All-Daily Record 2023-24: Player of the Year Sammy Detweiler headlines boys hoops team

It was the season of the usual suspects in boys basketball in 2023-24.

Hiland played at the state tournament for the third straight season, with Nick Wigton's double-OT buzzer beater in the Division IV state semifinals going down as one of the area's biggest shots ever.

Not Done Yet: Hiland stuns Lima Central Catholic at the buzzer to play for state title

Norwayne became the first team in more than a decade to roll through the Wayne County Athletic League undefeated, rarely getting tested on its way to another 20-plus-win season. After going 21 years without a district title, Dalton recovered from a rocky start to claim its second in a row.

Player of the Year: Sammy Detweiler, Hiland

Whatever Hiland needed, Detweiler provided. The most complete offensive player in the area could create off the dribble to score all over the floor or run off screens and get his shot off in a near instant. He helped carry Hiland through the Division IV tournament, all the way to a state runner-up finish against Richmond Heights. Detweiler played one of the best games of his career in a state semifinal, scoring 25 points on 15 shots while battling through foul trouble.

When Hiland really needed to shut an opponent down, it called Detweiler's number. Hiland coach Mark Schlabach repeatedly lauded Detweiler for not only performing well when tasked with tough defensive assignments but wanting to take on the challenge.

Coach of the Year: Mark Schlabach, Hiland

A team losing three of its top six players to season-ending injuries before the playoffs would normally doom a high school basketball team. Instead, Hiland played for a state championship in Dayton, finishing as Div. IV runner-up. Schlabach's teams always figure ways to win because they play for each other, and they care about winning no matter what. The 2023-24 Hawks were another outstanding example of that.

THE ALL-DAILY RECORD TEAM

Drew Bishko, Triway, sr.

Bishko might not have been the most talented player on the floor every game, but nobody was going to play harder. His final game was perhaps the best performance in a loss all season, scoring 28 points while doing everything he could to will his team to victory before eventually falling shot against Cuyahoga Heights.

Brady Bowen, Wooster, jr.

With its top players from its OCC-contending teams gone, rebuilding Wooster needed somebody to step into the featured role in its offense. Bowen transformed from a role player into go-to guy, carrying the Generals in several big games throughout the year.

Sammy Detweiler, Hiland, sr.

One of the area's best players for almost his entire high school career, Detweiler took another step forward as a senior. No matter how many points her scored, it seemed like Detweiler had more, having a knack for hitting shots in big moments while playing plus defense.

Brady Hignight, Dalton, jr.

Returned from injury to give Dalton the boost they needed during the second half of the year when he got closer to 100%. With Hignight fully healthy and bringing a nice balance of shot creation and defense, Dalton rolled to a second straight district championship after going two decades without one before 2023.

Brayden Holt, Triway, so.

Perhaps the craftiest scorer in the area, Holt did whatever it took to put points on the board. Honing his game against bigger players his whole life, Holt's array of floaters and push shots inside of 12 feet made him one of the most complete scorers when added to his quick trigger from 3-point range.

Braylen Jarvis, Hillsdale, sr.

Hillsdale broke through for its best season in years with Jarvis breaking out for the best season of his high school career. He poured in 20 points per game while leading Hillsdale to 18 wins, serving as the catalyst to the Falcons' new uptempo attack.

Parker Metsker, Norwayne, jr.

Nobody in the area could affect game drastically without scoring like Metsker. Averaging, 6.7 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 3.0 steals, there were times when it seemed like there were duplicates of Metsker on the floor. And he did plenty of scoring too, scoring 11.5 points per game for a dominant Norwayne team that didn't rely too much on one player.

Braden West, Norwayne, jr.

On a team without a traditional No. 1 option, West came into his own as a player who could carry an offense. After a tough start to the year, West proved himself as one of the best 3-point shooters in the area, including an impressive array of deeps 3s during a 24-point performance against Buchtel in the playoffs.

Nick Wigton, Hiland, jr.

Very few players took a bigger leap from year-to-year than Wigton, who developed into one of the most complete offensive players in the area as a junior. His overtime buzzer-beater in the Division IV state semifinals will go down as one of the most memorable shots in Hiland history.

Noah Wile, Rittman, sr.

The 6-foot-7 Wile was one of the biggest matchup problems in the area. A double-double threat every time he touched the floor, Wile kept Rittman in a lot of games with his all-around offensive game and his shot blocking on the other end.

Alex Yoder, Hiland, sr.

A game-changing presence on the defensive end before his senior year, Yoder added offensive touch to become a two-way threat. A knee injury cut his senior season short, but Yoder remained a positive presence in practice, helping lead from the sidelines whenever he could.

HONORABLE MENTION

Tillman Brown, Chippewa

Anthony Carmean, Wooster

Jake Coblentz, Waynedale

Silas Coleman, Central Christian

Owen Ferriman, Northwestern

Bruin Flinner, Triway

Bradey Krichbaum, Hillsdale

Judah Layton, Loudonville

Keller McFarren, Dalton

Beau Polen, Norwayne

Mathias Raber, Waynedale

Brandon Steiner, Smithville

Coy Wenger, Dalton

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: All-Daily Record 2023-24: Player of the Year Sammy Detweiler headlines boys hoops team