toledoblade.com --

As the Libbey Cowboys try to become the fourth boys basketball team in City League history to win a state championship, most folks with any recent knowledge of Ohio high school basketball are well aware of the central figure in Libbey's lineup.

He is William Buford, a 6-foot-5 senior guard and four-year starter, who, in last Sunday's regional final, became Toledo's second career 2,000-point scorer (2,009), now arguably ranks No. 2 among the all-time best players in CL history behind the first guy to reach 2,000.

That was former Macomber, Ohio State and NBA star Jim Jackson, who tallied 2,328 points in his four-year run with the Macmen, which was capped by a Division I state championship in 1989.

Lance Jones, above, contributes 5.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for Libbey.
( THE BLADE/LORI KING )

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Buford has been named to two prestigious All-American teams (McDonald's and Jordan) and on Monday he was announced as Ohio's D-II state co-player of the year along with a future Buckeye teammate, 7-1 center B.J. Mullens of Canal Winchester.

Rated as the third-best shooting guard nationally among prep players, Buford - who has hit more than 40 percent from 3-point range and above 60 percent on 2-pointers the last two seasons - may be the most consistently successful shooter in Toledo history.

On the next layer of the Cowboys' success, a pair of senior three-year starters - 6-6 forward Julius Wells and 6-3 guard Brad Sandridge - have seen their own abundant skills often buried in the wake of Buford's blue-chip aura.

But, a big part of Libbey's success has been their graceful acceptance of Buford's ability and popularity, and their willingness to assume subordinate roles.

"Julius and Brad are great players in their own right but they have a great deal of respect for William," said 16th-year Libbey coach Leroy Bates.

"William does not flaunt his status, and they can appreciate that.

"The best thing about them is that they recognize that Will can finish what he starts and that he's not just out there blowing smoke. He produces and, to their credit, they appreciate people who produce. Whether he shines or they all shine, they all feel a common bond as a team."

Brad Burton, below, contributes 5.6 and 3.7, respectively. Libbey senior Tony Brown, a good perimeter shooter, averages 8.4 points and 4.0 rebounds.
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And, just as valuable to the chemistry of this team - which has posted a 44-4 record the last two seasons while collecting two City League titles - have been the roles played by an even lesser-known part of this talented Cowboy contingent.

Heading that list are three other seniors, regular starters Lance Jones and Tony Brown, and sixth man Brad Burton, who has also started on occasion.

"Lance is the hidden assassin," Bates said.

"He's probably made the greatest improvement out of any of them from his junior year to now. It wasn't so much that his skills got better, it's just that his confidence level went up."

The 6-5 Jones, who has contributed 5.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, often draws top defensive assignments and is an adept passer.

"I like playing with them because it makes everything easier," Jones said of Buford, Wells and Sandridge. "Sometimes we don't get the credit but, as long as we win, that's all that matters.

Brown stopped playing basketball in the seventh grade and didn't resume until his sophomore year. Both he had Bates are glad he returned.

"Tony's a player that's just coming into his own," Bates said. "He has a great deal of potential. In practice he's a different kind of player than he is in a game. He's been better in practice, but he's been working on that."

Libbey senior Tony Brown, a good perimeter shooter, averages 8.4 points and 4.0 rebounds.
( THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH )

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Brown, a reliable perimeter shooter who occasionally runs the offense, averages 8.4 points and 4.0 rebounds.

"This is real exciting," Brown said of going to state, "and I can't wait until we play. My role is playing defense and being aggressive on offense. I think I can turn it on whenever I feel like it. I'm glad I came back."

Burton, a terrific leaper as a 6-2 guard, is also a threat from 3-point range. But his biggest asset is an intangible, according to Bates.

"Brad Burton is a winner," the coach said. "He brings a winning attitude once he gets on the court. He's won championships at the freshman level, as a sophomore on JV team, and as a junior and senior on the varsity. He hates to lose, and he expends all of his energy on the court. He can fill it up and we look to him to provide offense when Will is not in the game, and even when Will is in the game, he's another go-to guy."

Burton adds 5.6 points and 3.7 rebounds.

"Everybody wants to be the star," Burton said, "but we know we all can't have that, so we do what we've got to do to win. My part is rebounding.

"I think we know what it takes to win the state, and hopefully we can bring it back to Toledo."

Also pitching in consistently have been 6-7 senior forward Rodney Everage, a transfer from Start, and 5-10 junior guard Brandon Ham, whose grandfather, Carl Ham Sr., played on Libbey's state semifinal team of 1969.

"It's not a problem for me coming off the bench, even though I never really sat the bench until this year," Ham said. "Coach Bates just tells me to always be ready. I sit next to the coaches and pay attention to the game and just try to keep focused and work hard when I get in there."

"Brandon Ham brings a lot of speed and a lot of intensity," Bates said. "Sometimes after he comes out of the game he's really winded and it might be only a couple minutes. That lets you know he's giving it 100 percent while he's out there."

Two other seniors have provided situational minutes off the bench, 6-4 center Shawn Purnell and 5-8 guard Adarris Garland.

"Shawn Purnell is a fiery kind of guy who brings a lot of emotion to the court," Bates said. "Adarris has showed a great deal of determination and he focused in on one area that he knew would make him beneficial to our team, and that was on defense."

Poised in the knowledge that he will have plenty of help in today's state semifinal contest against fifth-ranked St. Paris Graham (26-0), Buford this time gets the last word on the Cowboys' title quest.

"We feel real good and we're going to go out and try to make Libbey history," he said. "Our motto is 'Don't talk about it, be about it.' We're going to keep on going hard in the gym, listen to our coach, and I think we can go all the way."

Contact Steve Junga at:
sjunga@theblade.com
or 419-724-6461.

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