Ohio State Tournament (AAU) Top Performers

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.