Hiland's Miller, Hillsdale's Ferguson share WDR's Boys Basketball Player of the Year

Both are point guards. One is an underclassmen (sophomore). The other is an upperclassmen (senior).

Both ran the show for their respective teams and each were able to lead their schools to the state tournament in Dayton. With that, the Wooster Daily Record has named Hiland senior Alex Miller and Hillsdale sophomore Lowen Ferguson as the All-Area co-Basketball Player of the Year. Other players that were in consideration were Orrville's Kodah Allen, Central Christian's Drew Badertscher, Hiland's Ryan Zerger, Smithville's Brennan Piatt and Hiland's Caleb Yoder.

More: Hiland-Marion Local is the best high school basketball game I've ever covered | Simpson For the 5-foot-6 Ferguson, he's been Hillsdale's starting point guard since Day One and after an impressive freshman showing where he emerged as one of the top players in the Wayne/Ashland County area, by the time his sophomore season wrapped up, he was seen as one of the best players in Division VII. Analyze all the teams in the Wayne/Holmes County area and there's probably no school that leans on a player as much as Hillsdale depends on Ferguson. He's really the conductor out there and rarely ever comes out of a game.

If Hillsdale needs to slow things down and play in the half-court on offense, he'll make that call. When the Falcons have the opportunity to push the ball in transition — which is Hillsdale's biggest team strength — then Ferguson ignites that and is at his best getting out running and finding teammates. More: Lowen Ferguson's 31 points lifts Hillsdale past Norwayne, as both teams adjust to new realities He's really balled out in big games this season, specifically in his 31-point effort (16-of-19 at the foul line) against Norwayne on Jan.