Credit: Stephen Galvin
Credit: Stephen Galvin
Wes Enis, South Florida: A Miami East graduate who played his first two seasons of college at Lincoln Memorial University, a Division II school, Enis excelled in his first season at the D-I level.
Enis, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, helped lead South Florida to the American Conference regular-season and tournament championships. He scored 19 points in the championship game Sunday in a 70-55 victory against Wichita State, earning the tournament MVP award.
“We have a whole bunch of dudes that are underdogs with a chip on their shoulder,” Enis said. “We’re ready to go for this tournament.”
Enis ranks among the national leaders with 102 3-pointers and leads South Florida with 16.8 points per game.
The No. 11 seed Bulls play No. 6 seed Louisville at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y.
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
Tom House, Furman: A 2022 Centerville High School graduate, House will make his first NCAA tournament appearance in his final season of eligibility. He ranks fifth in scoring for the Paladins with 8.1 points per game.
Furman earned a bid with a 76-61 victory against No. 1 seed East Tennessee State in the Southern Conference championship game in Asheville, N.C. House, a 6-7 guard, scored 13 points in the final game and made the all-tournament second team.
House played his first two seasons at Florida State and transferred to Furman before his junior season.
No. 15 seed Furman will play No. 2 seed Connecticut at 10 p.m. Friday in Philadelphia.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Gabe Cupps, Ohio State: A teammate of House at Centerville, Cupps will also experience March Madness for the first time. A 6-2 junior guard, he played his first two seasons at Indiana and transferred to Ohio State last spring.
Cupps averages 1.6 points in 12.5 minutes per game. He had five points in 17 minutes in a 71-67 loss to Michigan in the Big Ten tournament semifinals Saturday.
Cupps won the Ohio Mr. Basketball award as a junior in 2022. He helped lead the Elks to a 43-42 victory against Westerville Central in the Division I state championship game as a sophomore.
No. 8 seed Ohio State plays No. 9 seed Texas Christian at 12:15 p.m. Thursday in Greenville, S.C.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Jonathan Powell, North Carolina: A 2024 Centerville graduate, Powell averages 4.8 points in 16.1 minutes per game as a 6-6 sophomore forward.
Powell played his freshman season at West Virginia before entering the transfer portal in March 2025.
Powell played his first two seasons of high school basketball at Chaminade Julienne and his last two at Centerville. In the 2022-23 season at Centerville, he was a teammate of Cupps.
Powell was named the 2024 Division I Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year after averaging 19.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists as a senior.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Shawn Phillips Jr., Missouri: A Dayton native who spent two years at Belmont High School, Phillips averages 7.7 points in 20.3 minutes for Missouri.
Phillips played his freshman season at LSU, averaging 1.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 20 games. He then transferred to Arizona State, where he averaged 5.5 points as a sophomore and 5.4 points as a junior.
Phillips attended Belmont until transferring to Ypsi Prep Academy in Michigan in 2020. He then attended Dream City Christian in Glendale, Ariz., for his senior year.
No. 10 seed Missouri plays the No. 7 seed Miami Hurricanes at 10:10 p.m. Friday in St. Louis, Mo.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Trey Perry, Miami: A 6-2 freshman guard from Lakota East High School, Perry averages 6.0 points in 13.2 minutes per game.
Perry’s biggest moment of the season came on Feb. 27 when his layup with 0.7 seconds remaining lifted Miami to a 69-67 victory over Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Mich.
No. 11 seed Miami will play No. 11 seed Southern Methodist University at 9:15 p.m. Wednesday in the First Four at UD Arena.
Andrea Holden, Wright State: A 6-6 sophomore wing from Hamilton High School, Holden averages 6.3 points in 14.3 minutes per game.
Holden ranks second on the team in blocks per game (1.2).
“He’s understanding the whole floor far better than just around the rim,” coach Clint Sargent said earlier this month. “You can see his shot blocking. Offensive rebounding numbers are something we have to get wildly better at. And he can do that. He’s naturally very gifted with his hands.”
No. 14 seed Wright State plays No. 3 seed Virginia at 1:50 p.m. Friday in Philadelphia.
Logan Woods, Wright State: A 6-5 redshirt junior guard from Fairfield High School, Woods averages 5.4 points in 18.6 minutes per game. He’s one of three Raiders who have appeared in all 34 games along with Holden and Kellen Pickett.
Isaiah Williams, Wright State: A 6-3 freshman from Beavercreek High School, Williams walked on at Wright State. He has not appeared in a game this season.
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