It's WAND's "All-Time 5"! Which local high school has the best all-time, all-star lineup of basketball players from any era, together on one court in a tournament of 33 teams!
51 pages. 8,900 words (and counting). Countless conversations, messages, box scores, All-State lists and school records. Now that Gordon Voit's research packet has been compiled, we begin the fun.
NUMBER 32: OKAW VALLEY (BETHANY-FINDLAY)
(8) Okaw Valley vs. (8) Mt. Pulaski in Play-in Game
PG - Jimmy Allen, 9th IHSA assists in season (292); 1992 Findlay State Champs
SG - Dustin Bone, 8th IHSA 3FG career (352), 5th season (138); 1,150 points; Bethany Class of 1999
PF – David Hite, 6-6, All-Area, 24.4 ppg, 1st career rebounds; Bethany Class of 1981
PF - Clayton Stivers (Northern Illinois) 6-7, Co-Area POY, 1992 Findlay State Champs
PF - Eric Smith (Millikin) 6-6, Co-Area POY, 1992 Findlay State Champs
Â
Bench
F - Shannon Cloyd (Millikin) 6-5, 2x All-CCIW, 41 points for Millikin in 1993; Will get equal minutes to starters; Findlay Class of 1991
G - Dustin Yoder (Lake Land) 1st points 1,517 OV, now coaches D2 Cal State San Bernardino after serving on Bruce Weber's Kansas State staff; Okaw Valley Class of 2006
PG - Mike Overlot (Millikin baseball) All-Conference, 52-3 record from 1974-76; Bethany High 1976
PF - Bart Spencer, 6-6; Bethany High
G - Jim Bone, 52-3 record from 1974-76; Bethany High 1970s
F - Ronnie Cloyd, 6-2, Led Findlay to first-ever Sweet 16, 14 ppg
Tony Rauch, record 49 points vs. Atwood-Hammond in 1978; Class of 1978
G - Jim Bone, 52-3 record from 1974-76; Bethany High 1970s
Mark Ames (Eastern Illinois)
SG - Joey Howell; shooting specialist 1992 Findlay State Champs
G - Tony Sparks, glue guy to 1992 Findlay State Champs
G - Austin Hill (5th IHSA steals: 9 vs A-O in 2018); Okaw Valley
(Did we miss a player? Email gordon.voit@wandtv.com so we can update the roster! Thanks for your help in making this special project complete.)
Best season: 1992 State Champion (Class A)
Enrollment: 166 (2020), Findlay: 97 (1992)
GOAT: The "Twin Towers" duo of 6-6 Eric Smith and 6-7 Clayton Stivers was an unstoppable force at the 1992 state tournament. They were co-Area Player of the Year so it's only fitting they get "GOATed" together.
Why they're seeded here: This is a big win for Okaw Valley Nation, which beat out a large list of other qualified schools of a similar profile: small school state champion, college athletes, all-time studs. It boiled down to two factors: the extra weight that the two-class championship carries and the insane amount of size that this 166-enrollment school (present day) has when you factor in Findlay and Bethany history. It could roll out a lineup with 6-6, 6-6, 6-6, 6-7 players that aren't just oafs but put up huge numbers. That size is a major advantage over the other bubble schools.
WHAT: A competition to see who has the best all-time all-star squad of any high school basketball program in the 217 area code.
WHEN:Â February 5 - March 18 (Phase 1)
March 18 until the NCAA Final Four in April (Phase 2)
HOW: Gordon Voit will release four more teams every single Wednesday night, two during the 6 p.m. show and two during the 10 p.m. show. This is Phase 1. Phase 2 consists of a bracket challenge pitting the teams against each other in a simulated tournament.
RELEASING THE TEAMS
February 5: The 8 seeds
Play-in game
No. 32: Okaw Valley (Bethany-Findlay)
February 12: The 7 seeds
No. 28
No. 27
No. 26
No. 25
