A senior who keeps getting better, Willow had a big two-way performance for an Arlington squad that is looking for a second consecutive regional title with the big man commanding the paint. Defensively, Willow protects the rim by standing in the middle of the 2-3 zone and finished a handful of defensive stops with strong rebounds. Offensively, Willow has shown improved touch on shots between 8-12 feet and made multiple passes out of the post for easy shots as he was consistently double teammed in the paint. Impressed by the upward trajectory Willow is currently on for a Red Devils squad that will be a tough out come tournament time. 

Arlington is back again after a regional title last season, Willow has his team back in the mix as a senior. His standout performance this season came against Spencerville where Willow scored 35 points in a statement win. That win was the Red Devils eighth in a row and that streak is up to nine with a weekend trip to Smithville to face Wooster Triway in the Battle at the Berkey, an event filled with regional title contenders.

Another big who made a huge impact at the Prep Hoops Expo, seeing these types of bigs against each other in a showcase setting helped me see exactly what he can bring to the table. Willow also played on the Prep Hoops Circuit in the spring, which is when he initially made our rankings. Willow is an elite jumper and has the length to block shots and catch lob passes. That vertical pop allows him to throw down some monster transition dunks when he gets a runway. After helping his team win a regional title last season, Willow is hoping to match that playoff success this winter.

Willow is going to be one of the most talked-about prospects in the state this year. He has the size, length, and athleticism that make you need to watch him. He is a presence in the paint and has a great touch around the rim with either hand. He can go grab rebounds at the highest point. He has super long strides. Takes the rebounds coast to coast. He needs to be stronger and more aggressive when attacking the rim. Once that is figured out, the sky is the limit for him. He is already one heck of a player.

Willow is a 6’10 big and one of the top prospects in the event. He has an incredibly high ceiling with his size and athletic ability. He moves super well for his frame and shows flashes of being a dominant player on both ends. Still raw, but he has a ton of unteachable traits that make him a really exciting long-term prospect.

One of the top jumpers in Ohio, Willow won the state title for high jump as a sophomore and placed again at the state meet as a junior. The mobile and vertically explosive big man can throw down alley-oops, putback dunks and roll hard to the basket with his size. Willow has some intriguing upside due to his physical tools and played a big part in Arlington’s regional title run last season on the hardwood. Expect Willow to be one of the hotter small college forward recruits from northwest Ohio.

I really like what I saw from Willow on Saturday. He has become a lot more fluid with his movement and is comfortable putting the ball on the ground. He is good at putting his back to the basket and then using his size and strength to back his defenders underneath the basket. Willow was good around the rim with touch on the offensive end and then always as a rim protector. His impact was impressive.

One of the tallest players at the tournament, Willow is a force on both ends in the paint. With a long wingspan and one of the best vertical jumps in Ohio for his height, Willow is a big time shot blocker that swats anything in his vicinity. Offensively, Willow is still figuring some things out but did a nice job rebounding his own misses in the paint before finishing at the rim. Definitely a name for regional small college coaches to track, Willow played a big role for Arlington in their regional title winning team in the spring as a junior.