The Expo: Ohio Mike’s Top Performers

The Expo came to Ohio and featured some top talent from Ohio's 2027 and 2028 classes and in this article we'll break down the top performers I saw on Saturday.    Burge came to our sophomore showcase last year and was a standout performer. However on Saturday evening he was one of the best players in the entire gym. Getting busy with the ball in his hands, Burge has improved his ball handling, burst and pace on the ball and this combination of skills allowed him to create a bunch of tough buckets off the dribble. I thought Burge found his most success finishing at the rim on the left side, mixing up between left hand finishes, righty inside hand finishes and floaters from that area of the court. With the improvement Burge has made, it's clear he's been putting in the work and is going in the right direction as a prospect.     I really liked the footwork Capers showed with the ball in his hands, using slow steps, pivots and euro-steps to create space to score at the rim. Capers has a stronger frame for a guard which allowed him to take contact and still finish in the paint. Capers also liked the righty scoop finish on the left side of the rim, getting the ball up to the basket before rim protectors could block his shot. Capers has attended a couple of Prep Hoops Ohio showcases throughout the years and continues to impress in the showcase setting.     I loved the intensity Spikes brought to the court on Saturday as he got extra shots up in between the 3 on 3 and drills portion of camp. Then when the 5 on 5 action started, Spikes was making his presence known immediately. Spikes had numerous breakaway dunks with his impressive height, length and end to end speed. Spikes has also worked on his jumper and had a handful of pick and pop 3-pointers throughout the day. Spikes is set for a big senior season at Harvey as he provides a huge boost to their frontcourt.     The most athletic player at the expo, Wooten Jr had some unbelievable dunks throughout the day with some monster breakaway and windmill dunks. Wooten Jr just floats in the air and is one of the toughest transition athletes to stop in Ohio. Early in the day, Wooten Jr was getting by his man and drawing a lot of fouls which led to efficient free throw attempts. Padua has one of the best guard trios in northeast Ohio and Wooten Jr is the experienced leader of that group this winter.     Monroe returned to Ohio and will take the prep school route to reclassify into the 2028 class and will be back in our rankings during the next update with his return to Ohio. Monroe has a strong frame and was physical in the paint on both ends of the court. In the 3 on 3 portion of the camp Monroe made some nice passes as his team found success. Monroe's next step will be generating more space on his dribble moves for more open shots, as he's shown the ability to get hot from the outside. A talented wing forward from northeast Ohio, Monroe will be a name you'll continue to hear about.     Kelly had to arrive late due to other basketball obligations and wasted zero time making a huge impact at the camp. One of my favorite players to watch in the Dayton area, Kelly plays with a high motor and was getting second chance points, transition layups and finishing through contact with either hand. Northmont has a strong 2028 class so while they'll be improved this winter, next season is one Northmont fans should be circling for a potential conference title push and deep playoff run but the experience they get this season will be key for Northmont with Kelly again leading the charge.

The Expo came to Ohio and featured some top talent from Ohio's 2027 and 2028 classes and in this article we'll break down the top performers I saw on Saturday.