The lone player who’s team didn’t move on, Brown and Westerville Central battled for 32 minutes and came up just short. A player with a knack for getting loose balls, Brown ended up with rebounds, deflections and steals due to his activity and aggressiveness. A consistent high energy player the past three times I’ve seen him play, Brown does a lot of things that don’t show up in the stat sheet. As a scorer, Brown had some second chance buckets, a reverse pivot into an open layup and an and-1 in the fourth quarter. This game had everything you’d want from a high school playoff game and it’s a shame somebody had to go home after the final buzzer.

Brown is a kid with a great foundation that can be built into an empire. He has everything you want from a modern-day big. He is tall and extremely long with good coordination and athleticism. He knows how to play the game and his role very well. He gets his hand all over the ball in the paint. He is affecting or blocking shots and then cleaning up on the glass. He got to the rim often when he grabbed rebounds. He played huge in the 4th quarter and OT in his game Friday night. He played stronger and tougher at the end. He would not be denied getting rebounds and second-chance points.

It was a strong summer for a few Westerville Central prospects and I think they are a sleeper in central Ohio this upcoming season. Brown might be the prospect ready to take the biggest leap as he’s a late blooming wing who had some big games in June. A long athlete, Brown was making plays defensively and around the rim with his size and length. Able to create with the ball in his hands, Brown can hit mid-range pull ups or attack closeouts from the wing. A guy who will play his best basketball later, I think Brown is a great option for college programs willing to be patient and develop him. I expect his recruitment to take shape this winter.

Westerville Central has an experienced group returning and Brown was their most impressive guy on Saturday evening. With good size to play either wing forward position, Brown was crashing the offensive glass and got a couple easy put-back layups. Also showing impressive touch around the rim, Brown used spin to make reverse layups with both hands. A guy you can’t leave open as a shooter, Brown nailed a corner 3-pointer and hit a baseline 6-8 foot jumper. If Brown continues to crash the glass and play with the energy he showed, his stock will rise and be a priority recruit for small college programs.

Speaking of central Ohio teams with lots of talent in the 2024 class, no team might have more college prospects in that grade than Westerville Central. With a trio of guards all with unique skills, Brown fits in well as a wing who can spot up and use his athleticism to make plays. A late bloomer, Brown is just starting to scratch the surface of what he’s capable of and could be one of the biggest risers in central Ohio next season.

Brown is a new name for me as he really stood out as a shot making wing in the Warhawks victory on Monday night. Confident to let it fly off the catch, Brown was shot ready off the ball when his teammates drove to the lane and kicked it out to him. Brown also made an impressive pivot and fake to finish around the basket, using his length to score over a smaller defender. This is a name to track for next season as Westerville Central will have a lot of returning talent and experience in the 2023-24 season.