COLUMBUS – Senior Devin Royal of Pickerington Central High School was named 2023 Ohio Mr. Basketball on Wednesday by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association. CVCA sophomore Darryn Peterson was a finalist for the award and a strong candidate to win it.
Peterson ended up finishing third in the statewide voting process conducted by members of the OPSWA.
Royal, an Ohio State recruit who led Pickerington Central to a state championship last year as a junior, has the Tigers back in the state tournament this weekend. In the Mr. Basketball voting, Royal edged out Centerville senior Gabe Cupps, who won the Mr. Basketball award last year. Royal had 90 votes compared to 87 for Cupps.
Peterson was third in the voting, followed by senior Dailyn Swain of Columbus Africentric, sophomore Jerry Easter II of Toledo Emmanuel Christian, senior Bede Lori of Caldwell and junior Luke Skaljac of Brecksville.
LeBron James is the only sophomore to win the award, which is now in its 36th year. It was first given by the Associated Press in 1988 with Jimmy Jackson, then a junior at Toledo Macomber, being the first recipient. It has been voted on by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association since 2017.
2023 – Devin Royal, Pickerington Central
2022 – Gabe Cupps, Centerville
2021 – Malaki Branham , Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary
2020 – VonCameron Davis, Columbus Walnut Ridge
2019 – Samari Curtis, Xenia
2018 - Dane Goodwin, Upper Arlington
2017 - Kaleb Wesson, Westerville South
2016 - Xavier Simpson, Lima Senior
2015 - Luke Kennard , Franklin High School
2014 - Luke Kennard, Franklin High School
2013 - Marc Loving, Toledo St. John's Jesuit
2012 - Justin Fritts, Mentor
2011 - Trey Burke, Columbus Northland
2010 - Jared Sullinger, Columbus Northland
2009 - Jared Sullinger, Columbus Northland
2008 - William Buford, Toledo Libbey
2007 - Jon Diebler, Upper Sandusky
2006 - O.J. Mayo, North College Hill
2005 - O.J. Mayo, North College Hill
2004 - Jamar Butler, Lima Shawnee
2003 - LeBron James, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary
2002 - LeBron James, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary
2001 - LeBron James, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary
2000 - (tie) Tony Stockman, Medina; Chester Mason, Cleveland South
1999 - Isaac Jefferson, Columbus West
1998 - William "Sonny" Johnson, Garfield Heights
1997 - Kenny Gregory, Independence
1996 - Jason Collier, Springfield Catholic
1995 - Damon Stringer, Cleveland Heights
1994 - Aaron Hutchins, Lima Central Catholic
1993 - Geno Ford, Cambridge
1992 - Greg Simpson, Lima Senior
1991 - Greg Simpson, Lima Senior
1990 - Bob Patton Jr., Youngstown Liberty
1989 - Jimmy Jackson, Toledo Macomber
1988 - Jimmy Jackson, Toledo Macomber
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Devin Royal is Ohio Mr. Basketball, Darryn Peterson finishes third
