Hue Jackson got here because of his playcalling and is going to play to his strengths.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hue Jackson interviewed former Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton on Friday, but is leaning towards not having a coordinator in his first year as head coach of the Browns.

"Right now in my mind, I don't really plan on having an offensive coordinator, because I want to reserve that right to call plays,'' Jackson said in an interview with Solomon Wilcots and Shannon Sharpe on Sirius XM NFL radio. "That's something that's gotten me this job, so it's something that you're an expert at. You want to continue to work at that and keep that in your pocket so you can use it to help your team.''

Hamilton was fired as Colts' coordinator Nov. 13 with the Colts at 3-5. They had been shut out in the first half of three games and were 16th in yards per game. They were also 20th in points scored.

Hamilton, 41, would most likely play a key role on the offense, but it's unclear what his title would be. Like his successor in Indianapolis, former Browns coach Rob Chudzinski, Hamilton could possibly end up as an assistant head coach/offense. Chudzinski was promoted to Colts offensive coordinator full-time after the season after serving two seasons as associate head coach.

Jackson said on ESPN's Mike and Mike this week that it's difficult for minority coaches to get head coaching jobs unless they get key positions on offense. He cited Hamilton as one of the only minority playcallers prior to his firing. But Jackson is likely to hang onto the playcalling duties himself, at least until he grooms someone for the role.

"If I get somebody I really trust then obviously I'm very willing to kind of give that away as we go, but it's going to be somebody I really trust and admire,'' he said.

Jackson earned high praise for his playcalling with the Bengals, finishing seventh in scoring en route to a 12-4 record in 2015. He also coached Andy Dalton to a 106.2 rating, second-best in the NFL. It was a dramatic improvement from the 80s he posted in each of his first four seasons. He also threw 25 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions.

Jackson, who hopes to have his staff completed in a couple of weeks, also has two other names in mind for his offense: Vikings running backs coach Kirby Wilson and Green Bay assistants offensive line coach Mike Solari, who would presumably coach the line.

Related: Hue Jackson retains Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator

Wilson, who tutored Steelers running backs from 2007-13 and Vikings backs the past two seasons, would be running game coordinator here -- if the Vikings approve the promotion.

"We're in talks with the Vikings,'' said former Browns guard John Wooten, Chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance to promote minority coaches and executives in the NFL. "We've said to them very clearly that this is a new position of running game coordinator.

"If Hue is going to call the plays himself, he needs to have a person that can run that running game so they can mesh it all together and Kirby Wilson is the guy. He knows the AFC North. This is a great opportunity for him. He's an excellent person, outstanding coach, great worker, loyal and he wants to come and be a part of this, so we're working at it. The Vikings can say no, but we hope they won't say no. This is a great opportunity for Kirby.''

It remains to be seen if Jackson will retain running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery, with whom he worked in Baltimore. Quarterbacks coach Kevin O'Connell is not expected to stay, and there's been no decision yet on offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, who was originally one of four coaches asked to remain if the new coach wanted them.

Bedford's Daron Falkner hit a game-winning shot to defeat LorainFalkner

BEDFORD, Ohio — Bedford's Daron Falkner hit a game-winning jumper from the baseline as time expired to defeat Lorain, 46-45, on Friday in Lake Erie League boys basketball action.

Falkner got the ball from Lamont Rhodes and made a move to his left to create separation from Lorain's Naz Bohannon. The move gave him enough room to get off the shot to win the game for Bedford (10-3, 4-0 LEL), ranked No. 9 in the cleveland.com Top 25.

"It just happened and I went with it. Luckily it went in," Falkner said. "It's very big. It means a lot to me. It means a lot to my team."

The win moved Bedford into sole possession of first place in the LEL and handed No. 4 Lorain (8-2, 3-1) its first conference loss.

Photos coming soon.

Tre Granger led Bedford with 16 points and Rhodes added 10 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. On the final play, Granger inbounded the ball into Rhodes in the post. Rhodes tried to get it back to Granger, but found Falkner in the corner for the game-winner.

"Lamont knew there was only so much time," Bedford coach Pete Priola said about the final play. "So he turned to try and do something. He drove, saw Daron and Daron just happened to make a great shot. Sometimes, it's great to be lucky."

Bedford trailed by seven early in the fourth quarter before Falkner converted a 3-point play and Armond Perry hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one.

Bedford never led after halfway into the first quarter as the Titans ended the quarter with an 8-1 run. Lorain's Naz Bohannon led all players with 21 points and 15 rebounds.

Junior guard Daviere Andrews, who missed Tuesday's loss to St. Edward due to a right hand injury and 10 stitches in his hand, played with his hand bandaged up. He finished with nine points, including his team's only 3-pointer.

"He's an All-Ohio-type player. He's a tough kid," Lorain coach John Rositano said. "Obviously, he's got stitches. It's sore. It's on the shooting hand, shooting fingers. The kid's a tough kid. He wanted to play. So we sent him out there and I think he did a terrific job playing with pretty much 1 1/2 hands."

With his team leading, 45-44, Lorain's Anfernee Smothers missed two free throws in the final seconds. Bedford's Cam Brandon missed a shot but his team recovered a loose ball with 4.3 seconds left to set up Falkner's game winner.

Bedford will face First Love Christian Academy (Washington, Pa.) on Sunday in the Mercy Medical Classic at North Canton Hoover, and Lorain will host Clearview on Saturday.

Teske provided 19 points and 12 rebounds in the Bees' 65-49 Greater Cleveland Conference home win.

MEDINA, Ohio – Medina and Mentor shared a goal Friday night.

Both wanted to rid themselves of the bitter taste provided by losses to Elyria. Mentor, ranked 14th in the cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25, suffered its loss a week ago. No. 8 Medina’s came Tuesday.

Count Medina happy after its 65-49 Greater Cleveland Conference home win against the Cardinals.

“You’ve got to have a short memory,” Bees coach Chris Hassinger said. “You look at the college ranks, and No. 1 and No. 2s are getting beat. You’ve got to expect it in high school basketball.”

The two days of practice in between, though, were long.

“It sucked,” junior Luke Schaefer said. “The last three days sucked.”

Check back later for more video highlights and reaction.

Jon Teske: 19 points, 12 rebounds for Medina. @JonTeske pic.twitter.com/tMZx7Rvnmk

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) January 16, 2016

Hassinger said he thought his Bees (10-3 overall, 6-1 GCC) became complacent. A year ago, the then-first-year coach had a team hovering around .500 before a run to regionals.

“He made us run a lot and preached defense,” senior center Jon Teske said, “and I think that showed.”

The 7-foot-1 Teske provided game highs of 19 points and 12 rebounds, as Medina used his length to its advantage. Following an early 10-point deficit, the Bees held Mentor (8-5, 3-3) to just 12 points in the second and third quarters to keep at least a share of first place in the GCC.

Mentor started hot with Andrew Robinson hitting six shots behind the 3-point arc. Five came in the first quarter, which closed with a 12-2 Mentor run.

Medina responded by holding the Cardinals to just 4-of-24 shooting in the middle two quarters.

“We couldn’t get near the hoops or a lot of great looks,” Mentor coach Bob Krizancic said. “We wanted to score to set up the press and get into the transition game. When you can’t score, you can’t set up the press.”

Medina pulled Teske away from the basket on both ends.

Defensively, the move curtailed the Cardinals’ paths to the hoop and added difficulty to long-range shots. Offensively, the University of Michigan recruit showed some ball-handling ability. He finished with at least three assists and even crossed between two defenders on one play.

“He’s so versatile,” Hassinger said. “He’s just a luxury to have. We can use him any way we need to.”

Mentor lacked luxury without injured point guard Andrew Valeri. The senior missed the first five weeks with an ankle injury, then suffered a concussion two weeks ago during Mentor’s trip to Tennessee.

Without Valeri, Robinson’s 18 points – all on 3s – paced the Cardinals’ scoring. Jack Korsok added 16 points, including four 3s.

For Medina, Schaefer produced 13 points and six assists. Jimmy Daw added 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. Their hustle played added up to a 44-16 rebounding edge on Mentor.

The performance made all on Medina’s side forget that 65-60 loss Tuesday at Elyria. Although, the Bees must travel back that way next week to face No. 4 Lorain.

“We definitely think we should have played a lot better,” Schaefer said. “Not only did we grow from that, I think the team is a lot closer. It won’t happen again.”

Mentor plays again Tuesday at home vs. GCC foe Shaker Heights.

Check out Andrew Robinson's fifth 3, which beat the first-quarter buzzer. pic.twitter.com/UqgjC6dUBG

— Matt Goul (@mgoul) January 16, 2016

Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

The Lake Erie Monsters dropped a 1-0 overtime decision on Friday when Grand Rapids was awarded a goal on a replay review after the OT period had ended.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Lake Erie Monsters dropped a controversial decision when the Grand Rapids Griffins were awarded a goal after overtime had ended for a 1-0 win in an American Hockey League game Friday in Van Andel Arena.

The game was scoreless through regulation and it appeared to be scoreless when both teams left the ice at the end of the overtime session. But while waiting for the shootout to begin, the officials viewed a replay and awarded a goal to Grand Rapids.

The winning goal was credited to Nick Jensen, who had a shot that appeared to hit the post with 2:08 remaining in overtime. The game continued on to the end of the session before the officials made the replay ruling.

The Monsters are now 19-13-3-3 and 0-2 in overtime. Grand Rapids is 3-0 in OT and has won 14 straight at home.

Each team had chances at the end of regulation and in the overtime session. Grand Rapids goalie Jared Coreau, in the top five in every major goaltending category, made a save on a shot by Lake Erie's Eric Roy as time expired in regulation. Coreau stopped 28 shots in regulation.

Monsters goalie Brad Thiessen had 38 saves.

Lake Erie killed six power plays after having 27 penalty minutes.

Roster move: The Columbus Blue Jackets activated goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and left wing Markus Hannikainen off injured reserve Friday and assigned goaltender Anton Forsberg to the Monsters. Bobrovsky has missed 16 games with a groin strain.

Forsberg was 1-3-0 with a 3.03 goals against average and .907 save percentage in four games with the Blue Jackets, including stopping all six shots in overtime and two-of-three in the shootout to secure his first NHL victory on Jan. 2 vs. Washington. Forsberg was 12-6-2 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage in 21 games with Lake Erie. 

Up next: The Monsters play at the Chicago Wolves on Saturday at 8, then finish their 10-game homestand on Monday at 1 p.m. at the Rockford IceHogs. ... The Monsters return to Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday to face Grand Rapids at 7.

See winter sports highlights from basketball, hockey and swimming from Friday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Here are Friday’s high school sports results:

BOYS BASKETBALL

No. 11 Brunswick 69, Shaker Heights 49: Brunswick hit 13 three-pointers on their way to a Greater Cleveland Conference victory over hosting Shaker Heights. Michael Quiring led the Blue Devils with a game-high 21 points. Zach Cebula added 16 points. Dake Bonner led Shaker Heights with 15 points.

No. 25 Midview 73, No. 15 North Olmsted 51: Garret Overy’s 24 points and Jacob Wells’ 15 helped lead Midview, ranked No. 25 in the Cleveland.com Top 25, to Southwestern Conference win on the road. Andy Lucien finished with 16 for North Olmsted.

Archbishop Hoban 84, Padua 72: Cartier Bickley’s 14 points and helped lead the Knights to a North Coast League win against Padua in the Blue Division. Kevin Peterson finished with 16 points for Padua. Hoban scored 55 points in the middle quarters to build a 73-52 lead heading into the fourth.

Collinwood 66, John Marshall 60: Geno Taylor scored 22 points followed by Melvin Hill with 19 to help lead Collinwood to a win in the Senate Athletic League win. Patrick Neal finished with 22 for John Marshall.

North Ridgeville 89, Amherst 68: Isa Abdul-Alim scored 28 points followed by Jordan Montgomery with 15 to lead the Rangers to a win in the Southwestern Conference. Marshall Busey finished with 21 for Amherst.

Rhodes 78, John Adams 52: Isaiah Washington finished with 37 points followed by Kevin Tucker with 13 en route to a Senate Athletic League win against John Adams.

Walsh Jesuit 54, Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 30: Joe Iacobacci led Walsh Jesuit with 11 points to a win 24-point win against NDCL. Brendan Leininger led NDCL with 12.

Related: Buzzer beater in Lake Erie League matchup of Lorain vs. Bedford and recap from the Mentor vs. Medina matchup.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

No. 8 East Tech 72, John Hay 51: Corrione Cardwell, Shantell Bostick and Chardai Hill each scored 17 points to help lead East Tech, ranked No. 8 in the cleveland.com Top 25, to a win in the Senate Athletic League. Angel Cannon finished with 15 for John Hay.

Bedford 77, Maple Heights 69: Tayler Stevens finished with 29 points and Delesha Jackson with 21 to help lead the Bearcats to a Lake Erie League win. Ammaarah Williams led the Mustangs with 22 points followed by Mia Richardson with 15.

HOCKEY

Benedictine 5, Chagrin Falls 3: Matt Carson scored two goals followed by Ron Moner with two assists to help lead Benedictine to a win in the Martin Luther King Jr. Tournament sponsored by Notre Dame Cathedral Latin. David Herpst led Chagrin Falls with two goals followed by Tommy Mallak with two assists.

BOYS SWIMMING

Mayfield 122, Eastlake North 41: Matt Kenosh, Ben Browngardt and Cameron Kim combined for six first place finishes, two each, to help lead Mayfield to a victory against Eastlake North. Jimmy Wallace of Eastlake North finished first in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 59.44.

See Ohio high school girls basketball statewide scores for Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Here are Friday's girls basketball scores from around Ohio:

Ashville Teays Valley 51, Amanda-Clearcreek 31

Beverly Ft. Frye 53, Linsly, W.Va. 42

Carey 57, Bucyrus Wynford 23

Circleville 57, Baltimore Liberty Union 28

Circleville Logan Elm 37, Bloom-Carroll 30

Cle. E. Tech 72, Cle. Hay 51

Cols. Independence 53, Whitehall-Yearling 39

Cols. Linden McKinley 42, Cols. East 28

Cols. Marion-Franklin 68, Cols. Walnut Ridge 9

Cols. Mifflin 64, Cols. International 28

Cols. Northland 74, Cols. Whetstone 50

Defiance Ayersville 59, Sherwood Fairview 30

Dublin Coffman 77, Hilliard Davidson 38

Edgerton 61, Hicksville 48

Fostoria St. Wendelin 53, Old Fort 31

Fremont St. Joseph 70, Kansas Lakota 29

Gahanna Lincoln 69, Groveport-Madison 38

Hilliard Bradley 41, Dublin Jerome 38

Hilliard Darby 43, Westerville N. 42

Holgate 46, Haviland Wayne Trace 41

Holland Springfield 58, Sylvania Southview 40

Hundred, W.Va. 49, St. Clairsville E. Richland Christian 39

Johnstown-Monroe 37, Newark Licking Valley 25

Lancaster Fisher Cath. 52, Powell Village Academy 24

Lewis Center Olentangy 54, Sunbury Big Walnut 30

London 53, London Madison Plains 40

Marysville 54, Galloway Westland 40

Mt. Vernon 70, Cols. Franklin Hts. 35

New Albany 59, Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 29

Newark Cath. 41, Pataskala Watkins Memorial 39

Northside Christian 51, Tree of Life 41

Norwalk St. Paul 73, Plymouth 39

Perrysburg 59, Bowling Green 48

Powell Olentangy Liberty 74, Grove City Cent. Crossing 28

Reynoldsburg 78, Grove City 40

Sycamore Mohawk 53, Bucyrus 51, OT

Thomas Worthington 39, Cols. Upper Arlington 36

Upper Sandusky 56, New Washington Buckeye Cent. 35

Utica 50, Hebron Lakewood 43

W. Jefferson 58, Gahanna Cols. Academy 20

Westerville Cent. 54, Dublin Scioto 50

Westerville S. 36, Canal Winchester 35

Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 50, Maumee 31

Wood County Christian, W.Va. 61, Licking County Christian 34

Worthington Christian 54, Cols. Grandview Hts. 39

Worthington Kilbourne 59, Delaware Hayes 31

Cols. Bexley 49, Cols. School for Girls 16

Cols. Wellington 41, Shekinah Christian 31

See Ohio high school boys basketball statewide scores for Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Here are Friday's boys basketball scores from around Ohio:

Akr. Coventry 100, Lodi Cloverleaf 60

Akr. Ellet 69, Akr. Garfield 53

Albany Alexander 80, Pomeroy Meigs 69

Alliance 57, Can. South 47

Alliance Marlington 46, Carrollton 38

Andover Pymatuning Valley 61, Cortland Maplewood 51

Anna 57, Sidney Fairlawn 53

Apple Creek Waynedale 40, Creston Norwayne 34

Archbold 50, Wauseon 42

Arlington 75, Mt. Blanchard Riverdale 45

Ashland 76, Millersburg W. Holmes 43

Austintown Fitch 65, Canfield 52

Avon 63, Avon Lake 58

Barberton 40, Richfield Revere 36

Batavia Amelia 73, Batavia Clermont NE 41

Bay Village Bay 92, Parma 72

Beachwood 56, Chagrin Falls 48

Beaver Eastern 57, Portsmouth Notre Dame 52

Bedford 46, Lorain 45

Bellaire 46, Martins Ferry 39

Bellefontaine 67, Riverside Stebbins 54

Belmont Union Local 64, Barnesville 15

Beloit W. Branch 64, Minerva 43

Berlin Hiland 70, E. Can. 35

Blanchester 62, Batavia 55

Bloomdale Elmwood 85, Fostoria 48

Brecksville-Broadview Hts. 56, Hudson 54

Bristol 70, Newbury 32

Brunswick 69, Shaker Hts. 49

Bryan 69, Delta 62

Byesville Meadowbrook 68, New Philadelphia 65

Cambridge 56, Zanesville Rosecrans 38

Can. McKinley 63, Massillon Jackson 58

Canal Winchester Harvest Prep 60, Sugar Grove Berne Union 41

Carlisle 69, New Lebanon Dixie 42

Casstown Miami E. 63, Tipp City Bethel 47

Cedarville 58, Mechanicsburg 53

Centerburg 62, Fredericktown 51

Chesterland W. Geauga 73, Painesville Harvey 66

Chillicothe Unioto 74, Chillicothe Zane Trace 46

Cin. Aiken 72, Cin. Taft 68

Cin. Anderson 63, Milford 49

Cin. Christian 67, Lockland 35

Cin. Indian Hill 68, Cin. Deer Park 25

Cin. La Salle 56, Cin. St. Xavier 46

Cin. Madeira 58, N. Bend (Cleves) Taylor 38

Cin. McNicholas 47, Middletown Fenwick 46

Cin. Moeller 56, Cin. Elder 48

Cin. Summit Country Day 68, Cin. N. College Hill 59

Cin. Walnut Hills 52, Cin. Turpin 51

Cin. Withrow 62, Loveland 59

Clayton Northmont 55, Centerville 44

Cle. Hts. 56, Warrensville Hts. 47

Cle. VASJ 86, Garfield Hts. Trinity 58

Clyde 50, Castalia Margaretta 40

Coldwater 89, Rockford Parkway 40

Cols. Africentric 62, Cols. South 59

Cols. Beechcroft 87, Cols. Centennial 86

Cols. Briggs 53, Cols. Eastmoor 45

Cols. DeSales 48, Cols. St. Charles 45

Cols. Hartley 55, Bloom-Carroll 44

Cols. Linden McKinley 64, Cols. East 54

Cols. Mifflin 74, Cols. International 41

Cols. Northland 98, Cols. Whetstone 34

Cols. Upper Arlington 68, Thomas Worthington 43

Cols. Walnut Ridge 82, Cols. Marion-Franklin 52

Cols. Watterson 61, Cols. Ready 41

Cols. West 81, Cols. Independence 66

Continental 50, Ft. Jennings 46

Crown City S. Gallia 77, Belpre 63

Cuyahoga Falls 70, Twinsburg 69

Cuyahoga Falls CVCA 42, Akr. Manchester 25

Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 54, Chardon NDCL 30

Cuyahoga Hts. 55, Richmond Hts. 47

Dalton 52, Smithville 40

Danville 76, Loudonville 65

Day. Christian 71, Day. Miami Valley 26

Day. Oakwood 72, Bellbrook 41

Defiance 63, Celina 37

Delaware Buckeye Valley 66, Richwood N. Union 57

Delphos Jefferson 56, Ada 53, OT

Delphos St. John's 53, New Knoxville 45

Dover 43, Uhrichsville Claymont 29

Doylestown Chippewa 64, Rittman 54

Dublin Coffman 42, Hilliard Davidson 41

Dublin Scioto 66, Westerville Cent. 59

Elida 65, St. Marys Memorial 43

Elyria 63, Solon 61

Elyria Cath. 79, Parma Hts. Valley Forge 41

Euclid 57, Strongsville 47

Fairfield 59, Cin. Princeton 48

Findlay Liberty-Benton 76, Vanlue 49

Frankfort Adena 55, Southeastern 38

Franklin 60, Brookville 59

Ft. Loramie 62, Botkins 39

Ft. Recovery 54, Versailles 51, OT

Gahanna Christian 47, Groveport Madison Christian 44

Gates Mills Gilmour 65, Hunting Valley University 62

Gates Mills Hawken 51, Independence 48

Glouster Trimble 60, Waterford 57, OT

Grafton Midview 73, N. Olmsted 51

Grove City Christian 62, Lancaster Fisher Cath. 43

Harrison 72, Oxford Talawanda 54

Hillsboro 58, Lees Creek E. Clinton 46

Holland Springfield 74, Sylvania Southview 70

Hubbard 46, Cortland Lakeview 39

Hundred, W.Va. 76, St. Clairsville E. Richland Christian 48

Ironton 42, Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant 40

Jackson Center 49, Houston 32

Jefferson Area 96, Niles McKinley 69

Jeromesville Hillsdale 61, W. Salem NW 58, OT

Kidron Cent. Christian 33, Lucas 32

Kings Mills Kings 73, Cin. Glen Este 43

Lakewood 53, Berea-Midpark 46

Leavittsburg LaBrae 60, Newton Falls 36

Lebanon 61, W. Carrollton 43

Leipsic 64, Pandora-Gilboa 45

Lewis Center Olentangy 62, Sunbury Big Walnut 55

Lewistown Indian Lake 50, Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 45

Lexington 74, Orrville 64

Liberty Twp. Lakota E. 69, Cin. Sycamore 44

Lima Bath 40, Wapakoneta 38

Lima Cent. Cath. 71, Convoy Crestview 59

Lima Perry 86, Sidney Lehman 45

Lima Temple Christian 66, Ridgeway Ridgemont 62, OT

Lisbon David Anderson 66, Salineville Southern 40

Logan 46, Ashville Teays Valley 42

Lorain Clearview 55, LaGrange Keystone 54

Louisville 74, Salem 42

Lowellville 42, Berlin Center Western Reserve 36

Lyndhurst Brush 53, Chagrin Falls Kenston 50

Magnolia Sandy Valley 49, Newcomerstown 33

Malvern 59, Tuscarawas Cent. Cath. 50

Mansfield Madison 68, Mansfield Sr. 64, OT

Mansfield St. Peter's 54, Mansfield Christian 50

Mantua Crestwood 66, Garrettsville Garfield 53

Marion Pleasant 54, Milford Center Fairbanks 36

Marysville 77, Galloway Westland 41

Mason 35, Cin. Oak Hills 33

Massillon Tuslaw 74, Gnadenhutten Indian Valley 37

Mayfield 60, Painesville Riverside 59

McArthur Vinton County 83, Bidwell River Valley 56

McComb 67, Arcadia 44

McConnelsville Morgan 64, New Lexington 37

McDonald 87, Sebring McKinley 68

McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 54, Dola Hardin Northern 45

Medina 65, Mentor 49

Medina Buckeye 46, Oberlin 42

Medina Highland 59, Kent Roosevelt 54

Middletown 82, Cin. Colerain 36

Miller City 62, Ottoville 49

Mineral Ridge 97, N. Jackson Jackson-Milton 30

Minford 50, Lucasville Valley 48

Mogadore 59, Hartville Lake Center Christian 54

Monroe 79, Camden Preble Shawnee 54

Montpelier 58, Hamler Patrick Henry 42

Mt. Vernon 50, Cols. Franklin Hts. 40

N. Baltimore 62, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 60

N. Lewisburg Triad 62, Jamestown Greeneview 51

N. Ridgeville 89, Amherst Steele 68

New Albany 62, Lewis Center Olentangy Orange 49

New Bremen 55, Minster 53

New Concord John Glenn 97, Zanesville Maysville 76

New Madison Tri-Village 77, Lewisburg Tri-County N. 37

New Middletown Spring. 59, Canfield S. Range 42

New Paris National Trail 56, Ansonia 52

Newark 58, Pickerington N. 56

Norton 73, Mogadore Field 51

Norwalk 56, Tiffin Columbian 35

Ontario 84, Willard 52

Orange 69, Perry 57

Oregon Clay 48, Oregon Stritch 33

Orwell Grand Valley 65, Windham 64

Ottawa-Glandorf 74, Lima Shawnee 59

Parma Hts. Holy Name 74, Parma Normandy 67

Paulding 37, Bluffton 34

Peninsula Woodridge 76, Ravenna 38

Perrysburg 74, Bowling Green 49

Pickerington Cent. 83, Lancaster 47

Piketon 63, Bainbridge Paint Valley 43

Piqua 75, Vandalia Butler 70

Pitsburg Franklin-Monroe 66, Bradford 41

Plain City Jonathan Alder 62, Galion 41

Port Clinton 57, Oak Harbor 50

Portsmouth Clay 52, Latham Western 50

Powell Olentangy Liberty 56, Grove City Cent. Crossing 32

Proctorville Fairland 72, Chesapeake 61

Racine Southern 58, Stewart Federal Hocking 46

Ravenna SE 50, Rootstown 40

Reedsville Eastern 67, Corning Miller 61

Reynoldsburg 68, Grove City 63

Rossford 69, Elmore Woodmore 44

S. Charleston SE 54, Spring. Cath. Cent. 32

S. Point 58, Ironton Rock Hill 46

Sandusky 60, Shelby 53

Sandusky Perkins 67, Milan Edison 65

Sandusky St. Mary 58, Huron 51

Sardinia Eastern Brown 61, Leesburg Fairfield 49

Seaman N. Adams 56, Lynchburg-Clay 52

Shadyside 77, Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 60

Sheffield Brookside 54, Rocky River Lutheran W. 51

Sidney 56, Troy 39

Spencerville 66, Harrod Allen E. 48

Spring. Emmanuel Christian 39, Troy Christian 35

Spring. NW 43, Spring. Greenon 42

Spring. Shawnee 53, New Carlisle Tecumseh 43

Springboro 66, Fairborn 60

Springfield 61, Beavercreek 47

St. Clairsville 77, Cadiz Harrison Cent. 68

St. Henry 66, Maria Stein Marion Local 47

Steubenville 62, Steubenville Cath. Cent. 53

Stow-Munroe Falls 59, N. Royalton 54

Streetsboro 55, Akr. Springfield 28

Struthers 81, Campbell Memorial 34

Sugarcreek Garaway 48, Strasburg-Franklin 32

Sullivan Black River 64, Fairview 52

Swanton 73, Metamora Evergreen 35

Tallmadge 62, Aurora 43

Thornville Sheridan 75, Philo 58

Tipp City Tippecanoe 57, Spring. Kenton Ridge 47

Tol. Maumee Valley 60, Northwood 41

Tol. Ottawa Hills 63, Gibsonburg 31

Tol. St. Francis 68, Fremont Ross 58

Tol. St. John's 48, Tol. Cent. Cath. 46

Tol. Whitmer 68, Findlay 62

Tol. Woodward 78, Tol. Bowsher 75

Tontogany Otsego 42, Pemberville Eastwood 41

Toronto 85, Bowerston Conotton Valley 71

Tree of Life 49, Northside Christian 36

Trenton Edgewood 56, Hamilton Ross 38

Union City Mississinawa Valley 47, Arcanum 42

Van Buren 49, Cory-Rawson 45

Van Wert 56, Kenton 39

Van Wert Lincolnview 51, Columbus Grove 37

Vermilion 62, Bellevue 54, 2OT

Vincent Warren 53, Jackson 38

W. Alexandria Twin Valley S. 58, Newton Local 48

W. Chester Lakota W. 46, Hamilton 40

Wadsworth 52, Macedonia Nordonia 39

Warren Champion 60, Brookfield 47

Warren Harding 61, Youngs. Boardman 30

Washington C.H. 62, Chillicothe 44

Washington C.H. Miami Trace 52, Clarksville Clinton-Massie 42

Waynesfield-Goshen 47, DeGraff Riverside 38

Wellington 75, Columbia Station Columbia 65

Wellston 64, Nelsonville-York 46

Westerville N. 57, Hilliard Darby 52

Westerville S. 98, Canal Winchester 35

Westlake 67, Olmsted Falls 54

Wheelersburg 55, Waverly 51

Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 55, Maumee 33

Wickliffe 44, Geneva 32

Williamsport Westfall 59, Chillicothe Huntington 43

Wilmington 56, Greenfield McClain 21

Wood County Christian, W.Va. 69, Licking County Christian 41

Wooster 94, Bellville Clear Fork 39

Wooster Triway 82, Navarre Fairless 69

Worthington Kilbourne 40, Delaware Hayes 38

Xenia 79, Miamisburg 71

Yellow Springs 69, Franklin Middletown Christian 34

Youngs. East 84, Warren Howland 51

Youngs. Liberty 71, Girard 66

Zanesville 68, Warsaw River View 37

Trotwood-Madison 82, Kettering Fairmont 65

Cols. Bexley 73, Shekinah Christian 54

Cols. Wellington 83, Cols. Horizon Science 36

Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' hard-fought game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, LeBron James was asked about whether he would play the next night in Houston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' hard-fought game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night, LeBron James was asked about whether he would play Friday in Houston. 

James responded, saying he would have a conversation with head coach David Blatt before making a decision. Ultimately, Cleveland decided to play James in the final game of a tough six-game road trip, even after he played 37 minutes the night before.

Blatt explained his decision following the first quarter of Friday's game.

"You have to play. You have to come out and you've gotta compete," Blatt said. "You have to keep your eyes on guys and see if they're getting tired, but that's part of the NBA season.

"It's become such a thing to rest guys all the time in back-to-backs. But what the hell have we been doing for the last 50 years in the NBA? Guys have been playing. I know that. A lot of guys have been playing."

Every coach has their own way of dealing with the rigorous NBA schedule. Earlier this season, James was given a rest night despite his desire to play all 82 games. 

Spurs Hall of Fame head coach Gregg Popovich has been managing regular season minutes for years, hoping to keep his key players fresh for the postseason. Golden State's Draymond Green rested the other night against the Nuggets and the Warriors will likely continue that approach as the season progresses.

But based on Blatt's response, his team won't be taking that path -- at least until later in the season when playoff positioning has been decided. 

LeBron James scored 19 points to go with seven rebounds and seven assists in a 91-77 win over the Rockets.

HOUSTON - There was some discussion between LeBron James, Cavaliers coach David Blatt and the front office about whether or not the superstar should sit out Friday night against the Rockets.

Well, he didn't. Instead, James logged a team-high 36 minutes to help lead his team to a 91-77 shellacking of Houston. Because, you know, that's how you finish a six-game, 11-day road trip.

James scored 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. He was bested only by Kyrie Irving (23 points), who played on the second night of consecutive games for the first time this season. James shot 7-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from the foul line.

The Cavs led by 18 with 8:21 left in the game, and yet James returned to the court to ensure the Rockets didn't creep back into it. The only casualty was James' streak of games with at least 20 points against the Rockets, which stopped Friday night at 18 after a nearly 10-year run.

Given the 37-minute grind James went through Thursday night in San Antonio, and the Cavs' master plan to try and rest him periodically because of his chronically sore back, the road-trip finale was a candidate.

"I talked to him, just to see how he was feeling and I also felt like he was OK," Cavs coach David Blatt said. "Even if he had told me, 'Yes,' and I really thought that he wasn't in a good way, I'd like to reconsider that. But he looks pretty strong and he feels pretty good."

The last time James and the Cavs visited the Toyota Center, on March 1, James poured in 37 points, but missed key free throws late that contributed to a four-point loss in overtime. He was also kicked in the groin during the game (this is not a metaphor, James Harden's foot literally found James' nether region).

This time, it was Harden and the Rockets who got the boot. Harden finished with just 11 points on 2-of-10 shooting.

And with 3:21 left in the third quarter, James caused two Rockets to fall down while he drove to the hoop for a layup. Also falling: the Cavs' losing streaks to Houston of six games total and eight straight on the road.

As it turns out, the Cavs' only blemish on their longest road trip of the season was that four-point loss to the Spurs. They righted themselves here, to get ready for you know who Monday at The Q.

The Warriors.

Cleveland ended its longest road trip of the season 5-1.

HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets' last game was on Wednesday. The Cleveland Cavaliers' last game was Thursday. Houston looked like the team playing its second game in as many nights Friday at Toyota Center.

Cleveland ended its longest road trip of the season by defeating Houston 91-77 to return home 5-1 on the six-city trip. Kyrie Irving scored 11 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter. LeBron James was steady with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

It was a nationally televised contest built up to be a potential regular season classic, but as Mike Tirico of ESPN so eloquently stated, "The game has a feel of summer league."

As Cleveland (28-10) held a 16-point lead in the third quarter, Houston (21-20) went for homerun 3-pointers to try to make up ground. The majority just clanked off the iron. When they did decide to take it to the basket, uncontested layups were missed. The Cavaliers were in their heads.

Midway in the first quarter, a James alley-oop dunk attempt didn't go as planned as the ball got wedged between the corner of the rim and the backboard. That was about all that went wrong for the Cavaliers.

The Rockets shot 35 percent and were outhustled for rebounds time and time again, 49-40. There was a shortage of pride, accountability and heart from the home team.

With 25 seconds left in the game, a woman yelled, "I knew I should have sold my tickets."

James Harden played poorly, 2-for-10 from the field with a game-high eight turnovers and his defensive intensity was elsewhere.

The frustration hit a peak in the third quarter when James eluded two defenders as he turned the corner on a baseline drive and finished with an acrobatic left-hand layup to put the Cavaliers up 19. Trevor Ariza and Jason Terry both fell on the floor behind the basket trying to stop James. The four-time MVP just looked down on them before trotting back on defense.

The Rockets faithful booed and booed. By quarters, the Rockets scored 21, 14, 16 and 26. That's not going to get it done. Cleveland led by as many as 21 in the third.

Timofey Mozgov got the surprise start at center over Tristan Thompson, his first start in 10 games. Cleveland was 8-1 in that span. When Cavaliers coach David Blatt first made the move at the end of last month, his reasoning was so the team would get off to better starts.

Hmmm. Houston started 13-4 before the Cavaliers eventually responded.

Cleveland wanted to bounce back from a 99-95 loss in San Antonio, which ended an eight-game winning streak. In order to exit this six-game road trip on a positive note, they had to get by a Rockets team that had won five in a row.

"Back-to-backs are always tough," Blatt said. "They're tough, particularly when you're playing good teams like we've been playing. I think the more significant thing is of course is the end of the 12-day trip."

In an effort to keep his rotation players fresh, Blatt called Anderson Varejao's number. The seldom-used center has only played in three of the last 13 games, but he looked in midseason form. He was his same old energized self, especially in guarding Howard.

Varejao was a pest as he frustrated the big man and didn't allow him to get easy post position. When Howard finally did get a deep inside touch early in the second quarter, Varejao picked his pocket and jumpstarted a transition layup converted by Irving. He played seven minutes and contributed four points and two boards.

Kevin Love came into the game averaging 12.9 points and shooting 37 percent in his last 10 games. Blatt put Love's offensive struggles on his inability to draw up more plays for his power forward.

"I think we got to get him involved more and I think he'll be back to where he was," Blatt said. "He's been playing great basketball since Day 1. He's been playing All-Star basketball."

Love went for 11 points and 13 rebounds, but was a subpar 4-of-13 from the floor. The struggle continues. J.R Smith scored 13 points and Thompson supplied 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Howard led Houston with 14 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.

On deck

The Cavaliers finally return home for a Monday rematch with the Golden State Warriors. It will be a TNT game that starts at 8 p.m. Golden State won the first meeting of the season 89-83 on Christmas Day.

Kyrie Irving played well in the second of a back-to-back, and he received plenty of help as the Cleveland Cavaliers drilled the Houston Rockets, 91-77, Friday night in Houston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyrie Irving scored 23 and Anderson Varejao played eight important first-half minutes as the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Houston Rockets, 91-77, Friday night at Toyota Center in Houston. Rockets standout guard James Harden, hounded primarily by the combination of J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, shot 2-of-10 and committed eight turnovers in 38 minutes.

Here is a capsule look at the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Ohio and ESPN:

Impressive work: The Cavs (28-10) wrapped a six-game trip at 5-1. The loss was to sizzling and powerful San Antonio, 99-95, Thursday night. The Spurs won their 10th straight.

LeBron James, who had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes Friday, spoke with Fox Sports Ohio reporter Allie Clifton on the court after the game.

"For the majority of the road trip, we played great basketball,'' King said. "Obviously, we would have loved to go 6-0, but we learned a lot from the San Antonio game that can help us get better. To go 5-1 on a 12-day trip is pretty good basketball. The best part about it is, we came out of here injury-free.''

Wine-and-gold props: The Cavs secured one of their best victories of the season, all factors considered. Among them:

*They were ending a long trip with a back-to-back in Texas.

*They expended plenty of energy in San Antonio.

*The Cleveland franchise had lost eight in a row in Toyota Center.

*Houston (now 21-20) had won five straight and did not play Thursday.

*They were in danger immediately against Houston.

*They held a potent offensive team to a season-low for points -- on its floor.

*Their defense was so good, it allowed them to overcome 39.1 percent shooting from the field. Houston shot 35.1 percent and committed 19 turnovers.

KI on point: Irving played his 12th game of the season but first back-to-back. He rebounded from a rough night in San Antonio by shooting 9-of-17 and conducting  assorted Uncle Drew dribbling clinics in 30 minutes.

Locking him down: Cavs starting shooting guard Smith and reserve Shumpert controlled one of the NBA's top scorers. Harden had 11 points; he was 7-of-7 from the line. He entered averaging 28.0 points.

Adjusted for bad officiating, Harden's total drops to nine. With 2:59 remaining in the first quarter, Harden missed a jumper while being guarded closely by Shumpert. Because the play involved Harden, Shumpert was called for a foul and Harden went to the line. Replays showed that only a ghost hit Harden.

Fox Sports Ohio analyst Austin Carr said: "Come on, man.''

Smith and Shumpert often denied the left-handed power dribble from the lefty Harden -- much easier said than done. They crowded him and didn't fall for his shakes or bakes.

With Harden in trouble, his teammates didn't know what to do. They wandered around and kept taking bad shots or making bad decisions.

Building blocks for victory: The Cavs led, 46-35, at halftime. They compensated for 17-of-42 shooting from the field with one of their best defensive halves of the season. The Rockets shot 11-of-35, including 1-of-7 by Harden.

Among the keys to Cleveland's success in the half: Coach David Blatt's decisions to call timeout and to dust off Anderson Varejao.

After the Rockets took an 11-4 lead, Blatt had seen enough. Blatt sensed that, if his lethargic team didn't snap out of it quickly, the Rockets might build an insurmountable advantage by the end of the quarter.

Coming out of the timeout, the Rockets scored to make it 13-4. But the Cavs had refocused and, as a result, began to play much better. The way the rest of the half unfolded validated Blatt's move.

More importantly, though, Blatt inserted Varejao late in the first quarter. Varejao, who did not play in the previous six games, made it count. He brought energy, filled up the box score and bothered Rockets center Dwight Howard in the low post.

In one Houston possession, Varejao drew a foul on Howard, who used a high elbow to create room. In another Houston possession, Varejao poked away the ball from Howard and Irving turned it into a fastbreak layup.

Varejao did not play in the second half. He finished with a game-best +15. He scored four and had two rebounds, two assists, one steal and two fouls.

The Cleveland Cavaliers put an exclamation point on an outstanding road trip, blasting the Houston Rockets on Friday night, 91-77.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers put an exclamation point on an outstanding road trip, blasting the Houston Rockets on Friday night, 91-77.

On the final night of the longest tour of the season and the second game of a back-to back following an emotional loss against the San Antonio Spurs, the Cavaliers had built-in excuses to not give their best effort. They had every reason to rest LeBron James. But that's not who they are. That's not how the team is wired.

The Cavs are chasing something bigger and James has continued to preach the importance of making progress every day.

The Rockets got off to a quick start, hitting their first six shots, but the Cavs recovered quickly.

Cleveland didn't play its best on offense, shooting 39 percent from the field, 22 percent from three-point range and committing 14 turnovers, but tough defense and the Rockets customary erratic play combined with laziness helped the Cavs turn a much-anticipated matchup into a laugher.

They finished 5-1 on the 11-day trip.

Here are five observations:

Revenge - In the previous meeting between the two teams on March 1, 2015, the Toyota Center was rocking, as James and James Harden dueled into overtime before the Rockets edged the Cavs.

Shortly after, the Rockets' official Twitter account sent out a nonsensical tweet about Harden being the real "King James," with the caption, "Long live the new King." They were feeling chesty after Harden finished with 33 points and led his team to an impressive victory.

Those things aren't often forgotten. Neither is getting kicked in the crotch, one of the most bizarre scenes in a year that featured plenty of oddities.

This time, Harden will be the one waking up sore after getting his butt kicked repeatedly. 

The NBA's second-leading scorer finished with 11 points, one away his season-low of 10, on 2-of-10 from the field. He also committed eight turnovers and got torched on the defensive end, a usual occurrence.

After scoring seven points in the first quarter and helping the Rockets get off to a fast start, Harden scored just four points in the final three quarters and took three shots in the second half, showing little effort.

James, on the otherhand, scored 19 points on an efficient 7-of-14 from the field. He added seven assists and seven rebounds.

Lineup change - Shortly before tipoff, word spread that Timofey Mozgov was going back into the starting lineup. Blatt alluded to this possibility when he first made the change to Tristan Thompson on Dec. 28.

The initial switch, according to Blatt, was about wanting to have more energy at the beginning of the game, but he mentioned then that Mozgov could be back as a starter depending on the specific matchup.

Apparently, Blatt felt Mozgov's size was important against Dwight Howard, who has been playing well lately, spearheading Houston's defensive resurgence.

The Cavs won. However, Blatt's switch didn't work well. It also failed to spark the Russian center.

One game after looking out of place against San Antonio, the Rockets attacked Mozgov early and got easy buckets inside.

Houston scored 11 points in the first 2:30, forcing the Cavs to call timeout. With Mozgov on the court in the first quarter, the Rockets scored 18 points. The defensive turnaround started when he took a seat, as Houston scored just three points in the final 3:29 of the first.

Mozgov finished with two points on 1-of-2 from the field. He added two rebounds, one assist and one block. He also committed three fouls in 18 minutes, having little affect during his playing time.

The Cavs will have another decision to make on Monday. It was apparent during the NBA Finals that Mozgov couldn't keep up with the Warriors' rapid, small-ball lineup.

If he couldn't perform against San Antonio and doesn't matchup well against Golden State -- the only two teams on the Cavs' level -- then where exactly does Mozgov fit?

It's a question I'm sure the team will ponder in the next few weeks. 

Wild Thing sighting - Anderson Varejao received a DNP-CD in 10 out of the Cavs' previous 12 games. He hadn't played since Jan. 2 against Orlando. Then in the first quarter, he surprisingly popped off the bench and made an immediate impact.

His infectious energy and hustle gave the Cavs a jolt, as he battled Howard. Varejao even added some offense, taking the ball in the post on his first touch. On a later defensive possession, Varejao knocked the ball away from a frustrated Howard and Kyrie Irving raced the other way for a layup.

Varejao had four points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and drew an offensive foul in his first four minutes on the floor. Then he didn't play in the second half. His early-game minutes and the lift he provided should have Blatt pondering how to get Varejao more playing time, especially with Mozgov's struggles.

Thompson's improved free throws - A few weeks back, there were no answers for the Cavs' offense so the opponent reverted to the hacking strategy, targeting Tristan Thompson. It wasn't the first time the method was used.

But teams might have to reconsider.

Thompson, the one-time lefty, who switched to the right hand after coming into the NBA, went 2-of-8 from the free throw line against Orlando before vowing to fix the issue.

"I've been getting a lot of extra work in and I think it comes down to getting up underneath the ball," Thompson said. "If you miss two then don't let the mental part of the game get you out of it. Get back to the basics, fundamentals and knock them down. Teams are going to do that. There are a couple of teams in the league that do try that. I have to be ready to knock them down and don't be a liability."

At that time, it was tough to believe Thompson. He was in the midst of the worst free throw shooting season since his rookie campaign. But even while he clanked the freebies, his coach never lost faith.

"Obviously, it's important for him to build confidence. He's not a bad foul shooter," Blatt said at the time. "He's had a period, stretch here where he hasn't shot them well, but he's not a bad foul shooter."

Since that night against Orlando, Thompson is 24-of-29 (82.7 percent) from the charity stripe, causing teams to abandon the strategy.

Ironically, it was the Cavs that utilized it on Friday to get an extra possession at the end of the quarter, hacking Howard, a notoriously poor free throw shooter.

It's a credit to Thompson for working to correct his flaw. He has earned Blatt's trust and with that comes plenty of fourth quarter minutes. The last thing he wants is to be sent to the bench in crunch time because opponents view him as a liability.

Bag of tricks - Playing on the second night of a back-to-back I was curious to see how Irving would respond.

He remains on a minutes restriction, used plenty of energy trying -- and failing -- to contain Tony Parker the night before and is still not fully recovered from a fractured left kneecap. It's been a grueling road trip and Irving hasn't had a game off since Dec. 29.

But the point guard didn't seem bothered. He scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-17 from the field. He also grabbed four rebounds and put on a dribbling clinic.

Seeing Irving slice through the defense, look spry and get back to his All-Star level after struggling the night before was a positive way to finish the trip.

Get the latest updates and analysis on the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Houston Rockets.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from their first loss in 2016, beating the Houston Rockets on Friday night, 91-77. 

Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-17 from the field. LeBron James added 19 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. 

The Cavs (28-10) went 5-1 on their six-game road trip.  

Scoring Summary:

End of 3rd Quarter - Cavs lead Rockets, 68-51. LeBron James has scored 16 points. J.R. Smith has added 13. Dwight Howard leads the Rockets with 14 points. 

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs lead Rockets, 46-35. LeBron James has 12 points to lead the way for the Cavs. J.R. Smith has added 10 points. The Rockets are led by Dwight Howard's 10 points while James Harden has nine points. 

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs lead Rockets, 23-21. J.R. Smith leads the way with seven points. LeBron James has added five. The Rockets are led by James Harden, who has seven points. 

The 5-star 2016 guard announced his commitment on Saturday night on ESPN.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Kobi Simmons reached under the desk and pulled out an Arizona hat. There wasn't much drama, because that's what everyone expected.

Simmons, the No. 18 player in the Class of 2016 according to 247Sports, announced his commitment Saturday live on ESPN. He chose Arizona from a group of finalists that included Ohio State and Kentucky. Simmons didn't go through the charade of putting hats on the table. It would've just been for show anyway, because Arizona has been considered the favorite after Simmons officially announced the Wildcats as a finalist this week.

You could call it a two-loss day after the Buckeyes got blown out by Maryland. But that only counts if the Buckeyes thought they had a chance of getting Simmons coming into the day. On Thursday, one day after Simmons said he would be announcing his decision this weekend, news broke that the Buckeyes were no longer recruiting Simmons.

Ohio State had been high on his list for a long time, once considered the favorite. Sources told cleveland.com that Ohio State felt in good position around the time of the early signing period.

The circumstances clearly changed, and Simmons is going to Arizona.

Arizona was not in Simmons' original final three. In September, he announced a trio of the Buckeyes, Kentucky and UNLV. When the Rebels fired their coach a week ago, Arizona entered the picture.

Ohio State has an open scholarship for 2016. They could also look for a transfer or save the scholarship and use it for 2017.

The Buckeyes don't have any seniors on the roster, so it would have been interesting to see where Simmons fit. They haven't showed many two-guard lineups, but it would've made sense to go that route with Simmons and JaQuan Lyle.

Thad Matta doesn't haven't to worry about future rotations now, and it looks like Ohio State won't be bringing in another guard unless it adds a transfer in the off-season.

Two 2016 commits, Derek Funderburk and Micah Potter, are both interior players. With three centers on this roster, there's a logjam at that position.

Both Funderburk and Potter signed with the Buckeyes in November. Ohio State's 2016 recruiting class is currently ranked ninth in the Big Ten by 247Sports.

Johnny Manziel has a long way to go to become the face of the franchise Hue Jackson is looking for.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel doesn't fit the description of Hue Jackson's ideal quarterback -- at least not right now.

"Outside of all of the physical characteristics that we look for in a quarterback, the thing I'm looking for is the guy that's going to be the face of the franchise,'' Jackson said Friday on Sirius XM NFL radio. "Somebody that our players can rally behind, somebody that our fans can rally behind, that they believe that this guy has the chance to go out week in and week out and win games.''

Jackson is seeking "a guy that can help elevate this football team, not anybody that's going to tear it down because it's too hard in the National Football League to have a guy like that. A guy that's all-consumed with one thing -- being the best quarterback that he can be, and being the best leader he can be. That's the kind of guy I'm looking for.''

That's exactly the opposite of what Manziel exhibited this season, especially over the final three months. The tumultuous period included the infamous roadway incident with his girlfriend, the prolonged NFL investigation, the loss of his starting job for lying to the coaches about his bye-weekend partying and the USA TODAY report that he partied in Las Vegas in a blond wig and fake mustache just three days after being ruled out of the season finale with a concussion.

Manziel missed his concussion treatment the day of the season-ending 28-12 loss to the Steelers, the second straight season he missed a scheduled treatment before the season finale. When Manziel showed up the next day for a team meeting with owner Jimmy Haslam about Mike Pettine's firing, the club gave him the cold shoulder, a source told cleveland.com.

Since that time, he's been dropped by LeBron James' marketing firm LRMR, is on the verge of getting axed by Nike according to TMZ, and hasn't been seen or heard from. His agent, publicist and family lawyer have all declined comment.

The day Hue Jackson was hired, ESPN reported that Jackson told the team he wants to move on from Manziel and was told it wouldn't be a problem. A source also told cleveland.com that Jackson doesn't want Manziel.

"I don't know where those reports came from first and foremost, but what I'm going to do is evaluate every player on this team,'' he told the club's in-house radio show, Cleveland Browns Daily. "When I walked in this building, everybody started with a clean slate.''

But as Jackson continued through two days of local and national radio interviews, it became increasingly clear that Manziel wasn't the man to "carry the flag for us'' or represent the Browns in a professional manner.

"We need a very consistent and dominant quarterback," Jackson said Thursday on the Stephen A. Smith Show on SiriusXM Radio. "That's what this team has to have in order for us to be successful -- because that position is the face of the franchise. We all know that, respect that and that's where it starts.''

How the Browns decided on Hue Jackson

He outlined other things he's seeking in his franchise quarterback, who will likely be found either with the No. 2 pick in the draft, through a trade or in free agency.

''The first thing obviously, he's got to have arm talent and leadership ability is huge,'' Jackson said on Cleveland Browns Daily. "Poise under pressure, because on third down that's when it's tough. The other thing the guy's gotta have, he's got to have some charisma. He's got to be able to get this crowd and our team and everybody behind him. But he has to be able to, when thing are not going well, everybody can look to him and he can make magic happen.''

Whether or not it was a shot at Manziel's six fumbles in his six starts this season, Jackson cited turnovers as a key factor.  

"The last thing the guy's got to be able to do, he's got to be able to take care of the football,'' he said. "That's one of the things I'm huge on. You can't play here if you're going to give the other team the ball. We've got to take care of the ball on offense and then take it away on defense.''

Jackson, who's handled plenty of difficult personalities throughout his career, emphasized that character is king.

"Obviously, we'll be able to look into this player's past and see exactly what he's done because what you see is what you get," he said on 92.3 The Fan. "What's in there are the same things you're going to get as you move forward. People don't change too much that way, so it's going to precede them, and we'll know exactly what the character of that person is.''

He noted that it's job to create the right environment and hold his players accountable, but high character is "definitely one of our prerequisites."

Looks like Manziel has some work to do if he's going to win over the new boss.

It's the fifth straight trip to the conference title game for the defending Super Bowl champions New England Patriots.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady took off for the end zone and dived for the pylon, taking a helmet in the back as his body sailed over the goal line.

The ball stayed out, but it didn't matter. The reigning Super Bowl MVP carried it in for a score on the next play, reaching over the line to convert in a way Kansas City couldn't Saturday.

Brady threw for two touchdowns to Rob Gronkowski and sneaked for another, and the defending Super Bowl champions reached their fifth straight AFC title game with a 27-20 victory over the Chiefs.

New England (13-4) will meet the winner of Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos for a spot in Super Bowl 50. The Patriots are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back NFL titles since they did it in 2003-04.

After spending the last two weeks recovering from knee and back injuries, Gronkowski caught seven passes for 83 yards, including touchdowns from 8 and 16 yards out. Gronkowski also recovered an onside kick after Kansas City cut the deficit to 27-20 with just over one minute left.

Julian Edelman returned from a broken foot to catch 10 passes for 100 yards for New England.

Alex Smith completed 29 of 50 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown for Kansas City (12-6). The Chiefs had won 11 consecutive games, including a 30-0 victory over Houston in the wild-card round last week for their first playoff victory since 1993.

Brady led New England to a score on the opening drive, throwing 11 straight passes and completing eight -- the last an 8-yard score to Gronkowski. The Chiefs then made it to the Patriots 16, but settled for a field goal.

After trading punts twice, the Patriots started on their when punt returner Danny Amendola was flagged for a helmet-first hit to coverage man Jamell Fleming. The drive was in danger of stalling at the Kansas City 35 when Chiefs linebacker Dezman Moses hit Brady late and was called for roughing the passer.

The stadium erupted in cheers of "Brady!" -- just as it had four months ago when the four-time Super Bowl champion returned from his looming "Deflategate" suspension to play in the season opener.

Four plays later, unable to find an open receiver, Brady sprinted -- sort of -- for the corner of the end zone. The Chiefs managed to keep him out, but only for one more play. On the next snap, Brady leaned forward and reached into the end zone to make it 14-3.

Patriots defensive lineman Chandler Jones forced Knile Davis' fumble on the Chiefs' first possession of the second half, then Brady added another touchdown pass to Gronkowski to make it 21-6.

Smith had the Chiefs into New England territory on their first six possessions, but they managed just six points before he hit Albert Wilson on a 10-yard pass that made it 21-13.

NOTES

Jones started the game, six days after he wandered to the local police station, shirtless and confused. Police said his house reeked of burnt marijuana. ... The Patriots are 18-4 all-time in the playoffs at Gillette Stadium. ... Jon Bon Jovi, a friend of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, was in the owner's box and led the stadium in a sing-along of his band's hit song "Livin' on a Prayer." ... Belichick reached the conference title game for the 10th time, tied with Tom Landry for most all-time.

Ray Horton could be on his way back to Cleveland after being passed over for the Titans head coaching job on Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ray Horton was passed over for the Titans' head coaching job Saturday and is still Hue Jackson's top target as defensive coordinator.

Horton, who's run the Titans' defense the past two seasons, interviewed for their head job in the morning -- hours before interim coach Mike Mularkey was named Ken Whisenhunt's successor. Mularkey might ask Horton to remain, but Horton's preference is to return to Cleveland, according to John Wooten of the Fritz Pollard Alliance to promote NFL minority hiring.

Horton, who ran the Browns' defense in 2013, has been Jackson's top choice from the start. Former Bucs coordinator Leslie Frazier was also on his radar, but took the Ravens' secondary job Friday.

Horton is still under contract with the Titans and would have to get permission to leave.

Meanwhile, former Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, who was fired in November, is in negotiations to become Assistant Head Coach/Offense, a source said. Jackson said this week he'll likely call his own plays, but wants to groom Hamilton for that role so he can join the pipeline of future NFL coaches.

Jackson also hopes to hire Vikings running backs coach Kirby Wilson as his running game coordinator. Wilson's contract is believed to be up soon. The Browns have also talked to former Colts offensive line coach Hal Hunter for a similar position. He's the son of former Browns offensive line coach Hal Hunter.

Related: John DeFilippo told he won't be back

Former offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, who has two years remaining on his contract, has an opportunity to become the Rams' passing game coordinator.

Jackson has retained Browns special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, who's survived three coaching changes.

Kevin Vough returns to action with a win at the Bill Dies Memorial Tournament while Elyria also takes home the team title.

AKRON, Ohio – The 2016 Bill Dies Memorial Wrestling Tournament at Firestone High School marked the return of Elyria wrestling’s Kevin Vough. The 2015 cleveland.com wrestler of the year didn’t disappoint, taking home the championship in the heavyweight division with a 3-1 win over Copley’s Arman Samouk.

“It was a big confidence booster for myself to show myself that I could do what I was doing,” Vough said. “It was killing me to watch my teammates wrestle while I had to sit on the sidelines.”

Vough was injured during football season for the Pioneers and had missed the first portion of the wrestling season. The defending state champion pinned his way through to the finals of the Bill Dies Memorial until winning his final match 3-1.

Elyria used the win by Vough and titles in 182 by JT Brown and 195 by Ben Darmstadt to earn its second consecutive Bill Dies Memorial team title with a total of 258.5. The Pioneers also had three wrestlers place second, with Brendon Fenton in 120, Nico D’Or in 152 and Ben Darmstadt in 195.

“I think the kids like to win,” Elyria coach Erick Burnett said. “When you get a chance to come in and do something as a team together, it’s pretty special. This is really nice for the team.”

Brecksville freshman Marco Regalbuto won the 126 final with a pin of Manchester senior Joey Bowen at 1:53. IT was the second time Regalbuto has defeated Bowen this season, after beating him during a runner-up finish at the Brecksville Holiday Tournament.

“It is a very big moment for me, especially with me losing at the Holiday Tournament a couple weeks back,” Regalbuto said. “I go out in matches with no emotions and I just look to beat him.”

One of the more intriguing matchups of the evening came in 145, where Josh Heil of Brunswick defeated Justin DeMicco of Brecksville 6-2. Heil is a three-time state placer, while DeMicco is a three-time state qualifier and finished third at 138 last season.

“He is a tough opponent, it’s definitely a confidence booster,” Heil said. “He pushd me a lot. It was great to see what I have to improve on the rest of the year.”

Firestone sophomore Ronnie Rowan defeated Fenton 7-3 in 120, becoming the first wrestler from Firestone to take first place in any weight class at the Dies Memorial Tournament, according to members of the Dies family.

“It feels real good to know I am the first of probably many more to come,” Rowen said. “There really wasn’t a lot of pressure because my coaches said that it was just another match.”

Other local champions included Brecksville’s Gabe Tabb (106), Archbishop Hoban’s Lukus Stricker (113) and Olmsted Falls’ Noel Caraballo (220).

Brecksville finished second in the team competition with 221.5 points and Brunswick finished third with 186.0, narrowly edging out Olmsted Falls with 185.5.

Ryan Isley is a freelancer from Akron. For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. 

2016 Bill Dies Memorial Wrestling Tournament final results

AKRON, Ohio – Here are final round results of the Bill Dies Memorial Wrestling Tournament, including final team standings: 

How they finished: (Top 10) 1. Elyria 258.5; 2. Brecksville 221.5; 3. Brunswick 186.0; 4. Olmsted Falls 185.5; 5. Canfield 156.0; 6. Olentangy Liberty 152.0; 7. Manchester 138.0; 8. Rootstown 118.5; 9. Woodridge 111.5; 10. Copley 111.0.   

Final round results

106 - Championship: Tagg (Brecksville) d. Zemen (Avon), 15-0.

Third place: Larue (Manchester) d. Carone (Streetsboro), 2-1.

Fifth place: Suber (Tallmadge) d. Shaw (Olmsted Falls), 1-0.

Seventh place: Reeves (Cuyahoga Falls) p. Hamski (Jefferson Area), 2:51.

113 – Championship: Stricker (Archbishop Hoban) d. Logan Heil (Brunswick), 2-0.

Third place: Mead (Olentangy Liberty) d. Ondash (Crestwood), 7-2.

Fifth place: Bartos (Buckeye) d. Perelka (Brecksville), 9-2.

Seventh place: Bailey (Manchester) p. Daniels (Glenoak), 2:57.

120 – Championship: Rowan (Firestone) d. Fenton (Elyria),

Third place: Feuer (Brecksville) d. Stika (Norwayne), 5-0.

Fifth place: Hayes (Rootstown) d. Tyler Wissell (Highland), 3-2.

Seventh place: Clark (Buckeye) d. Fogle (Licking Valley), 7-5.

126 – Championship: Regalbuto (Brecksville) p. Bowen (Manchester), 1:53

Third place: Kissell (Garfield) p. Breeding (Elyria), 3:45

Fifth place: Lambert (Brunswick) d. Ryan Wissell (Highland), 18-7

Seventh place: Baitt (Jefferson Area) d. Simmons (Copley), 7-0.

132 – Championship: Brady (Olentangy Liberty) d. Yoho (Woodridge), 12-2.

Third place: Bronstrup (Brecksville) d. Trescott (Rootstown), 9-3.

Fifth place: Grimes (Copley) d. Muir-Johnson (Revere), 10-5.

Seventh place: Gibson (Bloom Carroll) d. Bourque (Avon), 7-6.

138 – Championship: Martinez (Licking Valley) d. Whitehead (Jackson), 6-1.

Third place: Kirresh (Avon) d. Castaneda (Brunswick), 5-3.

Fifth place: Jaeckin (Olmsted Falls) d. Joseph (Canfield), 2-0.

Seventh place: Wolcott (Sheridan) d. Loprinzi (Woodridge), 6-4.

145 – Championship: Heil (Brunswick) d. DeMicco (Brecksville), 6-2.

Third place: Sadler (Rootstown) d. Brady (Elyria), 13-7.

Fifth place: Frost (Canfield) d. Rogan (Springfield), 9-2.

Seventh place: Gothier (Avon) d. Kirbey (Olmsted Falls), 2-1.

152 – Championship: Poullas (Canfield) d. O’Dor (Elyria), 4-3.

Third place: Hall (Chippewa) p. Yoho (Woodridge), 1:32.

Fifth place: Broski (Olmsted Falls) d. Tompkins (Mogadore), 12-3.

Seventh place: Vespucci (Crestwood) p. Rizzo (Avon), 1:25.

160 – Championship: Lawson (Olentangy Liberty) p. Locklear (Olmsted Falls), 3:53.

Third place: Kiussis (Brunswick) d. Crawford (Canfield), 6-4.

Fifth place: Kinney (Brecksville) d. Price (Elyria), forfeit.

Seventh place: Williams (Norton) p. Zehe (Madison), 2:15.

170 – Championship: Marcelli (Jackson) d. Caraffi (Olmsted Falls), 7-3.

Third place: Sorboro (Rootstown) p. Andrassy (Stow), 2:38.

Fifth place: Steiner (Norwayne) d. Price (Elyria), 5-1.

Seventh place: Campo (Avon) p. Forrer (Midview), 2:39

182 – Championship: Brown (Elyria) d. Frambach (Midview), 18-5.

Third place: Fitzpatrick (Olentangy Liberty) p. Paonessa (Tallmadge), 1:14.

Fifth place: Knabe (Copley) d. Roper (Firestone), 10-6.

Seventh place: Brubach (Green) d. Mendeluk (Olmsted Falls), 4-2.

195 – Championship: Darmstadt (Elyria) d. Naples (Brunswick), 16-2.

Third place: Cook (Coventry) d. Kendzerski (Olentangy Liberty), 3-1.

Fifth place: Rogers (Green) d. Prokop (Copley), 10-5.

Seventh place: Skye (Mogadore) d. Bunch (Canfield), 6-3.

220 – Championship: Caraballo (Olmsted Falls) d. Esarco (Canfield), forfeit.

Third place: Cropper (Manchester) d. Kelly (Mogadore), 5-3 OT.

Fifth place: Rogers (Green) d. Sternad (Brecksville), 9-2.

Seventh place: Berthold (Midview) p. Howard (Bloom Carroll) 0:53.

285 – Championship: Vough (Elyria) d. Samouk (Copley), 3-1.

Third place: Bischoff (Norton) d. Giordano (Canfield), 3-1.

Fifth place: Shirley (Rocky River) p. Claridy (Kent Roosevelt), 3:36.

Seventh place: Simon (Olmsted Falls) d. Jerome (Madison), 3-2.

Cleveland State rallied from a 12-point deficit to defeat Northern Kentucky, 70-65, in a Horizon League game Saturday.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. -- The Cleveland State Vikings snapped a five-game losing streak with a 70-65 victory over Northern Kentucky in a Horizon League game Saturday in BB&T Arena.

The Vikings rallied from a 12-point deficit and built a 10-point lead, then held on through some anxious moments down the stretch to improve to 6-13 overall and 1-5 in the Horizon. Northern Kentucky, in its first season as a member of the Horizon League, is 5-11, 1-4. The two schools were playing for the first time.

Cleveland State trailed, 27-16, with 6:25 remaining in the first half, but closed the half with a 13-0 run for a 29-27 lead. Kenny Carpenter had five points in the run, including a 3-pointer just ahead of the buzzer.

CSU had a 33-32 lead early in the second half on a layup by Demonte Flannigan, but the Norse used an 18-9 run for a 50-42 lead with 13:01 remaining. The Vikings battled back to tie it at 50-50 on a layup by Carpenter, then went ahead 55-52 on a 3-pointer and two free throws by Vinny Zollo with 8:01 left.

From there, the Vikings built the lead to 65-55, getting five points from Edwards and a 3-pointer by Nelson Maxwell, and two free throws by Andre Yates in the final minute sealed the win.

Carpenter led CSU with a career-high 18 points, making 7-of-11 from the field, including four of five from beyond the arc. He also had five rebounds. Flannigan finished with 13 points and Yates added 10. Freshman Jibri Blount grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

Tyler White led Northern Kentucky with 17 points and Cole Murray had 12.

First win: Northern Kentucky picked up its first-ever Horizon League victory on Thursday, defeating Youngstown State, 84-64.

Up next: Cleveland State hosts UIC on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Wolstein Center, then will entertain Youngstown State next Sunday at 1 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena. ... The Vikings close out the first round of Horizon League play at Valparaiso on Jan. 28 at 8 p.m.