NEO Marquee Matchup: Lorain vs. Brush – 5 Players that Popped off the Page

<p>High School basketball is finally back, and two of the top teams in Northeast Ohio already have made a bid for Game of the Year with this instant classic at Brush High School. In a back and forth game, both teams had a handful of players that were vital to their team's success. Here are the 5 players that popped off the page with their performance.</p> <ol> <li><strong>John Hugley (2020) - 6'9" Forward/Center</strong><br /> Why not start with the guy that all eyes are going to be on anytime he steps on the floor this season? The recent Pitt commit predictably dominated the game in the low post. Brush's best point of attack was spacing the floor with guys that Lorain had to count on to shoot, and then throwing the ball over the top to Hugley, as Lorain didn't have the necessary size to take it away. As was seen in EYBL this summer, Hugley dropped a considerable amount of weight following the previous High School season, and as a result, is quicker and more agile around the rim. When he's not receiving post entries, he's helping create for others by sealing off defenders to give teammates a driving lane, hitting the glass hard, and even showing a bit of a shooting touch, connecting on a corner 3 early on. Hugley finished with 24 points, 18 rebounds, and 3 blocks.</li> <li><strong>Aaron Whitehead (2020) - 5'10" Guard<br /> </strong>Lorain came into this game missing a huge component of their team this year. Newcomer Seth Wilson did not play, leaving backcourt mate Whitehead to pick up a lot of the slack and add a scoring punch. Whitehead knocked down 3 timely triples and was applying pressure to Brush's deep backcourt all game. Whitehead was equally as effective without the ball, able to get easy spot up opportunities against Brush's 2-3 defense.</li> <li><strong>Jordan Jackson (2020) - 6'4" Wing<br /> </strong>Jackson was another huge part of the Titans' success. Jackson was Lorain's leading scorer with 19 points, displaying great footwork once he got into the lane to convert on some tough finishes. His change of pace with the ball was a huge problem for Brush in their zone defense. He also deserves a heap of credit for guarding Hugley much of the game, which is sure to fatigue anyone who has that assignment. Jackson was also a huge part of keeping Brush off the glass and quickly throwing it ahead.</li> <li><strong>Elmore James (2022) - 6'2" Guard</strong><br /> Watching James play, you'd never guess he was just a Sophomore. His impact off the bench was immediately felt, proving to be a great downhill scorer and tough, physical defender. James' style of play is somewhat reminiscent of a former teammate of his, recent grad Andre Harris, now playing at Wright State. He finished nearly everything once he got by one defender, and didn't allow anyone past his wide frame on defense. James has the slightest hitch in his shot, but it proved to be effective, knocking down two 3's, both of which were heavily contested.</li> <li><strong>Tyler Williams (2023) - 6'7" Forward<br /> </strong>This was just Brush's second game, but the freshman prospect put a lot of people on notice after his HS debut last Saturday. He again showed what makes him special and why he already has NE Ohio buzzing. However, he also had some blips that reminded you he was a freshman. His best attribute in this game was his ability to grab a rebound, and take it himself to initiate early offense. He plays with a plus motor and has good ball-handling skills. You can already tell this is a guy to closely watch over the next 4 years.</li> </ol> <p>Honorable Mention: Brush Senior <strong>Corey Floyd Jr. </strong>hit the Game Winning shot from the corner 3 with 5 seconds to go, giving the Arcs a 67-64 lead that would go on to be the Final. That was Floyd's first 3 of the game, but put the 6'3" Guard in double digits on the night. Floyd Jr. was also a menace on the glass, crashing the offensive glass hard on nearly every possession and giving Brush a handful of second chances.</p>