Trotwood-Madison Played ‘Above and Beyond’ Expectations | Dayton Daily News

By Jeff Gilbert, Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI — Entering the season, no one expected the Trotwood-Madison High School boys basketball team to compete for a regional title.

A year ago, the Rams went 18-6 and were upset by Chaminade-Julienne in a district semifinal game.

With a new coach in Carl Blanton, Sr., the Rams believed they could put Trotwood-Madison basketball back on the map.

The Rams finished the season as Division III regional runner-ups, falling to Cincinnati Aiken 71-50 on Sunday afternoon at the Xavier University Cintas Center.

“I think we overcame what everybody else’s expectations were for us,” Blanton said. “I think a lot of people didn’t think we were going to do as well as we did. I take my hat’s off to my coaching staff and my players for buying in to what I was instilling during my first year of coaching.”

Trotwood 6-foot-8 senior post Jermiel Atkins had 16 points and 19 rebounds and senior Baron White added 11 points for the Rams, who finished their season 24-3.

“First of all, I just want to give my hats off to Cincinnati Aiken,” Blanton said. “They’re coached very well by (Derrell Black). They really came out to play. I think we jumped on them at first and when we had a little bit of control, we turned the ball over. The turnovers I think kind of cost us a game.”

Trotwood entered the game on a 17-game winning streak that included a 78-76 victory over Aiken on Feb. 13 — the Falcons only loss of the season.

In the first matchup, Atkins’ putback gave the Rams the win. He was dominant in the paint again, pulling down 10 boards in the first half as Trotwood grabbed a 22-19 halftime lead.

“He’s our go-to guy,” Blanton said. “We get the ball into him, he gets us going, he rebounds, he outlets and runs the floor. We couldn’t ask for much more from him. He had a great season, a great year.”

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