Bertke took the game over in the second half. He did not play his best game in the first half, but when Lima Shawnee needed him, he took over. When Bertke takes over, it is highly impressive to watch. Simply put, every shot goes in. He finished stronger and more aggressively around the rim. He was seeking contact. He then hit a couple of threes in rhythm. When he gets his feet set and is in a sort of offensive rhythm, just go grab it out of the rim. He showed his competitiveness at a high level.

Lima Shawnee looked like a well oiled machine this weekend as their offense was executing at a high level with the Bertke brothers creating a majority of the offense for their team. I’m always so impressed with the sets that Lima Shawnee has, generating wide open shots for their best players. Bertke does an excellent job of running off screens, cutting and running the floor to get easy looks at the basketball. It’s a major compliment when a player can make the game look easy as a featured scoring option and that’s what I notice with Bertke when he plays for Lima Shawnee. Bertke received an offer from local powerhouse Findlay back in May and they had multiple coaches watching him this weekend.

The mask Bertke is wearing this weekend didn’t seem to affect him whatsoever as he was doing what he does, finding easy shots by moving without the basketball and making the simple basketball play. I don’t want to take away from the individual talent Bertke has but he really does do an excellent job of keeping the game simple and sticking to what he’s good at, cutting, finishing, making open shots and finding the open man. No surprise with this set of skills, production and his size on the wing that numerous scholarship programs are interested in him at the next level.

I knew going to watch Bertke play against a high-level EYBL team, he was just going to play well. He does a great job of elevating his game and being more aggressive in games when his team needs him to. He can score on all three levels. He is good at driving all the way to the rim in transition. He is a highly confident player who doesn’t need much space to let his shot fly. His height and length makes it tough for most other guards to contest his shot. He is a highly skilled player.

Betke is an elite player. He has had an outstanding season and is taking the next step towards being elite. He is an elite shotmaker and can get his shot off in tight spaces well. His size and length for a wing are what you want. He is a true three-level scorer and doesn’t settle for the three balls. He attacks the rim and finishes well. He has strong takes to the rim. His is a curl threat off of screens. He is a highly confident player.

I’m not sure how many 2026 prospects I’d take to win a high school basketball game before I’d take Bertke. Just a flat out competitor, Bertke shines brightest in the biggest moments. A high motor wing prospect, Bertke does an excellent job of cutting off the ball and crashing the offensive glass for easy layups. Never sped up, Bertke is patient and made some nice passes including an alley-oop to his little brother for a sweet slam dunk. We’ll see if the Bertke brothers have another signature performance in them on Saturday when they play for the regional title.

Lima Shawnee had some signature victories this season with wins over rival Lima Sr and Bishop Hartley, another Division III powerhouse. In those wins, Bertke has been at his best as the wing is one of the most productive high school players in northwest Ohio. Bertke plays with a high motor and has a knack for scoring in the paint as a cutter, offensive rebounder and driver. I’ve also been impressed with his expanded offensive scoring ability this season. I expect scholarship programs to be all over Bertke this summer.

Bertke played the best game I’ve ever seen from him as Lima Shawnee got a signature victory over Bishop Hartley. After falling down double-figures in the first four minutes of the game, Lima Shawnee controlled the rest of the game with Beckett Bertke Beckett Bertke 6'5" | SF Shawnee-Lima | 2026 State OH leading the way. Always been a capable shooter from the perimeter, Bertke was making shots running off screens and against hard closeouts that I’ve never seen him make before. I also love how Bertke can just score with his motor and ability to move without the basketball. He seems to get a couple buckets a game just being in the right place at the right time either on cuts, offensive rebounds or transition opportunities. When Lima Shawnee got comfortable breaking the Bishop Hartley full-court pressure, Bertke was usually at the receiving end of scoring opportunities on the other end.

Bertke had a big year for Lima Shawnee his sophomore but this year I expect him to be a big-time player for them that will lead them to a really successful team. His size and length along with his scoring ability makes him a tough player to stop. He also plays the game the right way. He makes the second-effort play and has a simple but effective offensive bag. He will be one of the best players in the WBC this year.

Bertke is someone who has taken the jump from sophomore year to junior year that you want to see for a player. He has become such a better player this past year. He hit a growth spurt and gained a ton of confidence. He can play more positions on the floor and do more. He still has a great shot but he has opened up his inside the arc game. He has a nice midrange and pull-up game because his shot is less likely to get blocked and tougher to contest. He can guard more positions on the floor as well. Excited to continue to watch him play.