Nike Summer Championship Top Performers
Basketball action on Saturday at the Nike Summer Championship was in full swing, and plenty of players stepped up and impressed. Some of Ohio’s top teams, including All Ohio Red, TNBA Flash, and Miller Factory played at Ohio Dominican University in front of numerous schools from the Division 1,2 and 3 levels. Here were Saturday’s top overall performers.
Alonzo Gaffney- 6’8 SF- Garfield Heights (OH)/All-Ohio Red 17U
Gaffney (PHO #1 2019) was nearly unstoppable Saturday afternoon as AOR played Downtown’s Finest out of Toronto. A very undersized team, Downtown was unable to contain the more athletic Gaffney throughout the game. He used his obvious height advantage to outrebound them, and his ability to knock down the 3 ball drew the defense out when he was on the perimeter. Defensively, Gaffney blocked several shots and at the very least, his presence alone affected inside shots.
Tommy Sala- 6’8 SF- Lakewood (OH)/ TNBA Flash
Sala (PHO #59 2019) had a strong performance against Chi Town Warriors in which he asserted himself as one of the better players on the floor. On the offensive end, he had a great first step when he got the ball in the paint and even looked to pass up on potential contested layups to set up more open teammates. Defensively, Sala was a solid defender on the perimeter, which was impressive for a post player. In addition, his presence on the boards made him a prime target for the multiple D2/D3 schools in attendance recruiting.
Tanner Holden- 6’6 SG- Wheelersburg (OH)/All-Ohio Red 17U
Holden (PHO #11 2019) was another strong prospect for AOR on Saturday. At 6’6, his size and brute strength allowed him to over-power Downtown’s Finest. He crashed the boards and was able to create several second shot opportunities due to his intensity. I was impressed seeing Holden not give up on any plays or taking a play off.
Jordan Kumm- 5’9 PG- Ankeny (IA)/ Beyond Ball 17U Next Up
The most impressive non-Ohio prospect on Saturday, Kumm (PHI #54 2020) offensively was one of the top players on the day. In a win over Cincy Classics, Kumm impressed with his 3 point shooting and his ability to set up teammates to score. The 2020 prospect was playing up for the weekend and definitely showed he could compete with the older players. In addition to his offensive skills, Kumm was a dynamic lockdown defender on the perimeter.
Kaveon Ross- 6’5 PF- Hamilton Township (OH)/Miller Factory 2019
One of my favorite prospects to watch on Saturday, Ross (PHO #44 2020) was an incredible athlete that almost threw down the dunk of the weekend in Miller Factory’s win over NEO Shooting Stars. The lone 2020 prospect on Miller Factory’s roster, Ross was by far their top inside presence on both ends. Ross impressed in pick-and-roll situations and even picked up a few points on the roll. As a defender, Ross played physical with opposing bigs and took them out of the picture.