DUBLIN, Ohio -- This year's Dublin Jerome basketball team has a different feel about them. Despite a tumultuous offseason that was highlighted by uncertainty surrounding the future of head coach Richie Beard's job and a public outcry to retain him, the Celtics stayed together and have clearly grown from what was a difficult time for all.

Add in the arrival of senior Daviyon McDonald, who was aloof last season, not playing basketball for any team despite logging major minutes as a sophomore at Dublin Coffman, this Jerome team is clicking on all cylinders, as seemingly a team of misfits who love and believe in one another more than anyone else.

Early adversity came knocking quickly in a season opening loss to St. Charles that had them sitting at 0-1 despite rising expectations. However, the togetherness of this team overcame that rough start, resulting in four-straight impressive victories, the latest coming on Saturday night when the Celtics (4-1) steamrolled Bellefontaine (0-7), 68-23.

A quick 8-0 run set the tone as the Celtics scored 26 points in an opening quarter that was full of highlights for Jerome. The offensive execution was on high display, as Jerome scored 43 points in the first half and 61 through three quarters before a running clock quickly ended the final frame.

By design, the scoring was wide spread, as 11 different players logged points on Saturday. Junior Luke. Kuhlman led all scorers with 16 points, knocking down four threes. McDonald pitched in 14 points off the bench, as the 6-foot-7 senior is as unique a player as you will find coming off anybody's bench this season.

Junior guard Ryan Nutter was the third player in double figures with 10 points, while junior Lachlan MacDonald and Sasha Stavroff pitched in six points and five points, respectively. 

For Bellefontaine, junior Kaden Reames was quite literally a one man team, scoring 16 of the Chieftains' 23 points.

The guard talent, positional size, outside shooting and interior length of Jerome make this team extremely unique. With legitimately several college prospects on the roster, the Celtics have what it takes to make a deep run this year if they continue to play with the level of unselfishness they showed on Saturday.

With the feel and chemistry of this team, we feel that trend will continue. A major test arrives on Tuesday at Westerville North, another rising squad that has shown great potential this season. For any team that wants to make a statement and stake their claim among the elite, winning on the road against quality competition is the route to do just that. It will be interesting to see if Jerome can answer the bell on Tuesday in what should be the best game in the area.

Luke Kuhlman (6'4 SG / Dublin Jerome / 2023): Kuhlman is a dead eye shooter who offers great size on the wing. He can put the ball on the floor, score off the bounce and make simple reads, however, his greatest asset is his catch and shoot ability. Jerome does a great job running action for Kuhlman to get open looks on the wing, as he converts at a very high rate, which is an asset that every college program needs. Kuhlman should begin to see scholarship attention in an AAU season that should draw plenty of scouts out to his team's games. 

Ryan Nutter (6'3 PG / Dublin Jerome / 2023): Nutter has been one of the top guard prospects in the 2023 class and that has not changed as he brings incredible size, passing and versatility as a 6-foot-3 lead guard. Fortunately for Nutter, his classmates have continued to improve which has taken some pressure off his shoulders to score to help this team win. Nutter picked his spots and was very effective on Saturday, using his size to post up smaller defenders. The junior has great passing vision and an advanced feel for the game. For regional scholarship programs needing a guard with size and IQ, Nutter is someone they should begin to prioritize. 

Daviyon McDonald (6'7 dual forward / Dublin Jerome / 2022): McDonald arriving at Jerome this past summer was a welcomed addition for the Celtics. The 6-foot-7 forward was not on the Coffman roster last year and there were wonders if he would play again. Thankfully he has found a home with the Celtics and has really started to blend in and gel with his new teammates. That has allowed McDonald to really showcase his unique skill set at 6-foot-7, as he has legitimate guard skills and a versatility and impact that Jerome has never had before. McDonald has embraced his role off the bench for the Celtics, which makes this team really difficult to match up with, as you won't find any other team in the area that can bring two 6-foot-7 seniors off the bench in their second rotation. The senior knocked down two threes and had a handful of impressive scores off the bounce. There just aren't many guys who can move the way McDonald does at his size. His length and athleticism give Jerome a major defensive weapon that can rebound and push the break. McDonald would be worth a look by scholarship junior college programs that can develop talent. 

Lachlan MacDonald (6'1 hybrid guard / Dublin Jerome / 2023): MacDonald has continued to improve over the last three years and is currently playing at a high level. His skill set and impact as a 6-foot-1 hybrid guard that can both lead an offense in scoring or facilitate for others is highly impactful when you add him to the rest of this talented roster. MacDonald plays with great confidence, always makes the right play and is even more impactful on the defensive end where he makes a ton of positive plays. Jerome has a handful of scholarship prospects and we feel MacDonald is another one of them.

Sasha Stavroff (6'0 PG / Dublin Jerome / 2023): Jerome has an embarrassment of riches in the backcourt as Stavroff is another critical piece of a great 2023 class for the Celtics. The 6-foot guard is a highly skilled backcourt piece that has really embraced what Jerome is doing this season which has helped him lead the team in scoring through five games. His three point shooting ability, passing ability and overall playmaking ability fit in very well with Nutter and MacDonald in Jerome's backcourt trio, as all three guys are very good passers that set up guys like Kuhlman and McDonald up for easy looks. Stavroff is another Jerome guard that college programs should begin to look at, as he has a long basketball bloodline in his family that saw success at the next level. 

Kaden Reames (6'2 SF / Bellefontaine / 2023): Reames really stepped up for the Chieftains in an otherwise very difficult night. Scoring 16 of his team's 23 points, Reames knocked down two threes and had all but three of Bellefontaine's field goals. His 16 points were a season high and should be a sign of things to come as he showed the potential to put up solid numbers on a consistent basis.