Ohio State Tournament: Championship Sunday Standouts

The Ohio State Tournament had the semifinals and championship games hosted on Sunday at Fieldhouse USA for the 15, 16 and 17 U brackets. In this article I'll break down five standouts from those games.    Kayser and [player_tooltip player_id='1462535' first='Cam' last='Williams'] were the key pieces for Midwest Basketball Club Gilliland to hoist the 17 U championship trophy. Kayser is tough to stop from the high block due to his high release point and touch from the 8-15 foot area of the court. Stretching his shot to behind the 3-point line more often over the past couple months, Kayser hit some big shots including an and-1 3-pointer in the first half. With small town studs you always want to see how they perform against top talent and Kayser has continually raised his game this spring when facing other scholarship level talents. Expect the top Division II programs from across the region to fight over Kayser with low major programs also monitoring his development as well.     Kayden's highlight of the weekend was a monster two-foot slam dunk in the championship game. A utility wing who can help you without the ball in his hands, Schaffer is a solid defender who rebounds and moves his feet. Combine that with a high IQ offensively to make the extra pass and knock down a set shot and Schaffer checks a ton of boxes that small college programs look for in wings that help you win. While many 2025 prospects will likely struggle adjusting to a college role that asks them to do the dirty work immediately, Schaffer will be comfortable doing what it takes to get on the court and stay on the court.     Brown almost helped lead Nova Village to the championship as the 17 U championship game went back and forth throughout. I was impressed with Brown's ability to take over the game when Nova fell behind by double-digits early. Doesn't need much space to create his shot and Brown draws a lot of contact at the rim. With only six guys Nova Village had a short rotation with guys like [player_tooltip player_id='1469018' first='Jaden' last='Calloway'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1480850' first='Tai' last='Perkins'] bringing on-ball defensive pressure and rim pressure with downhill slashing from the guard position. Impressed with the grit of their group to fight back and force overtime in the title game. Brown has a handful of Division I offers and is a target for regional mid major programs.     The semifinal battle between Midwest Gilliland and Midwest Sayre/Maurer was probably the best I've ever seen Sims play. Looking aggressive in the paint by catching contested passes and finishing, rim running for layups and getting second chance points, Sims was active early and a big reason why his team remained competitive throughout the early stages of the second half. Delaware Hayes lost a couple starting members of their front-court which opens the door for a guy like Sims to step up next winter. I've been really encouraged by his progress this spring and if he continues to play hard could carve out a nice role on a Pacers squad that will look to defend their central region title in 2025.     I caught Nova Village's 16 U squad in Cincinnati during the live period last weekend, the team could've used more scoring from their big men. When I saw them this weekend, I immediately noticed how Toombs scoring ability combined with his size gives their guards more space to operate and create. Toombs knocked down some open shots and made himself available off the ball. Helping his team win the championship this weekend, Toombs and Nova Village 16 U are a team to keep close eyes on across central Ohio and beyond. A small-town stud who excels on both the gridiron, hardwood and even track, Toombs should draw recruiting interest in multiple sports.

The Ohio State Tournament had the semifinals and championship games hosted on Sunday at Fieldhouse USA for the 15, 16 and 17 U brackets. In this article I'll break down five standouts from those games.