Buckeyes Represent State in National Rankings

Shamar Morrow-#1 Ranked 6th Grader

Although many question the accuracy, let alone relevancy of ranking middle school-aged players; the fact remains, they are here to stay! Love them or hate them, middle school rankings are important to a lot of people, and they inspire many reactions, both positive and negative. Not only does the Buckeye Prep Report rank young players in the state, we keep an eye on other national rankings.

Case in point, our colleagues at Prospect Central recently released rankings for grades 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th, and a few Ohio kids were recognized for their talent. In terms of 6^th graders or the class of 2020, Ohio can lay claim to the number 1 player in the country. Shemar Morrow, a 6’0” WF from Loraine has been a prominent fixture on the AAU basketball scene for several years, and his talent is already being compared to some of the greatest basketball players in history. With great size and athleticism at a young age, Morrow has dominated up until this point in his career. During his recent play at the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase in September, Morrow’s talent was on full display as he was clearly a cut above the competition. Although Prospect Central’s 2020 list only totals 10, Morrow sits atop the class for now.

Jordan Mitchell Ranked 6th Nationally

Prospect Central also dropped a list of their top sixty 7^th graders, and a trio of Buckeye made the cut. Blacklick’s Jordan Mitchell (6’4 SF) was the highest ranked Ohio kid at #6, followed by his All-Ohio Red teammates Jeremiah Frances (5’11 PG Columbus) at #7 and Gerard Reynolds (6’0” PF Columbus) at #29. All three players have consistently been recognized as top 50 players by national media outlets, and all of them proved their talent during the inaugural season of the National Youth Basketball League(NYBL), as they lead their Ohio Select team to the championship. It should be noted that once again, the NYBL had a significant number of its players on the list, which only highlights the high level of competition in the league! In addition, based on the fact that all of the national lists that have been published  to date are loaded with NYBL players, it’s clear that the exposure generated by the league is getting kids recognized at a high rate!

EJ-Williams-Ranked #55 Nationally

Ohio only had 1 representative on Prospect Central’s 2018 list, and that honor goes to Middletown’s EJ Williams (6’9 C) at #55. Williams has been a fixture at Buckeye Prep events for many years, so we know his talent very well.  Not only is he BIG, but Williams has continued develop his skill set and is absolutely dominate in the post. An absolute rebounding machine; Williams also scores at will if he catches the rock anywhere near the basket. In addition, it’s our understanding that Williams is already receiving serious interest from D-I colleges. Congratulations to all of the above-named players for representing the Buckeye State well, as their national success further solidifies that Ohio is more than a “football state.”

Prospect Central Rankings