(2022) - SG Chris Livingston

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

5-star Chris Livingston with an IU offer per The Daily Hoosier with the offer being extended last August!!   How have we not heard of this kid before???????????

6'5" from Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, OH.  Ranked #3 overall by 247 and the #1 SG.

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/iu-basketball-recruiting-class-of-2022-offer-recipient-chris-livingston-sophomore-highlights/?fbclid=IwAR3bi497xbhPDAuWQSoItEOoS7O7nOjcjMiWKCvaYiabIzq55VkerXIXIwo

247

Rivals

MaxPreps

Background

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Eric Bossi update.  No mention of IU.

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/chris-livingtson-is-one-of-2022-s-elite-talents

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

This kid has totally slipped through the cracks.  His thread was started in May and in July, he and his twin brother left Case Western Reserve and transferred back to Buchtel HS in Akron the same school they had transferred from to attend Case Western.  A fact my secretary failed to tell me.   Since we're not hearing his name mentioned I'm assuming our offer is meaningless; nonetheless, here's an update on the kid.

Buchtel went 20-8 in 2018-19 with Chris Livingston playing a key role as a freshman. The team won the Akron City Series title and rolled through the Division II district and regional tournaments before falling to eventual state champion Trotwood-Madison in the semifinals.

Chris Livingston was named the City Series and the Northeast Ohio Inland District Division II Player of the Year in 2019 and also received All-Ohio honors. He averaged 24.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game.

He played in 25 games as a sophomore at Western Reserve Academy, averaging 32.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. The Pioneers went 13-16 playing a mix of Ohio high school teams as well as traveling prep schools. His best game came in a 76-65 win over Bristolville Bristol as he piled up 50 points, 20 rebounds, eight steals and five blocked shots. That was among six 40-point games. He was selected as a MaxPreps Sophomore All-American first team pick.

You can view his current season stats at:  https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/chris-livingston/uEjahObmEeiAxKkkK9HIDg/basketball/stats.htm#year=20-21

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

First chance to watch Livingston play and what a great game it was.  Akron Buchtel (10-2) defeated previously unbeaten Lutheran East (7-1) 88-82.  Livingston passed my eye test but I doubt we're probably much of a player for his services.  He finished with 30 pts on 10-13 FG; 3-4 on 3s; 7-11 FT; 15 reb; 5 asst; 2 stls; 6 blks; 5 TO.

If interested, you can watch the game at:  https://www.lutheraneast.org/LueLive.aspx

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Buchtel defeated Medina 78-75.  Livingston with 29 pts. on 11-17 FG; 2-5 on 3s; 5-7 FT; 15 reb; 5 asst; 4 stl; 1 blk 4 TO.

[Alford Bailey 12,379]

Dont see us listed on 24/7 or Rivals

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

10 hours ago, Alford Bailey said:

Dont see us listed on 24/7 or Rivals

I've only ever seen the one reference to an IU offer so I'm not sure if there actually is one or not.  Second game I've watched him play.  He's good.

[Jam 278]

He was an early offer and perhaps the highest ranked. Maybe he has little interest

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Did some digging and in January talking to Tipton Edits, he referenced us as one of the many schools he's focused on and added "any other school willing to give me an offer."

https://www.tiptonedits.com/post/recruitment-q-a-with-2022-five-star-chris-livingston

Seriously doubt he ever attends IU.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Buchtel defeated by Walsh Jesuit 79-78.  Game story from Akron Beacon Journal

 After a record-setting night spent muscling past double-teams to score and rebound, Walsh Jesuit senior forward Erik Stern received his toughest assignment late in the fourth quarter.

It ultimately paid off, as the Warriors defeated Buchtel 79-78 in what Stern called one of his team’s best signature wins.

But down the stretch, Warriors coach Kevin Byrne made sure Stern was the one guarding Buchtel’s Chris Livingston, one of Ohio’s most notable recruits who has drawn interest from several major Division I programs. The Griffins (11-3) trailed by double digits at one point in the fourth quarter, but it was Livingston’s heroics — and 26 points, 15 in the fourth quarter — that nearly won the Griffins the game.

Senior forward Dom Grguric spent much of the game guarding Livingston, but when Livingston had the ball with under a minute to go, the Warriors (15-3) wanted the 6-foot-8 Stern on Livingston instead.

Behind 79-77, Livingston’s first attempt at what could’ve been a go-ahead basket rimmed out as Stern guarded him on the perimeter, but the Griffins fell on a loose ball and were rewarded with possession with 7.3 seconds remaining.

But there was Stern again — with a little help from a teammate who helped him double Livingston — forcing Livingston to pass away the final possession to Buchtel senior guard Noah Peeples.

Peoples drew a foul and had a chance to tie the game with two free throws, but his second foul shot missed. Buchtel snagged the rebound and heaved a desperation shot after the missed free throw, but it fell wide of the basket and the Warriors escaped with the win.

“I can’t say enough about the way Dom played … but at the end, it was time to get a little bigger body on [Livingston] and hope for the best,” Byrne said. “We were able to get a couple misses on him after he hit a couple really tough ones.”

The game was particularly special for Stern, as he became just the seventh player in Walsh Jesuit’s history to score 1,000 or more points. His athletic, practically acrobatic shot to reach 1,000 points came in the fourth quarter as Livingston guarded him.

Moments later, during a timeout, the fans who were allowed in the gym all raised signs with “1,000” printed on them. After the game’s dramatic finish, Stern stuck around on the court to sign a few of the posters and posed for pictures.

“I know there’s been a lot of great players that have come through this program,” Stern said, “so I’ve got to credit all my teammates that put me in a good position to do what I do out there.”

Byrne was hired in 2018 with Stern was already on the team, so he’ll have to find another lengthy player to trust in crucial moments next year like he trusts Stern this year. Until then, he said he can expect consistency from his senior forward, and not just on defense. Stern finished the night with a team-high 22 points.

“You almost have to double [Stern] down there, but he’s such a good passer that you have to pick your poison,” Byrne said. “He brings it every single night. I can’t remember the last time he had a bad game. He’s just always somewhere between really good and really, really good. You see when you watch him, he makes the right decision almost every time.”

It wasn’t just the final quarter that made for exciting basketball.

The Warriors opened the game ahead by five but found themselves in an early hole when the Griffins went on a 9-0 run. Buchtel sophomore guard Marcel Boyce Jr., who scored 24 points, scored twice during that period, and he was also aided by Peeples, who scored six of his 13 points in the first quarter.

Still, the Warriors tied the score and then took the lead with two baskets from junior forward Kole Kuczynski, and Stern scored four more points and assisted on another shot to close out the quarter. It was a lead the Warriors never relinquished.

That’s not to say the Griffins went dormant. Livingston, who was held scoreless in the first quarter, opened the second quarter by zipping a pass inside to sophomore guard Tajh Poole, who made it a one-point game.

After the Warriors scored on two consecutive possessions, Livingston made a long two-point shots and rattled off the next five points for Buchtel. Peeples also scored on a shot inside and two free throws, and Livingston found Poole again inside for another two points.

But the Warriors kept their balanced offensive attack rolling. Grguric, Ben Ligan, and Tyler Halligan all made 3-pointers in the second period, and Stern kept pace from inside with four points in the quarter.

In the third, junior guard Rico Pickett got going with seven points, including a buzzer-beating floater to close out the quarter. The Warriors had four scorers with double-digit points (Pickett 19, Kuczynski 14, Grguric 12) and simply held off the Griffins long enough to win.

Despite limited attendance due to COVID-19 restrictions, Byrne noticed a different energy in this game that’s been almost absent in others.

“One time we screwed something up and my player was like, ‘I can’t hear you.’ That’s the first time all year,” Byrne said. “It had a big-game feel to it. It was a great high school basketball game that came right down to the very end.”

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

I watched a replay of the above game.  The article says Livingston scored 15 in the 4th Q but in reality, he scored 15 in the last 5:20 of the game.  He scored his 26 points on 9-23 FG; 4-12 on 3s; 4-5 FG; 12 reb; 3 asst; 2 stl; 1 blk; 3 TO.   Stern from Walsh Jesuit who recorded his 1,000 career point in the game scored 22 pts. mostly in the paint going around or over Livingston who's the rim protector for Buchtel.  

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Buchtel defeated Archbishop Hoban 88-79.  Livingston with 35 pts on 14-19 FG; 4-6 on 3s; 3-4 FT;16 reb; 6 asst;

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

On 2/11 Buchtel defeated Ellet 96-32.  Livingston with 37 pts on 16-19 FG; 5-6 on 3s; 0 FT; 17 reb; 5 asst; 3 stl; 4 blk; 0 TO.

On 2/13 Buchtel defeated Akron North 70-44 to win the City Series boys basketball championship.  Livingston with 20 pts.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Division II Player of the Year Buchtel junior Chris Livingston averaged 32.0 points, 15.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 4.8 steals, and 4.1 blocks per game this season, leading Buchtel to a 14-3 record.

                                                                                                                                     

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Through 16 games, Livingston is averaging 31.2 ppg and leads the Cleveland area in scoring.   He also leads the area in rebounding at 15.8 rpg and blocks at 4.1/game.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Buchtel defeated Norton 76-41 for the Divison II District Championship.  Livingston with 28 pts; 7 reb; 4 blks.   Livingston scored his 2,000 career point.

[RatpigHoosier 1,022]

I am anticipating the days that our new coach has us playing at a level where we actually have a shot at a player like this.


Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Akron Beacon Journal -

Buchtel junior Chris Livingston says he has another gear in him yet, and if that's the case, the Ohio high school basketball world should be on notice given his performance on Saturday.

The high-flying guard notched yet another major milestone, surpassing 2,000 career points as the Griffins topped Norton 76-41 in their Division II Northeast 5 District title game.  

The 6-foot-7 Livingston ended the game with a triple-double of 27 points (10-of-14 shooting), 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He made two 3-pointers and threw down three dunks, including a stellar fast-break, between-the-legs slam.

"It was good getting it to go in," Livingston said. "I feel like I can still get in better shape, I feel like I can be a better leader on the floor. I can always improve things like shot making, making my free throws. I feel like my coach is right and I can tap into that at any point in time." 

Livingston, rated as the No. 4 player in the nation in the class of 2022 according to 247sports' composite rankings, scored his 2,000th career point with 3:20 left to go in the first quarter, nailing a deep 3-pointer on the right wing. He needed 11 points to reach the milestone coming into the game.

"It means a lot," Livingston said. "I feel like it's rare, people don't really do that. It really means a lot. There's not much else to say. It's a big accomplishment for me. I'm really appreciative that my teammates got me the ball in all the right places and allowed me to reach this accomplishment." 

His 2,000 points also includes his output from last year at Western Reserve Academy, a non-OHSAA boarding school. Livingston returned to Buchtel ahead of this season, where he also played his freshman year. 

Livingston said postseason success is what he and his brother Cordell envisioned when they transferred back, adding that the job isn't close to finished. 

"Winning a state championship is our goal," he said. "We're on the right track, we just have to keep moving forward and keep pushing for it." 

Buchtel coach Rayshon Dent said Livingston reaching this milestone as a junior is a credit to the work he's put in up until this point.

"The kid works out, he personal trains, then he comes to practice and takes 300 more shots, 1,000 shots, he's constantly working at his game," Dent said. "Two thousand points in three years, that just is a tribute to the work he puts in to being the type of player that he is. For all the rankings, he earns all of that. He's a great kid and he deserves nothing more than the best."

Thirteen of Livingston's points came in the first quarter as Buchtel jumped out to a 23-6 lead. At halftime, the Griffins led 49-22. 

In addition to Livingston's 27 points, Buchtel (17-4) also got 15 points from Travonne Jackson and 12 points from Marcel Boyce Jr.  The Griffins shot 30 of 51 from the field (58.8%).

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,744]

Livingston's season ended in an 88-74 loss to Lima Shawnee in a Division II regional final.  Livingston 34 pts. and 19 reb. in the loss for Akron Buchtel.

[ap2345 7,845]

There's a guy that popped in the peegs chat a couple days ago and said that all of a sudden since Woodson has been hired Chris Livingston has IU much higher on his list of schools/pro options now. Who knows if it's true but it's interesting.