COLUMBUS, Ohio — Pickerington Central senior Devin Royal was named the 2023 Ohio Mr. Basketball by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association on Wednesday.
The Ohio State signee edged out Centerville senior Gabe Cupps, who won the award last year.
Royal is the first player from Pickerington Central and the 12th Ohio State Buckeye to win the award.
In the statewide voting process, three points were awarded for first place, two for second and one for third. Royal had 90 points compared to 87 for Cupps.
Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy sophomore Darryn Peterson was third in the voting, followed by senior Dailyn Swain of Columbus Africentric, sophomore Jerry Easter II of Toledo Emmanuel Christian, senior Bede Lori of Caldwell and junior Luke Skaljac of Brecksville-Broadview Heights.
The Mr. Basketball award was first given by the Associated Press in 1988 and it has bene voted on by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association since 2017.
Royal, who led the Tigers to a state championship last year as a junior, has his team back in the state tournament this weekend as they face Centerville in the semifinal on Saturday.