John Turner Classic: Kentucky Standouts

The John Turner Classic at Newport High School featured five games for a competitive all day event that featured four Kentucky Vs Ohio battles and a nightcap that was a tournament rematch between host Newport and Campbell County. In this article we'll break down the standout performers from the event.    Conner stayed scrappy with Harvest Prep for a while and Warner was their standout player. Warner knocked down an early wing 3-pointer, scored off the baseline with off-ball movement and had some and-1 finishes at the rim. With some grab and go ability, Warner was a strong rebounder as well. A bright spot for Conner, Warner has the ability to play at the small college level due to his size and skill with the ball in his hands.     An undersized Newport Central Catholic squad got a tough victory over Cincinnati Taft and Luhn was their standout performer. A wing guard who competed in the paint, it was up to Luhn to rebound and protect the rim on this undersized squad. Combine that with Luhn's ability to knock down a couple set 3-pointers and some closeout attacks and Luhn did enough to lead his team to victory. I was also impressed with the IQ Luhn showed on Saturday, moving well without the ball and helping avoid traps with early passing decisions.     A tough loss for Holy Cross against one of the better teams from Cincinnati, the perimeter shooting ability of Gabbard stood out to me on Saturday. A wing forward who showed confidence off the catch, Gabbard caught fire in the second half and helped keep his team competitive throughout. If Gabbard can impact the game in ways besides spacing the floor, he could be a nice small college prospect by the time his senior season rolls around.     Another Kentucky squad that fell to one of Cincinnati's best teams in Princeton, Johnson was a bright spot for Trinity. After attending the crosstown shootout in the afternoon, Johnson had a strong performance where he made shots from the perimeter, played tough and was productive on both ends. I think the evaluation for Johnson is best at the EYBL level with Mokan as that most closely resembles the type of role I expect him to play at the college level. I do find it worthwhile for Johnson to continue to get reps as a creator and ball handler with Trinity.     One of the more productive freshman in Kentucky, Davie had another strong game against Newport in what was the most competitive game of the day. Davie has a solid frame but looks young physically so I expect him to potentially grow a couple more inches and fill out his frame by the time he's hit puberty. At this stage, he's most productive in the paint off cuts and second chance opportunities, two areas of the game where he found it easiest to score on Saturday evening. A name I'll continue to track, I really want to see how Davie develops physically and if he can develop a reliable jumper without taking away everything he does in the paint.     A flat out winner, I left a huge fan of Jackson by the end of the game. A true point guard, Jackson plays with elite pace and feel with the ball in his hands. Wasn't getting sped up by the Newport pressure, Jackson did an excellent job of calming his team down and getting quality shots possession after possession. In the fourth quarter, Jackson made winning play after winning play and is a prospect regional small college programs should take a look at. Jackson gets the most out of his talent and will do what it takes to win on the court.     For my money, Starks is the 2027 prospect with the highest upside in Kentucky. That was on display on Saturday with some high level flashes from Starks. A couple strong finishes at the rim, Starks prefers to attack and finish with his right hand. The lefty shooter also knocked down a couple jumpers, a top of the key 3-pointer was a big time shot in the second half. Few players at Starks size and age can move with the ball like he can and a steal that turned into an and-1 layup late showed his fluid movement skills and ability to play both ways. Starks is also appearing to find more consistency with his performances this season, another step in the right direction for his development.     A guard who is shifty and quick off the dribble, Lowe is a tough cover off the bounce. With elite speed and quickness, Lowe had a couple transition buckets and attacks off the bounce where if you don't force him to change direction he will blow by you. For Lowe, the next step in his game will be to make counter moves in the half-court. A guard who has a lot of talent, Lowe is one of the top prospects in northern Kentucky's 2027 class.

The John Turner Classic at Newport High School featured five games for a competitive all day event that featured four Kentucky Vs Ohio battles and a nightcap that was a tournament rematch between host Newport and Campbell County. In this article we'll break down the standout performers from the event.