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Nordonia senior Jarrett Ruffin is one of 20 area basketball standouts participating in Wednesday's 25th annual Greater Akron Basketball Coaches Association All-Star game at Walsh Jesuit High School.
MACEDONIA, Ohio -- When you watch the Nordonia Knights on the basketball court, you are easily drawn to No. 24 Jarrett Ruffin. The 6-foot-5 senior has carried the leadership and scoring load for the Suburban League-leading Knights this season.
A quick review of his last two SL outings tells the tale. On Jan. 6 against Green, Ruffin tossed in 23 points, leading Nordonia to a 62-51 home win. Last Friday, Ruffin had 20 points in the Knights’ 79-70 victory at Copley.
“Jarrett Ruffin has been with me for three years,” third-year Nordonia coach Matt Cash said. “He’s a great kid, great student and great person. I never have to yell at the kid for doing anything wrong. He just goes and goes and goes.”
No player on Nordonia’s roster was more disappointed than Ruffin when the Knights lost their first game of the season at Firestone earlier this month.
“Jarrett realizes when he has an off game the whole team has an off game,” Cash said. “And (at Firestone) he took that loss really hard."
What most upset Ruffin about his play at Firestone: zero offensive rebounds. He scored 11 points against the Falcons, but did not display his usual aggressiveness on the glass.
In his next outing against Green, Ruffin was in attack mode from the opening tip and scored nine quick points during a decisive third-quarter flurry when Nordonia took charge.
Others have taken notice of Ruffin’s play as well. In December, he was named the Most Outstanding Player in Nordonia’s Greynolds Classic win at Barberton. Ruffin had 20 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, in the Knights’ 60-51 victory.
“I’m a leader for my team so I have to step up and show them that I come to win,” Ruffin said.
As the first half of the Suburban League race comes to an end this weekend Ruffin knows the SL race is far from over, despite a two-game lead on the next best team.
“We will get challenged every game,” he said. “We have to keep fighting and keep pushing.”
Nordonia (9-2, 6-0) plays Friday at Cloverleaf.
Columbus Calling
The goal of every boys and girls basketball team in Ohio is to play for a state championship. Those state title games will continue to be played in Columbus through 2015 at the JeromeShottensteinCenter at The Ohio State University. The Ohio High School Athletic Association made that announcement late last week.
Hearn doing it all
Kenmore’s Antonio Hearn is showing that he is more than just a scorer for the Cardinals this season.
Hearn, a 5-foot-9 senior, is averaging over 20 points a game. Kenmore head coach Brian Dawson says Hearn is also averaging over seven rebounds, seven assists and seven steals a game. Those numbers will put Hearn in consideration for City Series Player of the Year honors.
“He creates lots of problems for opposing teams,” Dawson said. “I don’t know how they prepare for him but I’m glad I don’t have to.”
Talking Tallmadge
The Tallmadge Blue Devils appear to be hitting their stride. They’ve won their last three games and are tied for third place in the Suburban League at 3-3 with Highland, Copley and Wadsworth.
Coach Aaron Hinkle was pleased with last Friday’s win at Highland.
“It got us to .500 in the league and it was against a quality opponent,” Hinkle said. “It was the biggest win of the season for us.”
Hinkle knows Friday’s game against Copley will be another big test.
“They have a lot of speed and quickness,” he said. “They press for 32 minutes. We’re going to have our hands full.”