High school basketball player of the week – Aronde Myers

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — Zanesville senior Aronde Myers has been voted the WHIZ-TV basketball player of the week.

Aronde scored 21 points Friday night in Zanesville’s 57-55 win over previously unbeaten Meadowbrook. The win improved the Blue Devils to 7-2 on the season, and a league-best 7-0 in ECOL play. Zanesville currently sits atop the ECOL standings with the Colts just one-game behind.

It wasn’t just Myers’ big scoring output that earned him player of the week honors though, he also hit the game-winning shot as time expired in overtime to help his team earn the victory.

“It was a huge game for us in the ECOL. We were both undefeated in the league, and the last couple years we’ve been up-and-down in the ECOL, so getting that big win over an undefeated opponent it was huge for us. And I got a big shot at the end, in a huge game in front of our home crowd,  so it’s a feeling you’ll carry forever,” explained Myers.

Prior to overtime, teammate Cameron Brooks-Harris knocked down a game-tying three-point shot with just seconds to play in regulation; a shot that Myers knows contributed to his big night.

“We had a few options with the play, obviously…Cam went off that flare screen and Cobe made a nice pass to him and, you know, that’s a D-I commit right there. He mad a nice shot, so he really put us in that position to win the game,” added Myers.

And the win couldn’t have come at a better time. Following losses to both Newark and Gahanna Lincoln, the Blue Devils were desperate to avoid losing their third straight game. And while Aronde says you never want to lose, he thought the two defeats helped them understand where they still needed to improve as a team.

“You never want to lose, but I think those losses really helped us. You know, weaknesses, they showed us what we had to work on in practice, and that’s what we did. I think we got better from them in the Meadowbrook game, and we just have to continue to get better from there,” Myers said.

As for the game winner, Myers said he felt good about his initial effort, but was glad he remembered to follow his shot.

“I got the ball with like 12 seconds on the clock, so we didn’t really have time to come up with a play right there so I just had to iso and I got a good shot off, but I’m glad I followed my shot and got it to go in.”

Zanesville next plays on Friday when they host New Philadelphia at Winland Gymnasium.

Final Poll Results

Jake McLoughlin (Tri-Valley) 31%
Aronde Myers (Zanesville) 32%
Carver Myers (Morgan) 20%
Ethan Heller (Sheridan) 17%