The top performer of the day, Norris simply refused to lose on Saturday. I usually hate using a cliche like that when describing a players performance, but Norris willed his team to victory. Not only did he get wherever he wanted on the court and drive with patience, play off two feet and be ridiculously efficient scoring 36 points, but Norris also grabbed some huge rebounds with taller opponents surrounding him. A player you can’t speed up when the ball is in his hands, Norris would dribble down to the paint and jump stop before getting the defender in the air or simply going through the body of a shot contest. Nothing flashy about his game and I’m not sure he made a shot outside of 12 feet all game. He was simply unstoppable on the block and on drives. When Westerville Central started double-teaming Norris, he routinely made the right pass and helped the ball get to the right spot. Down 13 points with five minutes to go? Norris never blinked and led his team to an improbable comeback in one of the best games I’ve seen all season.

Senior year, Tournament run, with a really good team around him. Sounds like Norris will show up for every big game, right? Well, he did. He dropped 19 points for the Jaguars on Wednesday night. He took the lid off the rim for Bradley and it settled his team in. He was hitting toughly contested shots consistently. He hit a couple threes but knew he would be more effective when putting his head down. That is exactly what he did. He was getting to the rim and using his body to get points with his back to the basket. The team leans on him and looks to him and he is hungry. I love what this Bradley squad showed me Wednesday night.

When you play in big important games against the best teams in your area, you lean on your seniors to lead you. That is what Hillary Bradley did and Norris provided. He came out of the gates in attack mode by hitting two 3s early. With Freshman Point Guard, Ben Mirgon Ben Mirgon 6'1" | PG Hilliard Bradley | 2027 State #197 Nation OH , back in the lineup Norris can focus on being a score-first playmaker. Norris has a very high basketball IQ and was getting good looks due to his off-ball movement and manipulating screens. He consistently makes the right passes to teammates. He is always talking to teammates on defense. He controlled the game for Bradley and was very aggressive and confident on Tuesday night.

After two early season losses, Hillard Bradley is locked in and playing as good as anybody in central Ohio right now. Up 25-2 after the first quarter, it was a dominant start to the game by Norris and the Jags. Knocking down a couple 3-pointers with a handful of assists, Norris had his fingerprints all over this one. The Illinois State commit is one of the most impactful players in the state and had some tough rebounds to continue to show how many ways he can impact the game.

In a highly contested game all night and one when Hilliard Bradley trailed a lot, Norris showed his veteran leadership and poise. He is a next-level playmaker and that is what he did all night. He was getting to the lane and making the right play, theater that was getting buckets himself or dishing it to open teammates. He uses his size and strength well when getting to the rim. He understands angles and has a very high IQ. He led the game in scoring with 30 points, more than half of his team. Illinois State got a good one.

In other 17 U bracket play action, Norris stood out for Midwest Basketball Club despite a disappointing final result. Norris was making shots from the outside, moving the ball quickly and competing defensively. His most important shot of the game came from the top of the key as his 3-pointer cut the deficit to two points with four minutes and change to play. His best pass was a drive and skip to a 3-point shooter in the corner, zipping the ball from one side of the court to the other. One of the most impactful high school players in the state, Norris has plenty of low to mid major interest right now.

Norris had an up and down start to his Junior season but came on incredibly strong at the end of the year and had Hilliard Bradley playing excellent basketball down the stretch. Gaining confidence as a 3-point shooter, Norris had some scoring explosions from the outside and has already eclipsed 1,000 points for his high school career. It’ll be interesting to see how Norris makes an impact at the 3SSB level this summer after taking the 16 U grassroots season off to focus on internal development. Both his older brothers ended up at Division I programs out of high school and both have won games in the NCAA tournament. Norris comes from a family of winners and is expected to be the next Hilliard Bradley product to sign with a Division I program.