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Nate Dawson (2026) 6’2 SG Midwest Pumas Gold/Winton Woods (OH)
Last weekend served as my first chance to see Dawson play and he didn’t disappoint. Very much a slashing 2G, Dawson wanted to get downhill as much as possible and excelled at getting paint touches against the Ohio Clamps defense. Dawson is bigger for a 16U guard and utilized his frame against smaller defenders. Comfortable with either hands and attacked at angles from both sides. Dawson’s only area of concern is his shooting as he was not as consistent with the pullup jumper when driving lanes were clogged. Still a high ceiling athlete. Bennett Kayser (2025) 6’5 SF Midwest Basketball Club-MHC/Minford (OH) Arguably the top performer on the weekend, Kayser helped lead his Midwest team to a tournament championship as Midwest beat Nova Village UA Rise in the 17U Finals. Kayser is a prospect I’ve heard and followed, but hadn’t seen play live besides the District Semifinals at OU last March. Athletically is sneaky and can elevate above the rim and catch alley-oops at 6’5. This explosiveness allows him to contest shots on-ball and elevate into midrange shots over defenders. Kayser especially impressed attacking off two feet when he did have opportunities around the rim. Plays bigger than 6’5 at times. Recently visited Cedarville and is becoming a priority for D2 programs as he continues to impress this Spring. Myles Montgomery (2025) 5’10 PG Midwest Basketball Club-MHC/Minford (OH) Speaking of Midwest, have to also mention Montgomery as part of the championship run. Montgomery is what you want in a PG. Gets into offensive motion and runs through the sets at full speed. Forces defenders to work much harder on him. Quick bursts let Montgomery beat guys off the bounce where he facilitated at the 2nd level to his many guards options. Showed he could take the extra 1-2 dribbles and finish on either side of the rim with traffic. Forces defenses to help off more and clog his driving lanes. One of my favorite offensive plays was Montgomery attacking the right side of the rim and getting under the basket before a wrap-around skip pass to the corner to Kayser for 3. The unselfishness and hustle is not seen often in AAU, but deserves recognition regardless. Montgomery is another player getting D2 looks and is a HS teammate to previously mentioned, Bennett Keyser. Nohah Nichols (2025) 6’3 SF Nova Village-Twinam/Tri-Valley (OH) I’ve seen Nichols in 3 tournaments this year and he has been one of the top performers in every single one. Nichols has the physical frame and tools to be an issue on the wing. While only 6’3, he plays bigger than he is on the glass. Nichols’ motor combined with his physicality allowed him to win 50/50 balls on the boards. So much so that he even grabbed his own rebound on shot attempts he took. Nichols has a good feel for the game and makes high IQ plays with his reads and with the ball in hand. Certainly one of the biggest stock risers this year. Nate Reip (2025) 6’5 PF Elite Mentality/Oak Hills (OH) Reip played like he had a vendetta with the rim last weekend in Columbus. The lengthy PF combines length and athleticism to be a force on the offensive end. Excelled running the floor in transition and dunked everything in the open floor. I can’t tell you how many times I looked over and Reip was throwing down one or two handed dunks. Reip has the size to excel at the next level and should see an increased role with Oak Hills for his senior year. Griffin Straub (2026) 6’6 PF MR 22 Elite Gold/St. Clairsville (OH) Straub was another guy that impressed me. Playing for St. Clairsville, I can’t see him play often with his HS team, but playing with the MR 22 Gold team allowed Straub to showcase his length on both ends of the floor. On the blocks, changed and affected shots with his long arms and reach. Contested even when he got beat and was on the hip. Offensively showed good footwork putting the ball on the floor. Jab stepped into his drives and especially liked attacking the baseline. Facilitated out of those dribble drives or again showcased footwork to create a shot for himself. Straub has a high basketball IQ and will only continue to see his stock rise as he fine tunes part of his game and especially if he continues to grow.
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Cooper Zachary (2027) 5’9 PG Indy Heat/Fishers (IN)
Zachary is a name I had heard about before Sunday but did not get a chance to see. There’s a reason he is one of Indiana’s best 2027 prospects. The Fishers HS product demonstrated true lead guard qualities running the offense and orchestrating into sets. Zachary’s handle was crisp, tight, and controlled against ball pressure. He was not phased by pressure whether it be higher pressure on the volleyball line or in attack mode. Confident shooter off the dribble and showed glimpses of knocking down college range 3’s. Isaiah Hill (2027) 6’9 C Indy Heat/Pike (IN) Hill immediately caught my eye with his wiry but lengthy frame. Towered over opposing bigs in the game I caught. Hill moved well not just in the post but outside the paint when forced. Confident with the ball on the floor. Had a few glimpses of some inside-out potential with shooting capabilities on the perimeter. Hill already has the size and as he fills in his frame, will be a priority guy to watch out of Indiana. Nasir Anderson (2027) 6’2 PG Georgia Stars/Savannah Country Day (GA) Anderson might have been the best 15U player I watched Sunday. The southpaw PG created problems for Indy Heat defense with his physical frame and dribble drives. Anderson excelled in pick-and-roll, setting up the screen and attacking hard. Hit the roll guy several times, but impressed more with his vision as a whole. Completed skip passes consistently and drew defenders out of help thanks to his explosive attacks. Anderson set up everyone around him thanks to this and gave the Stars some easier points in the paint. Peter Julius (2028) 6’8 PF Georgia Stars(15U) Julius was impressive to me from the get go. Long, athletic PF. True glass issue. Offensively, contested for boards and defensively contested shots. If Julius couldn’t get a rebound, poked and swatted loose balls to guards on the perimeter. Got involved defensively every play getting a hand up or rotating on help-side to intimidate the opposing player. The most notable part? Julius is playing up as he is only a 2028. As Julius fine tunes some of his interior play, he could be one of the better prospects in Georgia and a priority target in a few years. Tyler Kropp (2025) 6’8 PF All Ohio Red/Olentangy Liberty (OH) Kropp continues to rise with his play this Spring. After watching him impress at several tournaments so far this year, Sunday provided an opportunity to see Kropp perform against some of the best competition in the country. And boy did he perform. Beat bigger players on 50/50 balls on the glass. Agile and mobile for his size, Kropp moved well both in open floor and possessing the ball on the block. With a 6’9 and 6’10 defender on him, Kropp’s footwork and patience setting up shots allowed him to score over defenders with floaters and pump-and-pivot moves on the block. Kropp picked up an offer from Vermont post-event and should continue to see more schools show interest. Cameron Boozer (2025) 6’9 PF Nightrydas Elite/Columbus (FL) Boozer is considered one of the nation’s best 2025 prospects. I saw him play for his Columbus team at the Chipotle Nationals, but seeing him with Nightrydas gave me a more clear picture of why he is considered one of the best. Massive frame and length, Boozer demands amended defensive pressure. Too quick for post guys to guard outside the paint. Too lengthy and gets shots over smaller defenders if given the space. Boozer impressed specifically as a rim-runner against All Ohio Red. Consistently found the paint with the ball in hand. Defensively was beaten a few times on the block with post moves, but nonetheless has the framework to defend bigs at the next level. Caleb Wilson (2025) 6’10 PF Nightrydas Elite/Holy Innocent’s (GA) While the Boozer twins draw most of the attention for the Nightrydas team, Wilson in turn fills the gaps. Towering at 6’10, Wilson has the length to excel at the next level and a confident handle. Mismatch for bigs due to his quicker possessions. Did struggle a bit when a smaller defender switched onto him. With Cam Boozer being the primary interior player, Wilson did play more on the wing in the game I watched. Regardless, he has already attracted interest from multiple blue blood programs and likely will be playing as a stretch 4 in college. Brady Koehner (2025) 6’9 SF Indy Heat/Cathedral (IN) Koehner had one of the better defensive performances against Team WhyNot. A wiry wing, Koehner showed springiness with some weak side rotations that resulted in blocks going into the stands. Smart defender not drawing fouls and utilized his longer arms to disrupt or deflect shots/passes. I did not get to see much of Koehner offensively due to the guard play being the primary offense for Indy Heat. But Koehner played confidently on the wing and took care of the ball/played into the offensive flow. Jalen Haralson (2025) 6’7 PG Indy Heat/La Lumiere (IN) Definition of a “big guard” should contain a photo of Haralson. Standing at 6’7, he is one of the truest big guards you will find. Even with his size, Haralson moves quickly and runs the floor and offense in transition. Showed soft touch around the rim with the floater and runner off dribble drive. Utilizes his bigger frame to back down smaller defenders on the perimeter. I did think there were some shots forced, but Haralson is a volume scorer and makes up for those missed opportunities. Haralson has drawn offers and interest from almost the entire Big Ten and will likely land in the conference with a chance to make an immediate impact. Jason Crowe Jr (2026) 6’2 PG Team WhyNot (17U)/Lynwood (CA) Crowe impressed me as a lead guard for WhyNot. Playing against two of the better guards in the country, Crowe was collected and unimpacted offensively. Controlled the pace and got into the sets. Excelled in the half-court as a facilitator but also had the confidence to get shots up off the catch. Playing up a level, Crowe’s recruitment hasn’t taken off just yet. But I can see him being a priority prospect out West in the 2026 class. Brayden Burries (2025) 6’4 CG Strive for Greatness/Roosevelt (CA) With LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony watching from the baseline, Buries put up a performance I will remember for years to come. The 6’4 guard played confidently on the offensive end. Incredible body control both handling the basketball and keeping squared up to the rim on dribble drives. Utilized the hesitation dribble to breakdown defenders. Some outlets have Burries as a Top 15 prospect in the country. After Sunday’s performance, it is clear why. Tyler Jackson (2025) 6’2 PG Team Melo/Overtime Elite Jackson was a two-way threat for Team Melo in their matchup with Strive for Greatness. On the defensive end, Jackson exploits lazy passes with his quick instinctual reads and athleticism. Defended on-ball well. Offensively showed combo scoring potential. Knocked down some shots off catch-and-shoot opportunities. Found the lane with the ball in-hands and finished over bigger defenders with the floater and shiftiness. Already attracted several HM offers and impressed with many eyes on this game Sunday. Kiyan Anthony (2025) 6’5 SG Team Melo/Long Island Lutheran (NY) Sunday was the 2nd time I checked out Anthony. While the first time saw him as more of a spot up and off-catch shooter, Anthony showed more confidence as a slasher and putting the ball on the floor against Strive for Greatness. Anthony excelled in the pick-and-roll, setting up the screen and attacking. Found the paint and drew help-side rotations. I felt he did sometimes try to force a shot vs kicking to a guard on the perimeter. But his scoring potential is there. Zyree Collins (2025) 6’0 PG Brad Beal Elite/St. Mary’s (MO) Collins impressed against MoKan Elite as a setup guard. Smaller compared to some other guards on this list, Collins was explosive and too quick at times to keep in front of. Active defender and exploited opposing guards dribbling the ball too high. Excelled in the pick-and-roll and split a few defenders on attempting traps. Had a few costly turnovers due to trying to zip a chest pass to the big instead of bounce pass or wrap around pass once drawing the help. Collins has a lot of upside and can fit most systems making his teammates better. Justice Decker (2025) 6’5 SF Central Kentucky Basketball Club/duPont Manual
Decker brings a physical component to the game due to his frame and style of play. The southpaw likes to B-line to the rim and initiate contact on dribble drives. Showcased some body control in the paint. Definitely has polished his game since I saw him at Wright State’s Team Camp in June 2023. Versatile defender as he’s quick enough to guard wings and physical enough to battle with smaller 4’s on the block. Isaiah Cochran (2025) 6’7 PF Central Kentucky Basketball Club/Adair County Cochran caught my eye at the KHSAA Sweet 16 two months ago and again impressed in Louisville. Catches the eye right away with his athletic, 6’7 frame. Defensively sound prospect in terms of keeping guys in front and rotating in halfcourt defense. Draws defense into help when he puts the ball on the floor. Combine this with the intangibles and vision to see teammates and Cochran can be a great setup option. Midrange/perimeter shots weren’t falling consistently in the games I watched, but still a high profile prospect and performer. Diante Jones (2026) 6’0 PG MR22 Elite Gold/Northland Jones was a new name for me in Louisville as he played a very tough brand of basketball for a guard heavy team. Aware of where he needs to attack to draw defenders in for drive-and-kick opportunities. Quickly rises into his shot if he chooses to keep and try to score himself. Jones was fantastic on-ball defensively as he showcased impressive lateral movement and cut off the drives well. Would like to see improvement in his game implementing a post player and getting big involved. A’zon Steele (2025) 6’0 PG Team Greatness 3SGB/Sidney Steele had a different role with Team Greatness than with his HS team. Ball dominant with SIdney and tasked with being the primary scorer, Steele was more of a distributor for Team Greatness. His vision has improved and he sees the floor much better than previous outings I’ve scouted of him. Still a threat offensively to blow by a defender with a move or two, or get into his shot in the midrange. Steele has even showed improvement getting his secondary option as he got a defender to commit to him in a pullup 15 footer, and then hit teammate Alex Kazanecki for an easy layup. Brandon Roddy (2025) 6’1 PG MR 22 Elite 3SSB/Harvest Prep Roddy will go down as one of my favorite PGs I’ve ever scouted. Unselfish with his Harvest Prep team and even with his club team with some real scoring threats. Knows how to utilize a pick-and-roll and find rolling big or attack gaps to draw another defender. Facilitates and cleanly distributes out of screens and drives. Difficult to speed him up as Roddy has one of the tighter handles in Ohio and can settle in against tighter and higher ball pressure. Roddy doesn’t take a ton of outside shots whenever I’ve scouted him as he’d rather get another guy the ball or get within a few feet of the rim to score himself. Cash Ingram (2025) 6’1 PG Elite Mentality/Fairfield Ingram showed a lot of comfortability offensively against MR 22 Elite. Tough nosed guard with an attack mode mentality with the ball in his hands. Consistently beat his man off the dribble and plenty of paint touches. Lured fouls by initiating contact and going up strong and collected. Aware enough on the perimeter that he found shooters on the wing after getting in the paint enough times. I would like to see Ingram’s decision making be just a tad quicker as he did take an extra dribble or two at times instead of making a pass or a floater in the paint. Still impressed however against a shoe team. Tyson Davis (2027) 6’0 SG Phenom United Gold/Lakota West Davis was another ball-dominant offensive player that impressed me. Playing against a very skilled STAR Basketball Club (UA Rise), Davis played like a more mature prospect in terms of physically being tougher than defenders and showcasing the awareness that he has a stronger, more physical frame than some of the defenders. Prioritized attacking to the left and was comfortable if switched to the right. While Davis got into the paint, he did get called for two charges by going off one foot uncontrolled. As he shows more poise in the paint, could really benefit with Lakota West’s offense. James Kalala (2026) 6’7 PF EG10 (17U)/Southport Kalala was probably my favorite prospect to watch throughout the weekend with his EG10 team. Playing up a grade, Kalala has a ton of upside and it showed. Catches the eye right away with his frame and the athleticism and springiness he plays with at 6’7. Caught an alley-oop off the backboard in transition and was persistent attacking the glass offensively. On the defensive side, defended on-ball and as a big extremely well. Long enough to slow down smaller attacking players and hedged ball screens to perfection. Kalala does have some improvement in terms of forcing shots offensively when he catches on the block. Also was caught reaching defensively if he did get beat. Still one of the highest upside prospects I saw, especially considering he is playing up. Jaymal Whitfield (2028) Phenom United 3SSB Whitfield was one of several athletes that caught my eye for Phenom’s 14U 3SSB squad. Passes the eye test right away with his frame as a 14U player. Overpowered defenders both off the dribble and attacking the glass. Literally attacks through on-ball defense and went over box outs. Whitfield did have a lot of success putting the ball on the floor and finding trailing guards or dump offs to bigs. Shows signs of being a skilled offensive weapon at the HS level. Shea O’Toole (2025) 5’11 CG Midwest Flyers-Creamer/Turpin O’Toole was in a groove against a more athletic and guard-heavy Marshall Warriors team. Gave himself opportunities with his off-ball movement. Backdoor cuts and dribble handoff reads allowed him to get separation and score more than just shooting the ball. Had a few flashes with dribble drive from teammates and was able to get touches. Speaking of shooting, O’Toole was able to get into shots off the dribble or off catch. Especially liked to settle for the midrange jumper when able. A bit undersized, O’Toole plays bigger than his 5’11 frame and has the toughness factor. Logan Wolfenbarker (2026) 6’4 SF Buckeye Storm/McDermott Northwest
Wolfenbarker possesses great size for a wing/SG. Quick trigger and made some contested shots free throw line extended. Has evolved from catch-and-shoot to a more creative shot maker and creator with the ball in hands. Arness Lawson (2025) 6’2 PG All Ohio Red EYBL/Pickerington North Lawson has taken some massive strides from the last time I saw him with Pick North in the Winter. Catches your eye right away with his elite vertical play above the rim. Seemingly hovers in the air. Sees the open floor in transition and advanced the ball off turnovers. Slashed well in the halfcourt and draw defenses in and kick to shooters on the perimeter. Tyler Kropp (2025) 6’8 PF All Ohio Red EYBL/Olentangy Liberty Kropp is another player that has made strides since seeing him in the Winter. Mobility has improved as is his perimeter defense. Developing into a true inside-out option with both his range and post play. Shoots well enough to force defenders to give a hand, and too strong with back to the basket. Either used post move to finish in traffic, or get into fadeaway low post shot. Damon Griffin (2025) 6’0 PG Quality Sports Academy/Reynoldsburg Griffin was a problem in the backcourt for QSA against Midwest Pumas-Gold. Combines quickness with the ball in hand with advanced athleticism and shifty with his movements to be a tough player to defend. Specifically utilized his crossover and handle to get into jump shots; beating most defenders to get a hand on him. Race Kowalczak (2026) 6’6 PF Ohio Buckets EYCL/Toledo St. John’s
A true pullup shooting threat. Kowalczak is automatic in the midrange, showing he can get shots to fall in transition and in the halfcourt set. Long and lengthy wing/PF option for a team with some elite guards around him. Micah Young (2025) 6’1 CG Nova Village UA Rise/Westerville North Young is a true high IQ player. Instinctual defender with Nova’s pressure defense. Jumping passing lanes and anticipated next pass. Unselfish in the offensive setting-moving the ball and now issue making extra pass. Combo scoring too with explosiveness downhill and midrange pullup shot. Maddox Huff (2025) 6’3 PG Griffin Elite UA Rise/Harlan County Huff is a patient, poised lead guard. Handles the ball at a high level and rarely loses possession or makes poor reads. Good frame and size for a PG. Huff especially impressed me with how he read and created out of ball screens. Knew when to take an extra dribble, hit the roll man, or rise into his 15 foot jumper. Tre Singleton (2025) 6’7 SF Indiana Elite Team Tradition/Jeffersonville Singleton can play either the 3 of 4 and showed attributes of both. Strong upper body and excelled in back-to-basket situations. Specifically loved going to a drop step out of the post and go up strong off two feet. While he has the body for a PF, handles the ball and moves like a SF. Santino Haney (2027) 5’10 PG OBC UA Rise/Steubenville
Haney was the facilitator and leader for an OBC team that is loaded at their 15U team. Haney specifically caught my eye with his defensive tenacity. His lateral quickness allowed him to avoid being beat off the dribble and kept his guy in front at all times. Offensively showed a confident jump shot and solid vision in the half-court with the amount of athletes on his team. Haney is fresh off of a standout freshman campaign at Steubenville and is showing signs of being an elite two-way player as he continues to develop. Cole Arbogast (2027) 6’6 PF OBC UA Rise/St. Edward Arbogast was a new name for me and showed interior skills with OBC. Arbogast catches your eye right away with his 6-foot-6 frame at 15U. Moves well for a big with times being confortable out on the wing. Showed understanding of spacing and creating space to allow dump off passes or flashes through the lane. While Arbogast can play around the rim, he will need to continue to improve finishing through traffic and improving as a low post threat offensively. Arbogast is with one of the best high school programs and cultures in Ohio, which is only a positive to his ceiling potential. Jamar Montgomery (2025) 6’3 SG/SF Midwest-Rambo HGSL/Centerville Montgomery looked impressive with his Midwest team against an athletic Cincy Fire Elite team. Montgomery’s calling card is his defensive play. Due to his role with Centerville, defends guards and smaller wings and takes pride in getting after it defensively. While with Centerville, Montgomery played more like a SF, spending more time around the rim. WIth Midwest, I saw him play more like a 2, showing confidence putting the ball on the floor and flowing within the halfcourt sets. I would like to see Montgomery continue to develop and become more comfortable on the wing. But his role should change next year at Centerville with the talent graduating. Brock Baker (2025) 6’3 SF Midwest-Rambo HGSL/Kettering Fairmont Baker’s development has continued to be on full display. After a solid showing with Fairmont, Baker has added more muscle to his frame and really filled out as a smaller wing. His stocky frame allowed him to fight on the block defending a slightly bigger PF. Baker held his own and is looking more comfortable with the ball in his hands. His shot mechanics are an area of improvement yet, but Baker is showing if he can continue to add to his skillset he could be a target to some D3 programs. Baker is bound for a big senior year with Fairmont as well as his Firebird and Midwest teammate Evan Gentile. When it comes to the Division IV tournament, there was a lot of people that “thought” they knew how things would go. If there is one thing the Division IV session taught us it was what would thought was not the case.
Lima Central Catholic and Berlin Hiland met up to start things off. Hiland was without 2 starters and had needed a massive comeback to win their Region. LCC however had found a way to win up to this point in the year. One would think the Thunderbirds would be the favorites. Hiland must not have heard that. Or cared. The Hawks started the game out with a patient, halfcourt focused offense which gave them a quick 8-0 lead. LCC was forcing shots and giving the Hawks the ball back. So much so that Hiland got a comfortable 18-7 lead early on. The Thunderbirds made adjustments, but none bigger than extending their defensive pressure full court. That they could control. What they couldn’t control would follow. HIland’s standout, Sammy Detweiler (Sr), who had scored 13 points in the opening quarter, picked up his 3rd foul at the 5:32 mark in the 2nd quarter. Suddenly, LCC had an 8-2 run started. But Hiland countered once the lead got to 6. The Hawks would go into the half up 34-24, but showed some vulnerabilities. In the 3rd quarter, Hiland had their biggest moment of adversity as Detweiler picked up his 4th foul at the 6:50 mark with their lead. Not only that, but the Thunderbirds came out on a 9-2 run out of the half. Their defensive pressure and sudden perimeter shooting gave them momentum and the T-Birds went into the final quarter down 42-39. Then Detweiler got his groove back. The Hawks came out on a 5-0 run behind Detweiler to extend 47-39. The T-Birds started matching behind Carson Parker (Sr) who semmingly made shots whenever they were needed. The Birds got the game back to a 51-51 tie in the final 2 minutes. Jayden Priddy (So) had a look from 3 to try and win the game, but missed it. Billy Bourk (Sr) then had a chance to get a putback, but also missed. So we enter OT. It went about how the last 2 minutes of regulation went…both teams trading blows. With 7 seconds left, Detweiler got a shot from about 16-feet. But missed long. Priddy came down with the board and went the length of teh floor; getting a layup attempt up before the buzzer. It was a little too strong. Into the 2nd OT, the theme continued. Lima Central Catholic answered every Hiland bucket until the final possession. Hiland possessed the ball with Detweiler, who attacked the right side beofre the help came over. A skip pass and then touch pass put the ball into the hands of Nick Wigton (Jr). The shot will be remembered for a long time as one of the biggest shots in Hiland history. Nothing but net, and Hiland punched their ticket to the State Finals. After the celebration, we got into the rematch. Russia and Richmond Heights were squaring up for the 2nd straight year with a chance to face the Hawks on the line. Russia was familiar and confident entering the game. But Richmond Heights was a little more prepared. The Spartans used their size and pressure defense to jump out early 11-3. Russia couldn’t get any open looks, and the shots they did take weren’t great. Finally, the Raiders settled in. Russia would get some shots to fall and went into the first break down 17-11. That’s when things got interesting. Russia started going shot-for-shot with the mighty Spartans. Brayden Monnin (Sr) and Braylon Cordonnier (Jr) were connecting from the perimeter. But for every bucket, Dorian Jones (Jr) seemed to counter. Then Hosea Steele (Sr) picked up his 3rd foul with 2:55 to play. You could sense some momentum building for the Raiders. When Jeremy Wilson (Sr) picked his 3rd foul up 52 seconds later, it was even more apparent. Jones picked up his 3rd foul at the 1:21 mark. The blood in the water was there. Game got tied at 29 until a free throw gave Richmond Heights a 31-29 lead at the half. After the half, the Spartans got another blow as Jones got his 4th foul less than two minutes into the quarter, which came with an ovation from the Russia faithful as they saw their team had a chance. Richmond Heights shifted to a 3-2 zone in an attempt to slow the Raiders down and allow them to get their defensive pressure up. Russia would find some layups and was going punch-for-punch. Richmond Heights still held it 42-39. Jones then picked up his 5th foul. At the 5:45 mark, Jones drove baseline but was called for a charge sending him to the bench. One would think with their best player on the bench, Richmond Heights was in trouble. DeErick Barber (Jr) said wait just a second. The 5-foot-11 PG started attacking the rim, finishing shots through contact. Russia couldn’t get shots to fall. Fatigue started to settle in. Richmond Heights got the lead back up to 8. Then it was 10. The Spartans would hold on and secure their 3rd straight appearance in the State Final. And they were going to have a chance to go for the 3-peat against a hungry Hiland team. Division I
St. Ignatius vs Delaware Hayes Iggy returns to Dayton for the first time since 2022 and is making their 3rd trip in the last 4 years. The Wildcats took a few losses with some transfer out in the offseason, but they had one of the most consistent teams this year with wins against Reynoldsburg, Centerville, Lutheran West and Lutheran East to name a few. Quinn Woidke (Jr) has returned after missing last year with injuries and has emerged as Iggy’s go-to guard. Damon Friery (Jr) and Cleveland State commit Reece Robinson (Sr) are both All-District finishers and bring size at 6’9 and 6’8. Hayes is making their first ever appearance in school history. The Pacers have not lost since December 22, 2023 to Westerville South. Jesse Burris (Sr), an Ohio University commit, and Landon Vanderwarker (Jr), a transfer from Northside Christian, form one of the best one-two punches in the state this year. Role guys Carter Piatt-Brown (Jr) and Jake Lowman (Sr) both also return giving the Burris/Vanderwarker combo support. Centerville vs Whitmer Centerville is back for the 4th straight year to Dayton as they arrived in dramatic fashion with a double OT victory over Moeller in the Regional Final. The Elks have had an up-and-down year, but found their rhythm come tournament time and have returned back to UD Arena. Jonathan Powell (Sr) has been the scoring go-to for Centerville all year and was the hero that gave the Elks their State appearance. Boboucarr Njie (Sr) has made massive strides and is a threat on both ends of the floor at 6’7. Eli and Ethan Greenburg provide guard and wing depth. Speaking of dramatic finish, Whitmer is familiar with this after needing a buzzer-beater to knock out Garfield Heights in the Regional Finals. Whitmer is returning to the State tournament for the first time since 2012 when they were State Runner-Up. The Panthers have one of the best scoring combos in Antoine West (Jr) and Makhi Leach (Jr) and have a strong nucleus around them to challenge the Elks. Division II Alter vs Ursuline Alter makes another trip to the State Final Four after convincing victories over Jonathan Alder and Wyoming in the Regionals. Alter has been considered one of the favorites in the D2 state title run since the beginning of the year and are making their first appearance since 2022. This group has a unique blend of guards. RJ Greer (Jr), who transferred over from Springboro and is a highly recruited prospect, leads them in scoring. Senior guards Gavin Leen and Joe Brand have impacted the game on both ends of the floor and add guard depth. Throw in size with Brady Conner (Jr) and Charlie Uhl (Jr) and the Knights have the pieces to be a tough out in Dayton. Ursuline is making their first State appearance since 1994 when they won a state title. The Fighting Irish dominated against Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Canfield to find their way to Dayton. Jaden Payne (Sr) is an interior nightmare and will give the Knights problems on both the glass and offensively in the paint. Jaylen Gunther (Fr) has been a huge addition as well giving the Irish more scoring firepower on the perimeter. Ursuline enters the tournament with plenty of momentum and are going to try and challenge Alter with their size and scoring. Maysville vs Shelby The 2nd semifinal features two teams making their first appearances at the State Final Four. Maysville made it to Dayton in dramatic fashion as Alex Bobb (Sr) made a buzzer beater to beat favorite Bishop Hartley, and then defeated Vincent Warren to punch their ticket. Bobb was the Southeast District Player of the Year in Division II and has been the go-to guy for the Panthers this whole season. Shelby makes their appearance after beating a young Lima Shawnee team and then stunning heavy state favorite Lutheran West, to make their first appearance in school history. Wright State commit Alex Bruskotter (Sr) was co-Northwest District Player of the Year in Division II. He has a strong senior heavy core including Casey Lantz (Sr) around him that makes this Whippets team very difficult to prepare for. Division III Harvest Prep vs Ottawa-Glandorf Harvest Prep is back at UD Arena for the 2nd straight year as the Warriors won double digit games against North Adams and previously undefeated Malvern to return to Dayton. Brandon Roddy (Jr) is the straw that stirs the drink for the Warriors and has length and athleticism in Adonus Abrams (Jr) and Ephraim Campbell (So). Harvest Prep has played a strong schedule that prepares them for these tournament runs and has the depth, size and skill to be a tough out. Ottawa-Glandorf returns to Dayton for the 4th straight season as the Titans defeated Emmanuel Christian and Margaretta in their Regional games. The Titans have a straight winner in Ohio State commit Colin White (Sr), who is a Mr. Basketball candidate and was Northwest District Player of the Year. White has been to the state tournament every year since he arrived at O-G, and now he will try to lead the Titans to another State title. Caden Ernford (Sr) has been White’s running mate all season and makes O-G a dangerous team to beat at UD. Lutheran East vs Preble Shawnee The defending champion Lue East is making their 7th straight appearance at the State tournament and this time similar to last season is extremely talented. Michigan State commit Jesse McColloch (Sr) was the Northeast District Player of the Year and is a Mr. Basketball candidate. At 6’10, there are few teams that can match the size and stretch ability he brings to the floor. Guards Chauncey Brashers (Sr) and Anthony Bruce (Sr), along with wing Ronald Taylor (Sr) were part of the state title team last year and bring experience to the floor. Chris Hill (Fr) has been a major addition in the backcourt as well. Preble Shawnee is making their first appearance at the State Final Four. Led by IPFW commit Mason Shrout (Sr), the Arrows have been a dangerous team in Southwest Ohio and defeated WOAC rival Tri-Village as well as Versailles in the Regional Semifinals. Shrout was the Southwest District Player of the Year and has several upperclassmen returning around him. Logan Hawley (Sr) brings size at 6’8 and Brayden Robinette (Jr) gives Shorut another option out in the backcourt. Division IV Lima Central Catholic vs Berlin-Hiland LCC makes their first appearance at the state tournament since 2016 when they won the Division III state title. Coach Sean Powell is no stranger to coaching in the state tournament, as he led Botkins to a state title in 2021. Powell and his group defeated Old Fort and then won a back-and-forth showdown with Toledo Christian to earn their spot in the Final Four. Jordan Priddy (So), Willie Foster (Jr), and Demarr Foster (Jr) have been contributors all year as LCC is a younger team entering this tournament. Hiland is back at UD Arena for the 3rd straight year after beating Northside Christian and then South Webster in OT. Mark Schlabach has one of the best players in the East District in Sammy Detweiler (Sr), who was a major contributor for the Hawks last season in their Final Four run. Hiland is down 2 starters due to injury, but the coaching and culture has helped them reach the Arena yet again. Richmond Heights vs Russia This might be the most highly anticipated rematch in Division IV tournament history. Richmond Heights returns to Dayton for the 4th straight year, and are the two-time defending champions in Division IV. The Spartans convincingly defeated Seneca East and then Warren John F. Kennedy in the Regional round to earn this spot back. Richmond Heights is loaded with talent, including Dorian Jones (Jr), DeErrick Barber (Jr), Hosea Steele (Sr), and Demarris Winters (Jr). They will be without their top prospect in TJ Crumble (So) as he is out due to transfer rules by the OHSAA. Even without him, Richmond Heights is going to be the heavy favorites to again win a state title. Russia is making their 2nd straight State appearance after defeating Fisher Catholic and Troy Christian to punch their ticket. The Raiders have several guys back that were part of the deep postseason run last season. Hayden Quinter (Sr), Brayden Monnin (Sr), Felix Francis (Sr) and Braylon Cordonnier (Jr) all played minutes in the Semifinals last year and have the length, physicality, and revenge factor to challenge the Spartans. Friday 1/12/24
Combine Academy 80, Canyon Academy 70 The Goats from Combine came to Kettering and knocked off the Scorpions from Canyon. 4 players were in double figures for Combine with Kansas commit- Rakease Passmore leading with 22 points. Canyon’s Jovan Milicevic, a New Mexico commit, led the Scorpions with 22 points as well on 5-of-9 perimeter shooting. Faith Family 74, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary 54 Dru Joyce’s squad returned to Trent Arena and fought the Eagles from Faith Family to end the night Friday. The Irish received 13 points apiece from Jayson Walker and Rayshawn Hamilton in the loss. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi commit Isaiah Williams paced the Eagles with 20 points. Saturday 1/13/24 Dunbar 68, Walnut Ridge 61 Dunbar kicked off Saturdays action against the Scots from Columbus and used a defensive 2nd quarter to take out Ridge 68-61. Eric Brewer Jr exploded for the Wolverines with 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field. Duquesne commit Dominique Aekins paced the Scots with 28 points. Wayne Trace 56, Miami East 43 The Raiders jumped out quick and didn’t look back as they defeated Miami East in a Division III showdown. Wayne Trace got 29 points from Brooks Laukhaf, an Ohio Dominican commit. Miami East got 11 points apiece from Wittenberg commit Jacob Roeth and Conner Apple. Western Reserve Academy 71, Canyon Academy 58 WRA made the trip down from Hudson, OH and used a tight defense to put away the Scorpions and hand them their second loss of the event. Marquette commits Royce Parham and Damarius Owens combined for 46 points for WRA. Canyon was led by Jalik Dinkley-Distant with 22 points. Lutheran East 55, Isidore Newman 36 Lue East, the defending Division III state champions in Ohio, came out quick and knocked off visiting Isidore Newman from Louisiana. Ronald Taylor led Lue East with 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting from 3PT range. Newman, who has famous alumni including the Manning family and OBJ, was led by Todd Jones Jr with 12 points. Garfield Heights 68, Faith Family 67 (OT) Garfield Heights, arguably Ohio’s top Division I program, needed OT to defeat the Eagles from Faith Family in one of the most exciting games of the day. Marcus Johnson went off for 40 points for Garfield and was scoring in any way he could. Colorado commit Doryan Onwuchekwa scored 29 points after having a quiet game against Akron SVSM the night before. Westminster Academy 72, Archbishop Alter 71 Westminster held off a furious comeback from the Knights as Alter nearly overcame an 18-point deficit in the Saturday finale. Alter made 16 3’s in the comeback attempt and was led by Gavin Leen with 23 points. Sunday 1/14/24 Newport 55, Middletown 42 Newport, who was without 2026 standout Taylen Kinney, took out the Middies from Middletown to start play on Sunday morning. James Turner paced Newport with 14 points. Middletown struggled from the field but was led by Jeremiah Landers with 17 points in the loss. Beavercreek 86, Woodward 76 Beavercreek won a “defense optional” game with Woodward, one of Ohio’s top Division II teams. The Beavers got 70 of their 86 points from the trio of Isaiah Williams, Liam Gluck, and Kaden Ellerbe. Lutheran West 42, Wayne 41 Wayne nearly handed Lutheran West their first loss of the season as Juan Cranford Jr missed a shot at the buzzer to win. Myles Perkins scored 21 points for the Warriors in the loss. Jayson Levis led the Longhorns with 13 points in this defensive battle. Pickerington Central 49, Lima Senior 46 Pick Central survived a 2nd half comeback attempt by the Spartans to pick up a big win between two of Ohio’s better Division I programs year in and year out. Pick Central was paced by standout guard Juwan Turner who scored 11 points in the win. The Spartans, who were without Jekel Cotton, was paced by freshman standout Shawn Foster who contributed 14 points. Oak Ridge 74, St. Ignatius 68 Oak Ridge stormed back to defeat one of Ohio’s best Division I programs Sunday afternoon. Jamier Jones and Tyler Johnson combined for 50 points in the victory. St. Ignatius had 4 guys in double figures, led by Quinn Woidke with 17 points. Centerville 64, Isidore Newman 59 (OT) The Elks of Centerville handed Newman their second loss of the weekend in overtime in the Sunday night finale. Xavier commit Jonathan Powell exploded for 24 points for the Elks. Chris Cenac Jr finished with a double-double for Newman with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Monday 1/15/24 Lloyd Memorial 66, Preble Shawnee 48 The Juggernauts used strong 2nd and 4th quarters to hand Preble Shawnee their first loss of the season to start action on Monday. EJ Walker scored 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor. IPFW commit Mason Shrout also went for 22 points for the Arrows. St. Xavier 58, Pickerington North 55 (OT) St. X needed extra time to defeat Pick North Sunday afternoon. Donovan Waleskowski went off for 15 points in the Bombers win. Arness Lawson scored 27 points for Pick North and nearly led a comeback win for the Panthers. Richmond Heights 73, Westminster Academy 65 Richmond Heights, the two-time defending Division IV state champions, took out Westminster in their 2nd game of the weekend. TJ Crumble scored 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor. Alex Lloyd scored 21 points for Westminster in the loss. Oak Ridge 75, Reynoldsburg 71 Oak Ridge needed overtime to defeat Reynoldsburg in their 2nd game of the weekend. Jamier James again had an incredible game scoring 29 points in a variety of ways. 4 Reynoldsburg players were in double figures led by Jordan Fisher with 18 points. Sycamore 56, Kettering Fairmont 46 Sycamore knocked off the host Firebirds in the Monday finale of Flyin to the Hoop. Tariq Kimbrough shot the ball well and scored 19 points for the Aves. Evan Gentile and Brock Baker combined for 37 points for the Firebirds in a losing effort. Findlay
16-9 (Northern Lakes League) Lost in District Semifinals 35-32 to Toledo St. John’s Who is Back: Will Cordonnier (Sr) - All District, Sam Ernst (Sr), Brady Lentz (Jr), Ryan Montgomery (Jr) Who is Gone: Jake Bishop- All District Burning Question: Can the Trojans start life in the Northern Lakes League positively? Outlook: The Trojans return plenty of pieces as they begin life in the NLL. Montgomery is a high level football prospect and will need to be monitored if he will play this upcoming season. Lima Senior 17-8 (Toledo City League) Lost in District Finals 80-42 to Perrysburg Who is Back: Jekel Cotton (Jr), Jagger Hutchins (Jr), Amari Addy (So), Shawn Foster (Fr), Noah Simpson (Fr) Who is Gone: Anthony Mosley- All District, Brandon Moore, Shalom Stout Burning Question: Will Lima forget about the disappointing District loss and bounce back? Outlook: Spartans are well coached and bring back plenty of offensive options in Cotton and Hutchins. If Addy can stay healthy and Foster brings what he has been hyped, there is no reason this team doesn’t win a District title. Sandusky 24-2 (Sandusky Bay Conference-Bay) Lost in Regional Semifinals 71-55 to Lutheran West Who is Back: Kobe Brown (Jr), Jason Henlon (Jr), AaZoriyon Bonner (Jr) Who is Gone: Daylen Green (1st Team All District), De’Mar Moore (2nd Team All District) Burning Question: How will the Flashes handle now in Division I? Outlook: If Sandusky was in Division II, they’d be a favorite in NW Ohio. Returning Brown and Henlon gives them a true chance to again win 20+ games and make some noise in Division I Toledo St. John's 20-9 (Catholic HS League-Michigan) Lost in State Semifinals 49-36 to Archbishop Hoban Who is Back: Jaylen Murphy (Sr), Jayden Jones (Jr), Nate Miles (So)- transfer from Emmanuel Christian, Kaeden Carruthers (So)- transfer from Emmanuel Christian, Race Kowalcyzk (So) Who is Gone: CJ Hornbeak (All-District), Mitchell Michalak, Marquez Frazier Burning Question: Can the Titans return to Dayton with the loss of Hornbeak? Outlook: Titans are joining a new league and will have a young core to build around. There is some talent in NW Ohio meaning the Titans could struggle to return to Dayton. Whitmer 16-9 (Northern Lakes League) Lost in District Finals 55-50 to Toledo St. John Who is Back: Antoine West (Jr)- All District, Makhi Leach (Jr)- transfer from Toledo Central Catholic, Tamarrion Davis (Sr), Elijah McLeod (Sr)- transfer from Wauseon, Tylin Patterson (Jr)- transfer from Emmanuel Christian Who is Gone: Pharell House, Deric Jaynes, Corvell Morgan, Ja’Vaughn Jones Burning Question: Is there a better combo in NW Ohio than West/Leach? Outlook: The Panthers will join the Northern Lakes League starting in 2023-24 and added several pieces through the transfer portal. Whitmer is the favorite to come out of NW Ohio and makes a strong case to make the State tournament in Dayton. |
Written by: Tony PetersEdited and Published by: Seth Keim Archives
May 2024
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