Findlay starts ’09-10 where it finished ’08-09 — No. 1

By Rob Miech

Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 | 1:34 p.m.

Findlay College Prep opens the 2009-10 season as the No. 1 basketball team in the land, according to a national poll of insiders, writers and coaches.

Not a surprise, since the Pilots went 33-0 last season in capturing the inaugural ESPN National High School Invitational championship, defeating vaunted Oak Hill for the title in Maryland.

Findlay coach Mike Peck, 65-1 in his two seasons guiding the Pilots, returns standout point guard Cory Joseph, and senior power forwards Tristan Thompson and Godwin Okonji.

Outstanding newcomers include guards Nick Johnson and Jabari Brown, and forwards Winston Shepard and Dekeeba Battee-Aston.

Findlay opens its season Nov. 13, against National College Prep, at home inside the Henderson International School gym. The Pilots play No. 2 Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick and No. 4 Columbus (Ohio) Northland in individual games this season.

Findlay’s Dec. 12 game against local power Bishop Gorman will be played at the Orleans Arena.

The National Prep Basketball Poll is compiled by PrepNation.com, in Urbandale, Iowa.

The poll:

1. Findlay, 33-0

2. Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick, 30-3

3. Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill, 40-1

4. Columbus (Ohio) Northland, 27-1

5. Los Angeles Westchester, 35-2

6. Houston Yates, 34-1

7. Bloomington (Ind.) South, 26-0

8. Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei, 31-2

9. Newark (N.J.) St. Benedict’s, 24-3

10. Alpharetta (Ga.) Milton, 24-8

11. Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha, 31-4

12. Rockville (Md.) Montrose Christian, 25-3

13. Chicago Young, 26-9

14. Covington (Ky.) Holmes, 36-2

15. Detroit Pershing, 26-1

16. Winter Park (Fla.), 24-8

17. Cedar Hill (Texas), 35-4

18. Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler, 25-7

19. Woodland Hills (Calif.) Taft, 27-5

20. Washington Gonzaga, 29-5

21. Ames (Iowa), 26-0

22. St. Louis Chaminade, 27-4

23. Memphis (Tenn.) White Station, 31-7

24. New York Rice, 25-3

25. Kinston (N.C.), 29-3