Matt Craven's buzzer-beater lifts No. 14 Mentor past No. 23 Strongsville, 63-62.

MENTOR, Ohio -- Mentor boys basketball coach Bob Krizancic had a hunch and Matt Craven made it pay off in a win.

Craven drained a corner 3-pointer as time expired to lift host Mentor, ranked No. 14 in the cleveland.com Top 25, to a 63-62 win over No. 23 Strongsville in a Greater Cleveland Conference game.

Craven, a 6-foot-1 senior, had been limited to just two free throws before canning the clutch triple.

“Matt Craven actually is a really, really good shooter,” Krizancic said. “The funny thing is we had just substituted him for Alan Sims, so that was my only good move all night.”

For Craven it was a chance to live out the fantasy of any youngster who has ever shot a basketball at a park or in their driveway.

“I’ve always dreamed about that as a little kid. I can’t believe it happened,” Craven said of hitting the game-winner as the clock hit zero.

Strongsville probably can’t believe it lost the game. The Mustangs led by 10 in the first quarter and dominated the paint and outhustled Mentor for much of the night.

“Give that kid credit for knocking down that shot and give that team credit for playing to double zeroes,” Strongsville coach Darren Collins said.

Strongsville, which dropped to 4-3 and has lost three straight, got strong efforts from Tyler Jamison, a 6-7 center, who scored 26 points to go with seven blocked shots and displayed a silky inside touch as he dropped in an assortment of half hook shots. Jacob Yezbak scored 19 and Sean Aske chipped in with 13.

The final 40 seconds of the game were wild. Strongsville took a 61-58 lead on a lay in by Jonnie Hopkins. Mentor, on the ensuing trip down the court, saw Alan Sims miss a layup. Strongsville’s Aske missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Mentor scored on a put back by Jack Korsok to get within 61-60. Mentor fouled Yezbak, who made the first free throw to make it 62-60, but missed the second, which ultimately led to Craven’s 3-pointer.

Even in victory, Krizancic was not in a jolly mood when it came to his team’s play.

“We missed way too many layups, we didn’t play hard defensively, and we gave up a ton of cheap ones,” Krizancic said.

Sims led Mentor in scoring with 16 and also threw down a two-handed dunk in transition. Korsok added 10 and Andrew Robinson had 10.

Krizancic was leery of Strongsville because it is a senior-laden squad.

“They had all five starters back from last year and they played in this league, that’s what scared me. I knew they’d be tough,” Krizancic said.

“For 32 minutes they deserved it more than us,” Krizancic added.

The game marked the return of Mentor senior guard Andrew Valeri, who had been sideline by a foot injury. On the same day he committed to play college basketball Otterbein, he scored 11 points, including three 3-pointers. Mentor expectes to get back Kyle McIntosh — the team’s other starting guard — in the next couple of weeks. He is sidelined with an MCL strain.

“When you start your year without your two starting guards I’ll take 3-1,” Krizancic said.

Michael Fitzptrick is a freelance writer from Lorain.

Make it six straight for Laurel girls basketball, escaping with a big win against Perry on Friday, 31-24.

PERRY, Ohio – Make it six straight for Laurel girls basketball and Gators coach Tim McMahon, escaping with a big win against hist Perry on Friday, 31-24.

Defense became the name of the game early on both sides, especially for Laurel, yielding just five first half points to a physical Pirates team.

Trailing by nine at halftime, Perry coach Brindi Kandel and her girls rebounded quickly, cutting the deficit to four with another nice game from Claire Dolan. The sophomore rallied her team as much as she could with 15 points, all from beyond the perimeter.

“Brindi is a fantastic coach, I used to play against her when I was at South and she was at Riverside,” McMahon said. “Her girls are competitive and I knew they would have a good game plan.”

Their effort however fell short, as the Gators (7-1) wouldn’t let the Pirates get close to them late. No player played a bigger role for Laurel down the stretch than junior Christina Steele. Quiet on the court offensively most of the night, the fearless guard paved through the lane scoring eight of her 10 points in the last nine minutes.

“She’s just a heck of an athlete,” McMahon said. “When the legs start to go on the others, that’s usually when she comes on, she’s a second half girl for us. She’s a good guard, patient and waited to pick her spots.”

It was Steele’s second straight game with double digits in points, dropping 18 in the Gators’ last matchup against Cornerstone Christian.

Laurel also received a great game from 6-foot sophomore Peighton Taylor, adding eight points from the floor while grabbing 11 boards.

“The girls work and play defense every night,” McMahon said. “Shooting comes and goes, but you have to come with your lunch pail every day and I couldn’t be more pleased with my girls.”

Despite the loss, much could be said on the opposite side of the floor, as Kandel sees nothing but improvement from her Pirates this season.

“Compared to last year it’s still a much better start than we had,” she said. The girls did a lot of work in the off-season and to see it pay off this early in the year, I’m very happy for them because they earned it. We wanted to play the percentage game so to hold them to 31 points, we were happy with that effort. Offensively however, we did not execute well. We’re happy, but not satisfied."

Jim Berdysz is a freelance writer from Cleveland.

The Buckeyes and Wildcats play on Saturday in New York in the second game of the CBS Sports Classic at the Barclays Center.

NEW YORK -- Ohio State basketball travels to New York on Saturday to play No. 4 Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic.

Who: Ohio State Buckeyes (5-5) vs. Kentucky Wildcats (9-1)

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Where: Barclays Center (New York)

TV: CBS, with Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery on the call

Ohio State projected starters: G JaQuan Lyle (Fr., 6-5, 8.9 ppg); F Jae'Sean Tate (Soph., 6-4, 12.5 ppg); F Marc Loving (Soph., 6-7, 15.9 ppg); F Keita Bates-Diop (Soph., 6-7, 11.9 ppg); C Trevor Thompson (Soph., 6-11, 5.4 ppg)

Kentucky projected starters: G Jamal Murray (Fr., 6-4, 15.5 ppg); G Tyler Ulis (Soph., 5-9, 12.1 ppg); G Isaiah Briscoe (Fr., 6-3, 12.4 ppg); F Skal Labissiere (Fr., 6-11, 10.1 ppg); F Alex Poythress (Sr., 6-8, 9.6 ppg)

Breaking down the Buckeyes: Freshman forward Mickey Mitchell has been cleared by the NCAA, and will dress for this game ... Ohio State got back to .500 with a 67-54 win over Northern Illinois on Wednesday night ... The Buckeyes shot 39.2 percent from the floor in the win, their second lowest percentage of the season, but they also held Northern Illinois to 26.2 percent, the lowest percentage for an Ohio State opponent this season ... Sophomore forward Jae'Sean Tate had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the win, his second double-double of the season ... Junior forward Marc Loving failed to score in double figures for the first time this season, but still leads Ohio State with 15.9 points per game ... Ohio State has shot better than its opponents in nine out of 10 games this season, with the outlier being a loss to UConn last Saturday ... The Buckeyes opponents are shooting 77 percent from the free-throw line against them this season, the seventh-highest best percentage nationally ... Ohio State is tied for 17th in the country with 55 blocked shots, but has only had 16 of its shots blocked all year, the fifth-lowest total in the country ... This will be the first meeting between Ohio State and Kentucky since the Wildcats beat the Buckeyes in the 2011 NCAA Tournament to reach the Elite Eight ... Ohio State is 8-11 all-time against Kentucky ... The Buckeyes are shooting 46.1 percent from the floor this year, while opponents are shooting 38.7 percent ... Ohio State averages 71.9 points per game, while allowing 65 points per game ... The Buckeyes are ranked No. 74 in the KenPom efficiency ratings.

What Mickey Mitchell's return means for Ohio State

Breaking down the Wildcats: Kentucky is coming off a 72-58 win over Arizona State on Dec. 12 ... The Wildcats lone loss this season came at then-unranked UCLA on Dec. 3 ... Freshman guard Jamal Murray leads the team with 15.5 points per game, and has reached double figures in all but one game ... Senior forward Alex Poythress has a team-high three double-doubles this year ... Freshman forward Skal Labissiere (10.6 points and 2.1 blocks per game) is projected as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com, Murray is projected as the No. 7 pick ... Kentucky is one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the country, ranked 330 out of 351 teams at 27.6 percent ... The Wildcats are 11th in the country with 6.3 blocks per game, and 21st in the country in rebounding margin at +9.7 ... Kentucky is shooting 47.9 percent from the floor this season, while opponents are shooting 39.8 percent ... The Wildcats are scoring 79.5 points per game, and allowing 64.8 points per game ... Kentucky is ranked No. 9 in the KenPom ratings.

Bill's prediction: Kentucky 74, Ohio State 64

From the last game: Ohio State beats Northern Illinois on an ugly shooting night

* Observing Ohio State's inconsistent point guard play in a win over Northern Illinois

Check out these stories, which headlined cleveland.com's high school sports coverage for Friday, Dec. 18, 2015.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are seven high school sports stories worth another look in case you missed them:

1. Matt Craven's buzzer beating 3-pointer leads No. 14 Mentor boys basketball past No. 23 Strongsville, 63-62.

2. No. 13 Archbishop Hoban boys basketball rallies to beat No. 12 Walsh Jesuit in overtime, 78-68.

3. Berea-Midpark, Westlake among undefeated conference leaders; Seton Hall signee Deja Winters scores 49 points: Girls basketball notebook.

4. Laurel girls basketball stays hot with 31-24 win over Perry

5. Friday's boys and girls basketball roundup.

6. St. Ignatius senior Deven Stover voted top boys basketball Game Ball performer through Dec. 14.

7. Magnificat's Sara Spicer wins Game Ball girls basketball contest.

For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Browns quarterbacks and receivers have graded out well in scramble drills according to a top football analytics website.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Travis Benjamin ran the width of the field Sunday afternoon, his left arm waving above his head like a man frantically hailing a cab down East 9^th Street.

A few seconds earlier, the Browns receiver had been sprinting up the left side against Niners cornerback Kenneth Acker and preparing to break on a post pattern. But as defensive lineman Arik Armstead collapsed the pocket, Benjamin spotted Johnny Manziel starting to scramble.

The wideout went from following a precise route to returning to fifth-grade recess. With his quarterback rolling to the right, Benjamin abandoned his pattern and ran parallel along the Niners' 40-yard line -- his arm held high -- to put himself in Manziel's field of vision.

The quarterback threw the ball off his right foot, firing a rope to Benjamin just inside the right boundary for a 25-yard gain. The big gain helped set up a second-quarter field goal in the Browns' 24-10 win at FirstEnergy Stadium and extended the offense's penchant for clicking on scramble plays.    

"I don't want to say it's fun, but it gives you opportunities when the original play breaks down," Benjamin said. "When that happens I just want to find some open space and get in Johnny's sight line."

The Browns (3-10) are infamous for turmoil and breakdowns. In these chaotic instances, though, it's actually working to their benefit.  

Cleveland is among the NFL's better teams at completing scramble drills in which quarterbacks run from compromised pockets and throw to receivers who have altered their original routes.

Manziel and his troupe of pass catchers get their next chance to make it up as they go along against the rugged Seahawks, who boast one of the league's top improv acts in quarterback Russell Wilson and receiver Doug Baldwin.

"Russell and Baldwin have great chemistry," Browns cornerback Tramon Williams said. "But he's developing chemistry with all his guys.

"He's a small quarterback like Johnny who knows when to scramble. He knows how to make throws on the run and he's one of the best in the game at it."

Browns receiver Travis Benjamin starts this play at the top of the formation. He will run the width of the field as the play breaks down. NFL on Fox screen grab 

'Coaching is overrated'

In recent seasons, the Seahawks, Steelers and Packers have been among the league's best when offensive plays appear to be at their worst. How many times have Browns' fans witnessed Ben Roethlisberger shake off a blitzing safety, roll to his right and unleash a 40-yard thunderbolt to a streaking Antonio Brown?

It's the Browns, however, who have excelled in scramble drills this season, according to the analytics website ProFootballFocus.com. Injured Josh McCown leads the NFL with a 111.8 passer rating, completing 10 of 21 attempts for 193 yards and two touchdowns in such situations.

Manziel, who built his reputation at Texas A&M on these plays, sits 14^th with a 76.0 rating. He's converted 11 of 28 passes for 317 yards with two TDs and two interceptions.

The Browns are getting Manziel to throw more from the pocket, but they don't want to deny him one of his best attributes. His most memorable moment occurred in the dying minutes of the Browns' 28-14 win over the Titans in which he scrambled left and hit Benjamin on a 50-yard TD strike.

As fans celebrated the quintessential backyard play, Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo jokingly told coach Mike Pettine over the headset: "Coaching is overrated."

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) and receiver Doug Baldwin (89) are extremely good on scramble drills. The Browns must be wary of the duo on Sunday.Associated Press 

"I would like to take credit for that, but I am afraid I can't," DeFilippo said Thursday laughing at the memory of the Sept. 20 touchdown. "Johnny and those guys, they do a great job of impromptu when they are outside the pocket."

Tight end Gary Barnidge and Benjamin rank second and fourth respectively in PFF's formula for receivers in scramble drills. Each has been targeted eight times and grabbed one touchdown.    

The Browns' top pass catchers are a study in contrast. Benjamin uses his speed to arrive in open areas, while Barnidge relies on his internal GPS to find soft areas in a defense. It's as if opponents don't even see the Browns' tight end.

As Manziel grows comfortable in the offense, Barnidge believes the second-year quarterback will gain even more confidence as plays break down.

"He can make so many things happen with his legs," Barnidge said. "He is able to continue plays from four to six (to) seven seconds. That is tough for a defense to cover anyone that long."

While Manziel, Wilson and the Packers' Aaron Rodgers possess good mobility, arguably the best scramble-drill quarterback is the plodding, but oxe-strong Roethlisberger. The Steelers perennially rank among the NFL's most lethal offenses when their quarterback extends a play.

"Any receiver that's played for Ben Roethlisberger," Pettine said when asked who are the most successful wideouts in mayhem mode. "They practice it; you can tell that a lot of their routes as they break down (it's), 'OK, now the play is starting.'"

Travis Benjamin makes a 25-yard catch on a throw from a scrambling Johnny Manziel. Benjamin ran the width of the field to get in his quarterback's field of vision. NFL on Fox screen grab 

Guidelines for disorder

NFL offenses dedicate countless hours each week to precision. From running crisp routes to knowing when to deliver a pass, everything revolves around timing.

At least until an edge rusher collapses the pocket -- and with it the offensive coordinator's well-designed play. Suddenly, it becomes street ball. Run for the mailbox. Break in front of the parked car.

"It's nothing you can really practice," said Benjamin, who's caught four passes for 151 yards on scramble-drill plays, per PFF research. "It's just playing ball and not quitting on a play. It's just finishing, getting in the quarterback's vision."

Although disorganized by nature, scramble plays do involve some order.

Barnidge said receivers must have their heads on swivels to make sure they don't run to the same open areas. Pettine offered a few other general guidelines:

--- Receivers running comeback routes should continue toward the line of scrimmage as a play breaks down.

--- Receivers running deeper routes should cut across the field in the direction of the scrambling quarterback.

--- Receivers running out-breaking routes should turn up field and go deep as they near the boundary.

Coaching points aside, many big plays are fueled by intuition and athleticism. Rodgers, an 11-year pro, has thrown for 738 yards and six touchdowns when disorder reigns. Wilson has completed 25 of 54 passes for 585 yards and a 78.1 rating. He and Baldwin form a dangerous duo.

"These two guys are really instinctive, natural football players, and they get the game and it makes sense to them," Carroll said in a conference call. "When a play breaks down and it becomes a scramble situation, there is a lot of stuff to evaluate. Guys who have a good sense and good savvy really have a chance to make the most of those opportunities. Russell is great at it and so is Doug.

"Plus, it takes a receiver that is willing to give great effort. They run a whole play and then it starts all over again, and then they have to run another play as the scramble begins."

The Browns preach structure to Manziel and remind him to resist high-risk plays like the interception he threw in the middle of the field while running toward the left sideline against the Niners.

It's also important for him to remember passers can make highlights, but not a living outside the pocket on Sundays. Manziel is showing growth in this area.

Quarterback play is not the reason the Browns find themselves eliminated from another playoff race. They throw the fifth fewest interceptions (eight), and rank 11^th in passing yards per game (256) and 15^th in quarterback rating (90.9).

At least part of the success stems from the ability to create big plays from potential big trouble. Manziel and Benjamin seem to flourish in the environment.

"Trav and Johnny have the same mindset," Williams said. "Travis has always had that speed to get behind the defense and Johnny's mindset is 'I can get you the ball down the field.' I think that's how they have developed that chemistry. If the play breaks down they are looking to hit the big shot."

The Indians, after much trade talk and speculation, are probably going to keep their starting rotation this off-season instead of making a trade. Still, there's a long way to go until opening day.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here or Tweet him at @hoynsie.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think the Indians will trade one of their starting pitchers by opening day? - Mike Carter, Columbus.

Hey, Mike: I'd have to say no. I think their main goal going into the off-season was to keep the rotation intact unless someone went Godfather on them and made them an offer they couldn't refuse. I don't think the door is completely closed, but the deals with Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis will help fill two holes in the offense through free agency as opposed to a trade.

It's still a long way to opening day. A team like the Dodgers, with a need for pitching and a ton of young players, could come after one of the Tribe's starters. I'm not sure if this edict is still in force, but for much of the off-season the Indians have talked about improving the big league club for 2016. Making a deal for prospects only did not interest them.

This way they can hold onto their pitching and, depending on the circumstances in 2016, can act accordingly at the July 31^st trade deadline.

@hoynsie where do you see davis hitting in the lineup both at start of season and after Brantley returns?John Brayer Twinsburg

-- John Brayer (@JohnBrayer) December 17, 2015

Hey, John: Last year Rajai Davis made 10 starts against the Indians and hit leadoff in everyone of them. His season totals against the Tribe -- .381 (16-for-42) with 13 runs and six steals without getting caught.

I think Davis could hit leadoff for the Tribe when Jason Kipnis gets a day off against a lefty. I think he could hit second if manager Terry Francona decides to flip flop Francisco Lindor and Kipnis between leadoff and No.3 until Michael Brantley returns.

When Brantley returns, I would think Davis would fit at the bottom of the order. In his career, he's played most of his games hitting leadoff or No.9.

 http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2015/12/cleveland_indians_cut_ties_wit.html#incart_social_feature

Hey, Hoynsie: I'd think the rebuilding Yankees would love to dump A-Rod. If they'd absorb most of his salary would the Tribe be interested? - Mike Hoffman, Palm Desert, Calif.

Hey, Mike: When you buy a used car it's said you're buying someone else's problems. It's the same thing with Alex Rodriquez. My advice, stay as faraway as possible and check the prices on a new Yugo.

@hoynsie When do you expect to see Bradley Zimmer, and eventually Clint Frazier, in Cleveland? - Brendan Sala, Erie PA

-- Brendan Sala (@BrendanSala5) December 17, 2015

Hey, Brendan:I think they could keep their nose above water in the big leagues in 2016, but they're probably a good year or two away from being able to make a consistent and positive impact on the big league club.

Hey, Hoynsie: The Dolans are seeking minority investors, however, it has been reported that the possible investors want to buy majority interest in the team. The Dolans don't want to sell. Doesn't this mean that the Indians are breaking even or making money? - Richard Dudley, Spokane, Wash.

Hey, Richard: Maybe it just means that Paul Dolan likes owning the ballclub. The parking is free and you can't beat the seat location.

@hoynsie Why not bring CJ to camp since you owe him 17 mil already? Why the rush to DFA him Thanks for the updates Randy Willowick

-- Randy Smith (@RandySmith664) December 17, 2015

Hey, Randy: The Indians could still bring Chris Johnson to camp as a minor league invite if he passes through waivers and accepts an outright assignment to Class AAA Columbus.

But here's what will likely happen. He'll go through waivers unclaimed -- if a team claims him they'd take on his $17.5 million contract -- and the Indians will either release him or try to outright him to the minors. Should Johnson refuse the outright and become a free agent, the Indians are still liable for his salary. If another team signs him, they'd have to pay him only a pro-rated portion of the big league minimum, while the Tribe paid the rest of his salary.

So it makes sense for Johnson to become a free agent and seek a better opportunity with another team.   

Hey, Hoynsie: The Indians are going to focus on improving the offense, but they won't trade starting pitching, or trade top prospects, or sign expensive free agents.. Instead they sign Collin Cowgill, Joey Butler and Randy Grossman, cross their fingers and hope to get lucky. How about this? Sign Marlon Byrd, Juan Uribe, and Alejandro DeAza to one-year deals. They aren't stars, but they are solid, productive hitters and can bring veteran leadership to the clubhouse. - Denny Pinch, Arlington, Va.

Hey, Denny: You forgot Rajai Davis and Mike Napoli.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2015/12/cleveland_indians_agree_on_one.html

@hoynsie Any chance Bourn/Swisher break camp with the Braves? Those two careers can't possibly last much longer. Mike Meszaros, Lorton, Va

-- Mike Meszaros (@MeszarosMX) December 17, 2015

Hey, Mike: I think they're in the same boat as Chris Johnson. If they had stayed with the Indians, I think the chances of both being on the 2016 opening day roster were less than 50-50.

@hoynsie My estimates, w/ arb projections, have payroll at $84m. How much more do they have to work with? Tommy Pistol, San Fernando (CA)

-- Jon Koch (@jonkoch56) December 17, 2015

Hey, Jon: I think the Tribe's 2016 payroll will be between $88 million and $90 million for the 25-man roster.

@hoynsie Is there any specific time you think the Indians would eventually be in play for guys like Austin Jackson or Dexter Fowler?

-- Tom Cassity (@tom_cassity) December 17, 2015

Hey, Tom: We really haven't seen the free agent outfield market shake out with the exception of Jason Heyward. I think if a guy like Austin Jackson was still available in February or March, the Indians would take a look.

Fowler is almost assuredly out because they'd have to give up their No.1 pick in the draft to sign him.

@hoynsie Hey Hoynsie!! Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis?? Really?? How does this help?? - Dan Campanaro, North Canton

-- Dan Campanaro (@CampDogNC) December 17, 2015

Hey, Dan: Davis is going to play a lot of left field until Michael Brantley returns. He'll play some center field against lefties as well. Napoli, providing he passes his physical, gives the Indians some pop in the middle of the lineup.

They're both right-handed hitters with good numbers against lefties, who had their way with the Indians last season.

@hoynsie Mark Desimone, Bakersfield, CA. Knowing the hesitancy to deal SP, would it not make sense to pursue Soler and maybe look at Leake?

-- Mark Desimone (@MarkDe5150) December 17, 2015

Hey, Mark: The Indians have been on Jorge Soler since he left Cuba. I know they like him and realize it would take a staring pitcher to get him. I'm not sure if they'd have the cash to go get Mike Leake, but the Indians have a lot of confidence in prospects such as Mike Clevinger and Adam Plutko so perhaps they could fill the vacany from within.

I don't think this a deal like this is imminent, but it's something to keep in your back pocket.

@hoynsie Hey Hoynsie, What is Mike Napoli's career slash line against white sox left handed starters?

-- Steve Allanson (@boymeetsworld89) December 17, 2015

Hey, Steve: Don't confuse me. I can tell you Napoli is a .181 (29-for-160) lifetime hitter against the White Sox, but that's as far as I'm going. 

With the Browns facing Seattle's Russell Wilson on Sunday, we look at a few of the NFL's best QB-receiver combinations when it comes to making plays off a scramble situation.

Kellogg will serve as an in-studio analyst for Ohio State's game against Kentucky on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Clark Kellogg has a different perspective of this Ohio State basketball team. He's a former Buckeye, so that's always going to influence his view.

But he's also been at practice, and studied this team closely as an analyst for CBS Sports. Kellogg will work as in-studio analyst for Ohio State's game on Saturday against No. 4 Kentucky.

Kellogg took some time this week to talk with cleveland.com about this year's team, and the matchup with Kentucky.

Note: Kellogg's conversation with cleveland.com came before Ohio State's game against Northern Illinois.

Is it fair for fans to be frustrated with this team right now?

I'm a little bit different than the typical alum or fan, because I'm immersed in the game. I tend to try to take the positive and long term view. Frustration is too strong for me personally. I talk to other former players and they are frustrated because they want to see Ohio State represent a certain way. In games where the Buckeyes have not performed with the energy or effort, I think that's fair game for frustration, and there have only been a couple cases of that. But that's still too many when you're working with a thin margin.

There was a little bit of head hanging in the UConn game, which did frustrate former players and even me to some degree. But I quickly flip that into looking at the positive. When you look at the reality, and objectively look at it, forget about Ohio State being what they've been in the past. Look at this season and this group for who they and what they are, you have to be able to temper your expectations if you're gonna deal in reality. The reality is this team is a notch or two below based on youth and talent right now than teams in the past, so that means they're gonna have different struggles. You want to see progress, and you want to see guys continue to stay together and compete, not get blown out or embarrassed.

What then would be your message to Ohio State fans about what they should expect from this team?

This year is simply a matter of hoping and watching this team grow. The margin of error is very thin with this group, not just because of youth. You look at the makeup of the team, there's no overwhelming talent there. There are a number of good college players, and maybe one or two who could develop into pro players. But by and large this is a group that is both young and not super talented, so you look for development in the little areas -- attention to detail, containing the dribble, becoming better defensively, consistency of performance.

You want to see them not make some of the same mistakes. Sometimes you see scouting report mistakes, that's attention to detail and concentration. This Big Ten is going to be tough and this team is in transition. You have to realize that what's been typical in the past, this will be an aberration from that.

Observing the inconsistencies in Ohio State's point guard play

Is this a young team making mistakes, or is it something more?

No question, a young team against a pretty arduous schedule. You factor in the people they've played , there haven't been very many easy games. I know the Louisiana Tech and the Texas-Arlington losses are surprising to people who don't follow college basketball. But those of us that do, and you had the chance to see those teams, you know they'll be competitive in their respective leagues.

I think it's a young team that's in transition against a difficult schedule here in the nonconference.

You said the talent level isn't as high as it's been in the past, but which players are you excited about?

I like Keita Bates-Diop, I think he's got a chance with his athleticism, length and shooting stroke. I think Daniel Giddens could develop into a good, serviceable pro because he's got a good motor, he's got a good body, blocks shots, rebounds the ball.

You look at Jae'Sean Tate, he's undersized so that's a question mark, but I think he can develop into a really good college player as he continues to improve his shooting. JaQuan Lyle has been banged up a little bit, but I like his size and potential. Now work rate, consistency, health, those things have to all fall into place for him to realize his potential.

We've not seen Mickey Mitchell yet. He's a guy that I think would add some tenacity, some grit, some savvy. Even though he's a young guy, I watched practice a couple times and was really impressed with what he could bring to the table.

I would love to see Kam Williams get some confidence. He's a terrific shooter, a really good athlete. Just hasn't been able to find that level of confidence to be what I think he could be, and yet he's a redshirt sophomore, so there's still time for that to turn.

There are no surefire pros. You just don't have any of those kind of guys who you look at and say in a year or two they'll be pros. It's a little more of a question mark with guys who might have that potential with this group.

Mickey Mitchell is eligible, what it means for the Buckeyes

How would you assess how Coach Matta is handling this?

It's a challenge, having a team unlike any that he's had before. It happens when it happens. This is the way the deck was shuffled in terms of how players came into the program and left, and now you're left with a group that's really green in a year when the league is going the be really good top to bottom.

It's one of those hard things. I think back to Billy Donovan (at Florida) after his group won the back-to-back titles, they went NIT two years after that. If you stay around long enough, you'll hit an air pocket in some form or fashion. This is part of that period for the Buckeyes. They can actually be competitive and turn it around, but the margin for error is thin. This team just doesn't have the experience or the talent to overcome not doing all of the little things against a good team.

This seems like the year Ohio State would not want to be playing a schedule like this:

Sometimes you don't have control over that either. These games are scheduled two, three years out and you are what you are when you show up. If you could choose the schedule, this certainly would not be the suggested diet for a team composed as the Buckeyes are.

What's your view of this game coming up against Kentucky?

It will be a challenge. Kentucky has some size, the big guys have not been super productive. I think the strength as I've watched Kentucky is on the perimeter with Tyler Ulis, Isaiah Briscoe and Jamal Murray.

They do have size. Skal Labissierre is eventually going to find his legs, he's struggled early so far. Marcus Lee is a veteran player who's played quite a bit and has an expanded role, he's a challenge because he's so active.

Just like against UConn, Ohio State started reasonably well, but any slippage can be devastatingly costly. That's basically where they'll be with this group. I watched Kentucky play Arizona State, a close game at half, and before you know it they hit you with a 10, 12-0 run and now you're reeling. So the Buckeyes will have to be really sharp, low turnovers, not giving up transition opportunities, making those guys play in the halfcourt and you have to rebound the ball. There's a lot on the plate for Ohio State to be competitive against a team that has a lot size and a little more talent than they do.

Mount Union has won the most NCAA football championships of any school in any division since 1936. The Stagg Bowl title was their 12th since 1993.

SALEM, Virginia - There was plenty of drama, no shortage of action and some tense moments before the force finally awakened within Mount Union's football team Friday night in the Stagg Bowl.

The force, in this case, was an impetus for good and yet another episode in college football history.

Mount Union won its 12^th national championship by overcoming two deficits and holding on to defeat St. Thomas, 49-35, in the Division III national championship game at chilly Salem Stadium.

The Purple Raiders (15-0) won their first title in three tries for coach Vince Kehres. His father Larry won the first 11, the last against St. Thomas in 2012.

"This means a lot,'' Vince Kehres said. "I had a great mentor, a lot of great mentors, and a lot of great coaches and players who contributed to this.''

Mount Union has won the most NCAA football championships of any school in any division since 1936. 

For two decades, Mount Union made winning national championships look easy. It never was, of course, as losses in the 2013 and 2014 Stagg Bowls reminded the purple people.

St. Thomas (14-1) served notice this title wasn't going to be moon dance, either. The Tommies staked a 14-0 lead and led again, 21-14.

"Keeping our poise has been real big for us this year,'' Kehres said. "Our guys knew they were very much in the game.''

That especially was true on defense, where lineman Tom Lally, linebacker Jonathan Gonnell and safety Alex Kocheff played their record 60th career games.

"We've come a long way, man,'' Lally said. "We were just small, wide-eyed freshman trying to make plays on a national championship team that was stacked (in 2012). Now, it feels good to be seniors and going out with a national championship.''

Mount Union tailback Logan Nemeth concluded his stellar playoff run with his third straight 200-yard, two-touchdown game and he finished just shy of 1,000 yards for the postseason. He had 30 carries for 220 yards.

He and quarterback Taurice Scott were the unsurprising stars for Mount Union. Scott passed for 201 yards and three TDs and ran for another score. He did not commit a turnover and was named the game's MVP.

Scott became the first Mount Union quarterback to win a national championship as a senior, first-year starter at the position. He played wide receiver last year.

"My whole view of this season was to do it for my guys. Give it all for all for my team. I feel like I did that,'' Scott said."

Receiver Roman Namdar caught five passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Lane Clark was an unexpected difference-maker with two catches -- both TDs. 

Mount Union found its footing and was on a 35-7 run late in the third quarter while UST appeared to be fading. But UST quarterback John Gould recovered a teammate's fumble and sprinted 56 yards for a touchdown.

The play sliced Mount Union's lead to 35-28.

Nemeth scored on runs of 2 and 36 yards for a 49-28 lead.

St. Thomas running back Jordan Roberts' touchdown with 6:23 left cut the lead to 49-35. St. Thomas recovered an onside kick, but UMU freshman cornerback Louis Berry's interception thwarted any thoughts of a comeback. 

Thomas, who leads the nation in TDs, got off to a quick start and ran for 101 yards by halftime, but had just 36 yards in the second half as Mount Union continued to stack the line of scrimmage.

"We liked our matchups man-to-man with a deep safety and put eight in the box or seven in the box,'' Gonnell said. "It worked out. That's the best offense we've played all year.''

With Washington Redskins wideout Pierre Garcon on the sideline for his first Mount Union game since he played for the Purple Raiders in 2007, the Purple Raiders struggled early and did not score until the middle of the second quarter.

12 times National Champs #GoMountGo

A photo posted by Pierre Garcon (@pierregarcon) on Dec 18, 2015 at 7:36pm PST

Two calls - one by officials and one by Mount Union coaches -- were critical to St. Thomas taking a 14-0 lead.

Officials initially ruled St. Thomas wideout Charlie Dowdle bobbled a 24-yard catch as he ran out of the end zone, but the call was overturned on review and ruled a touchdown. Replays showed Dowdle pinned the ball on his shoulder pad as he stepped out of bounds. St. Thomas led, 7-0.

Mount Union coaches called a fake punt from their 36 on fourth-and-7. The heavy wind in the Purple Raiders' face likely was a factor in the decision. Punter Adam Snyder lost two yards on a direct snap.

St. Thomas capitalized on the short field and Roberts pounded across the goal line from the 1 for a 14-0 lead.

Mount Union recovered, and scored on consecutive second-quarter drives for a 14-14 tie.

An 82-yard drive where everything worked got the Purple Raiders back on track. After a couple short passes by Scott, Nemeth snapped off a 40-yard run. He broke two tackles and followed the block of wideout Roman Namdar to the 10. Scott threw a 7-yard, play-action touchdown pass on third down to Clark, who was wide open at the 5. 

A defensive stop and a 22-yard punt into the harsh wind set up Mount Union near midfield. Namdar ran a skinny post up the left sideline for a 29-yard TD and a tie game with 5:18 left in the second quarter. It was a Division III-leading 20^th TD catch for the senior from Southlake, Texas.

The game turned on the first turnover during a 21-21 tie in the third. Gonnell forced a fumble and defensive back Jonathan Stewart recovered. 

Bradley Mitchell's 6-yard touchdown catch from Scott gave Mount Union its first lead, 28-21.

Scott's 18-yard TD run soon followed for a 35-21 lead.

Attendance was 5,343.

Here are the eight players selected for Game Balls based on their performances during the last week.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are the eight players selected for Game Balls based on their performances during the last week.

Read the descriptions below and vote in the poll to the right. Voting is open until Friday afternoon.

Here are the candidates:

A.J. Gareri, Ellet: After the Orangemen suffered their first loss, an upset to Kenmore, the 6-foot-9 Gareri responded with 45 points in a 91-83 overtime win against Firestone. The performance set a single-game school scoring record.

Connor Fitzgerald, Lake Catholic: Now in the Top 25, Lake Catholic got there with a 49-33 win against previously ranked Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin. Fitzgerald spurred the win Friday with 15 points, including 3-pointers, plus five rebounds, four assists and two steals. A day later, he notched 28 points with six 3s, 10 steals, five rebounds and four assists.

Jaylen Harris, Cleveland Heights: The junior forward scored 18 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added three steals in a 62-59 win Saturday against Central Catholic at the Hoops With a Heart Classic at Walsh University. The win was a vital one for the Tigers, who made it two in a row since an 0-4 start.

Josh Hufstetler, North Olmsted: A junior guard, Hufstetler fell one rebound shy of a triple-double Friday during the Eagles’ 92-82 win against Amherst. Hufstetler’s line was 16 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists.

Markell Johnson, East Tech: OK, he can be on this list every week – and very well might be. There’s a reason Johnson, a 6-foot-1 junior point guard receiving a slew of Division I college interest, is a viable Mr. Basketball candidate for the state. Against Columbus Northland during Saturday’s LeBron James Classic in Akron, Johnson scored 41 points. He played the fourth quarter with four fouls, did not foul out and, of course, was the one to hit a tying 3-pointer late during a furious Scarabs rally. They lost 59-57 on a layup at the buzzer by Northland’s Seth Towns.

Michael Quiring, Brunswick: The senior guard’s game Sunday vs. Kennedy Catholic was a microcosm of the game itself for Brunswick. The Blue Devils looked up to the scoreboard after the first quarter to see a goose egg. For most of the game, Quiring shot 0-of-6. However, that changed with his last-second jumper to seal a 47-46 win against the small school from Pennsylvania at the LeBron James Classic. In a funk? Remember Quiring, and the confidence coach Joe Mackey still had in him.

Paris Villanueva, North Olmsted: A senior guard, Villanueva is averaging 25.3 points in his last three games. The Eagles carried a 7-0 record into the week after Villanueva scored 26 points Friday on 9-of-13 shooting against Amherst. That came after he scored 22 on 10-of-13 shooting Tuesday at North Ridgeville.

Jon Williams, St. Vincent-St. Mary: While teammates Henry Baddley (24 points Saturday) and Jayvon Graves (16 points Sunday) received MVP awards and Nike LeBron XIII shoes for their performances at the LeBron James Classic, we’ll go with the point guard who made the show run so smoothly. Williams had 10 points and four assists against Uniontown Lake, then added nine points and six assists Sunday vs. Chicago’s Whitney Young. Coach Dru Joyce called Sunday’s 74-47 win his team’s best performance, and it starts with the point guard.

For more high school sports news, like NEOvarsity on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

Seattle converted on 9 of 12 third downs, which kept the Cleveland defense on the field and the offense on the sideline. Watch video

SEATTLE, Wash. - The Browns saw their defense struggle again in Sunday's 30-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle converted on 9 of 12 third downs, which kept the Cleveland defense on the field and the offense on the sideline. Aside from giving up big plays on third down, the Browns' tackling was subpar once again.

In the video above, which was shot after the game, cleveland.com Browns reporters Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed talk about the Tweet below, and why the defense doesn't appear to be improving.

What was your take on the defense? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The worst display of tackling I've ever seen!!! #CLEvsSEA [?]

-- Pumpkinhead (@PumpkinNation) December 20, 2015

It doesn't matter if you expand, reduce or modify his role, the 24-hour Delly is always open for business.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - It doesn't matter if you expand, reduce or modify his role, the Cavaliers' 24-hour Delly is always open for business.

Matthew Dellavedova never closes up shop.

He continues to hone his skills and watch countless hours of game footage to prepare himself for the ever-changing 82-game season. It's that attention to detail and drive that has allowed him to blossom.

"You should always be ready," Dellavedova said. "You don't know when you're going to get called in, especially in my first year. I think that's helped me out. You've just got to be ready to play."

On Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers, it was all about Kyrie Irving making his season debut after returning from knee surgery. The three-time All-Star returned to his rightful spot in the starting backcourt. Dellavedova, after starting the last six games, was moved to his more conventional role with the second unit.

It was Irving's day, but Dellavedova's game.

His hours of operation didn't change. He remained open for business. The third-year guard stole the show by hitting 3-pointers to suck the life out of the Sixers.

When LeBron James found him open cross-court, you knew the end result was the ball drifting through the bottom of the net. That's how much confidence Dellavedova is playing with. After 23 minutes, Dellavedova ended the game with 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting, including 4-for-6 from deep, to pair with two steals and two blocks. Cleveland hammered Philadelphia 108-86.

Adjust his assignment and he'll find a way to produce.

"I think that's one of the first things I learned in the NBA my first year is you have to be ready for anything," he said. "Your opportunity could come at any time, so you have to be ready."

The cards were stacked against Dellavedova to start the year. Mo Williams was penciled in as the backup point guard once Irving returned. The Williams addition last offseason in free agency was considered an upgrade at the backup position.

But Dellavedova has arguably been the Cavaliers' second-most consistent player so far. He's shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc, the fourth-highest percentage in the league. The third-year guard is also fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.49; and averaging 5.4 assists, second among non-starters.

His production eventually prompted Cavs coach David Blatt to put Dellavedova in with the starters, moving Williams to the bench. That's how much he improved over the summer.

"I was constantly working on every aspect of my game," he said. "I wanted to come back a better player than I was before. I stayed in the gym."

"No days off" is his approach.

As long as he's physically capable of running up and down the court, the opposition is going to have its hands full. In past years, Dellavedova would pester his opponent on defense and that was the extent of his contribution. Now, he's causing havoc on the other end too.

Twenty-four-hour delis are common in New York, but Cleveland has its own version and it's just as good.

"He's been unbelievable for us," Cavs big man Tristan Thompson said. "You see how hard he works and you're just happy to be playing with a guy who loves the game like that. He's constantly going. He's never going to stop."

Manziel is showing measured improvement. Too bad it's taken him this long and given the Browns limited time to make a decision on his future.

SEATTLE, Washington - In one of the NFL's most hostile road environments, Johnny Manziel looked nothing like the unprepared quarterback who made his first start in the 14^th game a year ago.

He led an impressive first drive for a touchdown against the imposing Seahawks' defense. He remained composed in the face of relentless pressure with referees and Cam Erving tumbling at his feet. He never appeared overwhelmed against an opponent bidding for a third straight trip to the Super Bowl.

And, he also lost by 17 points, the outcome never in doubt after the first play of the fourth quarter. The final score said plenty about the Seahawks' quality and the lack of it surrounding Manziel on the Browns.

Don't be surprised if the final two games against the Chiefs and Steelers - both fighting for wild-card berths - play out in similar fashion. Manziel could continue to progress with little on the scoreboard to show for it.

It makes for a difficult decision for Browns' talent evaluators, whose catalog of busts since 1999 rivals Victoria's Secret. Do they stick with Manziel or draft the best available quarterback?

Manziel continues to win over critics

The organization has a few months before confronting that choice and we're not even sure who will be running the operation by then. But here is what's becoming apparent: Manziel's wasted rookie season is looming larger by the week.

Imagine how far ahead the Browns would be on the evaluation curve had No. 2 just dealt with the typical struggles of a first-year quarterback adjusting to life in the NFL.

Left tackle Joe Thomas reminded everyone Monday of the ground Manziel needed to make up from a year of partying and buying into the "Johnny Football" hype.  

"What I've noticed is his sense of urgency this entire season,'' Thomas said in a conference call. "I think he understood that his rookie year was so abysmal and the level of commitment he showed in his rookie year was insufficient for an NFL quarterback . . .

"I think what we are seeing out on the field is the fruits of the hard work he has been putting in, the dedication that we have seen with him in the film room and meetings. I think it is natural when you spend that extra effort you are going to see those results on the field and that is what we are seeing from Johnny."

While praising Manziel - and make no mistake that's what Thomas was doing - he also illustrated the hole the quarterback dug for the organization, especially with potential major change coming within two weeks.

If Manziel's issues were limited to reading defenses and transitioning from a college spread offense the Browns would have a much better gauge on his talents and future.

Given his petulance, poor performance and 10-week stint in rehab the franchise had no choice but to sign bridge quarterback Josh McCown.

Manziel supporters can criticize coach Mike Pettine all they want, but the kid wasn't ready in 2014. After committing to McCown in the offseason, Pettine also was right to stick with the veteran even after Manziel beat the Titans in Week 2.

The quarterback had not earned the team's trust, which he further violated with the subsequent domestic incident and party videos. This isn't FanDuel or DraftKings. There are accountability issues to consider. Everyone in the locker room is watching. If McCown hadn't been battered into submission, Manziel might still be tethered to the sideline.

To his credit, he's made the most of is latest opportunity even as his two wins have come against the Titans (3-11) and Niners (4-10).

If Manziel had demonstrated a hint of promise and professionalism a year ago, the coaching staff might have rolled with him after the Tennessee victory. They were willing to give him the job last month but his weekend escapades in Austin, Texas and the dishonesty in fessing up to them cost him two more valuable starts.

The good news is he's beginning to play like a first-round pick. The bad news is he's doing it with an offense that not only lacks talent, but has lost key pieces due to injury. The Browns are missing their starting guards and two veteran receivers. Manziel is being victimized by dropped passes and protection breakdowns.

He's starting to win over critics and truly demonstrating he's an NFL quarterback. If his on-field performance had not improved, his wash-out first year might be easier to accept because the Browns would know they must move on. Now, they are juggling lots of variables -- including his lifestyle concerns -- with little evaluation time remaining.

Is his future in Cleveland? That's to be determined.

If not for an "abysmal" rookie season we might already have the answer.

Vote for which girls basketball player had the best performance.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are five girls basketball players up for Game Balls based on their performances during the last week.

Read the descriptions of the performances below and vote in the poll to the right. Voting is open until noon Friday.

Here are the candidates:

Jayla Hall, Amherst

Last week: The junior forward finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and seven steals in a 55-53 win against Avon. Then ended the week with 18 points and six rebounds to lift the team to a 54-52 win against Westlake.

Alison Schafer, Columbia

Last week: The senior point guard scored 54 points, went 11-11 from the free throw line, grabbed 10 rebounds, picked up six steals and was 18-40 (45%) from the field in wins against Clearview (53-23) and Lake Ridge Academy (58-33).

Marlee Profitt, Highland

Last week: The senior post finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and three steals to help lift Brunswick to a 51-26 win. Then on Saturday, ended the night with 25 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in a 51-24 victory against Tallmadge.

Jade DuVal, Western Reserve Academy

Last week: The sophomore guard/forward played three quarters and finished with 11 points, a steal, an assist and a block in a 40-15 win against Our Lady of the Elms. Then in Friday's 52-38 win against Hawken, DuVal finished a double-double with 11 points (including a 3-pointer), 13 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and three blocks.

Abbe Esterak, Woodridge

Last week: The senior point guard has helped lead Woodridge to a three game win streak with the last two victories against the following: 51-45 against Coventry with 17 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals and in three quarters of play finished with 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, four steals in a 77-28 win against Akron Garfield. The all-time leader in free throws at Woodridge scored her 400th.

Follow girls basketball all season

Bookmark the girls basketball webpage at cleveland.com to see every post and video pertaining to the sport.

Follow our high school sports Twitter account @neovarsity and tag your high school sports tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

Missed something or have a story idea you would like to submit for consideration? Please leave them in the comments section below.

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Joe Thomas and Gary Barnidge echoed the sentiments of Johnny Manziel and Donte Whitner, who both have said they want Jimmy Haslam to keep Mike Pettine.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns' two best offensive players, left tackle Joe Thomas and tight end Gary Barnidge, have joined the "keep Mike Pettine'' carol reverberating through the roster.

Johnny Manziel cast his vote for continuity after Sunday's 30-13 loss to the Seahawks, and Donte Whitner started the drumbeat before the victory over San Francisco.

Thomas and Barnidge, both playing at a Pro Bowl clip this year, both chimed in on conference calls Monday to reflect on Sunday's 30-13 loss to the Seahawks, which dropped the Browns to 3-11. It was their eights loss in nine games, and the 16th for coach Mike Pettine in his last 19 games.

"I guess I don't want to really think about it or talk about it much,'' said Thomas, who's already played for an astonishing five head coaches in his nine seasons. "But I will say that any time you make a change in an organization on the coaching staff or you make a change in the organization, there is a one step back that you have to take and that's just a part of making a change.''

Thomas, who was almost traded to Denver before the deadline in Nov. 3, has been through it so many times, that he knows the drill.

"You're going to get a lot of new players, you're going to get, obviously, new coaches, new people in the building and it does take time to teach people the new philosophy, the new procedures, the new schemes,'' he said. "There's a level of proficiency that you can get in a year to be ok, but it really takes a few years in a scheme before you can get really good at something."

Related: Johnny Manziel calls for the Browns to keep the coaching staff and players intact

Thomas said he hasn't voiced his feeling to Browns owner Jimmy Haslam.

"I'm happy to give a lot of input  -- or to just be the left tackle,'' he said. "Not in my job description to discuss changes or anything like that, but if somebody asked me my opinion on things, I'll be happy to give it to him."

Barnidge, who tied Ozzie Newsome's record with his ninth TD catch for a Browns tight end in a season, echoed Thomas' sentiments that the status quo is the way to go.

"We've shown what we can do on offense,'' said Barnidge, the most pleasant surprise of the 2015 season. "We know what we can do. We've shown we can put up points against people. We can put up numbers and all of that kind of stuff. We just have to get rid of the miscues we have, and everything will be alright."

Thomas pointed to the offensive strides the Browns have begun to make, including 230 yards rushing against the 49er and almost 100 against the Seahawks.

 "We're starting to kind of figure out what we do well and how personnel-wise we fit in with Coach (John DeFilippo's) schemes,'' said Thomas. "You're seeing that good, steady progress. We easily could've had over 100 yards rushing yesterday (94), had the game been a little bit closer in the fourth quarter to just get one more carry.''

He said the offense, which lost offensive line coach Andy Moeller early on in the season after his argument with his fiancee, is starting to find its way.

"You're starting to see improvement in protection schematically, where we need to go, how Johnny (Manziel) understands the fits,'' said Thomas. "So, it's a long process, it's something that takes time, but I'm optimistic about the improvement that we've been making and hoping that these last two games here, that we're able to show even more improvement."

Pettine acknowledged that the loss to Seattle was "another feeling of disappointment in a season of too many for our team and for our fans'' and "it was apparent after watching the tape that our level of play just wasn't good enough.''

He added, "the effort, the energy is there, but just the level of consistency that's required to win is not.''

But he's proud of the fact his team hasn't quit on him.

"The positive is I like our team's attitude, I like our fight,'' he said. "The players are still very much focused and intent on finding a way to finish the season the right way. I see that in how they practice. I see that in how they prepare and I see that during games. I see the emotion and the passion that you want to see in your team and we're going to be that way for the next two games.''

He knows that won't get any easier against two 9-5 teams gunning for the playoffs. The Browns head to Kansas City Sunday to play a red-hot Chiefs team that has won eight straight games, and then come home to close out the year against the Steelers, who have won three straight to improve to 9-5.

By the time it's all said and done, they could be 3-13, their worst record since 2000 -- the second season for the expansion Browns.

Avon three-star offensive lineman Sam Gerak has committed to Northwestern.

AVON, Ohio — Avon three-star offensive lineman Sam Gerak has verbally committed to play football at Northwestern.

Gerak announced his decision via Twitter on Monday after informing coach Pat Fitzgerald by phone earlier in the day.

Rated the No. 21 overall prospect in Ohio in the class of 2017 and the No. 2 center by 247sports.com, Gerak held more than eight offers from schools including Iowa State, Illinois, Rutgers and Syracuse.

A Division II second-team All-Ohioan as a junior, the 6-foot-3, 285-pound Gerak anchored a line that blocked for a 2,300-yard passer and a 1,300-yard rusher in 2015.

In the classroom, Gerak carries a 4.3 grade point average and plans to major in pre-med at Northwestern.

Avon coach Mike Elder said Gerak ranks among the best linemen he has coached in his 23-year career.

“He’s smart enough to know every position,” Elder said. “If we could have five of him, that’d be great.”

Gerak has aspirations of becoming an orthopedic surgeon, inspired by his encounters with doctors after shoulder surgery his freshman year.

“I’ve been fixated on becoming a surgeon ever since then,” Gerak said. “And
Northwestern is definitely the place that can make that a reality.”

After much consideration, I have committed to Northwestern University to further my academic and athletic careers! pic.twitter.com/1X8uL8KpfU

— Sam Gerak (@GerakSam) December 22, 2015

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Joe Noga on Twitter (@JoeNogaCLE), by email (jnoga@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

See basketball, bowling and gymnastics highlights from Dec. 21, 2015.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are high school sports highlights from Monday. See below for information on how you team’s accomplishments can be recognized in these daily roundups.

Boys basketball

Maple Heights 85, Manchester 59: Fonse Hale’s 21 points led the Mustangs to their fourth win. Tyree Harris added 14 for Maple.

Girls basketball

No. 3 Mentor 62, No. 12 Stow 53 OT: Teagan Ochaya’s 16 points led four Cardinals scoring in double figures as Mentor improved its record to 9-1. The Cardinals outscored Stow 9-0 in overtime to get the win. Freshman Lizzie Stefanov scored a game-high 19 points for the Bulldogs.

No. 9 Westlake 47, Elyria 27: Shayla Middlebrooks scored a game-high 17 points for the Pioneers, but Monica Fury led the Demons with 14 and Rebecca Essig chipped in nine as Westlake improved its record to 11-1.

Cornerstone Christian 54, Fairview 32: Geneive Berry scored 14 points and Grace Marino added 12 in a 22-point win. Cate Schmiedl led Fairview with 15.

Akron North 48, Springfield 35: North was lead by Tia Balknight with 17 points and Taya Balknight with 10. Springfield was lead by Allie Rodenbucher with 18 points. Forward Jenessa Foreman of Springfield grabbed 11 rebounds.

Lutheran West 46, Beaumont 38: Sarah Ragland scored 15 points to lead the Longhorns. Josie Zucca’s 14 points paced the Blue Streaks.

Brush 36, Chagrin Falls 30: Arielle DeBase scored a game-high 23 points as the Arcs improved their record to 4-3.

Chardon 69, Bedford 68: Beth Furlich scored 21 points and Josie Cremeans added 17 for the Hilltoppers, who held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Bearcats. Tayler Stevens led Bedford with a game-high 25 points while Delesha Jackson added 19.

Cuyahoga Falls 43, Ellet 34: Bailee Brooks scored 16 points and Brooke Crawford added 10 for the Black Tigers. Reagan White scored a game-high 17 for the Orangemen.

Woodbridge 57, Southeast 53: Mason Lydic’s 15 points led the Bulldogs to their sixth win.

Girls swimming

Valley Forge 132, Bedford 39: Mira Lehmann won the 200 freestyle and the 100 backstroke for the Patriots.

Boys swimming

Valley Forge 79, Bedford 65: Jimmy Ludwig won the 100 freestyle and swam a leg of the winning 400 freestyle relay for Valley Forge.

How your team can be included in these roundups

These roundups are based on box scores and game notes entered in cleveland.com’s database by school or team representatives. If your team is not participating in the box score program please contact your athletic director or coach and encourage them to do so. They can obtain instructions and database login information from High School Sports Manager Kristen Davis at kdavis@cleveland.com.

Ohio high school girls basketball statewide scores for Dec. 21, 2015.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Here are Ohio high school girls basketball statewide scores for Monday, December 21, 2015.

Akr. North 48, Akr. Springfield 35

Albany Alexander 44, Athens 24

Ansonia 60, Tipp City Bethel 47

Archbold 65, Sylvania Southview 27

Ashland Crestview 61, Ontario 49

Attica Seneca E. 78, Milan Edison 63

Batavia Amelia 50, Blanchester 41

Bellaire 57, Cadiz Harrison Cent. 56

Bellbrook 37, Beavercreek 35

Bellefontaine 53, Lewistown Indian Lake 39

Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 53, Lewistown Indian Lake 39

Belpre 72, Wahama, W.Va. 14

Berlin Center Western Reserve 62, Wellsville 38

Berlin Hiland 55, Carrollton 52

Bloom-Carroll 61, Cols. Franklin Hts. 21

Bradford 38, W. Alexandria Twin Valley S. 35

Caldwell 45, Sarahsville Shenandoah 5

Cambridge 46, Byesville Meadowbrook 42

Camden Preble Shawnee 54, Day. Dunbar 14

Centerville 61, Day. Chaminade Julienne 37

Chardon 69, Bedford 68

Chillicothe 71, Cols. Hamilton Twp. 39

Circleville 62, Williamsport Westfall 45

Circleville Logan Elm 45, Chillicothe Zane Trace 34

Clyde 65, Norwalk 51

Cols. Bexley 50, Johnstown Northridge 40

Cols. Eastmoor 51, Pickerington N. 45

Cornerstone Christian 54, Fairview 32

Crown City S. Gallia 44, Corning Miller 26

Cuyahoga Falls 43, Akr. Ellet 34

Day. Miami Valley 68, Cin. Shroder 31

Day. Thurgood Marshall 54, Clayton Northmont 45

Delaware Christian 52, Cin. DePaul Cristo Rey 10

Delphos St. John's 48, Van Wert 30

Dublin Coffman 62, Ashville Teays Valley 54

Franklin Middletown Christian 52, Day. Christian 35

Ft. Recovery 63, Greenville 33

Girard 50, Niles McKinley 45

Goshen 51, Bethel-Tate 39

Ironton Rock Hill 72, Willow Wood Symmes Valley 65, 2OT

Johnstown-Monroe 52, Cols. Mifflin 31

Kings Mills Kings 62, Cin. NW 43

Leavittsburg LaBrae 65, Jefferson Area 53

Lees Creek E. Clinton 41, Frankfort Adena 33

Liberty Center 57, Monclova Christian 32

Lucasville Valley 55, Portsmouth Clay 35

Lynchburg-Clay 89, Bainbridge Paint Valley 22

Lyndhurst Brush 36, Chagrin Falls 30

Magnolia, W.Va. 61, Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 54

Malvern 59, Louisville Aquinas 42

Mansfield Christian 51, Plymouth 43

McArthur Vinton County 53, Bidwell River Valley 26

Medina 36, Richfield Revere 33

Mentor 62, Stow-Munroe Falls 53

Metamora Evergreen 59, Oregon Stritch 41

Milford 68, Batavia 24

N. Can. Hoover 60, Elyria Cath. 54, OT

Nelsonville-York 62, Glouster Trimble 37

New Paris National Trail 43, Union City Mississinawa Valley 30

New Richmond 35, Georgetown 32

Newton Local 70, New Lebanon Dixie 35

Notre Dame Academy 54, Fremont Ross 38

Oak Hill 58, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 45

Oregon Clay 47, Tol. St. Ursula 23

Ottoville 65, Haviland Wayne Trace 42

Peebles 73, W. Union 37

Pitsburg Franklin-Monroe 57, Lewisburg Tri-County N. 39

Pomeroy Meigs 48, Wellston 30

Portsmouth Notre Dame 53, Portsmouth 23

Racine Southern 65, Stewart Federal Hocking 25

Rittman 38, Wellington 16

Rocky River Lutheran W. 46, Cle. Hts. Beaumont 38

S. Charleston SE 54, Fayetteville-Perry 39

Sardinia Eastern Brown 46, Portsmouth W. 32

Sidney 62, New Carlisle Tecumseh 47

Sidney Fairlawn 56, Mechanicsburg 47

Southeastern 52, Jackson 35

Springfield 37, Spring. Greenon 32

Swanton 46, Pemberville Eastwood 32

Tipp City Tippecanoe 54, Day. Carroll 41

Tol. Cent. Cath. 67, Lima Sr. 64

Tol. Scott 40, Fostoria 28

Tol. Whitmer 58, Findlay 40

Tree of Life 39, Millersport 24

Troy Christian 51, Yellow Springs 31

Versailles 57, Arcanum 47

W. Chester Lakota W. 59, Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 52

W. Lafayette Ridgewood 53, Dover 43

Wapakoneta 35, St. Henry 22

Warren Harding 76, Farrell, Pa. 50

Waterford 48, Reedsville Eastern 30

Weir, W.Va. 50, Toronto 43

Westlake 47, Elyria 27

Windham 61, Southington Chalker 42

Wintersville Indian Creek 46, Richmond Edison 24

Worthington Christian 60, Utica 49

Zanesville 43, Hilliard Bradley 37

Seaford, Del. 63, Hicksville 48

Hamilton 67, Harrison 24

E. Central, Ind. 63, Seton 27

Hamler Patrick Henry 48, Holgate 46

Napoleon 40, Wauseon 33

Latham Western 58, Beaver Eastern 47

Piketon 44, Waverly 42

Ohio high school boys basketball statewide scores for Dec. 21, 2015.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Here are Ohio high school boys basketball statewide scores for Monday, December 21, 2015.

Batavia 54, Cin. Mariemont 50

Beverly Ft. Frye 63, Linsly, W.Va. 39

Brookville 61, Carlisle 53

Canal Winchester Harvest Prep 65, Day. Jefferson 40

Centerburg 56, Heath 41

Cin. Indian Hill 55, Norwood 38

Cin. Summit Country Day 63, Cin. Winton Woods 44

Cle. Collinwood 62, Wickliffe 53

Cols. St. Charles 63, Cols. West 30

Cols. Wellington 73, Groveport Madison Christian 37

Day. Christian 50, Franklin Middletown Christian 37

Day. Dunbar 65, Richmond, Ind. 50

Eastside, Ind. 49, Edgerton 34

Elmore Woodmore 55, Kansas Lakota 45

Gorham Fayette 48, Paulding 36

Middletown 83, Day. Belmont 61

Milford 63, Cin. Hills Christian Academy 56

Minster 69, Sidney Lehman 44

Mt. Gilead 72, Danville 50

N. Robinson Col. Crawford 51, Mansfield Christian 41

Newark Cath. 60, Hebron Lakewood 50

Paden City, W.Va. 62, Hannibal River 47

Peninsula Woodridge 57, Ravenna SE 53

Pickerington N. 82, Cols. Centennial 59

Spring. NE 61, St. Paris Graham 57

Tol. Start 82, Tol. Maumee Valley 50

Upper Sandusky 80, Sycamore Mohawk 42

Van Wert Lincolnview 54, Kalida 47

Xenia 56, Day. Meadowdale 50

Cin. Aiken 62, Bardstown, Ky. 55

Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 72, Rose Hill Christian, Ky. 45

Cols. Africentric 57, Portsmouth 50

Ironton 57, Cols. Independence 45

Saint Joseph Central, W.Va. 63, Ironton St. Joseph 48

Maple Hts. 85, Akr. Manchester 59

Mansfield Madison 60, Massillon Washington 56

Massillon Tuslaw 65, Massillon Perry 53

Ohio State basketball hosts Mercer on Tuesday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State basketball team hosts Mercer on Tuesday night.

Who: Mercer Bears (9-2) at Ohio State Buckeyes (6-5)

When: Tuesday, 9 p.m.

Where: Value City Arena

TV: ESPNU, with Jim Barbar and Craig Robinson on the call

Mercer projected starters: G Phillip Leonard (Sr., 6-2, 9.9 ppg); G Jestin Lewis (Sr., 6-1, 12.6 ppg); G Demetre Rivers (Soph., 6-8. 9.5 ppg); F Stephon Jelks (Soph. 6-6, 12 ppg); F Desmond Ringer (Soph., 6-9, 6.5 ppg)

Ohio State projected starters: G JaQuan Lyle (Fr., 6-5, 9.1 ppg); F Jae'Sean Tate (Soph., 6-4, 11.9 ppg); F Marc Loving (Jr., 6-7, 15.5 ppg); F Keita Bates-Diop (Soph., 6-7, 12.1 ppg); C Trevor Thompson (Soph., 6-11, 5.8 ppg)

Breaking down the Bears: Mercer is coming off a 69-66 overtime win over Arkansas on Saturday ... Senior guard Jestin Lewis scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win over the Razorbacks, and is the Bears leading scorer with 12.6 points per game this season ... Sophomore forward Stephon Jelks had 20 points and 15 rebounds in the win over Arkansas, his fifth double-double of the season ... The win was Mercer's 10th win over a high-major program in the last eight seasons ... Mercer is 1-2 on the road this season, but has the 11th most road wins in the country since 2011-12 with 36 ... The Bears shoot 45.5 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from 3-point range and 71.5 percent from the free throw line ... Mercer is tied for 10th in the country in rebounding margin at +10 ... The Bears are scoring 73.3 points per game, while allowing 62.4 points per game, which is ranked 27th in the country ... Mercer is ranked No. 136 in the KenPom efficiency ratings.

Breaking down the Buckeyes: Ohio State is coming off a 74-67 win over then-No. 4 Kentucky on Saturday in New York ... The Buckeyes have shot better than their opponents in 10 of their 11 games this season ... The win over Kentucky was just second win for the Buckeyes as an unranked team over a top 5 opponent under Thad Matta ... Junior forward Marc Loving leads the Buckeyes and is 11th in the Big Ten with 15.5 points per game ... Ohio State shot a season-high 50 percent from 3-point range in the win over Kentucky ... The Buckeyes also held Kentucky to a 39.7 percent mark from the field, which was the seventh time Ohio State held an opponent under 40 percent for a game ... Ohio State is 46th in the country in field goal percentage defense at 38.8 percent ... The Buckeyes shoot 45.6 percent from the field, 35.5 percent from 3-point range and 65.6 percent from the foul line ... Ohio State scores 72.1 points per game and allows 65.2 points per game ... Ohio State is 1-0 all-time against Mercer with the win coming in 2004 ... The Buckeyes are ranked No. 56 in the KenPom ratings.

Bill's prediction: Ohio State 68, Mercer 60

From the last game: Ohio State upsets No. 4 Kentucky in New York

* The Buckeyes finally created their own luck in win over Wildcats

* Ohio State's big men played well against Kentucky's NBA talent