Three high-scoring area grads take differing roles at next level

Amari Davis (Trotwood-Madison High School), Andre Gordon (Sidney) and Samari Curtis (Xenia), were three of the most prolific, high-scoring and sought-after basketball guards in the Greater Western Ohio Conference last basketball season. All three are making news at the next level.

Davis averaged 30.1 points as a senior and led Trotwood to a Division II state championships, its first. He hasn’t let up, becoming a high-scoring sensation for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

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His team-high 19 points in an 84-71 loss at Xavier last week secured his third Horizon League freshman player of the week honor. A 6-foot-3 lefty, he’s averaging 15.3 points, which also ranks among the nation’s top 10 freshmen. His shooting percentage of 57.4 ranks second in the league.

Green Bay (3-6) is at Wright State (7-3) in the Phoenix’s HL opener at 2 p.m. Dec. 28.

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Gordon, a 6-2 freshman, has had multiple restarts. He left Sidney as a senior for Harvest Prep (W.Va.), then returned before the season started and averaged 22.6 points for the Yellowjackets. Initially signed with Virginia Tech, he opted out of that to join coach Buzz Williams when he left VT for Texas A&M after last season.

Gordon is averaging 5.8 points with three starts for the Aggies (3-5). He put a career-high 14 points on La.-Monroe in a 63-57 win.

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Curtis (34.0 points) was Ohio’s Mr. Basketball after his senior season. He scored 40 or more points nine times as a senior and put a career-high 52 on West Carrollton.

He initially was committed to Xavier, then crosstown rival Cincinnati, but opted out of both those programs after each lost their head coaches. Instead, he signed with Nebraska.

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Now, the 6-4 shooter is on the move again. He lasted just eight games with the Cornhuskers (4-4), averaging 1.8 points in an average of 6.1 minutes per game.

“I have enjoyed coaching him, and we will support him as he finishes the fall semester and begins looking at other schools,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said in a statement. “We wish Samari the best in the future.”

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Curtis tallied 2,109 career points at Xenia.

• Senior guard Rodrick Caldwell (Wayne) has started all eight games for the Ashland (6-2) men’s basketball team and is second in team scoring (13.4 points). This is his first season playing for the Eagles after transferring from Bowling Green. Caldwell had 33 starts for the Falcons in the 2016-18 seasons and averaged 8.6 points his final season there.

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Freshman Ethan Conley (Franklin Monroe) has made an instant impact at Ashland. The 6-5 forward owns a season-high 19 points and has reached double digits in five of eight games for the Eagles, averaging 10.0 points with just one start. Ashland (6-2) won its first six games and is since 0-2 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Also playing at Ashland are sophomore guard Dylan Beaugard (Wilmington) and 6-8 freshman Anton Webb (Dayton Christian).

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Conley’s sister, Franklin Monroe senior Corina Conley, put 36 points and 12 rebounds on Bethel in a 70-42 Cross County Conference win on Monday night. The 6-foot standout signed with Kentucky Wesleyan last month. The Jets are 5-1.

• Beavercreek senior Taylor Ewert was third in the 41st annual Foot Locker Cross Country Midwest Regional at Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha. She covered the 5,000 meter (3.1 miles) course in 17:24.9.

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That makes her among the favorites heading into this weekend’s Foot Locker National Finals at Balboa Park in San Diego on Saturday. That event draws the top 10 boys and girls from the Foot Locker Northeast, South and West regional meets. Ewert was fourth (17:20.1) in the national meet last year.

Paced by Ewert (17:22.4), Beavercreek placed four runners among the top seven to win their second straight Division I girls cross country state championship last month at National Trail Raceway in Hebron. Ewert signed with Arkansas.

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• Natalie Uy (Fairmont) set a pole vault record of 4.25 meters (13 feet, 11.32 inches converted) to win gold for the Philippines during the 30th Southeast Asian Games at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Philippines on Sunday night.

Uy, 25, has continued to excel internationally following a track and field career at Eastern Michigan. Also an accomplished hurdler, she owns a personal best of 4.3 meters (14-1 converted) in the pole vault.

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