270 Hoops Proving Grounds Week 6 Standouts

Another Sunday, another week of the 270 Hoops Proving Grounds, this week featuring upwards of 20 of the best high school players in Columbus. This weekly basketball exhibition showcases top talent from around the area and these young men display the competitiveness that is only seen during the regular high school basketball season. If you are new to this, the rules of the game are simple; four teams play to see who can be the first to six wins. The games are won after the last point is scored and a free throw is made to seal the deal. The Elevate Basketball Academy hosts this weekly event and helps elevate these young men’s profile in the eyes of college scouts and coaches alike. [player_tooltip player_id="967166" first="Amani" last="Lyles"]; 2022- Beechcroft: When this writer says that Lyles is the best big man in the Columbus City League, it is officially understated because he could be the best big man in the Central Ohio area. Lyles came to play today with a dominating performance on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he guarded the perimeter and cleanly ripped the ball handler while showing off that he still controls the paint at a high level. On offense, Lyles reached in his bag and pulled out everything from step back three’s to taking his defender off the dribble and getting to the basket. Lyles was far and away the best player in the gym and proved it by winning MVP of the day. [player_tooltip player_id="805144" first="Elhadji" last="Thiam"]; 2021- Pickerington Central: Speed with the ball in his hands is what made this hooper stand out, on the break he glided past defenders to finish. His athleticism is off the chart as well and some of his dunks showcase that. Nice handles for his size and he can run the point guard when called upon. Thiam played tough defense, using his long arms to snatch the ball away and get his hands in the passing lanes. He can become an amazing three-and-D player with capabilities to run an offense if called upon to do so. [player_tooltip player_id="848282" first="Jayden" last="Nervis"]; 2022- Hilliard Davidson: Good things continued to happen whenever the ball was around this young man. The tall, lanky wing mainly ran point guard for his team on Sunday and he continuously made the right play. He was in control of the game and made the defense pay whenever they lost sight of him. Not a big scoring day from Nervis but he made amazing passes to teammates and played defense extremely well, using his length to bother smaller guards. The transfer from North Carolina’s Moravian Prep put on a display that he could be proud of. Zakai Alexander; 2021- Pickerington Central: Coming off of injury, this young man played really well. The explosion was there and he moved with more comfort than he has in previous outings. His deep shooting got him in a rhythm early which eased him into driving the ball to the basket for layups. On defense, he played with effort, staying in front of his man and contesting every shot. He will only get better as his injury heals up, going into his senior year expect him to be a solid contributor on what is a completely stacked team. [player_tooltip player_id="919037" first="Maceo" last="Williams"]; 2021- Gahanna: Finished around the basket like a seasoned vet all afternoon long, and that was just the biggest positive from his day. Williams did a little bit of everything for his team, good passes to cutters, rebounded the ball on defense and hit shots on offense. He played big in the paint with some tough finishes and even flashed his improved range. His body looks more lean now as well, with less weight on his body he seems like he is quicker than he was last year. He will play a big role on what could be the best team in Ohio. [player_tooltip player_id="919031" first="Andre" last="Irvin"]; 2021- Olentangy Orange: The toughest player in the building, Irvin just made plays all afternoon. His size did not stop him from getting inside the paint and finishing amongst the trees. Irvin also showed that he could flat out shoot the ball, when he set his feet just add three points to the scoreboard. He single-handedly carried his team to their only victory on the day with brilliant shot making and gritty defense. As soon as Irvin got the ball in his hand, people could tell he was in charge, running the team and showing true leadership. [player_tooltip player_id="809621" first="Ajay" last="Sheldon"]; 2022- Dublin Coffman: A walking highlight reel was Sheldon, with a crazy layup package that would make the Jelly Fam proud. Sheldon was part of the winning team and was able to close many of those with his sharp shooting. His hustle stood out from others as well, he was going all out by diving for loose balls and getting chase down blocks. An offensively smooth player, Sheldon was able to shift his way into whatever he wanted and was efficient with his shot taking. Impressive day for a player who would have been MVP of the day if he didn’t play on the same team as [player_tooltip player_id="967166" first="Amani" last="Lyles"].