skip navigation

Ontario 60, River Valley 33 - Prospect Scouting Report

By Zach Fleer, 12/19/19, 10:15PM EST

Share

Griffin Shaver, Kolten Kurtz and Amil Upchurch combined for 47 points in a big win for Ontario

MANSFIELD, Ohio -- Coming into Thursday's important MOAC showdown at Ontario at 4-0, the pressure was on River Valley to keep its hot streak rolling.

All of that momentum came to a halt, as a 12-0 second quarter and massive 30-4 run for Ontario (2-2) put River Valley (4-1) to bed  as the host Warriors ran away with a dominant 60-33 victory.

While River Valley came out hot, knocking down two threes and scoring eight quick points, a 13-9 first quarter deficit quickly turned sideways. Ontario applied terrific defensive pressure and shut out the Vikings in the second quarter.

Trailing 28-10 with just a few seconds left in the first half, River Valley looked to pick up some last second momentum, as a buzzer beating bank shot from deep from Dylan Johnson found its way to the bottom of the net, the first make of the quarter for the Vikings.

However, as Johnson's shot went down, River Valley junior big man Jahki Henderson grabbed the rim, which resulted in a basket interference call, which coincided with a technical foul moments later on the Vikings.

Ontario junior Griffin Shaver knocked down two free throws with no time left on the clock, completing a 5-0 swing for the Warriors to enter the locker room with a 30-10 advantage.

In the second half, Ontario applied even more pressure and saw a big third quarter from rising sophomore wing Amil Upchurch who sparked a 13-3 run to balloon the lead to 30 points at 43-13.

While River Valley junior guard Ethan Bell caught fire in the period, the Vikings could not cut the deficit to any closer than 21 points. Ontario ground out the formerly unbeaten Vikings in the final frame to improve to 2-2 and notch its biggest win of the young season.

For Ontario, Shaver led the way with 18 points in an efficient showing. Shaver's backcourt mate Kolten Kurtz had a strong outing, adding 15 points, while Upchurch scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half.

For River Valley, Bell was the only source of consistent offense, finishing with a team-high 16 points in a tough loss.

River Valley will look to get back to its winning ways when it visits Pleasant on Saturday in MOAC league play. 


Order your 270 Hoops Preview Magazine today

Griffin Shaver (6'1 G / Ontario / 2021): While Ontario is out of our coverage area, we would like to get another viewing of the 6-foot-1 junior Shaver. With a shifty handle that he constantly used to create separation, Shaver showed the makings of a talented shot maker in an efficient 18 point showing. Knocking down a pair of catch and shoot triples in the first half where he showed great elevation and a strong stroke, Shaver was just getting started as he scored 15 of his game-high 18 in the opening two periods alone. Shaver has a strong feel, can beat defenders off the dribble, finds open teammates on the drive and sets the tone with his communication and leadership. The junior is one of the best players in the MOAC and should land high on the recruiting lists of small colleges in the region. 

Ethan Bell (5'10 PG / River Valley / 2021): Bell is a tough, tough customer as he was the only Viking who looked ready to play on Thursday. The 5-foot-10 guard, who starred in the Open Division of the 270 Hoops Fall League, was the only source of offense for River Valley, scoring nearly half of their 33 points. Bell is a tough shot maker who knocked down a handful of triples, both off the dribble and off movement. Bell has a crafty handle and very little wasted movement, as he handled tight pressure from Ontario and got where he needed to off the bounce. The junior makes things go for River Valley, as he gets them into their sets, defends the ball with toughness and is a deadly shooter who can create offense in a hurry. We look forward to seeing Bell and River Valley again this season, as the Vikings should be a factor in Division II in the Central District. 

Amil Upchurch (6'4 WF / Ontario / 2022): An alum of The 270 Hoops Intro when he was a freshman at Northmor last summer, Upchurch has founded his way to Ontario and received the start on Thursday. Upchurch is a wiry athlete with a lanky build at 6-foot-4, as he was Ontario's five man, but showed a great ability to grab rebounds and go, leading the break and looking like a strong secondary ball handler in the open floor for Ontario. Upchurch plays with a high motor, as he dominated the glass, ran the floor hard, showed the ability to take slower footed bigs off the bounce and even knocked down back-to-back catch and shoot threes in the third quarter. Upchurch was able to get to the rim whenever he wanted, however, he will need to work on his finishing ability and improve his touch, as he could have easily finished with 20+ points if he finished at a better level in the first half. A young player with the effort and toughness part figured out, Upchurch is a name to remember in northern Central Ohio, as he will get great coaching in the Ontario program under longtime legendary coach Joe Balogh. 

Shaquan Coburn (6'3 WF / Ontario / 2020): A name that we knew about coming into Thursday, it was nice to finally see Coburn in person. The 6-foot-3 senior had a dominant showing on the defensive end of the floor, as he was the best perimeter defender in the game, erasing River Valley's Dylan Johnson. Coburn is a stellar athlete that is a great role player on this Ontario team, providing strong 3&D impact, as he knocked down a catch and shoot triple in the midst of the 14-0 second quarter. Thanks to his lengthy frame and solid athleticism, Coburn is one of the better wing defenders that we've seen this season and should be recruited for that ability alone. 

Jahki Henderson (6'6 PF / River Valley / 2021): Thursday is likely a night Henderson won't want to remember, as Ontario did a terrific job limiting his touches on the interior in a rough scoring performance. However, we still want to highlight the 6-foot-6 big, as he was the best rebounder in the game, carving out space and showing strong hands as he corralled a handful of tough boards in traffic. A thickly built post with a great deal of athleticism, Henderson is still raw at this stage, however, if he can pick up his motor and add a consistent face up game, he could be one of the better power forwards in the junior class in the area thanks to his impressive frame and athletic tools. 

Kolten Kurtz (5'11 G / Ontario / 2021): The backcourt mate to Shaver, Kurtz had a great night for Ontario, adding 15 points in a strong shooting performance. Kurtz is yet another hard nosed, tough kid for the Warriors, as he gave Ontario great energy on the defensive end of the floor, which resulted in a few transition opportunities for him. On a team that has a handful of guys who can create off the bounce and get into the lane, Kurtz is a terrific catch and shoot threat who made River Valley pay for leaving him open. We look forward to seeing what this Ontario team can do for this season and beyond with so many talented non-seniors like Kurtz on the roster. 

Recent News


Order the latest 270 Hoops GEAR today!

Subscribe to 270 Hoops Mailing List!

Email Address:
Favorite High School:
First Name:
Last Name:
Subscribe