St. John's junior Loving selected Ohio Division I co-player of the year

Whitmer's Hayes, Napoleon's Lauf named to second teams

3/20/2012

BLADE STAFF

Marc Loving

COLUMBUS -- St. John's Jesuit junior Marc Loving shared top honors with two other players Monday on the Associated Press Division I All-Ohio boys basketball team.

The 6-foot-8 Loving, who averaged 22.9 points and 9.0 rebounds, was named co-player of the year along with Jalen Robinson of Columbus Northland (19.1 points) and Justin Fritts of Mentor (28.1).

Loving committed to Ohio State shortly after his freshman season at St. John's.

Second-team honors in D-I went to Whitmer's 6-7 junior Nigel Hayes (13.8 points), who has led the fifth-ranked Panthers (23-2) to Friday's state semifinals.

Mark Donnal (19.6), a 6-9 junior from Anthony Wayne, and C.J. Gettys (20.6), a 6-11 senior from Findlay, were each named to the third team.

Division I coach of the year honors were shared by Norwalk's Steve Gray and Powell Olentangy Liberty's Greg Nossaman.

In Division II, Napoleon's 6-5 junior Jordan Lauf (21.9), who led the Wildcats to a Northern Lakes League title in their first year in the league, was named to the second team.

Five players shared D-II player of the year honors.

Coach of the year honors were shared by Kirk Lehman of Defiance, Brian Bates of Franklin, Mark Chicone of Mentor Lake Catholic, and Larry Kukura of Alliance.

Teams for Divisions III and IV will be announced Tuesday.