It was nice to see Taylor find a rhythm for Hawken this weekend. Making a high percentage of his shots off the catch, Taylor is at his best with his feet set. Hawken has a lot of guard talent and I liked that they put some other players in the fire against some top talent to see who they can surround their star trio with. After winning a Division IV regional title, Hawken needs some role players to step up after their move up to Division III.

I am a big fan of Taylor. He is as solid a guard as they come. He does not make mistakes on the court and is a very impactful player. He knew when to just pass the ball to others and let them do their own thing, and attacked his opportunities to score when they presented themselves. He was efficient when he put his head down and wanted to score. He also showed great energy and effort on the defensive end, which stood out from one of the better players at this event.

Hawken was getting active on Saturday evening with their guard trio scoring the basketball just like we saw during their regional championship playoff run in March. Taylor is one of the most talented 2028 guards in Ohio and he shot the ball at a high level from 3-point range and had a couple floaters when he looked to attack closeouts. The key for Hawken this season will to have these guards continue to work together and generate easier shots for each other in the half-court.

Taylor has some great potential with a nice foundation right now. He has long arms that he uses to apply pressure and make ball handlers feel uncomfortable. He is a good athlete.  He showed a good ability to maneuver, weave through the lane, and finish. He needs to become a little more comfortable with creating for himself on the wing but he showed good decision-making. He never forced anything and when he did attack, it was open, and scored it. Showing he is a smart player.

Another guard who played a prominent role on a regional champion, Hawken went on their deepest playoff run in boys basketball history. Taylor was a member of Hawken’s talented guard trio who should all return next season for another state title push. I was impressed by Taylor’s basketball IQ and ability to not get sped up. I saw Hawken against some impressive athletes and I liked how Taylor didn’t force the issue and made plays for his team. I’ll be curious to see what Taylor adds to his game after making so much noise as a freshman.

Hawken has a three headed monster at the guard position and all three will be back next season. Taylor is the youngest of the group as the freshman has had a nice start to his high school career. I was impressed with the skill and poise Taylor showed at such a young age. He didn’t really force the issue and was able to knock down a couple jumpers as well. Taylor also showed craftiness as a driver and made smart passes to teammates. A name to know in the 2028 class from northeast Ohio.