Staff report
Fairlawn standout Nathan Lessing’s spectacular basketball season for the Jets was further recognized Monday when the senior was named to the Division 4 All-Ohio first team, announced by The Associated Press.
That comes on the heels of being named County and Southwest District Player of the Year in D-4 earlier.
Lessing poured in 692 points this season to set a new County single-season mark, breaking the previous record of 689 set by Doug Brandewie of Fort Loramie back in the ‘76-77 season.
Lessing also set a new career scoring record, becoming the first player in the history of Shelby County to reach and surpass 2,000 points. He finished his career with 2,223.
This season, he also led the area in scoring with a 27.7 average, and led the Jets to the county’s best record this season at 21-4.
He hit 58.1 percent of his field goal attempts this season, and was amazing from the free throw line, hitting 158 of 200 for 79 perent, also tops in the area.
In addition to Lessing, Jackson Center senior star Brady Wildermuth was named to the second team.
Wildermuth led the Tigers in scoring at 21.3 per game, which was fourth-best in the area, and also led the Tigers in rebounding at 7.2 per game, also fourth-best in the area.
Two more County standouts were named to the Honorable Mention list.
They were Botkins senior Luke Bergman and Fort Loramie junior Dillon Braun.
Bergman finished the regular season third in the area in scoring at 23.4 per game for the Trojans, and was third in the area in free-throw shooting, hitting 122 of 160 for an impressive 76.2 percent.
Braun finished behind only Justin Ahrens of Versailles in the number of made three-pointers, meaning he was tops in the county during the regular season with 46. That helped him average 14.6 points per game. He also hit 75 percent from the free throw line.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The 2016-17 Associated Press Division IV All-Ohio boys basketball team, based on the recommendations of a media panel (with school, height, class and scoring average):
DIVISION IV
First Team: Matt Bailey, Grove City Christian, 5-foot-10, senior, 18.7 points per game; Aaron Gehlken, Zanesville Rosecrans, 6-1, sr., 17.7; Justin Bofenkamp, Warren John F. Kennedy, 6-0, sr., 17.0; Michael Bothwell, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian Academy, 6-3, jr., 20.9; Jared Jakubick, Mansfield St. Peter’s, 6-3, jr., 18.3; Jordan Welch, Waterford, 6-3, sr., 14.2; Nathan Lessing, Sidney Fairlawn, 6-1, sr., 28.1; Jakoby Lane-Harvey, Lima Perry, 6-0, sr., 16.0; Tim Kreeger, Delphos St. John’s, 6-6, sr., 18.7; Cameron King, Portsmouth Clay, 5-10, sr., 18.1.
Second Team: Dustin Harder, Columbus Wellington, 6-9, sr., 13.0; Shaylin Waugh, Canal Winchester Harvest Prep, 5-10, sr., 16.8; Brett Bower, Bowerston Conotton Valley, 6-1, sr., 29.2; Justin Miller, Wellsville, 6-4, sr., 21.4; Maurico Tate, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, 6-0, sr., 17.0; Jordan Burge, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, , 6-3, jr.,18.0; Quinn Smith, West Unity Hilltop, 6-0, sr., 16.5; Gavin Richards, New Madison Tri-Village, 6-2, sr., 20.5; Brady Wildermuth, Jackson Center, 6-6, sr., 21.3; Camron Gordley, Peebles, 6-4, sr., 21.0.
Third Team: Devin Pearl, Cardington-Lincoln, 6-4, sr., 18.0; Brandon McQueen, Willoughby Cornerstone Christian Academy, 6-2, sr., 17.0; Jarad Dunn, Mogadore, 6-3, sr., 14.6; Drew Johnson, Pandora-Gilboa, 6-5, jr., 19.3; Akia Brown, Sciotoville Community East, 6-1, sr., 23.2; Dylan Woods, Cincinnati Christian, 6-1, sr., 14.5; Brandon Baker, Grove City Christian, 6-2, sr., 18.0; Shevin Javersak, Strasburg-Franklin, 6-2, sr., 16.5; John Paul Miller, Lake Center Christian, 5-8, sr., 22.9; Mark Mayle, Malvern, 6-8, jr., 15.1.
Player of the year: Jared Jakubick, Mansfield St. Peter’s
Co-Coach of the year: Adam Betten, Portsmouth Clay; Matt Tabler, Lima Perry
Area Honorable Mention — Micaiah Cox, Fort Recovery; Andrew Lyons, Southeastern; Luke Bergman, Botkins; Dillon Braun, Fort Loramie; Trace Couch, New Madison Tri-Village.
