Tahj Staveskie sees Spire Academy as best path to Division I basketball

SANDUSKY -- Tahj Staveskie is determined to play high-level Division I college basketball. He made a choice this weekend that could help him attain that goal. Staveskie, a first-team All-Ohio selection this past season, announced that he will attend Spire Academy in the fall. The institute is located in Geneva, northeast of Cleveland. "I just think it's the best fit for me right now," Staveskie said. "It gives me a year to get better and I can get to the college I want." Staveskie said he received an offer from Spire a couple months ago. His visit to the campus Thursday sealed the deal. "I loved the campus. It's a $100 million complex and they have everything I need," the recent Sandusky High School graduate said. Spire boasts a large multi-purpose training facility and an "Olympic Village" setting on its 175-acre campus. Spire's promotional material says the school is "ideal for serious basketball players looking for an intense training environment to prepare for the next level of competition." The basketball team is coached by Gravelle Craig, who has several years of college coaching experience. "He said I would be a good point guard on his team," Staveskie said. Spire's post-graduate team consistently places athletes at Division I programs. Its 2019-20 team finished 24-4. Most famously, LaMelo Ball suited up for the prep school for the 2018-19 season. Also on that team was Rocket Watts, who now plays at Michigan State. Staveskie said he also had offers from NCAA Division II programs Ashland and Walsh in Ohio and junior college offers from Iowa Western Community College and Olney (Ill.) Central College. "I'm happy I made my decision so I know what I'm working toward," he said. Staveskie averaged 25.7 points per game on 56 percent shooting to go with 6.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals during Sandusky's 23-2 record-setting 2019-20 season. The 6-foot point guard was named Player of the Year honors in the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division and District 6 this past season. He was also named first-team All-Northwest District. Staveskie said he will keep working hard before starting classes in early September. "I put in a lot of time people don't know about in the summer -- Monday through Friday three or four times a day," he said. "I've made some sacrifices. This will be a good year for me mentally and physically."