Future Ohio State Buckeye Devin Royal starring for Pickerington Central
With the result all but guaranteed, Friday night was about the process for Devin Royal and his teammates.
In a road game against conference foe Central Crossing, Pickerington Central wasted little time doing what it was supposed to do. The reigning Ohio Division I state champions jumped out to a 14-2 lead against the physically overmatched Comets, pushed it to 23-5 after the first quarter and cruised to a 72-21 win that was only slowed by a running clock for the majority of the second half.
Royal did his part, scoring 18 points on nine shots before being removed for the remainder with the Tigers ahead 58-16 with 3:46 remaining in the third quarter. With an eye on a second consecutive title, and a collegiate career just down the road with the Buckeyes, there will be far bigger challenges just ahead for the forward.
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What did the 6-7, 210-pound forward get from this lightly attended, blowout win against the Comets?
“Just move the ball,” he said. “Team chemistry, just build it. Just make sure we play with each other instead of balling for individual points. Make sure we play with each other so next game we can keep rolling. I think we did good. I think we moved the ball well throughout the whole team.”
It was an accurate summary of how the Tigers played the game. Despite having a significant physical mismatch against the entire Comets roster, Royal mostly got his points off of backcourt steals that led to run-out dunks or wide-open 3-pointers. His only miss came on a straight-on jumper in traffic in the middle of the paint.
Otherwise, he was content to move the ball to his teammates for open shots.
“As we go into the tournament we want to continue to create good habits, create good momentum so we talked about a lot of that,” coach Eric Krueger said. “All our guys, not just Devin, telling them to lock in, have a championship approach, championship preparation. Play hard. Play like we’re capable of playing and play good basketball.”
The win moved the Tigers to 13-5 overall and 7-0 in the Buckeye Division of the Ohio Capital Conference with four regular-season games remaining. As the calendar flips to February and the clock keeps ticking on Royal’s senior season, the future Buckeye said he’s worked on his game with an eye on college while keeping his feet planted in high school.
“I’m focusing on the next level but I’m trying to stay present,” he said. “I’m still locked in on the next level, getting my shot there, dribbling, passing and stuff like that. I’m still going to be happy about my future but be locked in on the present.”
“That’s something I’ve talked to him about: be where your feet are at,” Krueger said. “You’ve got a lot of long-term aspirations but right now be the best high school basketball player in Ohio and the best player you can be daily in practice and in games. Continue to be where your feet are at. It’s good to hear him say that. He’s taken it to heart.”
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Perimeter shooting has been a primary focal point, and Royal hit the two 3-pointers he attempted against the Comets.
“He’s really become a great shooter for us,” Krueger said. “He shoots it confident and shoots it fluid. It’s something he’s really put a lot of time into and really sharpened up. He had the ability to shoot last year but this year he’s really taken it to another level.”
Krueger described Royal as an all-around scorer who can contribute in the paint, the mid-range and the 3-point line. He’s ranked as the No. 25 prospect in the nation by On3.com, No. 40 by 247Sports.com and No. 47 by ESPN.
Royal is part of a four-man recruiting class signed for Ohio State, three of whom are among the nation’s top 50 prospects according to 247Sports.
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“I talk to everybody (in the class),” he said. “We’re all cool, all friends and everything. I’m happy for the future at Ohio State. (My goals are) just work hard, be an impact on the court for everybody.”
Royal said he talks frequently with Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann and associate head coach Jake Diebler, his primary recruiter, and that he’s not concerned about the struggles the Buckeyes have had this year.
“I talk to them all the time,” he said. “It’s like family over there for sure. They’ll come through. Everybody goes through some struggles early in the season. They’re a young team. They’re still getting used to young guys and older guys coming together, trying to get chemistry, but they’re working good.”
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