Buchtel is set to meet Columbus Bishop Ready at 2 p.m. Friday in a Division II boys basketball state semifinal at University of Dayton Arena.
The City Series champion Griffins (21-6, 9-1) are in the state semifinals for the seventh time in program history, matching the feat accomplished by teams in 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1997 and 2019. The 1997 Buchtel team was a state runner-up.
The Central Catholic League champion Silver Knights (28-0, 8-0) are in the state semifinals for the sixth time in program history, also accomplishing the feat in 1972, 1973, 2002, 2010 and 2014. The 1972 and 1973 Ready teams won state titles and the 2002 squad finished as a state runner-up.
Here are five other things to know about Buchtel and Ready:
Buchtel boys basketball: Marcel Boyce Jr., Khoi Thurmon, Amire Robinson are Buchtel basketball's 'Big, little three'
Buchtel features a starting lineup of seniors Khoi Thurmon, Amire Robinson, Marcel Boyce Jr. and Jayden Maxwell and sophomore Stevie Diamond:
Thurmon, a 6-foot-2 Purdue Fort Wayne basketball recruit, is Buchtel's leading scorer at 19.1 points per game, and also averages 4.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds.
Boyce, a 6-1 Wayne State football recruit, is averaging 14.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
Robinson, a 6-3 Nevada basketball recruit, is at 13.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Maxwell is averaging 7.9 points and Diamond is contributing 4.9 points per game.
Buchtel's regular reserves are juniors Diaire Pride, Qi'Marreon Marks and Dakota Taylor.
Buchtel boys basketball: Buchtel's Marcel Boyce Jr. brings 'tenacious attitude' to basketball court just like dad
Ready's starting five are seniors Charlie Russell, Kaleb Schaffer and Luke Ruth, junior Josh Paul and sophomore Kayden Schaffer:
Russell, who is 6-5, is averaging 17.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
Kaleb Schaffer, who is also 6-5, is contributing 15.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
The 6-2 Ruth is at 12.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds a game.
Kayden Schaffer is averaging 4.6 points and Paul is at 3.7 points per game.
Ready's main reserves are freshman Uthman Sherif, sophomore Andreas Gordon and junior Micah Germany.
Buchtel boys basketball: Buchtel senior Amire Robinson follows father's footsteps as successful basketball player
"Our team has been challenged as far as our schedule goes. We had a chance to play a few out of state opponents early on. We were 6-4 before January. Three of those losses were to out-of-state opponents and the other one was to Huber Heights Wayne. Once we came back from our trip from Vegas, we went 15-2 since then.
"… Our group is a resilient bunch and they are galvanized. They are a tight-knit group. We have six seniors on our team, led by Khoi Thurmon, Amire Robinson and Marcel Boyce Jr. All three of those seniors have provided leadership that has carried us throughout this whole season. They have been doing a great job for us. … We are playing good defense, communicating really well and attacking the rim. In the five tournament games, our defense has ramped up. We have been causing turnovers, finishing at the rim and knocking down free throws.
"... When I look at Ready, you can tell that they are a physically gifted team. They are very strong. They pretty much can score on all three levels, at the rim, in the mid-range as well as hitting the 3, which will pose a challenge for any team. They move the ball well and they play selfless. I expect them to be a handful, but that is OK."
Buchtel boys basketball: 'A great moment': Marcel Boyce Jr., Buchtel advance to OHSAA boys basketball state final four
"The trio that leads us are Luke Ruth, Kaleb Schaffer and Charlie Russell. … Those three are truly one heartbeat out there. They have been together for a long time as friends and as players even before they came to Bishop Ready. They not only feed off each other, they know where each other are at all times. They are truly connected both on and off the court.
"... We hang our hat on our half-court defense. We are not a high turnover-creating type of defense. We play a pack-line primarily. We try to stay connected defensively with our help principles, of course contest shots and rebound the ball. We will pressure teams a little bit. Offensively, I think one of the biggest things for us is our versatility. I feel like we have, especially with those three guys that I mentioned, the capability to score in different ways. All three of those guys can post, all three of those guys can attack and all three of those guys can hit 3s. Our complementary players have really come on here recently in the tournament. We have a saying, 'You are either getting better at this time of the year or you are getting beat.' I feel like we have gotten better as the tournament has progressed.
"... They [Buchtel] have got some guys that can play. They have got some talent. Their coach seems to have them doing the things that highlight those talents. You look at their roster and you don't see a lot of size but, boy, they play way bigger than they are. They are quick and all that but, man, they are strong and physical. They are going to be a handful on the boards for us. That is something that we are really paying attention to."
Buchtel boys basketball: Khoi Thurmon helps lead Buchtel to OHSAA boys basketball district title on 18th birthday
The first Division II semifinal at 10:45 a.m. Friday pits Rocky River Lutheran West (24-3) and Dayton Chaminade Julienne (26-2). Friday's winners return at 10:45 a.m. Sunday to play for the title.
Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Buchtel versus Bishop Ready in OHSAA boys basketball state semifinal
