2028 Rankings Update: Top new names part 2

Our 2028 rankings update saw 17 players make their debut and in this article we'll break down six prospects who made their debut last week during the rankings update.    One of the biggest players in the 2028 class, Bruns provides excellent size on the interior for [program_tooltip program_id='2075761' first='Ohio' last='Buckets'] 16 U. Bruns averages a team-high 1.5 blocks per game on the EYCL circuit and grabs the fourth most rebounds despite playing the second fewest minutes per game on the team. I like that Bruns stays around the paint and knows that he's in the game to impact the interior on both ends of the court. A bit of an old-school small-town big man, Bruns could make a big jump with his high school production next season.     One of the most skilled guards from the greater Cincinnati area, Hoffman has had some monster scoring games this summer for both Turpin and Ohio Champion Ua Rise. Hoffman is an impressive perimeter shooter who is at his best when he's running off screens and playing off the catch. I was impressed with Hoffman in my last viewing of him at the Oak Hills Shootout as he put up some impressive numbers against strong teams from across greater Cincinnati. I'd expect Hoffman to finish near the top of the ECC in scoring this winter and he should lead the conference in 3-point makes for a second straight season as long as he stays healthy.     Fidler had a monster season for Montpelier as he led the Locomotives to a 24-3 record and a regional championship appearance. At the end of the season Fidler was the only underclassmen named to the OHSAA Division VII first team all-state team. Where I saw Fidler in person was for the [program_tooltip program_id='2075761' first='Ohio' last='Buckets'] Black 16 U squad that has great team chemistry and a balanced scoring attack. I was most impressed with Fidler's ability to play in transition and use his explosiveness to score at the rim. Fidler's quick twitch athleticism and decisive playstyle made him an easy choice to debut in the middle of our rankings thanks to his impressive production at the high school level.     The Ohio Bruins have generated a lot of buzz at the 16 U MHC group have knocked off a couple of teams from top circuits in the spring. Reagan provides positional size at the wing forward position and rebounding thanks to his length. When Reagan is at his best he is playing tough and fighting for loose balls on the interior. Reagan also can space the floor as a spot-up shooter and shouldn't be forced to take tough looks on a team that shares the ball and has multiple guys who can attack on the court at all times. Last season for Fairview Reagan helped Fairview win a district title for the second time in three seasons and the Warriors were the only team to be ahead of eventual state champion Lutheran East at halftime of their state title run.     Summit County Day has a nice depth of players with a unique blend of skills. The team has ball handling, shooting, positional size, rebounding and defensive talent, with Scott checking the final three boxes right now. A smooth transition athlete, Scott is at his best when he's cutting and crashing the offensive glass. I've seen Summit Country Day knock off some top teams from across Ohio during the month of June and their 2028 class has a chance to be special if they all stick together. After only getting to play in the first 11 games last season due to OHSAA transfer rules, Scott is an example of a prospect who should see his production potentially double as a scorer and rebounder this winter.     The second Ohio Bruins prospect to be featured in this article, Howell is an elite perimeter shooter who had some big games for Solon in the winter and shot the ball efficiently from beyond the arc for the Comets. Solon's signature win of the season might've came against North Royalton, a Division II regional champion, where Howell scored 16 points including a step-back buzzer-beater to end the first half. The lefty Howell has a quick release and while he's best from a spot-up situation, he's also capable of creating his own shot off the dribble. Look for Howell to become a priority recruit for small college programs and as long as the Ohio Bruins 2028 group sticks together, they'll have small college programs from numerous conferences lining up to watch them at the 17 U level.

Our 2028 rankings update saw 17 players make their debut and in this article we'll break down six prospects who made their debut last week during the rankings update.