Prep Hoops Ohio Top 250 Expo: Top 10 & MVP
Pickerington North High School, right outside Columbus, Ohio, opened its doors around 9:00 a.m. eastern time this past Sunday for some of Ohio’s elite up and coming talent. Freshman through seniors were in the gymnasium, all looking to turn heads at the Prep Hoops Ohio Top 250 expo, but 10 of these players really stood out above the rest.
10.) Kameron Thurmond (2017) 6’9 – Center – Franklin Monroe
When it came to size, Thurmond most definitely had that advantage in the post. To go along with the height and strength, he also had a set of most moves that were not shown by many big men during the expo. With only one year left in the high school ranks, Thurmond will look to turn heads and fill a center spot on a college roster next year.
9.) Mason Campbell (2018) 6’2 – Shooting Guard / Small Forward – St. Peter’s
Throughout the drills and scrimmages many of the prospects showcased their shooting ability, however Campbell took it to the next level. On court three, in the field house, he was able to catch fire and had the audience on the baseline asking “who is this kid?” Along with his touch from behind the arc, Campbell is an athletic player at the guard position, and can crash the boards with any of the big men.
8.) Elijah Thurston (2018) – 6’0 – Point Guard/Shooting Guard – Reynooldsburg High School
“Defense wins championships” is how the old saying goes, and effort is definitely not a quality that you can teach a young player. Thurston was one of the hardest workers at the expo on Sunday and never took a play off when he was on the floor. He was able to turn defense into offense, and had great awareness when the ball was in his hands.
7.) DiShon Daniels (2019) – 6’6 – Small Forward – Walnut Hills
Daniels may have been one of the taller players in the gym, but showcased his game that gives him the ability to play all five positions on the floor. With his athleticism and playmaking ability, Daniels is meant to be on the wing, but he also has no problem bodying up down low with the post players to create a bucket. The Walnut Hills product was also able to pull it out to 3-point land to knock down a few long balls, adding another dimension to his game.
6.) Christian Montague (2017) – 6’0 – Point Guard – Chaminade Julienne
Prep Hoops Ohio got the opportunity to talk to Montague in April, and Sunday we got to see him again to confirm that he is the real deal. With the plethora of point guards in Ohio, Montague is for sure one of the best. He has fantastic handle and makes smart decisions with the ball.
5.) Tanner Holden (2019) – 6’5 – Small Forward/Power Forward – Wheelersburg
Holden was arguably the best underclassman that came out on Sunday and he proved that with his ability to finish strong around the basket and defend at all areas of the court. With three years left to play there is still a lot of time for this guy to improve, which is honestly scary to think about considering he already has a game with the maturity level of a senior.
4.) Jamison Lowry (2017) – 6’6 – Small Forward/Shooting Guard – Cambridge
Lowry has the length of a stretch-4, but has all the qualities to be a 2-guard on a college roster. The 6’6 wing man was pulling up from 3-point land all morning on Sunday, and hitting nothing but nylon majority of the time. Lowry also exposed his impressive ball handling skills that are unusual for a player his size.
3.) Eddie Anders (2017) – 6’3 – Shooting Guard/Point Guard – Dublin Jerome
Anders can flat out shoot. He was showing off Steph Curry like play pulling up from 3-point land with his quick release, and driving on defenders to prove that he can finish with both hands around the basket with ease. The rising senior had some of the best basketball IQ, not forcing his shot even if he had the hot hand at the time. Anders knew when to give up the rock, and how to create space for his pure shot.
2.) Aaron Loines (2018) – 6’3 – Shooting Guard/Small Forward – Ginn Academy
It was hard to not give Liones the MVP after the performance he put on Sunday. With his long frame in the backcourt, Liones is lethal on the defensive end, and also can score in a multitude of ways on offense. He was netting deep balls, following teammates shots to pick up the garbage buckets, blowing past defenders to the rim, getting out in front on the fast break. This guy can really do it all, and has the strength to play up to the 4 if needed.
- Zyon Dobbs (2019) – 6’3 – Point Guard/Shooting Guard – Fairmont Senior High School – Most Valuable Player
Here it is, the most valuable player of Prep Hoops Ohio Top 250 Expo. Although he resides from West Virginia, Dobbs made it clear that he was the top talent in the gym. He has extreme explosiveness, a ton of bounce and can pull up from anywhere. His ability to change speed and direction makes him so deceptive and nearly impossible for a defender to play lock down defense. Heading into his sophomore year, he already will have college coaches’ turning their heads.