Early Season Central Ohio Junior Standouts Pt. 1

Of the four high school classes, the class of 2022 is far away the best and deepest one of them all. This 2022 class is full of potential future college stars, really productive players and possible professional basketball players. During the start of this season, many of these young men have showcased their skill and have tore up the court. With basically every team in Central Ohio playing except for the Columbus City League, who are set to hopefully start soon, every team has a pretty good grasp of who they are and what the path is to district, regional and the ultimate goal, a state title. The young men on part one of this list have performed the best in the area, from guards that are committed already to big men that are interesting prospects to forwards that can stretch out defenses and make it difficult for defenses. Here are the early season standout players from the 2022 class. [player_tooltip player_id="921785" first="Derrick" last="James"]- St. Charles: Another one of this writer’s favorite players to watch, James plays hard every game and proves the old heart over height theory correct on a game-by-game basis. James is only averaging a little over nine points per game but he runs his offense with patience and always has his team in the game down to the wire. He had his best game against Gahanna, where he dropped his season-high of 20-point against Gahanna then followed it up with an 18-point game in a win over Bishop Ready. James is running the show for what could be the best team in CCL, and he makes the right decision when the ball is in his hands without making bad mistakes. The 5-foot-9 point guard can play with the best guards in Central Ohio and is always looking to prove it when he takes the court. [player_tooltip player_id="809621" first="Ajay" last="Sheldon"]- Dublin Coffman: The leading scorer in all of the OCC, Sheldon is dropping in close to 25 points per game and is doing so in a plethora of ways. Only scoring under 20 one time so far this year, an 18-point outing at Olentangy Liberty, this young man is an absolute terror when the ball is in his hands. Sheldon has the ball on a string, and uses that ability to get to the basket where he finishes with a great lay-up package as if he was a 2k player. He also uses that handle to create space between himself and his defender for clean looks from deep where he is lethal and can knock them down from all over the perimeter. The 6-foot-1 guard is quicker than people think and uses that quickness on defense to stay in front of the opposing ball handler and cause issues for the offense. This walking bucket would be a great addition to any program. [player_tooltip player_id="921743" first="Jared" last="Frey"]- Hilliard Davidson: A pure baller, Frey has been consistently delivering for his team to start this season. Frey can score from every spot on the court, he has a good handle that gets him to the basket and he has the size and athleticism to finish over any defender. The junior is also a flat out deep range deadeye, with one of the quickest releases in the area and the stamina to be in continuous motion and get open. The 6-foot-5 lefty has nice touch on his shots to go with a smooth looking form. Defensively, Frey can get his hands in passing lanes and create turnovers to start transition offense for the Wildcats while also being able to defend in the paint. Frey will translate well to the next level because of his athletic ability and his amazing shooting range, a young man that programs should get familiar with. [player_tooltip player_id="921754" first="Quinn" last="Corna"]- Upper Arlington: Such a lethal weapon on the offensive side of the court, Corna is putting up great numbers early in the season and is showing how good he can be. He is second on a really good team, averaging over 13 points per game with a season high of 29 and he is a young man that is tougher than a $2 steak. Corna sticks his nose in there defensively and can get steals then begin fast breaks for his team using good awareness. He can get to the rim pretty well too, with good handling skills and crafty moves on the perimeter. The 6-foot-3 Corna will be able to play either guard spot at the next level and can be a productive player that colleges would love to have. [player_tooltip player_id="616810" first="Sean" last="Jones"]- Gahanna: The overall best prospect in the class, Jones is putting up over 16 points per game and is consistently delivering highlight reel dimes to teammates to teammates for easy baskets. There isn’t much to be said about Jones that is not known already, he is silky in the open court while gliding past defenders for easy baskets. He can finish at the rim with either hand, his three-point range is legit and his mid-range jumper is money. Jones is constantly getting more explosive, his development is eye-popping to watch. He is leading what could be the best team in the state of Ohio, Jones runs the free flowing Princeton offense that the Lions seem to employ, doing it with poise and intelligence while rarely making mistakes. The school that ends up getting Jones will get a young man that will be a phenomenal player for his duration of his college career. [player_tooltip player_id="921759" first="Javan" last="Simmons"]- Gahanna: He has been the most consistent Lion so far in the 2020-2021 basketball season, Simmons has unlocked a new level to his game this year. The 6-foot-7 forward is a terror on the glass, using his body to carve out space and move players around to get rebounds. The junior finishes around the rim with both athleticism and power, usually on the receiving end of a [player_tooltip player_id="616810" first="Sean" last="Jones"] assist, he can get it done with both hands in the paint. Simmons is also scoring over 11 points per game and has added some range to go along with his post abilities, stretching the defense out to the three-point line where the lefty can knock them down. He also anchors the Lions interior defense, deterring drivers, contesting shots at the rim, and getting his hands up to swat away shots. Simmons has garnered Division 1 interest from colleges, proving that the hard work he has put in is paying off. Nick Heath- Upper Arlington: Leading the Golden Bears in scoring at 15 points per game, Heath has been the steady hand with only one game not scoring in double-digits. The 6-foot-3 junior who also plays quarterback for Upper Arlington can finish at the rim very well with his right hand and can bury jumpers from deep. Heath has multiple games with nailing more than three three-point jumpers, showing his prowess from range. The junior is patient on offense, running the offense and being a really good passer when he needs to. He is a gritty defender too, able to get in the ball handlers hip and use his length to cause issues. Heath’s skill set will get him to the next level on either the gridiron or the hardwood, and some program will be proud to have this kid because of his hard work and dedication to getting better. [player_tooltip player_id="809594" first="DJ" last="Moore"]- Worthington Christian: This can be short and sweet, the Liberty commit is one the most consistent players in Central Ohio, regardless of age and class. Moore is a constant threat on the offense side of the court, able to get in the lane at will off the dribble or working pick-and-roll offense, and can finish with both hands at the basket. His three-point jump shot is getting better game-by-game, showing that the work is paying off. A big-time point guard who is spearheading what was the last unbeaten team in the area, Moore is a true leader on the court and plays with an athletic arrogance where he just knows he is good at basketball so he does not get phased by anything. On defense, Moore is strong with good size and combines that with great awareness to bother opposing guards. This young man has vision, scoring ability and good defense, Liberty has a great one! [player_tooltip player_id="1045456" first="Drey" last="Carter"]- Westerville South: Standing at 6-foot-7, Carter has shown this year that he will be a player to be reckoned with over the next year and a half. This young man is versatile on both ends of the court, being able to guard multiple positions defensively and he can score all over the court on offense. On defense, Carter can move laterally on the perimeter to guard stretch forwards or when he gets switched off onto a smaller player and can slow down both players in those scenarios. In the paint, he deters drivers from shooting over him and can swat away shots like mosquitos at a BBQ. Offensively, Carter is an inside-out scorer with the ability to drop buckets in the paint using his long arms, nice footwork and soft touch around the rim while being able to step out and knock down jump shots consistently from the mid-range along with the three-point line. Carter is an interesting prospect that can help programs from the second he steps on their campus, colleges need to get a look at him. * All stats noted were provided through 270 Hoops