Top Prospects: Ohio Valley Hoops Classic Edition

<p>Friday’s action at the Ohio Valley Hoops Classic did not disappoint with several high level prospects taking the stage and providing a great start to the high school season. Throughout the 4 games I saw, several guys continued to impress while new names also showed out and now have our attention. Here is a recap of the top performers from Friday’s OVHC action.</p> <p>Wilmington vs. Licking Heights</p> <p>The Hornets took care of business against a pesky Wilmington team, pulling away 68-61. When looking at guard play, several players impressed. Wilmington’s Cam Coomer (2020) was impressive early on and made his presence known on the perimeter. An up tempo point guard, he was unafraid to push the ball in transition and was able to knock down the 3 ball consistently. His decision making was off as he made some questionable passes against tough pressure and even tried pulling up from beyond the arc way outside his range. Markeece Brown (2020) from Licking Heights was slow to start the half, but found his way into the game with his physicality on the dribble drive. He has a strong build and knows how to use his body to get to the rim. In regards to wing players, Dante Collier (2022) was the most impressive. The lefty was a streaky shooter, knocking down shots around the perimeter. More importantly, he has a quick first step which allowed him to blow by Wilmington defenders with ease. This being my first chance to see him play, I have to say he has a lot of upside and was the more consistent players on the offensive end for the Hornets.</p> <p>Winton Woods vs. Roger Bacon</p> <p>In what was considered a mild upset, Roger Bacon knocked off Winton Woods 62-57 in OT in what turned out to be one of the better games of the day. The most impressive player was Marjoni Tate (2021) from Roger Bacon who impressed on both ends of the floor. Tate knows how to play solid on-ball defense, positioning himself between the opponent and the rim and played fundamental defense not using his hands. On the offensive end, he was a floor leader at the point and ultimately found ways to score or get teammates to score. Teammate Josiah McGee (2020) brought the slashing mentality as he was too quick off the drive and made some very athletic finishes at the rim. Spartans 6’7 post player Mason Criner (2021) was the new name I was most impressed by as he was a solid cleanup guy finishing second chance shots at the rim. For Winton Woods, the most impressive guy had to be Aaron Ward (2020) as he was the most athletic player on the floor. Possessing great length and a nice vertical leap, Ward was able to block a plethora of shots at the rim and showed leadership on the offensive end. Tony Burrell (2021) has a very nice shooting touch and gave the Warriors a consistent outside threat. Even as the Spartans defense adjusted, Burrell had the green light and showed confidence and fluidity with his shot selection.</p> <p>Lakota East vs. Taft</p> <p>This matchup was slated as one of the best of the weekend with Lakota East capturing the W. For the Thunderhawks, Alex Mangold (2020) looked great after missing much of the season last year. He was a tough matchup on the interior and was solid scoring against taller competition in the paint. Charlie Kenrich (2022) is the name that surprised me the most in this game as he has a very strong build at 6’3 and played with such intensity. His footwork was great on both ends of the floor and he played through contact while also being a defensive menace with his body. Nate Johnson (2021) was incredible in the win as he was the most dominate player on the floor for the Hawks. In seemed as if Johnson could adjust mid-air for layups with his athleticism. The junior guard got to the paint at will and absolutely annihilated the Taft defense on the perimeter. Taft was led by Rayvon Griffith (2023) and Nekhi Smith (2020). Griffith was a freak athlete and possessed great skill on the offensive end. While his decision making with the ball must improve, he without a doubt was still one of the bright spots for this talented Taft team. Smith continued to show his ability to score inside-out on the offensive end and be a disruptive on ball defender. His ability to cover weak side on the defensive side will have to improve. He played well with Mangold and Kenrich guarding him at times and showed he could be a go-to scorer.</p> <p>Moeller vs. Lutheran East</p> <p>While I attended this game for only a half, it was enough to see this Moeller is still loaded. Max Land (2020) made the gritty plays on the glass as an elite rebounder and on the defensive end as a solid on-ball defender while also showing confidence to get up and contest any shot at the rim. Logan Duncomb (2021) showed improvement as a low post offensive scorer, showing he could score consistently with his back to the basket. Overall his confidence level greatly improved as well when the ball was in his hands. While Lutheran East had several high level prospects, Sirr Hughes (2021) is the name that stuck with me. Playing against this solid Moeller team, Hughes was able to break down the defense with his speed and quick handles. This forced the defense to collapse and allowed Hughes to show off his ability to distribute the ball.</p>