Stivers standouts join signees

Stivers might be dubbed a School for the Arts, but Isaiah Williams and Tyler Johnson are doing their best to maintain a long and proud sports legacy.

On Wednesday, both signed binding national letters of intent to accept athletic scholarships in their favorite sports. Williams fulfilled a year-long verbal commitment to play basketball at the University of Akron. Johnson sided with recent favorite Eastern Michigan.

They were among many area seniors who signed on the first of two national signing days for the Class of 2016. This signing period is for most sports and extends through Nov. 18. A weeklong early signing period for football and soccer is in February.

Williams, a 6-foot-6 force around the basket, chose Akron over Miami, Bowling Green, Wright State and Stoneybrook (N.Y.), among others. His recruiting stock soared following a productive summer of 17-and-under AAU ball in which he first excelled for All-Ohio Red then the King James Shooting Stars during a season-ending national tournament.

Stivers has produced many great collegiate athletes during its long history as a City League school, including many basketball standouts. However, Williams is the first to sign for an NCAA Division I scholarship to play basketball since the East Fifth Street landmark reinvented itself as Stivers School for the Arts in 2000.

“It’s unbelievable,” gushed Williams, who averaged 15.5 points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers last season. “It’s really a blessing. I just want to thank all my coaching staff, my teammates for pushing me and my mom for being my motivation.”

Williams said he didn’t choose WSU because “it was too close to home. My goal always was to make it out of Dayton. It’s really a blessing I get the chance to make it out of Dayton.”

Stivers coach Shawn McCullough was especially proud of watching Williams sign during a ceremony at school Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s definitely a proud moment,” he said. “Isaiah is the closest thing to a son for me. I have only a daughter (sophomore at Tennessee) and the next thing in line as far as teenagers is Isaiah. It’s a proud moment not only as a coach but as a man.”

Former Stivers teammate Chazz George, a senior transfer to Wayne, will sign Friday to play basketball at Cleveland State. Yet another former Stivers teammate, senior Rodrick Caldwell, will sign to play basketball at Bowling Green. Caldwell transferred to Wayne last year and was a starter for the Warriors’ Division I state basketball champions.

Johnson is the latest City League sprint sensation. Last season he won the D-II state 400 meters (47.64), placed second in the 200 (21.65) and was fifth in the 100 (10.90).

Long and lean, he distanced himself from other high-end sprinters as a freshman and has steadily improved. He initially also was headed to Akron, but flipped to Eastern a week ago.

“I’m relieved,” he said. “It was a super long (recruiting) process. Now that it’s all done I feel like it’s a big weight that’s been dropped off me.”

Johnson said Ohio State and Tennessee also recruited him. His senior goal is to sweep the D-II state sprints.

“Those are my main goals this year,” he said. “That’s it; exactly. I want to sweep those races.”

Dayton will land Wayne senior basketball standout Trey Landers during a signing ceremony Friday. He committed to UD during last season’s state title run and is the brother of Wayne grad and OSU freshman defensive lineman Robert Landers.

Wright State women’s basketball secured an area standout. Tippecanoe senior Carly Clodfelter will play for the Raiders after verbally committing as a sophomore. Teammate Cassidy Wasson signed with Ohio Dominican.

Also signing with WSU are Seth Gray of Springfield Shawnee and Mitch Gremling of Vandalia-Butler to play baseball.

Other area boys who signed or intend to do so to play basketball are Evan Clayborne (Cleveland State) and Derrick Daniels (Miami) of Thurgood Marshall and Jarron Cumberland of Wilmington (Cincinnati). Clayborne transferred from Dunbar to Thurgood for his senior season.

• Area high school seniors who intend to sign are encouraged to email information, stats and photos to sports@coxohio.com.

About the Author