Battle at the Berkey Sunday Standouts
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The Battle at the Berkey was a two-day event with six games per day, in this article we’ll discuss the top performers from Sunday at the event. Eddie Nieves OH #214 PF #45 HEIGHT 6'5" POS PF CLASS 2024 View…
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Continue ReadingThe Battle at the Berkey was a two-day event with six games per day, in this article we’ll discuss the top performers from Sunday at the event.
Cardinal Mooney did not mess around in the morning with a dominant win over Chippewa to get the day started. I thought their senior duo of Nieves and Jibri Carter Jibri Carter 5’9″ | PG Cardinal Mooney | 2024 State OH were both high level in the win. Nieves was set up a handful of times by Carter and shot a high percentage on set 3-pointers. I thought Nieves frame was also solid as it looks like he’ll be able to add muscle in a college weight program. With his size and shooting ability, he might be worth a look for regional small college programs looking for a wing forward who can space the floor. Cardinal Mooney is a team to watch in Division III up in northeast Ohio. Chippewa was led by Prep Hoops Circuit standout Tillman Brown Tillman Brown 6’4″ | PF Chippewa | 2024 State OH , who impressed us this summer with NextLevel Basketball.
North Farmington got a gritty win over a Canton GlenOak squad that for three quarters looked ready to knock North Farmington from the ranks of the unbeatens. In the fourth, North Farmington locked down defensively and made enough plays down the stretch to get the win. Spratt, a Cleveland State commit, had his future college coaches in attendance for this one and played well throughout. With a great frame, Spratt is going to be a monster physically in a few years. A knockdown shooter off the catch, Spratt has the shooting, athleticism and upside to be a big-time contributor as an upperclassman in the Horizon League.
Highlights
I’ll be the first to admit I was late to the Mahaffey party and he’s continued his upward trajectory towards the top of our rankings and will continue to climb before we wrap up the 2024 cycle. His growth athletically and his confidence with the ball in his hands is insane from where he was a year ago. His statistical jump from Junior to Senior year is huge but that doesn’t do him justice how much he impacts the game on both ends of the floor. One of the best defenders in Ohio and a terror in transition, Mahaffey looks like a prospect who might wind up playing high major basketball when it’s all said and done. Akron looks like they got one of the highest upside prospects in Ohio and Moeller appears to be a state title threat once again after a dominant performance over one of the better teams from northeast Ohio in Mentor.
Harvest Prep was dominant in a battle of Division III private schools when they squared up against Lake Catholic. Abrams was efficient from the floor, getting a lot of steals and transition layups off turnovers from Lake Catholic. His motor was running all game and he’s also a knockdown shooter with his feet set. Abrams capped off the win with an impressive dunk to get him to 21 points on the evening. In the loss, Cross Nimmo Cross Nimmo 6’6″ | C Lake Catholic | 2025 State OH , a Division I football prospect stood out for Lake Catholic with his interior scoring.
It’s been a couple years since I watched a 50-point game in person at the high school level. I think George Mangas back in 2021 was the last to do it against Trotwood Madison. Mallernee was hotter than a blowtorch on Sunday evening with an unconscious jumper from both mid-range and behind the 3-point line. Getting to his spots and rising up, knocking down a bunch of contested shots, nobody on Fairview could stop Mallernee. Also efficient from the free throw line, Mallernee is one of the elite shooters in central Ohio. Worthy of some scholarship interest from regional Division II and NAIA programs, Mallernee would be a steal at the Division III level. Fairview stayed in the game despite giving up 53 to Mallernee thanks to the play of 2026 guards Will Allen Will Allen 5’9″ | CG Fairview | 2026 State OH and Burke Lowry Burke Lowry 6’3″ | SF Fairview | 2026 OH . These two Division III public schools will look to make district title pushes.
One of the top seniors in the state I’d never seen in person prior to Sunday night, Barrino didn’t disappoint with his production and athletic tools that translated from the highlights I watched. Playing for an unbeaten Malvern squad, Barrino and Mitchell Minor Mitchell Minor 6’5″ | PF Malvern | 2024 State OH are one of the top small-town duos in the state. Barrino is a strong off guard who is a monster defensively with his active hands and good instincts. Not much of a perimeter threat to shoot it at the moment, Barrino had one early mid-range pull-up that looked solid. For Barrino to reach his upside at the next level, the shot has to be a little more of a threat than it is right now. I expect scholarship programs who are willing to work to develop the jumper to have success with Barrino because he would fit in immediately at the Division II or NAIA level from a defensive and physicality perspective.