I only saw Mallernee play one time this winter but he made it worth it with a career-high 53 points against my high school alma mater. One of the elite shooters in central Ohio, Mallernee won Licking County League player of the year for a second consecutive season. With his size and shooting ability, Mallernee should be high on NAIA and Division III recruiting boards. Mallernee also took a Division II visit in the fall to Thomas More. A big riser thanks to another productive season for a solid Johnstown Northridge squad, Mallernee is one of the more under the radar players from Ohio’s 2024 class.

One of the elite shooters in Ohio, few players can get hot from the outside like Mallernee. I watched him score 53 points against my alma mater this season and that was one of the best scoring performances I can remember seeing. Mallernee was named Licking County player of the year for a second straight season and should be Division II, III and NAIA radars across the region. We’ll make one final rankings update in the 2024 class after the state tournament and Mallernee will be one of the bigger risers in the final update.

It’s been a couple years since I watched a 50-point game in person at the high school level. I think George Mangas back in 2021 was the last to do it against Trotwood Madison. Mallernee was hotter than a blowtorch on Sunday evening with an unconscious jumper from both mid-range and behind the 3-point line. Getting to his spots and rising up, knocking down a bunch of contested shots, nobody on Fairview could stop Mallernee. Also efficient from the free throw line, Mallernee is one of the elite shooters in central Ohio. Worthy of some scholarship interest from regional Division II and NAIA programs, Mallernee would be a steal at the Division III level. Fairview stayed in the game despite giving up 53 to Mallernee thanks to the play of 2026 guards Will Allen Will Allen 6'0" | CG Fairview | 2026 State OH and Burke Lowry Burke Lowry 6'3" | SF Fairview | 2026 State OH . These two Division III public schools will look to make district title pushes.

The Licking County League player of the year, Mallernee makes a deserved debut in our rankings. A skilled wing guard with good positional size, Mallernee can really shoot it from off the ball. Able to show some more self-creation and ball handling with his high school team, Mallernee is a wing with his grassroots program Ohio United that more closely resembles the role he’ll play at the next level. I expect a ton of small college programs will take interest in Mallernee sooner rather than later.

A new name for me, I’d been hearing good things from Mallernee on social media and from small college coaches and finally got my chance to watch him. The Licking County player of the year had an impressive weekend for an Ohio United squad that went 3-1 this weekend. Mallernee had three 3-pointers in the game I caught of his team and led the way with 19 points. Mallernee also finished with both hands at the rim and was finishing off either one or two feet depending on the situation. Diving on the floor for loose balls, I liked the effort levels I saw from Mallernee when the ball wasn’t in his hands. Small college programs should get to know Mallernee sooner rather than later.