The Ohio All-Star team, if you will, is stacked at the guard and small forward positions. The big spots are a different matter. If this team is going to win, it's going to have to mostly outscore the opposition and penetrate from the perimeter, because rebounding and interior defense aren't going to be its strong suits. At the guard, my starters are Eric Snow (Canton) and Michael Redd (Columbus). Starting at small forward is LeBron James (Akron). My power forward is aging Brian Grant (Cincinnati), and my center is Jason Collier (Springfield), averaging 6 points and 3 rebounds a game for the Hawks (I told you the bigs were a problem on this team). Off the bench, Antonio Daniels (Columbus), James Posey (Twinsburg), and Eric Piatkowski (Steubenville) will battle for minutes behind Redd and Snow. James will be spelled by Jim Jackson (Toledo) and Ruben Patterson (Cleveland) at the small forward. Backing up Grant and Collier are big men Brandon Hunter (Cincinnati) and Samaki Walker (Columbus). But there's still a few more players I want. Lucky for me there's the faux-injured list in the NBA where players go to nurse imaginary back spasms and strained quads so other players can sit at the end of the bench. Here is where backup center John Edwards (Warren), ancient Charles Oakley (Cleveland, on the roster for "veteran leadership) and mighty mite Earl Boykins (Cleveland) start the season. Missing the cut in training camp are guard Keith McLeod (Columbus), forward Erik Daniels (Cincinnati), Neil Yanke (Cincinnati), and Calvin Booth (Reynoldsburg). Now, this might not be the single best team ever assembled from one state, but I'd take them to the arena most any day and expect to have a chance to win.
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