Lexington product Baden Forup has established himself as one of the top players in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, if not all of Division II basketball.

A junior at Pitt-Johnstown, Forup matched a career high with 26 points in a 113-84 win over West Virginia Wesleyan. He added a game-high 11 rebounds for the Mountain Cats (7-3, 1-1).

For his efforts, Forup was selected the PSAC men’s basketball athlete of the week for a second time this season.

The rugged 6-foot-8 forward leads Pitt-Johnstown in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.5 points and 9.6 boards a game. He ranks second in the 17-team PSAC in rebounding and 10th in scoring.

Fly Like an Eagle

A basketball player tries to shoot over a defender
Loudonville’s Corri Vermilya tries to get a shot off as Waterford’s Kendall Sury defends during the first half of a Division IV state semifinal game at the University of Dayton Arena on March 14, 2024. Credit: Curt Conrad, staff reporter

Corri Vermilya was off to a torrid start to the season for the Ashland University women’s basketball team before an injury slowed the Loudonville product.

A sophomore guard, Vermilya leads the Eagles in scoring at 16.2 points a game. She has appeared in six of AU’s 10 games with three starts.

Ashland is 5-5 overall and 1-3 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play. Vermilya has been sidelined the past four games. AU has lost three straight.

On the Prowl

Girls playing basketball
Shelby’s Eve Schwemley drives to the basket during a Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference game at Highland.

Shelby graduate Eve Schwemley already has made an impact in her freshman season at Ohio Dominican.

The 5-foot-6 guard has appeared in all nine games for the Panthers (3-6, 0-3 Great Midwest Athletic Conference), averaging 5.3 points and 1.8 rebounds a game. She scored a career-high 11 points in a 98-51 win over Ohio Christian on Nov. 22.

Wright on Target

One high school boy shooting a basketball over another high school boy's head.
Shelby’s Alex Bruskotter (5) takes a shot against Maysville’s Alex Bobb (4) in the Division II state semifinal at the University of Dayton.

Shelby’s Alex Bruskotter is getting floor time at Wright State after red-shirting last year.

The 6-8 guard has appeared in five of the Raiders’ 12 games and is averaging 6.6 points and 1.2 rebounds a night. He scored a career-high 15 points in Wright State’s 100-47 win over Ohio Wesleyan on Nov. 20.

Sudden Impact

A basketball player shoots a 3-pointer
Clear Fork’s Mel Blubaugh shoots a 3-pointer over Edison’s Taylor Moore during the first half of a Division V district semifinal game at Shelby.

Clear Fork’s Mel Blubaugh has made an immediate impact at Mount Vernon Nazarene.

The freshman guard has appeared in all 14 games for the Cougars (4-10, 0-4 Crossroads League). Blubaugh is averaging 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds a game. She scored a career-best 11 points in an 87-76 loss to Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) on Nov. 1.

Oilman

Ashland graduate Luke Denbow is a senior guard on the Findlay basketball team. The sharpshooter has appeared in eight of the Oilers’ 11 games and is averaging 5.6 points a game. Denbow spent two seasons at Anderson University in South Carolina, where he averaged about 12 points a game.

The Oilers are 8-3 overall and 3-2 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.