Word has spread throughout central Ohio that the Dublin Scioto High School boys basketball team has a potent offense capable of producing 20-point victories on any given day. It also is no secret that forward Austin O'Connell leads the way in scoring.

Senior forward Kevin Lolli wants to keep it that way.

"A lot of people focus on Austin, and I'd say he's definitely our best offensive player," Lolli said. "The defense is definitely looking at him and he's opening up stuff for me. I know Austin is the one we're going to look for first, but if they're not guarding me down low, I'll take it."

Those open looks have helped Lolli become one of the area's best shooters. He was shooting better than 60 percent from the field and averaging about 11 points through 16 games.

Coach Tony Bisutti likes to refer to Lolli as the team's "x-factor" -- the player nobody really thought about entering the season. Lolli is one reason why the Irish earned 15 consecutive victories before last Saturday's 54-52 setback at Mount Vernon.

"In several games, he's scored the first seven, eight or nine points of the game for us," said Bisutti, whose team is 15-1 overall and 7-0 in the OCC-Capital Division entering Friday's league contest at Watkins Memorial. "It helps the other guys once he starts drawing that attention, and it only helps with our balance and diversity when we have the ball."

Lolli's work ethic might be one reason for his success. After coming off the bench in a supporting role last season, he was determined to make the starting lineup. He knew that would require more self-assurance in his game.

"I think sometimes I'd go out there last year and be a little intimidated," Lolli said. "But with more playing time this year, I'm definitely playing with a lot more confidence, especially inside."

His role has been imperative to Scioto's up-tempo offense and pressure defense that's holding opponents to fewer than 40 points per game.

"He's deceptively athletic," Bisutti said. "He's quick and jumps well and I think he plays a lot bigger than he is. He gets to a lot of balls off the basket just because of that. In our pressure schemes, he's a key guy as an anticipator for us. He creates some problems that way for the other team."

Lolli produced a career-high 20 points in the 70-63 victory at Parkersburg (W.Va.) South on Jan. 20 when he scored 10 in the first quarter. He scored 17 in victories over The Plains Athens (86-29 on Dec. 2) and Franklin Heights (66-48 on Jan. 19).

Bisutti believes those numbers are worthy of all-league recognition.

"If you believe in the philosophy that good things happen to good people, then, Kevin is certainly an example of that," he said.

"He's certainly been a big factor in our success."


The girls team before last Tuesday's game against visiting Marysville had run its record to 15-0 overall, enough to earn the top seed in the Division I district tournament.

"It's certainly another benchmark and another great feather in the cap for our whole program," said coach Todd Hardesty, whose team will play host Friday to Watkins Memorial. "What it means even more is we have to go out and prove it. We're certainly going to have a target on our back and we're going to have to be ready."

The Irish reached a Division I district final for the first time last season before losing 48-41 to Pickerington North, this year's No. 3 seed behind Pickerington Central.

Scioto will open against Thomas Worthington at 8 p.m. Feb. 15 at Westerville Central.

It will have played the Cardinals five days earlier to close out the regular season.