“Any regular year you would look at this and say, ‘Jason Osbourne what are you doing with the schedule?’” Fries quipped.
“Some of this is the result of bigger schools taking time off. Our goal is to get a 22-game season. … We just want to play. Just give us an opponent and we’re going to compete and play hard. It is a crazy, tough schedule but we like the challenge of that.”
Miamisburg (11-2) hosts Wayne (8-1) on Friday. The teams play again Tuesday at Wayne. Wayne is ranked No. 6 in the AP state poll and Miamisburg is No. 10. Centerville also received votes and missed making the top 10 by one point.
The Vikings have enjoyed balanced scoring from senior Alex Ball (14.5 points per game), senior Evan Logan (9.8), junior Anthony Coppock (8.3), senior Evan Otteson (7.8), senior Luke Copsey (6.3) and sophomore Jackson McGohan (6.3).
McGohan averages a team-high 6.2 rebounds, while Ball (3.6) and Otteson (3.4) lead in assists.
Otteson’s biggest assist this season came in a 52-51 win against Centerville. Otteson grabbed a defensive rebound off a missed free throw with 6.1 seconds left, dribbled down the left sideline and passed to Logan in the corner. Logan, with an Elks’ defender closing, launched the game-winning three-pointer with 1.6 seconds left on the clock for the winner at the buzzer.
“Give up a good shot for a better shot,” Fries said of the team’s philosophy. “There’s great chemistry on this team. They’re excited for the success anybody is having. After practices I have to shoo them away. They’re gym rats and they love being around each other. … Having a team without egos and guys that like each other makes it fun to coach.”
Having five seniors – Ball, Copsey, Logan, Otteson and Osaho Ogebor – has helped with experience and leadership during a season of unknowns. Fries had to watch the first couple of games from his basement during quarantine. The Vikings have had all the players on their 15-man roster available twice this season.
“With the pandemic and not having a summer, not really knowing what you have coming in here, these guys have exceeded expectations in being really consistent,” Fries said.
“When you look at us we may not be as talented but we make up for it with guys who want to play together. Guys who stick together with our system and our game plan. When you see it pay off it’s very rewarding.”
Elks idle: The Centerville Elks postponed two games due to COVID concerns. Centerville was schedule to play at Springfield on Friday and host Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary’s on Sunday.
“Our varsity boys basketball team has been placed in quarantine in response to a COVID situation. We will resume normal activities on Tuesday, January 19th,” Centerville AD Rob Dement said.
Centerville is scheduled to host Miamisburg on Jan. 22, which would be its first game back.
SWBL showdown: Waynesville (7-3 overall, 6-0 Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division) travels to Preble Shawnee (10-2, 5-2 Buckeye Division) on Friday.
Waynesville won the first meeting 70-64 on Dec. 8 behind senior Kohl Todd’s 34 points. Freshman Mason Shrout scored 32 for Shawnee.
Shrout leads the SWBL in scoring with 21.9 points and adds 7.3 rebounds. Senior Bryce Singleton averages 19.8 points and an SWBL-leading 10.7 rebounds. Junior Xavier Adams adds 10.5 points and 6.8 rebounds.
Todd leads the Spartans with 16.5 points, junior Josh Mitchell averages 13.0 and senior Luke Zebell 10.4. Zebell leads the team with 7.6 rebounds.
Green Wave gets win: Greenville gave Troy a run before falling on 51-44 on Jan. 8, but got a boost of confidence that first win was coming.
They got it on Wednesday with a 47-37 victory against Fairborn, led by junior Hayden Bush’s 15 points.
Prior to Greenville, first-year coach Bobby Jones took over a Hagerstown (Ind.) team that had five straight losing seasons. Jones guided them to seven consecutive winning seasons and two league titles in 10 years.
Jones is also the son of 1963 Indiana Mr. Basketball Rick Jones.
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