The 2023-2024 high school boys basketball season has arrived.
The Greater Akron area once again has talented teams and players after last season ended with Archbishop Hoban (26-3) and Buchtel (23-6) winning Division I and Division II state championships , respectively.
Who are some of the top returning players ? Here are 12 of the best from the local area:
Bell , a 6-foot senior point guard, helped Walsh (20-8) win the Crown Conference championship and Division I sectional and district titles last season . He averaged around nine points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals per game.
Bosley , a 6-foot senior guard, enters this season 40 points shy of 1,000 career points. Scoring on the court runs in the family as he is the son of former Jackson High School and University of Akron standout Jami Bosley . Maxx Bosley averaged around 17 points, five rebounds and two assists last season.
Davis , a 6-4 junior guard, led Tallmadge (15-8, 10-4) in scoring last season as a sophomore at 17.6 points per game. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.1 steals as Tallmadge finished second in the Suburban League American Conference to Revere.
Duve , 6-3 senior forward entering his fourth year as a starter , was the Metro Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Year last season along with 2023 Ravenna graduate Mason Ross. Duve averaged around 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks last season. He is also a standout football player.
Gadson , a 6-3 senior guard, returns to Buchtel where he played as a freshman and sophomore . He averaged 22.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals in nine games for Firestone after he moved back to Akron from Arizona. He scored 39 points in a loss to Massillon, 30 points in a win over Copley and 27 points in a win over Ellet.
Greer , a 6-8 sophomore, has scholarship offers from Big Ten schools as a left tackle in football and from Akron and Kent State as a center in basketball . He stepped into a starting spot as a freshman post player in January and helped Hoban win the Division I state championship , averaging around six points and five rebounds.
Nichols , a 6-4 guard, is a Kent State recruit after helping Hoban win the Division I state championship . Nichols was named All-Northeast Ohio Inland District Division I Player of the Year and was a first-team All-Ohio selection . He enters his fourth year on Hoban's varsity team with more than 1,000 career points . Nichols averaged around 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals last season.
Raymond-Smith , a 6-6 senior guard, helped Stow (24-3, 10-2) win Division I sectional and district titles , and split with Suburban League National Conference champion Brecksville. He averaged around 14 points and eight rebounds last season. He is also a standout soccer player.
Rollyson , a 6-4 senior guard, helped Green (17-7, 9-3) earn a share of the Federal League championship with Jackson last season. He averaged 15.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals as a junior. Rollyson is also a dynamic baseball player who has signed to play at Ohio State University .
Taylor , a 6-5 senior, averaged 9.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals as a junior point guard last season. His efforts propelled Green (17-7, 9-3) to a share of the Federal League title with Jackson. Taylor is also a standout football player .
Wininger , a 6-3 senior guard, returns as Copley's top player after a solid junior season in which he averaged 18.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals.
Winston , a 6-4 senior forward, averaged 15.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists last season as the Hornets' leader in all three statistical categories. He was named the Suburban League American Conference Player of the Year. Winston is also a standout baseball player headed to Ohio University .
Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Greater Akron's 12 high school boys basketball players to watch
