TNBA Wins Cleveland Tourney

2024 TNBA Attack-2018 NEO Memorial Madness Champions

TNBA Attack (2024) mounted a 5-0 run last weekend to claim the 6^th grade championship of the NEO Memorial Madness Tournament in Cleveland.  In route to the title, TNBA defeated 4^th Quarter Basketball (62-30), MKU Athletics (46-36), Hardwork Basketball White (50-47), MKU Athletics (43-37) before downing HWB White again in the championship game. So far this spring, TNBA has an overall record of 32-4 including, 4 tournament championships.  TNBA will take a break in June  before traveling to Ft. Wayne, IN. for the Nationals.

TNBA East Black Claims NEO Tourney

2025 TNBA East Black NEO Memorial Madness Tournament Champions

After a 5-0 run at the NEO Memorial Madness Tournament in Cleveland, Coach Damon Stringer’s 2025 TNBA East Black Team is poised for a move up our Buckeye Prep Power Rankings.  In route to their tournament championship, TNBA defeated HWB 4^th (47-14), Elite Basketball Ohio-Gray (47-14), Next Generation (46-19), MKU (46-13) and Elite Basketball Ohio-Grey (53-26) in the championship game.  

Standout performers for TNBA included: De’erick Barber, Damari Dammons, Mason Dawkins and Jaydern Quaintance.  So far this season, TNBA has several tournament championships including Varsity AC Easter Classic, NEO Make it Rain, Canton Cage Classic and the NEO Memorial Madness Championships.  In addition, TNBA had a Final Four run at the Buckeye Prep Invitational Tournament in April and an Elite 8 finish at the Dru Joyce Classic earlier this month.  TNBA’s overall record currently stands at 29-3. Congratulations to Coach Stringer, his fans and parents for a great run so far!

Buckeye Prep Power Rankings

Harris Deserves National Attention

Josiah Harris 6'6" WF 2022 Cleveland

We have been watching Josiah Harris(6’6”/WF/2022/Cleveland) play for several years now, all while his basketball stock has seemed to ebb and flow frequently.  However, from what we saw at the Midwest Regional Combine in Chicago 2 weeks ago, Harris’ stock is clearly on the rise.  He has always been one of the best players in a talent-rich Ohio, but he kind of disappeared from the 2022 state-wide radar after taking his talents to an Indiana-based program earlier this season.  We have seen many of the top players in the country in the class of 2022, and we firmly believe Harris’ name needs to start appearing on some national lists.

In Chicago, Harris was the best player in the gym!  He impacted games on multiple levels, including, scoring, rebounding and defending; and despite his size, Harris excelled on the perimeter, made plays for teammates, knocked down treys, protected the rim and used several advanced low post moves to score around the basket. He was also aggressive both offensively and defensively, rebounded out of his area, and even dove on the floor for loose balls. 

Our experience tells us that if Harris continues to grow, develop and plays as hard as he did at the combine, the sky is the limit for this kid!  In addition, as an incoming freshman next year, varsity basketball is almost a given, as is D-I college basketball in a few year!  College coaches might want to add Harris' name to their recruiting boards early!  

Angels Enjoy Winning Streak

2024 Cincy Angels

With an 8-0 all overall record and 2 tournament championships in as many weeks, it’s safe to say that our #3 ranked 2024 Cincy Angels are on a serious winning streak!  Starting with the Lady Gym Rats Invitational in Fort Wayne, IN last week, the Angels finished 4-0 in their way to the title, defeating Always 100-Paul (36-28), Region Rebels (35-8), Lady Region Elite (45-32) and 03 Elite 2024 (43-32) in the championship game.  It is important to note that Lady Regional Elite is the #2 ranked team in Indiana, while 03 Elite 2024 is ranked #1 in Michigan. Key players for the Angels included Zhieijan Rolack, Kylie Fears (2023), Leandra Curnutte, Rylie Homan and Morgan Rose. 

This past weekend in the GBA Memorial Classic, the Angels finished 4-0 on their trek to the title, with wins over Huntsman Select (50-11), Cincy Swish-Bowling (65-12), WTNO (52-12) and Cincy Swish-Schaefer (42-33) in the title game. Standout players for the Angels included Zhieijan Rolack, Kylie Fears, Leandra Curnutte, Laile Harrison and Morgan Rose. The Angels have won 3 tournaments in a row and boasts of an overall record of 15-1!  Congratulations to the Cincy Angels’ coaches, players and fans for a fantastic run of success!

McMillan Excels at U-17 level

Paul McMillan IV-6'1" PG 2022 Cincinnati, OH

Coming off a standout performance at the Midwest Regional UA Next Combine in Chicago last week, Paul McMillan IV(6’1”/PG/2022/Cincinnati, OH), demonstrated an ability to excel at the U17 level, as he helped lead his U-17 All-Ohio Cincinnati squad to the championship of the Midwest Future Stars tourney in Columbus.  Although McMillan was more than comfortable serving as a playmaker at the U17 level, he also put up big numbers, averaging 18.75 points per game in a 5-game run to the title.  McMillan’s scoring production was particularly impressive given the fact he was playing with high school and 3 prep school kids. 

According to Coach Samuel Villegas, McMillan did not miss a beat all weekend.  “The kid [McMillan] is amazing. You could not tell he was an 8^thgrader. He never looked out of place against the older kids. He played 5 games and only turned the ball over 3 times.  He was my floor general and he ran my team,” said Villegas.  Villegas sees a bright future ahead for McMillan. “I can’t wait to see this kid in 3-4 years.  He’s a high major player,” continued Villegas. McMillan’s father was also impressed with his son’s play. “He looked comfortable. Playing with older guys who knew how to play allowed Lil P to play his natural position without having to focus on scoring.  He needs to play U-16 all of the time,” said the senior McMillan.  Needless to say, we are not at all surprised at McMillan’s success against old kids!

OBC Claims Midwest Future Stars Title

2022 OBC-2018 Midwest Future Stars Champions

This past weekend, Coach Danny Young Sr.’s 2022 Ohio Basketball Club (OBC) team took down a pair of competitive teams to claim the Midwest Future Stars title in Columbus.  On Saturday, OBC competed in the 9-grade division, finishing 2-1 against Ohio Hustle (61-51), ESBA (34-35) and OEBA (77-38). On Sunday, OBC and the other top 2022 teams were moved to the 8^th grade division, where they got by Ohio Nova Village (47-34), TNBA Shooting Stars (78-68) and the North Coast Blue Chips (54-50) to claim the Gold Bracket Championship.

During their grudge match versus TNBA, Danny Young Jr. dropped a gaudy 30 points on 6 treys, while Elmore James III added another 20 points. Against the North Coast Blue Chips, James led all scorers with 25 points, while Willie Stewart and Danny Young Jr. added 14 and 12 points, respectively.  OBC’s success was even more noteworthy, as they only competed with 6 players. Danny Young Jr. was named the tournament’s MVP, while Elmore James, Jordan Huff and Willie Stewart were named to the All-Tournament team. With their tournament win, OBC has now moved up to #2 in our Power Rankings.  Congratulations to Coach Young, his players and parents for a big win!

Hoopsters Take Eddie Guice Memorial Classic

2025 Ohio Lady Hoopsters-2018 Eddie Guice Memorial Classic Champions

Finishing with an 4-0 record, the 2025 Ohio Lady Hoopsters recently claimed the 2018 Eddie Guice Memorial Classic.  The Hoopsters’ route to the championship ran through Renaissance University Seminoles (32-2), Royals Ballers (43-19), Renaissance University Seminoles (39-4) and Royal Ballers (43-6).   For the season, the Hoopsters are an impressive 23-3, with 3 championships and 2 runner up finishers out of 6 tournaments.

2023 Gurus of Go

The Gurus of Go entered the Canton Cage Classic this weekend simply to get a little recreation. The tournament was routine business until the Gurus discovered that the TNBA Black East team entered the tournament as well. The two teams have not met this season despite both being from northeast Ohio. TNBA East Black entered the weekend 8th in the power rankings and the Gurus 11th. Both teams went 4-0 cruising to the championship game. At stake for both teams, reputation and ranking shuffling. 

TNBA jumped out to an early 13 - 0 lead. It looked like they were on their way to a 20 plus point victory. The Gurus settled down and cut into the lead. At the half, the score was 28 - 23 TNBA. The second half was a completely different story for the Gurus. It must have been the hoop at the east end of the gym. In the first half no jumpers fell for them in the second half they all seemed to fall. The Gurus, behind the penetrating offense of Kellon Smith and the jump shooting of Zach Miller, went on to win the game 61 - 46. TNBA was not at full strength as Cody Head was out due to an injury.  TNBA was lead by Adesa “Desh” Molten and Brandon Rose.

UA Next Combine (Chicago) Standout Tweets

We sent out some tweets today featuring a few standout players from the UA Next Combine in Chicago last weekend.  The following players all excelled and should play college ball at some level. You can follow our tweets @BuckeyePrep on Twitter.

-Josiah Harris (6'4'"/WF/2022/Canton, OH) has improved since we last saw him. Absolutely dominated at the UA Next Combine in Chicago! Harris was physical in the post, finished at high rate and scored from the perimeter! A definite D-I prospect!

-Paul McMillan IV (6'1"/PG/2022/Cincinnati, OH) lived up to the hype at the UA Next Combine in Chicago.  Big, physical & unstoppable to the cup best described McMillan's play in the Chi! If he is hitting his jump shot, he is a PROBLEM! D-I college coaches had better get on him early!

-Elmore James III (6'1"/WF/2022/South Euclid, OH) demonstrated a combination of skill & power @ the UA Next Combine in Chicago! His ability to get to the rim at his size/frame is elite!  As his jump shot continues to develop, his stock will only rise! College bball probable!

-Mason Docks (5'11"/PG/2022/East Lansing, MI) was one of the better PGs @ the UA Next Combine in Chicago. Skilled, smart and tough best describes Docks' play.  More of a "pass 1st" PG who can also score if needed! College ball expected!

-Mike Bova (6'0"/PG/2022/Avon Lake, OH) has continued to develop over the last year & his play at the UA Next Combine in Chicago put him on the map! He scores, defends and makes play for others. Team MVP! As his athleticism improves, low-mid major D-1 is possible.

-Jaden Schutt (6'2"/PG/2022/Yorkville, ILL) showed deceptive athleticism @ the UA Next Combine in Chicago on Sunday.  Bouncy w/ an elite skill set describes what we saw! Can create own shot; make plays for teammates and finishes @ the rim! Should appear on college recruiting boards early!

-Tayshawn Comer (5'10"/PG/2022/Indianapolis, IN) had some great moments at the UA Next Combine in Chicago.  Comer has a great handle, is quick and he stays in the paint. A good-looking player!

-Mekhi Elmore (5'11"/PG/2022/Dayton, OH) continued to impress us @ the UA Next Combine in Chicago on Sunday.  Every time we looked over, Elmore was getting buckets! As he grows, his stock will rise. A dynamic guard!

-Adam Duvall (6'5"/PF/2022/Beavercreek, OH) made some noise @ the UA Next Combine in Chicago on Sunday.  One of the better bigs at the event, Duvall finished often and through contact.  Continued growth will determine his level of college basketball.

-Grace VanSlooten (6'0"/WF/2022/Toledo, OH) proved to be elite on the national stage at the UA Next Combine in Chicago!  Best girl at the event. Impressive size and skill! D-I college coaches need to be looking at her now!

-Nakiyah Mays-Prince (5'4"/PG/Chicago, IL) was one of the quickest and most skilled players at the UA Next Combine in Chicago on Sunday. Elite handle and feel for the game!

-Kamorea Arnold (5'6"/PG/2022/Germantown, WI) played her butt off at the UA Next Combine in Chicago on Sunday.  Arnold has been a consisted standout at elite events!

-Whitney Dunn (5'9"/SG/2022/Chicago, IL) was one of the better players at the UA Next Combine in Chicago!  We were impressed with Dunn's skill set and hard play.

-Janyah Bohanan (5'11"/WF/2022/East Cleveland, OH) performed well at the UA Next Combine in Chicago, IL.  Great length with an impressive skill set. Bohanon is establishing herself as one of the best players in Ohio!

-Lacey Bradshaw (5'8"/PG/2022/Elsmere, KY) logged in a standout performance at the UA Next Combine Series in Chicago on Sunday.  As one of the best players in Kentucky, Bradshaw was elite on Sunday! 

-Sole Williams (5'6"/PG/2023/Cincinnati, OH) was one of the youngest players at the UA Next Combine in Chicago, but she was also one of the best!  More than held her now against older girls. Top 10 performance!

-Mahogany Cottingham (5'8"/PG/2022/Parma, OH) logged in a top 10 performance at the UA Next Combine in Chicago on Sunday.  She just keeps getting better!

-Whitney Lind (6'0"/WF/2022/Florence, KY) had a big time day at the UA Next Combine in Chicago on Sunday and earned top 10 honors.  Good size and skill set!

-Kendall Wilson (5'8"/PG/2022/Springdale, OH) caught our eye at the UA Next Combine in Chicago on Sunday.  A good looking prospect going forward!

UA Next Combine (Chicago) Rankings Released

Josiah Harris, Paul McMillan IV, Elmore James III, Mason Docks & Mike Bova

The third session of the UA Next Combine Series tipped in Chicago, IL. on Sunday and proved to serve as a serious platform for the 40 boys and 25 girls in attendance. In addition to combine testing, skill and drill stations and games, the event offered both player and parent workshops which served as excellent learning opportunities for all involved. In terms of competition, those in attendance were treated to very competitive basketball in a professional atmosphere.  Below is a link to the combine rankings for both girls and boys.

Combine Rankings

Photo Gallery

Midwest Regional U.A. Next Combine-Early Look

Elmore James III, Paul McMillan IV, Grace VanSlooten, Jaden Schutt & Donovan Jones)

As is the case in most events of this type, there are a few players at the Midwest Regional U.A. Next Combine in Chicago that have already shown some early promise even before the real action begins this afternoon when the games tip off.  You can never identify all of the top players by watching a few drills, but Emore James III (6’1”/WF/2022/South Euclid) has already impressed us with his combination of size, power and skill.  As we have noticed before, Elmore’s skill set has continued to develop and his ability to handle the rock at his size and strength is starting to pose a problem for defenders.

He’s the highest nationally ranked kid at the event and his play so far reflects that.  Paul McMillan IV(6’1”/PG/2022/Cincinnati, OH) already has good size for his position and is proving to be strong and explosive to the cup.  We don’t know if he’s dunking the ball just yet, but his first step is explosive and his drives to the basket are powerful and effective.  Let’s see how he matches up later to the other top players at the event. 

He may not look like it, but Jaden Schutt (6’2”/PG/2022/Yorkville, IL) may be the most athletic player at the combine!  We were initially impressed with his skill set and agility, but during an impromptu dunk contest during lunch, Schutt was the most creative and consistent dunker in the group.  His play during 5-on-5 competition this afternoon should tell the rest of the story.

We also plan to keep an eye out on Donovan Jones (6’0”/SG/2022/Chicago, IL), who flashed some athleticism during drills.  Jones also has good length and could be a standout later today.  Raymar Prior (6’1”/SG/2022/Canton, OH) has gotten off to a good start, as has Grace VanSlooten (6’0”/PF/2022/Toledo, OH), Lacy Bradshaw (5’8”/PG/2022/Elsmer, KY), Margo Mattes (5’9”/PG/2023/Mason, OH) and Janyah Bohanon (5'11"/WF/2022/East Cleveland, OH).  Although there are several quality big men at the combine, the nature of the morning drills was not conducive to standing out.  We will keep an eye on the bigs later today.

Court U is All about Giving Back to the Community

In terms of Central Ohio basketball, few families have been more involved and have influenced as many lives as the Joseph family. Chris Joseph and his wife Kelly have coached basketball at multiple levels for many years and are well known in the area.  In addition, their children, Tyler (27), Jay (19), Zack (27) and Maddy (23) have all excelled on the court to varying degrees.  

Based on the Joseph faimly's desire to give back to the local basketball community, Tyler Joseph and his very successful 21 Pilot Band started the Court U Foundation almost 3 years ago.  Part of the foundation’s mission is to give back to disadvantaged youth through basketball camps and other youth-related events.  

Annually, the foundation hosts a camp for about 35 elite high school boys from both the Columbus City and suburban high school leagues. This 4-day camp features skill and drill work, 5-on-5 competition and guest speakers who provide a positive and sometimes spiritual message to the campers. Also, the camp has traditionally been held at the Ohio State University and routinely attracts about 12-14 counselors, most of whom have previously played high school, college and/or professional basketball at some level. Through local donations and foundation funding, the camp is entirely free to all participants. 

Moreover, because our mission also involves supporting disadvantaged youth, over the next couple of months the Buckeye Prep Report will be looking for opportunities to collaborate with Joesph and the Court U Foundation and to provide media coverage for their events.  For additional information about the Court U Foundation and their events visit their website at: Court U Foundation.

Swish Falls Short in Super Regional

WTNO-Runner Ups Otterbien Classic

Coach Chad Schafer’s 2024 Cincy Swish squad recently finished 3-1 at an AAU Super Regional in Cincinnati last week. The Swish notched wins over RGB Gold, Dayton Metro and SMAC Akron before being upended by the Cincy Angels in the championship game.  It’s important to note that the Swish was playing up in the 7^thgrade division at this event and was without the services of their third best player!  Standout for the Swish included Shelby Hofman, Sarah Hofman, Logan Palmer, and Lily Martin. For the season, the Swish has amassed an impressive 22-5 overall record!  Needless to say, they have made an impact to our Buckeye Prep Power Rankings.

The 5th Grade Girls WTNO (Win The Next One) coached by Kyle Martin and Brian Bales is off to an impressive start this Spring season.  They have won three (3) Championships going undefeated in each of those tournaments including the GBA Jimmy V Classic in Dayton, Ohio, the Ohio Players Championship in Cincinnati, Ohio and the GBA Tip Off Classic in Cincinnati, Ohio where they knocked off the Kentucky powerhouse team of Kentucky Premiere in the Championship!  The WTNO team were the runner up this past weekend in the GBA Otterbein Classic - see story below.  

This past weekend, the WTNO squad went 3-2 in the Otterbein University Classic hosted by GBA.  They beat Ohio Impact and Ohio Stars in pool play.  Also, in pool play they took on #9 Ohio Power ranked 740 Ohio Thunder where WTNO lost 34-32 in a very well played game between both teams.  In bracket play, WTNO squared off versus a very talented Ohio Lady Hoopsters squad who was 20-2 on the season coming into the tournament.  The game went back and forth for most of the game before WTNO eventually won in overtime by a score of 24-22. 

 WTNO had great play from wing Ava Wade(Springboro) who carried most of the scoring load for the team and was interviewed by GBA and Jim Dabbelt after the game for her play.  Mackenzy Shackelford(Franklin) was a force inside for WTNO with physical play in the paint.  Bryn Martin(Springboro) also had a nice game on the offensive end.  Annie Bales, point guard (Franklin) was a floor general for the team leading them in assists and great defensive play.  Carly Clark(Springboro), Brooke Clear(Springboro), Morgan Harleman (Kettering Fairmont), and Jaycee Wallace (Fairmont) were also big contributors for WTNO with great defense and rebounding for their squad.  Their overall record for the spring season is 16-2 with their only losses coming from 740 Ohio Thunder.  WTNO will be back in action in a few weeks. 

With their 4-0 run, the 4^thranked Cincy Angels collected an AAU Super Regional title in Cincinnati last weekend.  The Angels’ rout to the title included wins over the Ohio Stars (61-7), 6^thranked SMAC Akron Elite (54-21), 10^thranked RGB Gold (41-33) and 5^thranked Cincy Swish Schafer (46-14).  The Angles’ overall record stands at 7-1.  

Emerge Elite Takes Dayton Metro Crown

2023 Emerge Elute-2018 Dayton Metro Tournament Champs

This past weekend Emerge Elite stayed home and played in the Dayton Metro Roundball Classic. This tournament featured some well-known teams in the class of 2023 such as Maume Bay Turf, the Cincinnati Royals, Dayton Wolves and Dayton Metro. Emerge has been without key player Dre’Sean Roberts(Piqua), but the team has picked up the slack and will be better upon his return. Emerge Elite faced Phoenix Fire in their first game of the tournament and quickly raced out to a big lead as Wilson Suggs(Eaton) drained multiple 3’s to create a huge deficit for the Fire team. Hollis Terrell(Tipp City) also got into the action as he grabbed rebounds, blocked shots and put up nice numbers as Emerge sailed to a 78-18 victory. 

Emerge Elite went 6-0 over the weekend, but was hit with their biggest loss of season as they learned their assistant coach, Kenneth “KC” Christensen, was no longer with them. KC loved each and every one of the players as his own, was more than a coach to all and will be missed. Coach KC was big on defense and the team didn’t disappoint as Akio Perry(Miamisburg) stepped up defensively, snagged a few steals and added on a few points as Elite took the victory over Dayton Metro Brandon 68-5. 

The 2nd game on Saturday was a highly anticipated game for Emerge as they faced cross-town rival Dayton Wolves. Before the game, both teams paid their respects to Coach KC and immediately after the jump ball it was all about business. The Dayton Wolves jumped out to an early and easy 12-3 lead over Emerge. Mason Shrout(Camden), who has been playing lights out basketball, was determined not let to the Wolves run away with the win, fired back with some jumpers and chipped away at the lead. The Wolves weren’t going away easily, and in order for Emerge to win they had to do it as a team. After multiple lead changes Emerge started to impose their will as Caleb Maurer(Ft. Loramie), who is making a major impact with Elite, knocked down huge shots inside and outside of the key. Tyron Barnes(Springfield) has also stepped up in a major way was quiet in the first half, but came alive in the second hitting a game changing 3. Ben Major(Tipp City) missed the first matchup between the Wolves was determined not to have same outcome. Ben logged in with several rebounds & put backs and was clutch-hitting free throws late in the second half. Tyrin “Skinny” Sturdivant(Northmont) can play positions 1-5  if needed and he didn’t disappoint as he knocked down key shots  as Emerge outlasted The Wolves 43-36. 

Championship Sunday got off to an easy start as Emerge blew past the Mid-Ohio Pumas. Emerge later faced the NW Eagles in the semi finals and the Eagles came out with a lot of energy and seemed to want it more. However, Danny Gross(Kettering) knocked down a jumper and attacked the rim and gave Emerge a much-needed spark. Kaden Christensen(Waynesville) made a surprise appearance and was able to come away with a couple of steals and an acrobatic layup as Emerge finished on top with a trip to the championship game. 

In the championship game, Emerge matched up against Dayton Metro Ruffolo and Metro got off to a quick start knocking down easy 3’s. The shots weren’t falling for Emerge and seemed like their run was coming to an end. Ethan Keiser(Ft. Loramie) subbed into the game and gave Emerge the ammunition they were missing. Ethan knocked down jumper after jumper, and with James Williams(Springfield) grabbing rebounds and finishing at the rim, Emerge was able to hail as the victors as their guardian angle watched over them.

Midwest Circuit Finale

The Midwest Circuit wrapped up this past weekend, and Ohio teams did well despite not contending for the championship. the 8th seeded Gurus of Go went 3-1 beating 9th seeded HBA Elite 63-59; Sky Diggs 63-60; and Great Lakes Warriorz 47-38   Losing to the vaunted 1st seeded Louisville Magic 39-59. The Gurus surprised many fans. Despite being undersized they were able to compile the second best record of the Ohio teams on the Midwest Circuit at 9-7.  

The 12th seeded Queen City Prophets also went 3-1. They opened with a loss to the tournament runner-up Indiana Elite 2023, 33-34, who upset the Louisville Magic and lost in the final to Indiana Elite Uprising. The Queen City Prophets had wins against MWA Elite 64-59; Flint Town Elite 54-33 and a forfeit win over HBA Elite. The Prophet's’ final record was 7-9.

10th seeded OBC 2023 went 2-1 with wins over Flint Town Elite 58-51 and a big win over Ohio Champion Basketball 54-44. OBC’s loss was to tournament champion Indiana Elite Uprising 46-69. OBC is playing some good basketball right now with some tough tournaments coming up for them. Maybe they will come down 71 south for the End of the Road Tournament July 9-10. Then we can see for ourselves how well they are playing and they can match up against Ohio Champion one more time this season. OBC’s final record was 7-8.

Ohio Champion, the 3rd seed, went 1-2. Winning a games over the Great Lakes Warriorz 72-65 and losses to Chicago Swish 46-55 and OBC 44-54. Not the way coach Hardewig envisioned ending the Circuit. Ohio Champion closed out the Circuit 10-5.

Coach Dawson’s 11th seeded DOSE squad had another tough weekend going 1-2. They lost to Chicago Swish 37-53 and Flint Town Elite 43-45. They beat the Great Lakes Warriorz 42-23. DOSE was by far the most exciting team to watch. They had more games decided on the final possession than any other team. DOSE’s 6-9 final Circuit record is not an accurate reflection of how tough they play. Overall, the Midwest Circuit was very good basketball. If the plans that are being discussed come to fruition for next year the Midwest Circuit will be even better.

UA Next Combine-Los Angeles Player Rankings

Jaxon Kohler, Kristian Jemerson, Richard Isaacs, Dylan Anderson & Max Allen

Under Armour’s 3^rd-year UA Next Combine Series tipped off at St. John Bosco High School in Los Angeles, CA today and proved to be loaded with talent and very competitive. In fact, from what we saw today, there were several long-term prospects with D-I level potential.  Below are our player rankings, which will be followed by individual player evaluations tomorrow. Enjoy!

UA Next Combine-LA Player Rankings

UA Next Combine-LA Early Look

Dylan Anderson, Ramel Lloyd, Jaxon Kohler, Ben Shtolzberg, Max Ailen & Kristaian Jemerson

The LA session of the UA Next Combine Series is only a few hours old and a few kids have already started to separate themselves during the skills and drills segment of the event. We won’t have the full picture until the games kick off later this afternoon, but the players below are off to a great start. Dylan Anderson (6’11”/C/2022/Litchfield Park, AZ) is the biggest kid in the event and his potential is unmistakable. He’s long, agile and has great feet and hands.  In a drill we were watching, Anderson displayed a nifty spin move into a dunk.  That was really all we needed to see to confirm his prospect status!

We were also super impressed with Ramel Lloyd (6’5”/PG/2022/Lakewood, CA), who showed a lot of athleticism and explosiveness.  Lloyd is strong, aggressive with solid ball skills and the ability to shoot off the bounce.  Oh yea, he’s dunking everything! Jaxon Kohler (6’6”/PF/2022/American Fork, UT) is another good-looking prospect. We liked his size, footwork and soft touch around the basket. Kohler also finishes at a high rate. Max Allen (6’7”/PF/2022/Las Vegas, NV) is another big with skill.  He has a big body with nice touch around the rim.  We also liked his ability to step outside and knock down shots.

Kristian Jemerson (6’3”/PG/2022/Los Alamitos, CA) caught our eye with his length, fluidity, and athleticism. We intend to keep an eye on Ben Shtolzberg (5’11”/PG/2022/Northridge, CA) who also showed flashes of talent.  Its already clear Shtolzberg is highly skilled and understands how to play the game. We will be watching out for other guys like Pejan Slater (6’4”/SG/2022/Lancaster, CA), Akoye Hudson (6’2”/PG/2022/LA, CA), Elijah Saunders (6’4”/WF/2022/Phoenix, AZ).  From what little we’ve seen already, we can’t wait for the games to jump off.  Stay tuned!

UA Next Combine Player Pictures

All-Ohio Takes Cincy Finest Tournament

All-Ohio 8th Grade Cincy Finest Champs

With their 4-0 run at the Cincy Finest tourney in Cincinnati last weekend, Ramon Humphrey’s All-Ohio 2023 squad claimed the 8th grade crown and ran their overall record to an impressive 13-2.   All-Ohio’s path to the title included wins over WPA Bruins 2022, Cincy Swish 2022, Cincy Finest 2022 and All-Ohio Thornton 2022. All-Ohio’s 2 losses this season came at the hands of All-Ohio Xpress and the West Virginia Thunder. Congratulation to Coach Humprey and his players for a nice run so far!

More Buckeye Prep Invitational "Stars"

Delmar Blanton (#3), Javan Vaughn (#11), Russell Young (#1), Antaun Allen (#0), Jordan Johnson (#2), Brian Sullivan Jr. (#30)

Nasir Phillips (#1), Conner Sams (#33 SMAC)

We could not locate the sheets with their names, but above are additional standout performers from the Buckeye Prep Invitational.  Please use the message board below to ID the above players for us and we will post them with their names.  Please ID by uniform number, team name and grade.  Congratulations to all of the above players!

Dru Joyce Classic-Quick 8th Grade Recap

2022 TNBA Shooting Stars

TNBA Shooting Stars made it the farthest of the top Ohio teams going to the Gold Bracket semifinals in a loss to the Gold Bracket runner up Team Loaded.

Team loaded cruised to the finals with all 20-point wins until they lost in finals, but the North Coast Blue Chips did come within 3 of beating them in Gold Bracket play. 

The Ohio Basketball Club looked strong before Team Loaded knocked them out of Gold Bracket play.

Arctic Rush suffered a close loss to Michigan Heat in pool play, which sent them to the Silver Bracket, which the won. Rush also beat the Lima Gators 55-51 in Silver Bracket play.

SMAC Akron was impressive playing deep into the Gold Bracket before losing to TNBA Shooting Stars.

C2K Elite Cleveland had a great showing making it deep in the Gold Bracket before losing to eventual champs Team Swoop in the semifinals.

BTC Trojans were impressive going deep in the Bronze Bracket before losing in finals.

Mid-Ohio Pumas-Paris won their pool, advanced to the Gold bracket and lost to an Atlanta Cavs team that lost by one to C2K Elite Cleveland. The Puma-Paris’ starting PG missed the game and they eventually lost 54-42.

Emerge Elite ended up in the Bronze Bracket and their only win was over the Evansville Future by ten points (Pumas Paris beat Evansville future by 31)!

The Ohio Blue Jays went to the Bronze Bracket and only had 1 win over a weak team. 

Toledo Thunder's only win came by way of forfeit.

Buckeye Prep Girl's Team Power Rankings

Below is a link to our initial release of our Girl's 2018 Buckeye Prep Power Rankings. Similar to the boys, over the course of the season we will use the following criteria to update our rankings: head to head results; results from common opponents; margin of victory; final placements in tournaments; number of ranked players on a roster; and level of competition played. Unfortunately, many of the top teams in the state fail to play against each other during the season.  This happens for several reasons.  In some cases it’s just fate, as teams lose early in a tournament and just don’t meet, while some teams intentionally avoid playing in some of the better tournaments where that may be forced to play other top teams in the state.  We will monitor that situation and factor it in accordingly. At the end of the day, teams and programs know where the competition is playing! In addition, although we attempted to use historical data from previous seasons, that’s difficult because of the high roster turnovers as players change teams.  Also, in many cases, players grow and get better, which impacts a team’s overall talent level. I 

Because we can’t be present at every event, we must rely on information from a network of coaches and sources around the state.  In order to produce credible updates, we need coaches and parents to send us accurate and unbiased information at the conclusion of weekend tournaments.  To this end, we have produced a “Tournament Results Reporting Form” designed to capture the information we need to update our rankings and produce feature stories for the website.  If we can get coaches and parents to buy in and take the effort to get the information we need, then we can more accurately track both team and individual progress.  This will help insure that  teams and players gets credit for their efforts.  At the end of the day, if your team is not playing in the top events against the top teams, and is not providing us with your team’s results, you can’t complain about where your team is ranked (or not ranked)!

It should go without saying that we have done our best to be fair and accurate with our rankings.  We mean no disrespect to any team with where we have them ranked.  If you feel you have been unfairly ranked, simply enter tournaments where the ranked teams are playing and beat them.   Our initial release is based on what we know at this point and in some case based on a team's raining last season.  As information flows in about who beat who, we will update the information almost daily.  If your team is unranked or under ranked and you have beaten some ranked teams, simply forward that information to us, we will verify it, them update our rankings. Because so many of the top teams will be attending our Buckeye Prep Invitational Tournament next week, there could be a shake up in our rankings. We’re excited about this project and we hope it inspires and motivates players, coaches and parents to seek out the highest competition possible and elevate to level of play in the state.  Finally, please feel free to offer your feedback at Buckeyeprep@yahoo.com, and please remember, we put the rankings together as a FUN way for teams to follow the season's progress of Ohio teams.  Let the debate begin!!

2018 Buckeye Prep Power Rankings

Tournament Results Reporting Form