Monday, February 19, 2001
Winton Woods, Roger Bacon poll champions
By Dave Schutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Winton Woods boys basketball team, coming off its second consecutive 20-0 season, also has won its second straight Enquirer Division I poll championship.
Roger Bacon won the Division II-IV poll, using a late season run to pass McNicholas, Purcell Marian and Madeira for the honor.
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BOYS POLLS
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DIVISION I (FINAL)
1. Winton Woods (10) ....... 115
2. Western Hills (2) ....... 104
3. Moeller ....... 96
4. Elder ....... 80
5. Oak Hills ....... 63
6. Loveland ....... 55
7. St. Xavier ....... 48
8. Withrow ....... 37
9. Hamilton ....... 34
10. Anderson ....... 11
DIVISIONS II-IV (FINAL)
1. Roger Bacon (15) ....... 192
2. McNicholas ....... 159
3. Madeira (4) ....... 158
4. Purcell Marian ....... 123
5. Cin. Country Day (1) ....... 105
6. Reading ....... 80
7. Clermont NE ....... 79
8. CHCA ....... 78
9. Mariemont ....... 62
10. North College Hill ....... 28
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“This has been a great group of kids,” Winton Woods coach David Lumpkin said. “They are very talented and did what we asked them to do. They worked hard and sacrificed to achieve the team goals.”
Springboro was the last area team to have back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons — 1997-98 and '98-99.
“It was obviously an enjoyable time, but there was a lot of self-imposed pressure,” Springboro coach Troy Holtrey said. “I know exactly what Winton Woods went through. They carried the burden every time they ran on to the floor.”
Lebanon also had back-to-back undefeated seasons (1975-76 and '76-77) when Holtrey's father, Ron, coached the Warriors.
Middletown holds the Ohio record for the most consecutive regular season victories at 76 (1955-58) when Jerry Lucas was the star player.
Although the Warriors returned four starters, the addition of DeForrest Riley, a transfer from Louisiana, helped make the team even better.
“DeForrest is the reason we're as good as were are this season,” Lumpkin said. “The success that we had comes from tremendous balance on the perimeter.”
A 6-foot-5, 190-pound junior forward/guard, Riley is an excellent outside shooter and that took pressure off Robert Hite, a 6-2, 175-pound junior who averaged nearly 16 points a game last season.
“DeForrest's ability to shoot from the perimeter didn't allow opposing teams to play gimmick defenses against Robert,” Lumpkin said. I feel good about this team but will feel even better next season when we have senior leadership.
Besides Hite and Riley, the Warriors start junior guard Byron Fields, senior center P.J. Mills and junior Dante Hunter.
All of the Warriors' starters average nine or more points a game.
Unlike last season when the Warriors weren't voted No.1 until the final poll, they took over the top spot three weeks ago from defending state champion St. Xavier.
Coach Bill Brewer's Roger Bacon team finished with a 13-7 record and was second behind Kettering Alter in the Greater Catholic League North Division.
The Spartans last won The Enquirer's poll championship during the 1997-98 season.
Slowed by injuries at the start, the Spartans lost their first three games but regrouped when leading scorer Josh Hausfeld, injured during football season, returned to the lineup.
Like Winton Woods, the Spartans start four juniors.
“Roger Bacon may be the best team in Cincinnati next year,” Moeller coach Carl Kremer said. “They have most of their players back.”
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Winton Woods, Roger Bacon poll champions
