Havoc in the Heartland: Top Performers

<p>COVID could not keep AAU basketball from happening this season. The Prep Hoops Circuit came to Indianapolis as the Havoc in the Heartland was played for the 2nd straight year. The event attracts teams from across the Midwest, Ohio included. IN fact, last season’s 16U champions were Team Flyght out of Dayton. This year, 4 different programs brought their AAU teams to Best Choice Fieldhouse for a showdown between some of the the Heartland’s best. Today, I take a look at the top 8 performers from Ohio that caught my attention and impressed over the 2-day event. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="921799" first="Lebraun" last="Berry"]</strong> (2022) Ohio Players- For the 2nd straight week, Berry makes my Top Performers list as he led his Ohio Players team on both ends of the floor yet again. Defensively he is persistent and does a nice job of creating chaos on the perimeter. He doesn’t have a ton of lateral speed on the perimeter, but has a bigger frame that allows him to body up with guards. He is going to have a chance to really take off this upcoming season with Aiken.</p> <p><strong>James Cammon </strong>(2022) Team Flyght- We haven’t seen much of Cammon during high school season due to his youth and playing for a loaded Wayne team. AAU is the perfect time to see his high motor go to work. A spark off the bench for Team Flyght, Cammon explodes off the perimeter and is shifty around the rim. This combined with his confidence gives him the opportunity to get buckets anytime on anyone. I think he will have a real chance to be a contributor to Wayne’s varsity this year.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="809633" first="Robbie" last="Cass"]</strong> (2022) Midwest Basketball Club 16U- Cass was one of the most unselfish players I saw during the event this weekend. A strong and muscular guard, Cass controlled the tempo in the half court. Not panicky when pressure cam his way. Collected himself to make the right decision.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="921751" first="Luke" last="Denbow"]</strong> (2022) Team Flyght- In my opinion the best perimeter defender on the weekend that I saw. Denbow is a lockdown defensive minded guard that prides himself in getting stops. He’s quick footed and moves well with the ball. Handles man-to-man pressure with confidence and speed. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="809611" first="Mekhi" last="Elmore"]</strong> (2022) Team Flyght- Elmore has really evolved over the last 2 years from a shoot first guard, to a more composed patient guard. Originally known for his shooting touch, he still can knock down bigs shots beyond the arc, but Mekhi has really become a more confident slashing guard. This was on display this weekend as he was finding himself in the paint a ton. My big concern with him right now is if he can use his right hand more often, but the athleticism and skill is up to par with a LM prospect. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="919035" first="Prophet" last="Johnson"]</strong> (2021) Midwest Basketball Club 17U- Prophet has not been known to be much of a scorer in the past, but impressed with his slashing ability with an Adidas team with plenty of college talent around him. An athletic but smaller wing, Johnson utilizes his speed and quickness to create offensive opportunities off the drive. More importantly, he is an elite defender on the perimeter, again using his speed and agility to guard guards and smaller wings. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="805218" first="Carter" last="Mims"]</strong> (2021) Team Flyght- The Trotwood PG continues to show why he is one of the more electric players in Dayton. While Mims is usually the smallest player on the court, he is without a doubt one of the toughest. Incredibly fast off the drive. He gets in the lane almost at will and has shown he can finish among taller competition. Continues to look like a D3 prospect especially with his height, but still one of the best guards in Dayton’s 2021 class.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="967174" first="Layne" last="Sarver"]</strong> (2022) Team Flyght- If you follow me on Twitter, you know I am very high on Sarver after watching him on several occasions the past week. A bouncy SF, he was one of the few prospects I saw this weekend dunk. Sarver elevates over the rim and combines his long arms to literally rebound over taller defenders. His ability to step out and knock down a jumpshot or two combined with his athleticism makes him a true inside-out nightmare. Findlay has already reached out to him, however I wouldn’t be surprised if more D2s call Sarver in the next few weeks. </p>