09:40 PM, said:

I haven't been on the planet long enough to accurately rank the Defiance players from the 70s, so I'll defer to the all time scoring list and say Mark Hetz, Kirk Lehman, Jay Lehman.

Best player I've personally got to watch was Anthony Kidston.

[BlueBuckIjays]

Wow Mark Hetz, haven't heard that name in forever. I remember him. yeah I'm really interested in hearing from fans of other schools that have long basketball traditions like Lima Senior, LCC, OG, Defiance, St. Henry, Wayne Trace, Kalida and others. Every school in this area has had some good players come through. I'm interested to see if any LCC fans have Tom Terry in their top 3. Remember him?

[basketballstud]

flounder, on 10 January 2014 - 10:09 PM, said:

From Fort Jennings........

Eugene 'Red' Menke
Bob 'Cousy' Lause
Ryan 'Grease Lightening' Stechschulte

Matt metzger and Kevin Grothause comes to mind maybe before Grease Lightning

[BlueBuckIjays]

Last 2 St. John's players I'm going to mention(for now) :-) are Jumpin Johnny Gerdeman and Bockey. His late basket sent the 83 semi-final game into the first overtime that they eventually went on to win and then win Coach Arnzen's only state championship the next day. 83 team didn't have any standout players but anyone of them could score in double figures on a given night and they all knew their roles. A true team.

[TiGgEr3]

For Spencerville I'd have to say Kevin Sensabaugh (most 3's in a career and held record for most points for a long time. Currently in his 12th season at the helm for the school after a brilliant career at ONU)

Logan Nourse (All-time leading scorer with 1500 points)

Brian Vorst (25 rebounds in a game is still a school record, also had 289 rebounds in the 2000-01 season)

[Maltese Falcon]

As far as guys who could score, defend, rebound, handle the ball and pass.

OG

Tim Pollitz
Eric Pollitz
Todd Schumaker

At one time all 3 of these of these guys played on the same team, the only thing keeping them from making multiple state tournament appearances was a group Catholic boys from Akron.

[BlueBuckIjays]

Maltese Falcon, on 10 January 2014 - 11:51 PM, said:

As far as guys who could score, defend, rebound, handle the ball and pass.

OG

Tim Pollitz
Eric Pollitz
Todd Schumaker

At one time all 3 of these of these guys played on the same team, the only thing keeping them from making multiple state tournament appearances was a group Catholic boys from Akron.

[BlueBuckIjays]

Well Maltese I'm not sure if all of them were Catholic but they all did attend Catholic school. Yeah OG got shafted when SVSM got sent over to this regional.

[Maltese Falcon]

as far as OG is concerned here are my 2nd 3........

Tom Heckman........barely meets the 50 year limit and way before my time, but I will put him on this list
Tyson McGlaughlin
Terry Morman

[daaa browns]

At WT, Rob Welch was the most decorated with being the division three player of the year in 92-93 i believe.

You could also put Steve Hall, (also an OSU Buckeye), Russell Jewell, Nathan Overmeyer, Aaron Hockenberry...not so sure about pre-consolidation years though...

1.Rob Welch
2.Steve Hall
3.Could be about 5 or 6 different guys depending on the decade you were from

Edited by daaa browns, 11 January 2014 - 12:25 AM.

[Dog Fan]

dhsdawg06, on 10 January 2014 - 09:40 PM, said:

I haven't been on the planet long enough to accurately rank the Defiance players from the 70s, so I'll defer to the all time scoring list and say Mark Hetz, Kirk Lehman, Jay Lehman.

Best player I've personally got to watch was Anthony Kidston.

I don't see any way that Greg Kampe can be omitted from this list. He put more effort into the game than anyone I have ever seen on a basketball court bar none. His incredible physical condition allowed him to play all night and be playing just as hard as when the game began. It was due to Kampe stealing the ball as a sophomore that allowed Defiance to hand Napoleon their first ever loss at the "Grand Canyon". I think Napoleon had won 40 straight home games at the "Grand Canyon" until Defiance beat them 63-60.

Edited by Dog Fan, 11 January 2014 - 04:25 PM.

[roadtoC-town]

flounder, on 10 January 2014 - 09:05 PM, said:

BlueBuck.......

You didn't even touch the tip........Gene Klaus, Jim and Jerry Carder, Jack Kill(er), Jim Arnzen, Pat Koester, Al Kortokrax, Ron Shoemacher, Kevin Trentman, Mark Wurst, Steve Jettinghoff, Greg Grothouse, Gavin Sever, Mike Anthony, Rocky Klaus.........all of these players I feel were unselfish and played the total game....great D as well as the offensive side........during the Norris years, there really wasn't.....what you could call a great go to guy.......it was all about the team.....also, I really liked Ryan Buschor from last season.....very unselfish and great team player!!!!!

cant put Shoemacher in there he was a 1 year wonder. When he goes in the hall of fame he has to wear a Titan cap. LOL

[fortfan]

Hmmm-50 years might barely include Tom Bryan and Ken Heiby.

Hard to believe that 2 of the best in the last 50 years are still in college in Greg Kahlig (Findlay) and Wade Gelhaus (Savanah State)