CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As “Rocky Top” blared from the speakers in the gym at Providence Day School, David Sanders Jr. sat and smiled as a host of reporters scurried to ask him questions.

In the previous five minutes, he had cried, laughed and exhaled. His college decision was finally set, and he could relax.

Sanders chose Tennessee over Ohio State, Nebraska and Georgia on Saturday afternoon, ending a months-long pursuit by the Buckeyes. Unfortunately for Ohio State, though, Sanders is headed to Rocky Top as the 2025 class is now in flux without any clear-cut options set to replace his spot.

The decision wasn’t easy for Sanders to make. There were thoughts that location was important for the Charlotte-native — Knoxville, Tennessee, is about a 3 1/2 hour drive, compared to Columbus, which is about a seven hour drive.

Sanders, though, squashed that on Saturday and gave a glimpse of how tantalizingly close the Buckeyes were to landing the No. 2 overall prospect, and No. 1 offensive tackle, in the 2025 class.

“A little bit, but Ohio State was — I swear — right there,” Sanders said. “Ohio State, it wouldn’t have mattered that it was cold. I was almost there.”

Sanders also credited Ohio State for the job it did recruiting him, noting that it was a very tough decision for him to decide between his first and second schools.

“Everything,” Sanders said of what stood out about the Buckeyes. “Their development. They did a phenomenal job recruiting me. That was a hard decision between one and two.”

While Sanders was going through the process, he relied on NBA forward and current Charlotte Hornet Grant Williams for guidance. Williams also attended Providence Day School and, like Sanders is about to do, attended Tennessee. The two have known each other since Sanders was in middle school.

Williams, the 2019 first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics, told him about the recruiting process and the business aspect of things. He and Sanders talked about his clothing line months ago.

As for NIL, while Williams wasn’t in college for that time of college athletics, he was able to offer guidance as to what was coming for him.

“I told him it’s going to be something you’ve never experienced in your life,” Williams said. “Both enjoy it, and be mindful. You’re there for a reason. You’re there to accomplish something. Those three years can be great, fun years, but your goal is to make it further down the line … He’s a special kid.”

In the end, though, Sanders felt that the Volunteers did just a bit more than anyone else — the Buckeyes included.

“The personal feel,” Sanders said. “I feel like Tennessee had been recruiting me a little bit harder and longer than Ohio State. I felt at home more at Tennessee than I did Ohio State.”

A visit to Knoxville on the last weekend of July made his decision official, though he says he felt it from the time he took his official visit, as Ohio State’s most painful miss of the cycle came to fruition on Saturday.

“That solidified it for me,” Sanders said of the latest visit. “When I went there again, I thought, ‘I can’t wait any longer. I just got it done.’”

Wherever he went, he felt that he had the chance to start right away if he does the right things. The same goes for his team competing in the College Football Playoff.

And in a remarkably close decision, Sanders felt the Volunteers edged out the Buckeyes.

“I figure as long as I did what I had to do, I had a chance to start wherever I went,” Sanders said. “Tennessee definitely showed me clear cut, ‘As long as you do what you gotta do, you’re going to be our guy.’”

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Cleveland Police confirmed that one person was shot in Flats Saturday morning.

Cleveland EMS said it responded to 1771 Center St. at 7:11 a.m. for a 35-year-old man with a gunshot wound who was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

19 News crews are in the Flats Saturday morning where there is a heavy police presence.

Cleveland Division of Police has multiple cars on the scene in the 1700 block of Center Street around 8 a.m.

Our crews reported seeing multiple bullet casings across an intersection blocked by Cleveland Police as of 8:20 a.m.

Cleveland Police said the situation is still under investigation as evidence continues to be collected.

Cleveland Police said they are still awaiting preliminary information.

This is a developing story. Return to 19 News for updates.

Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A Cleveland mother is furious after she says a group of teens tried to steal her car and pointed a gun at her child.

She claims Garfield Heights police arrested them following a police pursuit less than an hour later, but the juveniles were released to their parents almost immediately.

“I just wish the juvenile system would step up and do something because this is just insane at this point,” the Cleveland mother, who wants to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said.

Garfield Heights police body camera video shows the tense moments six kids were arrested driving a stolen Kia. Police chased them into Cleveland Sunday afternoon.

A Cleveland mother claims the same teens pointed a gun at her 12-year-old son and tried to carjack her family about 45 minutes earlier. The whole thing was captured on her surveillance camera.

She says the kids didn’t actually shoot. The loud bangs in the video were the sounds of her panicked preteen son slamming the door.

“He came running he’s like, ‘I’ll pop it. I’ll pop it, I swear on on my Granny, I’ll pop it’ and then they hurried up and they jumped in the car and then they flew off,” the mom said.

The mom said she was able to get a photo of their license plate and called police right away. She says police quickly confirmed the Kia was stolen.

“Probably within like five minutes, there was like 10 Cleveland cop cars, and in the process of us giving our statement, you could hear on the radio that they were actually in pursuit of chasing them at that time,” the mother recalled.

Garfield Heights police arrested the six juveniles on E. 65th Street.

The case is now in Cleveland police’s hands, and they have not confirmed if these are the same suspects, but this mother says her son went to the Garfield Heights police station and identified them.

“He really just tells me he doesn’t want to go out the house, and he just doesn’t want to play outside in your front yard,” said the mother. “So, and then, as you hear in the video, you hear them laughing, like, how is that funny that you pointed a gun at a 12-year-old?”

Garfield Heights police say all six teens are suspects in seven car thefts and three attempted thefts.

Police say all the kids were denied acceptance to the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center and released to their parents that same night.

“It’s bullcrap in my eyes,” the mother said. “I talked to the cops right away, before they even released them to Cleveland, and they said, unfortunately, it’s out of our hands. We have to release them to Cleveland. I’m sorry to tell you, but I guarantee they’re going to get let go and we asked, how is that even possible? He said that pretty much identifying helps the case, but they pretty much had the case sealed, so now it’s just a waiting game.”

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office is placing the blame on the Garfield Heights Police Department.

Lexi Bauer, Communications Specialist with the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office sent 19 News the following statement, “Our office has been outspoken on our stance on juvenile crime. We work diligently to hold juvenile offenders accountable and to protect the community.

In order for a juvenile to be admitted to the Detention Center, under current admission criteria, there is certain requisite information that must be provided to both the Detention Center and the Prosecutor’s Office by the arresting agency. This was not done by the Garfield Heights Police Department.

There was clearly a breakdown of communication in this instance. We have discussed this matter with the Garfield Heights Police Department to ensure miscommunications do not happen in the future. We respect all of our law enforcement partners and look forward to continuing our partnership.”

Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.