The Amelia basketball team and cheerleaders pose with the Southern Buckeye Conference Crossover Tournament trophy and holding up four fingers to signify their four straight league titles.

The Amelia basketball team and cheerleaders pose with the Southern Buckeye Conference Crossover Tournament trophy and holding up four fingers to signify their four straight league titles.
By Chris Chaney
Sports Editor

Updating the league championship banners in the Amelia High School gymnasium has become an annual occurrence as the Barons varsity basketball team claimed their fourth consecutive Southern Buckeye Conference American Division title last week.

“None of them have been easy,” Amelia head coach Craig Mazzaro said. “We’ve earned every one of them.”

The Barons, winners of seven of their last nine games and 15 of their last 20, wrapped up the SBC-American with a 12-point win over Norwood on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

“We shot the ball very well against Norwood,” Mazzaro said. “A lot of guys stepped up and played very well. We had just gotten beaten in overtime (by Batavia, 55-52) the game before.

“Our guys don’t like losing. They fixed the things in practice that needed to be fixed and got the job done.”

Beating Norwood, 65-53, effectively wrapped up the league title for the Barons, who went 8-2 in the SBC. The Indians were the eventual runners-up, with Batavia and Western Brown sharing third place, each going 5-5 in league play.

The Barons parlayed the momentum from their league title into another tournament win at the SBC Crossover Tournament, playing National Division co-champions, Williamsburg.

“We got off to a slow start (against Burg),” Mazzaro said. “David Winkler shot it really well for us the last few games and has been a big key. Same with Cage Meyer — he’s leading us in scoring and rebounding. Tyler Stewart has stepped it up as have (Ryan) Turner and (Daniel) Waldmann.”

The Barons’ cast of contributors has been a luxury as they moved through the SBC and with everyone comfortable in their respective roles, Amelia turns its collective attention to getting their first sectional tournament win of this decade.

“We’ve always been cruising to league championships, so it’s been hard for us to answer the bell for another big game,” Mazzaro said. “Some of these teams can’t wait to get their (regular) season over with and get to the playoffs. We’ve been winning championships.

“We’re kind of like those NCAA Tournament teams who won their league tournaments and then get knocked out in the first round.”

This year, however, Mazzaro sees an advantage in the form of some down time, which weather has not afforded them in the recent past.

“This year we have a little time to rest and get ready,” he said. “Last year, we had some snow days that messed with the schedule and we played in the SBC Tournament against Georgetown and then right away (against Turpin) in the first round.”

This year, the weather has cooperated in the Barons’ preparation. Following Saturday, Feb. 13’s SBC Tournament victory, Amelia will have had four days between their win over Williamsburg and their first-round match up with Loveland.

“Loveland has 13 wins in a really tough league, (the Eastern Cincinnati Conference),” Mazzaro said. “Plus, they have wins over Anderson, Little Miami, Turpin and Indian Hill — all teams that have beaten us this year — so it’s going to be a challenge.”

Amelia and Loveland tip off at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18 at Hamilton High School. Complete brackets and schedules of the sectional basketball tournament can be found on swdab.org.