Top wings + forwards from last week
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I was busy traveling all over the state this week, catching four games between Monday and Wednesday. In this article we’ll look at the top wings and forwards I saw in games including Westerville Central @ Olentangy, River Valley @…
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Continue ReadingI was busy traveling all over the state this week, catching four games between Monday and Wednesday. In this article we’ll look at the top wings and forwards I saw in games including Westerville Central @ Olentangy, River Valley @ Shelby, Painesville Riverside @ Strongsville and Medina Highland @ Brunswick.
A new name for me, Morgan was getting it done in a dominant effort by Brunswick with over 50 first half points by the Blue Devils! Morgan knocked down some shots from the outside, had a standstill dunk on the first play of the game and swatted a few shots. The blowout made this not the best game from an evaluation setting, but Morgan went out and dominated, which is what you want to see when a team is more talented than their opponents. Look for Morgan to debut in the rankings during the next update and we’ll look to see him again when Brusnwick plays against similar talent level as themselves.
While Strongsville couldn’t get the win, Byers was an individual standout against Riverside. Byers played well within the flow of the offense, letting the ball find him when he was open and being decisive when he had the ball in his hands. Byers finished a couple shots around the rim off smart cuts and designed plays to get him open and also knocked down a few jumpers after one of his Mustang teammates drove and get help-side defense from Byers’ defender. This is a name I’ll continue to follow over the next few years to monitor his development.
Highlights
One of the more interesting prospects in the 2024 class to evaluate, Bruskotter has a unique game. While I project Bruskotter as a stretch-4 at the college level for low to mid major programs, he literally runs point guard for his high school team. This gives me an opportunity to see what he can and can’t do with the basketball against less athletic defenders. At the start of the game, Bruskotter was amazing, knocking down tough off the dribble jumpers and finding open teammates when the help came on him. As the game went on Bruskotter struggled a little when forcing contested shots, but still had a huge impact on the game and his team winning a key conference battle. Seeing players in a variety of settings is crucial as an evaluator and Bruskotter plays very different roles with his high school and grassroots teams.
Highlights
One of the most impressive athletes from central Ohio’s 2025 class, Henderson was a two-way standout for the Warhawks in their OCC victory on the road against Olentangy. Henderson had multiple steals and deflections on the defensive end, making his presence known early. I also was impressed with the ball handling flashes I saw in the open court. Finally, Henderson showed off his athleticism with a dunk in transition to help cap off the comeback for his team. Look for Henderson to be a scholarship prospect when it’s all said and done, this wing guard has a lot of upside he’s yet to reach in his young career!
Brown is a new name for me as he really stood out as a shot making wing in the Warhawks victory on Monday night. Confident to let it fly off the catch, Brown was shot ready off the ball when his teammates drove to the lane and kicked it out to him. Brown also made an impressive pivot and fake to finish around the basket, using his length to score over a smaller defender. This is a name to track for next season as Westerville Central will have a lot of returning talent and experience in the 2023-24 season.
Gavin Grover
Gavin Grover
A football prospect with over a dozen Division I offers, Grover will be on the gridiron at the next level but his 20-point performance earns him a shoutout for his efforts on the hardwood this week. Grover showed soft touch on mid-range shots and was a force in the paint, using his size and strength to bully smaller defenders. After watching him compete on the basketball court, I’d love to see what he could do playing his preferred sport.