Ohio EYBL 16 U Prospect Breakdown
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Session I of the Nike EYBL brought some of the top talent in the country to Atlanta, Georgia to compete against each other at the Lake Point Sports South complex. I attended the event and saw every Ohio based prospect…
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Continue ReadingSession I of the Nike EYBL brought some of the top talent in the country to Atlanta, Georgia to compete against each other at the Lake Point Sports South complex. I attended the event and saw every Ohio based prospect competing at the event. In this article I’ll break down the 16 U prospects from Ohio which only includes players from All Ohio Red’s 16 U squad.
The highest regarded prospect from Ohio playing 16 U in the EYBL, Jones had an up and down weekend in Atlanta. Jones shot just 33% from the floor and 24% from 3-point range. An impact athlete and defensive player, Jones actually led All Ohio 16 U in rebounding. Consistency is going to be the key for Jones, who has tons of talent and upside, he’ll look to bounce back scoring wise during sessions III and IV.
One of my favorite players to watch in the 2025 class, Barber is a crucial piece to his team. The type of point guard you can’t sub off the court, Barber has tremendous leadership skills and makes whatever team he is on tick. In the four games Barber had 13 assists to just 5 turnovers and makes an impact defensively despite his size limitations. Barber is also a low volume scorer but when he decides to shoot he’s pretty efficient, shooting 7/15 from the field and 3/5 from 3-point range. I think Barber has the ability to play high major basketball but should also be a priority for mid major programs across the region.
One of the biggest stock risers of the weekend, West was excellent as he led All Ohio 16 U in scoring and assists this weekend. Shooting the cover off the ball with 9/15 from 3-point range over four games. I was also impressed with the pace that West played at while attacking the basket and his ability to find open teammates. West had maybe the play of the weekend at the 16 U level among Ohio prospects with a nasty hesitation dribble to get the defender froze before making an and-1 layup through contact at the rim. Stock rising performance for West as he’s another prospect who should be getting looks from high major programs and offers from elite mid major programs.
The guy who puts the most rim pressure on the team, Lawson found success looking to attack the rim with aggressiveness all weekend. Only 1/3 from 3-point range, Lawson was 10/17 from inside the arc with most of his damage coming at the rim. An impressive athlete once he gets a head of steam, I expect Lawson to take a jump athletically and start to dunk more often in the half court over the next 12-18 months. A tough on-ball defender, Lawson’s defensive activity might be his best skill. If Lawson is not going to shoot it from the outside, he needs to stand out in other areas of the game as a lead guard and during moments he did this weekend against top competition. Lawson looks like a guard who will receive interest from low to mid major programs.
An absolute sniper, Winters connected on 11 3-pointers this weekend, a team high. Pretty much only a 3-point weapon offensively, Winters attempted 25 of his 30 field goal attempts from behind the arc. Winters is an ELITE shooter and has the numbers to back that up. However, I want to see Winters find other ways to impact the game. His frame is very skinny and he’s going to need to put on some mass to play at the Division I level. Also a negative assist to turnover ratio is not something you want any guard to have, even if it was just 2/3. Defensively, Winters gives good effort and should improve with physical development. Due to his sharp shooting, Winters picked up his first Division I offer from Arizona State this weekend. I expect more schools to get involved by the time July comes around.
Maybe my biggest surprise of the weekend, Leach was very impactful off the bench for All Ohio Red 16 U. I’ve always liked the athleticism that Leach has and his defensive ability, but he made shots at an efficient clip from the outside all weekend. Shooting 9/13 from the field and 3/5 from 3-point range, Leach in a small sample, had the most efficient numbers on his team. Based on his play this weekend, it seems like Leach is a Division I level prospect with the talent to attract some offers soon, so far Toledo is the only school to offer the wing guard.
Fisher got limited minutes this weekend, playing just 22 minutes over the five games. Needing some physical development, Fisher was too often pushed around or knocked off his spot. A talented scorer, Fisher still has the ability that made him highly regarded as a freshman and 15 U prospect. I still believe in Fisher as a long-term prospect even if this weekend wasn’t the best showcase for his ability. Hoping Fisher figures out how to make an impact without scoring, he didn’t have an assist, blocked shot or steal all weekend.
A high motor forward, Nwokolo rebounded the ball at a high level in the limited minutes he saw this weekend. Grabbing eight rebounds in 33 minutes would put him near the top in rebounds per minute for the weekend. On the offensive end, Nwokolo didn’t make a field goal, missing both shot attempts. He did finish with four assists, showing off some short roll passing ability. Nwokolo is a high energy big who will likely receive scholarship interest next summer, you could see him play a more prominent role on a lesser squad next summer if he chooses that option.
Kropp was a major piece of Nova Village 15 U UA Rise championship squad and made the move to the EYBL for his 16 U spring and summer. Kropp played valuable minutes starting the games with a lot of energy and getting active on both ends. Kropp finished 9/20 from the floor and didn’t show his outside shooting ability going 0/3 from 3-point range. Not looking overmatched against EYBL bigs, Kropp did a good job of competing on both sides of the ball. I’m hoping to see Kropp show a little more offensive ability as he continues to get comfortable with this level of play. Kropp looks like a low to mid major prospect based off this weekend.
The last prospect featured in this article, Kieran makes the move from Bates Fundamentals 15 U to All Ohio Red for 16 U. A big body in the paint, Britten, similar to Kropp was battling on both ends. I did want to see Britten finish at the rim a little better, he shot 7/18 from 2-point range this weekend. Both Britten and Kropp finished the weekend with two blocks, the only guys on the team with more than one. Britten made a couple nice moves with the ball in the post, either looking to score or find a cutter. Look for Britten to get low to mid major interest as he continues to develop.