'This group is running its own race’: Westerville North boys basketball off to fast start
Thursday, December 18, 2025
By Michael Rich
mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com
Elijah McCree (3) was a role player on last year’s state championship squad at Westerville North, but is now averaging almost 20 points a game. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Elijah McCree remembers a time over the summer when it looked as though the Westerville North boys basketball team needed a lot of work. Hard to believe now considering the Warriors have picked up right where they’ve left off last season in the early part of this one.
Coming off a Division II state championship, North has rolled through its first three opponents by an average of just over 30 points per game.
The Warriors (3-0, 2-0 OCC-Capital Division) are on a 27-game winning streak, defeating Dayton Northridge (72-48), Delaware Hayes (62-23) and rival Westerville South (80-51) despite having to replace some key components off last year’s team, including 2025 graduates Tai Perkins and Micah Young.
Juniors Tony Cornett (wing) and Tyson Perkins (guard) are the only returning starters.
McCree, a senior, classmates Jacob Medhane and Nate Roman, as well as senior wing Desmond Okantey and junior wing Damion King were role players or on the junior varsity squad last season and are now featured more prominently. Roman and Medhane are guards.
“There was, I would say, a little adversity when we came back,” said McCree, a guard. “We won a lot of games in the summer, but we had some scrimmages where we realized ‘OK, we got a lot of stuff to work on and things to get better at.’
“We went up to Lima Shawnee and we underperformed a little bit. There are times where practice looked a little different from last year. So, that’s when we had to kind of change our mentality and get it back (to being) focused 100%.”
Tony Cornett (center) is a mainstay in the Westerville North lineup, having helped the Warriors win their first state title in 31 years last season. Photo: Kevin Rouch
McCree is averaging 19.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game in the first three games and King is averaging 8.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in the first three games for the Warriors. King is getting offers to play football at the Division I level as a defensive end.
North has three games in three days, beginning with league foe Westland Dec. 19.
“Last year, we had three people on the bench who could have possibly started (in McCree, Medhane and King),” said Cornett, who is averaging 12.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals so far. “Our coaches are on us more than they ever were. They don’t want us to think that since we already got one championship to just settle down and relax. They push us even harder.”
North’s style hasn’t changed either. They feature a ferocious style of defense that creates 94 feet of chaos.
Tyson Perkins leads the team with 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 steals and 3.3 deflections to go with 11.3 points and a team-leading 3.3 assists per game.
“We want to play fast (and) we want to make teams uncomfortable,” coach Shan Trusley said. “On defense, we always talk about winning the line of scrimmage. … Guard the basketball. That guy can’t get by me. The kids thrive in that chaos.”
North is averaging 20.0 deflections and 17.0 steals per game.
Tyson Perkins is the player that sparks Westerville North, leading the team in assists, but also in rebounds, steals, and deflections. Photo: Kevin Rouch
“I feel like with the team we have, we just got a lot of quick guys,” McCree said. “We’re not the tallest team and Coach (Trusley) reminds us of that. He talks about superpowers and he says our team’s superpower is our speed. Like nobody can run up and down the floor and play 94 feet like us.”
Trusley is in his 13th year as the head coach, but he’s been with the program since 1993. The Warriors defeated Massillon Perry 78-46 in last year’s state final for their first title since 1994 and second overall.
“I’m not trying to sound corny or cliche, but at Westerville North, we’re a family,” Trusley, who played point guard for the Warriors before graduating in 1988. “That game was for everyone who’s ever played at Westerville North. That game was for everyone whoever went to school at Westerville North.
“Within the first hour of the completion of the game, I can’t even tell you the number of texts that I got from former players and guys that I coached with and guys that I went to school with and played with. To know that they were watching – either they were there live or they were watching it on (TV). It was sort of a family affair – a big celebration for Westerville North and the community.”
While the end of last year was something to remember, Trusley is quick to point out this year’s squad is a different team.
“This group is running its own race,” he said. “The kids understand the importance of preparation (and) the importance of practice. They realize that if they put the time and effort into it, good things could be waiting at the end.”
Westerville North head coach Shan Trusley played for the Warriors and has been coaching in the system since 1993. Photo: Kevin Rouch