Havoc in the Heartland: Tony P’s Top Ohio Performers

<p>Photo Credit: Nick Graham</p> <p>The Prep Hoops Circuit’s Havoc in the Heartland was a great weekend for Ohio teams Team Flyght and JH1 Elite as both teams won the 16U and 15U Platinum brackets respectively. While many names were familiar to me for both teams, several new names sparked my interest as they performed at high levels. Between Team Flyght and JH1, 5 guys specifically made their marks and were my top performers from the weekend. Below are the top Ohio players from the Havoc in the Heartland tournament.</p> <p>A.J. Braun (2021)- Team Flyght Ohio- Fenwick</p> <p>This weekend was the first time we saw Braun in a Team Flyght uniform and we were treated with a great overall performance by the 6’7 big man. One of the bigger players on the floor for Flyght, Braun has the size to be a dominant 4/5 as his career continues. He has a strong upper body and fought through tough post defense throughout the weekend. Able to finish with both hands, Braun was difficult to guard as defenses could not push him towards a weak hand. Able to step back and hit a few 3PT shots as well, Braun looks like he could be an intriguing prospect and definitely was one of the best low post performers for the weekend.</p> <p>Nate Johnson (2021)- Team Flyght Ohio- Lakota East</p> <p>Johnson is arguably one of the highest flyers for this Team Flyght squad. An aggressive and great sized wing, Nate was able to get to the paint at will in the games I saw him play this weekend. Possessing a quick and explosive first step, Johnson’s size allowed him to take advantage of smaller guards as he finished several shots inside and had a few plays over the rim as well. Not only was he able to get shots in the paint, but Nate knocked down the midrange shots as well, making him such a weapon on the offensive end. If his AAU play transitions to his HS team, Nate could be looking at all-GMC honors come next March.</p> <p>Damontay Raglin (2021)- Team Flyght- Trotwood-Madison</p> <p>Raglin was one of the lesser known names to me on this Team Flyght squad. By the end of the weekend, other writers and myself took note of this young man and now have him on our radars going forward. A shifty forward, Raglin found ways to score in the paint against bigger defenders. Damontay is an explosive wing that can get over the rim and truly demands defensive pressure to keep him quiet. He will have a real opportunity to step into a leadership role once he starts play again with Trotwood. For now during this AAU season, Raglin should be a name small college programs put on their radars as he finishes off the Spring grassroots season.</p> <p>Troy Scowden (2022)- JH1 Elite- Buckeye Valley</p> <p>Troy definitely impressed me at the 15U level as his physicality was hard to match for fellow sophomores-to-be. Scowden is a physical power forward, as he is strong with the basketball and finishes through heavy traffic. ON the offensive end, he excelled in pick-and-roll situations, as he was able to seal off his defender after the screen, giving him a 1-2 step advantage when rolling to the basket. On the defensive end, he does a nice job of fighting over to front the post and is not afraid to play hard in the paint. The 6’6 sophomore held his own against MBA’s 6’9 big man Ethan Dunn (2022), not allowing the center to get much going on the offensive end.</p> <p>Lason Walker (2022)- JHl Elite- Linden McKinley</p> <p>I only caught a few games at the 15U level during the weekend, however Lason caught my attention as one of the better performers from the teams I did see. A 6’2 guard, Walker impressed me specifically with his on-the-ball defense. Possessing great lateral quickness and quick feet, Lason was not easily beaten off the dribble and found ways to keep his man in front of him. A truly athletic player, Walker played well on both ends of the floor, getting stops on defense and showing off a nice offensive arsenal as well. While he is an elite on-ball defender, Lason will need to improve his off-ball defense as he lost his man several times during JH1’s win against MBA Sunday afternoon.</p>