All-Ohio Nike City Series Recap




Nate Anderson, Brian Sullivan, Stevie Taylor, Trey Burke & Treavon Jackson (D-I comits)

  As promised, the opening weekend of the All-Ohio Nike City Series was star studded and competitive, as many of central Ohio’s top high school basketball players were represented at the 2-day event. Over the course of the weekend, each player competed in four games, and the top 20 kids in each of the four divisions were selected to participate in all-star games. As is the case in these types of events, there were guys who held serve; guys who saw their basketball stock rise; kids who took advantage of the big stage, and of course there were players who did not quite live up to the hype. Not only were the roughly 110 kids in attendance playing for local bragging rights, but the big prize is a spot in next weekend’s statewide event to be held here in Columbus. Although the format is still taking shape, we do know the top players from central Ohio will match up against the best talent from Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, Cleveland and Akron.

In terms of this weekend’s action,of course guys like Michigan-bound Trey Burke, Wisconsin commit Treavon Jackson and Ohio University verbal Stevie Taylor all handled their business; but guys like Westerville South’s Isiah Rogers, Bloom Carroll’s Steve Bridgeman and Freshmen Dymier Finch saw their stock rise. Watch out for Bloom-Carroll this coming high school season, as they are simply loaded with talent. I don’t think anybody made more of their shot on the big stage than Bloom Carroll’s Isacc McGlone. This kid knocked down shots the entire weekend; not just spot up shots, but shots off the bounce as well. Mansfield Senior’s Keon Johnson, a 5’6 freshman, had a big weekend as he relentlessly attacked the cup, and Gahanna Lincoln’s Aaron Jackson and Manuel Powell continue a solid fall campaign. Jackson made a case as the top sophomore at the event in this evaluator’s opinion. Pickerington Central’s Jea’Sean Tate was beasty around to rim, and Marion Franklin’s Marquise Lawrence has loads of potential. Below are my lists of the top players I saw this weekend in each of the two divisions. To see the pictures I took at the event, visit the Buckeye Prep Facebook Fan Page.

9th/10th Grade Division

Jaylen Benton-6’2 Soph Northland
John Drapper-5’10 Soph Eastmoor Academy
Dymier Finch-6’1 Fresh Walnut Ridge
Jack Gibbs-5’10 Soph Westerville North
Aaron Jackson-6’4 Soph Gahanna Lincoln
Keon Johnson-5’6 Soph Mansfield Senior
Marquise Lawrence-6’5 Soph Marion Franklin
Kevin Marsh-6’4 Soph Dublin Coffman
Isaac McGlone-6’1 Soph Bloom-Carroll
Manuel Powell -5’8 Fresh Gahanna Lincoln
Jae’Sean Tate-6’3 Fresh Pickerington Central
Ronnie Williams-6’2 Fresh Brookhaven

11/12th Grade Division

Nate Anderson-6’9 Sr Teays Valley
Nick Archer-6’7 Jr Olentangy Liberty
Dwayne Bazemore-6’9 Sr Walnut Ridge
Steve Bridgeman-6’5 Sr Bloom-Carroll
Trey Burke-6’2 Sr Northland
Grant Harris-6’1 Jr Harvest Prep
Treavon Jackson-6’3 Sr Westerville South
Clinton James-6’2 Sr DeSales
Tyler Kelly-6’2 Sr Pickerington North
Elijah Macon-6’7 Jr Marion Franklin
Zach Riddle-6’1 Sr Dublin Coffman
Jalen Robinson-6’8 Jr Northland
Isaiah Rogers-5’8 Jr Westerville South
Devin Scott-6’8 Jr Northland
Brian Sullivan-6’0 Sr Upper Arlington
Stevie Taylor-5’10 Sr Gahanna Lincoln

Other Players to Watch

Tony Anderson II-6’5 8th Afrocentric
Brandon Bapst-6’4 Soph Grove City
Rian Burrell 6’3 Sr Zanesville **
Mario Davis-5’10 Fresh Mansfield
Adam Hall-6’6 Sr Dublin Coffman
Kam Harris-5’11 Sr Westerville Central
William Hill-Jr.-5’8 Thomas Worthington
AJ Ireland-6'3 Jr Bloom-Caroll
Khlid King-6’1 Jr Brookhaven
Ke’Chain Lewis-6’4 Jr Northland
DeMarkio Lysh-5’10 Sr Westerville South
Adam McCall Jr. 5’10 Jr Harvest Prep
Chris Moxley-5’10 Fresh Bishop Hartley
Nicke Neale-6'4 Jr Dublin Jerome
DeVon Price-5'11 Sophmore Pickerton North
Jordan Potts-6'0 Jr Northland *
Kyle Schrimal-6’3 Sr Canal Winchester
Carter Smith-5'11 Jr Upper Arlington
Rico Spears-6’3 Sr Walnut Ridge *

*Played well but only played one day
 ** Injured late