The Newark guard had a tremendous high school season and has continued his rise during the grassroots season. Brooks is an elite perimeter shooter and defends at a high level on the perimeter. That combination of skills is so valuable at the next level and you know any player that goes through the Newark high school system will be tough and know how to play. Brooks skills makes him an easy evaluation for regional scholarship programs as I expect Division II and NAIA schools to make him a priority as the summer continues.

A class above the competition in the game he played, Brooks operated exceptionally in all aspects of the game to lead Ohio Future to a nice win over Shining Star Price. Brooks is an impressive perimeter shooter and defender who flashed ball handling ability with some sweet finishes including a righty scoop layup on the left side of the rim for an and-1. Far from a sleeper, Brooks is coming off an excellent season for Newark and is playing with a good group of teammates all from the Licking and Muskingum county area. I was also impressed with a couple of his teammates, who should expect to be added to the watchlist or official rankings during our next 2027 update.

Newark has been one of the top teams in the state this season and Brooks has had a breakout season for the Wildcats. Brooks is a tough on-ball defender, makes shots efficiently and does things that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. In the biggest games of the season, Brooks has shown up and made an impact on both ends of the floor. If Newark is going to win the region and make a final four, Brooks will need to continue shining when the lights are brightest.

Newark is operating like a well oiled machine right now and Brooks showed he’s due for a rankings bump during our next update with a really impressive performance on both ends of the court. Showing more burst on the ball than I remembered, Brooks blew by the defense multiple times off the dribble. His best move of the day came when he split a trap and hit an incredible acrobatic layup that was an and-1. Right now, Newark is playing as well as any team in central Ohio.

Newark has consistently produced college talent and Brooks seems like the next guard to come through their system and emerge as one of the best in central Ohio for his grade. Able to knock down 3-point shots at a high rate, bring the Newark toughness defensively and take care of the basketball, small college programs are going to love watching Brooks when they start to prioritize the 2027 class. Brooks standout performances with Newark in June helped earn him a debut in our rankings.