SHELBY — Lima Shawnee coach Mark Triplett found out what north central Ohio boys basketball fans have known for a long time.
Shelby’s T.J. Pugh is the read deal.
Pugh, the newly-minted Richland Source Player of the Year, led the Whippets to their first district title since 1999. That sent Shelby into the regional semifinals against Shawnee, where Pugh scored 32 points in the 76-67 loss.
“That kid is really good,” Triplett said afterward. “He is big and athletic and strong and relentless in getting to the basket.”
Pugh averaged 25.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 3.1 steals per game during the regular season, leading the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference in every category. He connected on 43 percent of his 3-point field goal attempts and shot 80 percent from the free throw line.
Pugh was selected the MOAC Player of the Year and was the District 6 Player of the Year in Division II. He was a Northwest District first team selection in Division II.
Pugh finished his Shelby career with 1,460 points in three seasons, second on Shelby’s career scoring list to former Ohio State and Boston Celtics star Larry Siegfried. Pugh scored 198 points as a freshman at Seneca East before transferring to Shelby, giving him 1,658 career points.
Pugh is the centerpiece of an All-Richland Source offense that combined to average 99.7 points a game. He is joined by Ashland’s Luke Denbow, Lucas’ Ethan Sauder, Ontario’s Griffin Shaver and Colonel Crawford’s Carter Valentine.
Luke Denbow, Ashland: A 6-foot-1 junior guard, Denbow averaged 23 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists a game. He scored his 1,000th career point as a junior and is on pace to surpass 2015 grad Isaac White and become the program’s career scoring leader. Denbow led the Arrows to an 18-5 record and a berth in the Division I district tournament. He was the Ohio Cardinal Conference and District 6 Player of the Year in Division I and was selected to the Northwest District first team.
Ethan Sauder, Lucas: One of the area’s premier point guards, Sauder had to take on a bigger role as a scorer after a season-ending injury to Riley Gossom. The 5-foot-10 senior answered the bell, averaging 15.3 points a game. He scored his 1,000th point early in Lucas’ postseason run to the Division IV Sweet 16 and will graduate as the program’s single-game, single-season and career assists leader. Sauder was selected to the Northwest District first team in Division IV and was recently chosen the Mid-Buckeye Conference Player of the Year.
Griffin Shaver, Ontario: a 6-foot-1 senior, Shaver became just the fifth player in program history to score 1,000 career points. He averaged 16.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game during the regular season and helped the Warriors reach the Division II district semifinals. He was selected to the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference first team and was a Northwest District first team selection. He will play college football at Division II Ashland University.
Carter Valentine, Colonel Crawford: The Eagles were unbeaten during the regular season for just the second time in program history and Valentine was a big reason why. The rangy 6-foot-5 junior swingman averaged a Northern 10 Conference-leading 18.9 points a game as Crawford reached the district semifinals. He was selected to the District 6 and Northwest District first team in Division III.
Honorable Mention: Eli White, Ashland; Grayson Steury, Ashland; Jayden Jefferies, Madison; Cody Lantz, Shelby; Brady Tedrow, Clear Fork; Maurice Ware, Mansfield Senior; Shad Creamer, Mansfield Senior; Kolton Kurtz, Ontario; Baden Forup, Lexington; Jeremy Holloway, Shelby; Evan Hamilton, Crestview; Mason Studer, Colonel Crawford; Chase Walker, Colonel Crawford; Ethan Wallace, Lucas; Brock Noblit, Crestline; Logan Cyphers, Mansfield Christian; Amaar Davis, Mansfield Christian.
