By HUNTER O. LYLE
DUKE CENTER, PA – Out of the thousands of high school basketball players in Pennsylvania, only five can make it to the coveted All-State First Team, an accolade some consider to be the highest individual honor you could ask for. While most of this years’ selects come from city or private schools, Landon Francis stands alone as a small school success story.
From the very start of his career, it was clear that Francis was a difference maker. Between his stone cold, all business approach to the game and his natural ability to score, playmake and defend, the four-year Terror became the tip of the spear for the most successful team in Otto-Eldred history.
While the First Team selection may be the highest individual honor one could achieve, Francis is no stranger to accolades. Through four years, he has earned several Big 30 and North Tier League All-Star Selections, a North Tier League Most Valuable and a selection to the PA All-State third team. However, his newest accomplishment comes as a ground-breaking benchmark, as he became the only Terror to make it to the All-State First team.
“Growing up, you don’t think about (making the All-State First Team) as one of your goals. Really, going into this year I didn’t have that goal, our goal was to win the District 9 and with the success from my teammates and us, it came along from all the hard work that I personally have done alongside my teammates. It’s a pretty special note to leave off on,” said Francis. “It’s cool to make Otto-Eldred known, not just around here but around the state. Hopefully that will inspire the kids coming up through to work their butts off.”
Between becoming the All-Time leading scorer and helping secure the program’s first-ever District 9 championship, Landon Francis has left his mark at Otto-Eldred. | Photo by Hunter O. Lyle
Watching the 5-9 guard throughout the years, the offensive production jumps off the page. During his senior season, Francis scored 614 points while shooting 48 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range as he became the school’s All-Time leading scorer with 1,813 total points. Yet while he is more than able to put the ball in the net, he is equally adept in finding his teammates, two of which also became 1,000 point scorers this season (Manning Splain and Shene Thomas). Logging 161 this season, Francis ends his career with 647 total assists.
“I’d say my success comes from knowing the game really well and just knowing where my teammates are at. If you’re a smart basketball player, you’re a step ahead of everybody else,” said Francis. “Offensively I’d say it just comes down to knowing how to read things. I like to facilitate early in the game, getting everybody involved and then I know I can get my shot any time. When my team needs a big shot, I know I can get it.”
Along with the statistics and individual success he may have enjoyed, this year’s campaign came as one where the Terrors finally broke through their glass ceiling. After failing to capture it in their initial appearance back in 2023, O-E returned to the District 9 Championship game – this time in the Class A bracket – and took down the prolific Elk County Catholic dynasty in a game that was settled in the absolute final seconds, earning their first D9 banner in school history. The Terrors then injected their dominance in the PIAA State Tournament, once again making it to the semifinals as the last standing public school. Ultimately, however, their swan song season came to an end at the hands of the eventual state champions, The Neighborhood Academy.
“It was a really, really special year and, to be honest, I don’t know if it will ever be done again in my time,” said Francis. “It’s something we can tell our family and friends when we get together and have some laughs.”
A day after their elimination, Francis announced his decision to play at the collegiate level, choosing to play at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, a program that also just enjoyed a dream season as they earned their first ever Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Division III tournament. Attending college just under a half hour from his hometown, Francis will enlist in head coach Jesse DeLoof’s ranks, a fast paced squad that seems to be a perfect fit for Franics’ talents.
“I had a couple options but my main goal was to find a coach that was 100 percent committed and honest right from the get go. Jesse from the beginning always supported me and always reached out. He gave me some tips and gave me things I needed to work on and that’s the one thing I strive for,” said Francis. “Going into my freshman year I’m just going to try to work my butt off and hopefully see the court. That’s one of the biggest goals and then doing anything I need to do for us to get better. I’m a big team guy and that’s one of the biggest things to being successful.”
Aside from athletics, Francis plans to major in criminal justice with eyes towards the state police force or the FBI. But beyond that, he, like the rest of us, is just trying to find his place.
“I want to finish out my high school career, finish out my academics and all that, getting everything lined up. Then, going into my career, I’m hoping to somewhere that fits me,” said Francis. “I think that’s a big thing no matter what you do. That’s going to be the key thing going forward.”
