Area players powering Ohio U. basketball teams
A handful of area players have played big roles in the fast starts of the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Ohio University.
Jason Carter of Johnstown, a 6-foot-8 redshirt sophomore who missed all but three games last season with a season-ending injury, is averaging 19.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists for the men (5-2). He recently was honored as MidAmerican Conference East Division player of the week.
Junior forward Doug Taylor of Northland is contributing 8.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. Senior guard Jordan Dartis of Newark, who scored 1,086 points and started 86 games in his first three seasons, is out indefinitely after offseason surgery on both hips.
The Ohio women (6-0) have been carried by Amani Burke of Eastmoor Academy and Gabby Burris of Liberty Union. Each have earned MAC East player of the week honors.
Burke, a junior guard, is averaging 14.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Burris, a sophomore forward, averages 15.5 points and 6.0 rebounds.
Also on the hardwood:
• After using just two years of eligibility in four years at Arkansas State because of a torn knee liagment and as subsequent procedure, Pickerington Central grad Connor Kern has found a home as a graduate student at The Citadel (6-2). Kern, a 6-2 guard seeking a master’s degree in business, is averaging 10.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and has hit 15 of 32 three-point shots in 24.8 minutes per game.
“He’s a perfect fit for our style of play,” said coach Duggar Baucom said, referring to the Bulldogs’ up-tempo, three-point shooting emphasis. Citadel hit 23 threes in a game twice already.
• Freshman guard Tre’ Baumgardner, who led Africentric to the Division III state title game last March, is averaging 8.0 points and 1.7 assists in 15.8 minutes per game at Minnesota State (4-2). He is tied for the team lead with 11 three-pointers.
After taking a redshirt season, Dublin Coffman grad Dom Demas has started his career with a bang at Oklahoma. After being selected outstanding wrestler in the Journeyman MyHouse Classic in Schenectady, New York, and subsequently earning Big 12 wrestler of the week, Demas soared to No. 16 nationally at 141 pounds. He was 51-3 with two state titles at Coffman.
• Pittsburgh redshirt junior Taleb Rahmani of Marysville is ranked No. 10 in the nation at 157 pounds. He is a two-time NCAA qualifier.
Junior running back Benny Snell of Westerville Central has led Kentucky to its first nine-win season since 1977 and its first New Year’s Day bowl game ever. The Wildcats (9-3) will face Penn State (9-3) in the Citrus Bowl.
Snell has rushed for 1,305 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is just 107 yards shy of Sonny Collins’ career rushing mark of 3,835 yards and ranks No. 3 in SEC history in rushing touchdowns (46) behind Tim Tebow and Herschel Walker.
If Snell, a 5-11, 223-pounder, opts to declare for the NFL draft, he is projected by walterfootball.com as a likely second-round pick and the No. 3 running back overall.
Abby Steiner of Dublin Coffman made the Southeastern Conference all-freshman team for Kentucky (5-14). Steiner scored two goals and added a team-high five assists while logging a teamhigh 1,648 minutes.
One of the most celebrated track athletes in Ohio history with records in the 100 and 200 meters, Steiner is competing in both sports at Kentucky.
“She was a threat to everyone we played this year,” Wildcats coach Ian Carry said. “She has a very bright career ahead of her.”
• Three area players — sophomore Bella Shively of DeSales, junior Katie Best of Olentangy Liberty and sophomore Priscilla Severance of Watterson — helped Otterbein to a 17-3-1 record.
Shively had 16 goals and eight assists. Best anchored a defense that allowed just 1.08 goals per game. Severance had seven goals and four assists.
Grove City grad Andrea Miller capped her career at Otterbein as a four-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference choice (twice on first team, twice on second team) and as the program’s career assists leader (4,179). This past season, Miller ranked in the top 10 nationally in assists (11.06 per set) and ranked second on the team in digs (292) as the Cardinals went 21-9.