Warriors Remain Undefeated with MLK Championship Win

2025 New Birth Wairriors-Dayton Airmen MLK Tourney Champions

With their 3-0 run at the Dayton Airmen MLK Tournament in Dayton this past weekend, Scott Bradley’s New Birth Warriors squad not only took home the 6^th grade championship on Monday, but they also ran their overall season record to an impressive 24-0. 

Because of poor weather conditions on Saturday, the Warriors were unable to participate in their 2- pool games on Saturday.  Consequently, they were seeded last in the division, and needed a 3-game run on Monday to claim the title. 

New Birth’s trek to the title included wins over Team Dayton Blue (38-18), Northridge Heat (36-14), and Ohio Kings (50-42).  The Warriors were led in scoring by the outstanding play of Arness Lawson who averaged 18 points per game over the weekend.  In the championship game, Lawson led all scorers with a game-high 18 points, and was described as “unstoppable,” according to Coach Bradley.  Finally, with his 18-point average on Monday, Lawson has now moveed up to 4th place on New Birth's all-time scoring list with 734 points over 2 seasons.  Also playing well for the Warriors were JR Bates, Jaylen Sims and Mykell Murphy.

According to Bradley, his team “started slow with the first game, but by the championship game, we were clicking on all cylinders.”  In the championship game, the Warriors had to get by a very talented Ohio kings team, while contending with a standing room only crowd and a hostile environment.  Next up for the Warriors is the President’s Day tournament in Cincinnati in a few weeks.  Congratulations to New Birth on their championship run!

Renaissance University MLK Classic Standouts

Moment, Thomas, Mattucci, Perkins, Daniels & James

On Monday, we had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours at New Covenant Church checking out the action at the 2^nd Annual Renaissance University MLK Classic.  Over the course of the day, sixteen 4^th-6^th-grade teams participated in an 8-game slate, which featured some of the top Central Ohio Boys Basketball (COBBA) teams in Central Ohio.  Over the 2 games we watched, below is a list of standouts we saw.

Standouts

William Moment (6thgrade)	Khani Thomas (5thgrade)	Marco Mattucci (5thgrade)
Tyson Perkins (5thgrade)	Khalil Daniels (5thgrade)	Diante James (5thgrade)

Photos 

Buckeye Prep 2028 Watch List Published

Woloschuk, Tucker, Hamrick, Garnett, Burroughs & Ross

We had so much success and support for our initial 4th and 5th grade "Watch Lists" when we released them late last year, that we decided to keep the momentum going and get a big head big start with our 3rd grade/2028 list.  Because it’s still very early for the class of 2028 we agian relied heavily on feedback from coaches in this class to help us compile our list.  However, with the start of the 2019 travel season, we will attempt to rely more heavily on our own personal evaluations by scouting our events and others in order to better fine tune our list.  Because a majority of the top Ohio teams and players will be attending our Buckeye Prep Invitational Tournament (March 29^th-31^st) and elite showcase (March 9^th), we will have the opportunity to evaluate the kids both listed and not list more closely.

We may have only just started paying attention to the players in this class, but there are already a few players who have already grabbed attention and have the potential to be future top 50 players. Some of those potential players include: Chase Woloschuk (4'4"/PG/2028/Akron); Gabriel Tucker (4'7"/PG/2028/Reynoldsburg); Maurice Hamrick, Jr. (4'6"/PG/2028/Columbus), Marlin Jackson (SG/2028/Garfield Heights), Anthony Burroughs (4'8/WF/2028/Toledo); Trey Bentley (4'9"/SG/2028/Zanesville); Danny Bentley (4'9"/SG/2028/Zanesville); Evan Allgood (4'8"/WF/2028/Hamilton Twp); Winfield Garnett IV (5'1"/WF/2028/New Albany); Xavier Steele (PG/2028/Bedford); Brian Ross Jr. (4'3"/PG/2028/Cincinnati); Jordan Taylor (CG/2028/Twinsburg); Lorenzo McMullen (WF/2028/Cincinnati); Ascen Lomack (4'8"/CG/2028/Akron); and Dashawn Riley Jr. (4'3/PG/2028/Dayton).

Of course, we are well aware that not all of the top kids are represented on our initial list; however, the kids we have identified so far are kids that coaches from the top teams have put forward.  In the future, we will be adding to and modifying the current list as we see and hear about other kids.  As a matter of fact, we will get our first real opportunity to evaluate 2028 kids at our March 9^th Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase, where the class of 2028 will be featured for the first time.  We will be going a step further by adding an Ohio North vs South all-star game in that class, which will feature the top 3rd graders from all over Ohio.  Invitations are currently being extended to the top 24 players in the class.  

It has always been our hope that our top player lists serve as both recognition and inspiration to players who are talented, and who are working hard to develop their games with the future goal of playing high school and college basketball.  As always, we invite feedback.  If you want to provide any input, suggest corrections or make general comments, please feel free to email us at Buckeyeprep@yahoo.com.

Ohio Class of 2028/3rd Grade Watch List

Shaker Heights MS Raps up Impressive Season

Shaker Heights Middle School Team

Shaker Middle School completed their season last Thursday, and while they did not achieve their goal of finishing 33-0, they did play one of the best middle school games of the season against Garfield Middle School (15-3). Garfield edged them out by one point 47-48. 

Shaker Middle School dominated the likes of other GCC Conference foes over the course of two seasons beating Garfield Middle, Euclid Blue, Euclid Gold, and Mentor Memorial four times. In addition, they defeated Mentor Shore and Solon six times over the two-year span. There were also several other teams who feel prey to Raiders over the two years. 

Shaker Middle was lead by a solid duo of players who have been together since 3rd grade. Cody Head and Kellon Smith were the stabilizers. Raliegh Guice III, Imanu Lewis, Nolan James, Carmelis Proctor, Adam Sopenski, Jayse Thomas, Randy Morrison, Derrick Smith, Daniel Thompson, Adrien Cooper, and Xavier Peterson were all members of the Travel Program. Edward Robinson, Kylan Marshall and Ricardo Johnson were also on the squad this season. Coach Ryan Hines stated, “This group was fun to coach. I look for them to do big things at the next level.”  Shaker Varsity Coach, Danny Young, is excited to receive such an accomplished group. “They know how to win and they really know how to compete” said Young.

COBBA League Standouts

Lawson, Murphy, Ivery, Cornett, Tucker & Youngblood

On Sunday, we spent a few hours at the Douglas Recreation Center in Columbus checking out several Central Ohio Boys Basketball (COBBA) games.  In addition to some players we had seen previously, we found several other players who deserve some recognition.  

The 3 games we watched involved the teams Renaissance University programs in grades 3^rd-6^th. Game #1 pitted the 3^rdgrade Reynoldsburg Raiders against Renaissance.  For the second time in as many weeks, we had the opportunity to watch Reynoldsburg’s Gabriel Tucker (4’7”/PG/2028/Reynoldsburg) put in work.  As was the case the last time we saw him play, Tucker proved to be the best player on the court.  Highly skilled, Tucker again demonstrated the ability to score on all 3 levels.  He may be able to get his team buckets, but Tucker is also an elite on ball defender who can also get find teammates for easy buckets.  We really like this kid!  

Tucker’s teammate, Evan Allgood (4’8”/WF/2028/Hamilton Twp) is a big time scorer as well. We liked Allgood’s aggression to the cup and his ability to use his size and strength to put points on the board.  In fact, when we release our 2028 Player Watch List next week, All-good’s name will be listed among the top 40 players in the state. We also saw some good things out of Isaiah Giavana (SG/2028/Grandview heights), who showed a nice skill set, which included a nice handle, ability to knock down treys and an attacking attitude toward the cup.

For Renaissance, we were also really impressed with the play of Brandon Youngblood (4’4”/PG/2028/Columbus), who was quick, crafty, and had the rock on a string.  He’s smaller, but he got everywhere he wanted to get to, and either scored with layups or found open teammates for easy shots. Youngblood is gritty, is the clear leader on his team, and was the primary scoring option for his squad. With continued growth and development, Youngblood has a chance to be really good! 

We’ve heard some good things about Winfield Garnett IV (5’1”/PF/2028/New Albany), and his play on Sunday confirmed his place among the best players in the class in Ohio. He’s big, rebounds well, and cannot only initiate the fast break, but he can dribble the rock coast to coast and finish.  Based on his father’s size, Garnett has a good chance of being a long-term post prospect going forward.

We’re going to put it out there right now; keep an eye out for Tyson Cornett (SG/2029/Westerville).  Although he’s only a second grader, you could not tell it from his play.  Great size and length for his age, Cornett impacted the game in a positive way.  From what we saw, Cornett has a chance to be special.  Finally, we saw his parents, and they both have good size!

Cornett, Hodges, Turner, Brooks, Giavana & Peterson

The second game of the day featured a matchup between the 4^thgrade Renaissance and Newark, and although the game got out of hand right from the tip, there were several players who caught our eye. The best of them all was Caden Ivery (SG/WF/2027/Columbus), who is very skilled, athletic, with solid ball skills and the ability to score. In the game we watched, Ivery put up big numbers and made it look easy!  Clearly, Ivery is a potential top ten talent in the state, and we look forward seeing him participate in the Buckeye Prep Ohio North vs South All-Star Game on March 9^th!

Ivery was not the only stud for Renaissance, as Tony Cornett III (4’8”/PG/2027/Westerville) showed great upside potential as well.  Like his younger brother, Cornett has good size for his position and excels at scoring the ball.  He’s athletic, aggressive and should also show well in the North vs South game in March.

Newark may have been a bit over matched as a team, but Ty Brooks ( 4’2”/PG/2027/Newark) and Kolton Peterson ( 4’5”/WF/2027/Newark) were able to compete.  Peterson is a skilled floor general with a tight handle, while Peterson is a bigger guard who can handle the rock, and he uses his size to power his way to the cup. Both players were extended invitations to the Buckeye Prep Elite showcase based on what we saw on Sunday.

The final game of the day featured a matchup between the 6^thgrade New Birth Warriors and Renaissance.  To be honest, there was little doubt the undefeated Warriors would get the win, however, we were excited to get a look at the individual players. As expected, Arness Lawson (5’2”/CG/Columbus/2025) was simply dominant! We’ve seen him on several occasions at our elite showcases, and from what we saw on Sunday, Lawson has continued to grow and develop.  We did not catch the final scoring numbers, but we have to believe Lawson was the leading scorer in the game.  Lawson appeared powerful to the cup and he feasted on transition buckets. He’s not only an elite scorer, but he has great vision and is a willing and able passer.  Finally, we were very impressed with Lawson‘s game, and he should be an early contributor to a varsity squad in a few years if he continues to work hard!

We were also really impressed with Mykell Murphy (6’0”/C/2025/Columbus), who is an athletic big who rebounds well, runs the floor like a dear, blocks shots and finishes at a high rate around the rim. We love his length, motor and soft touch! If he continues to grow, Murphy could represent a long-term post prospect down the road.  When new Birth went with their second waive of players, Amari Hodges (5’3”/WF/Columbus/2025) provided the scoring.  We intend to keep an eye on Hodges going forward. Other players to watch include Nasir Turner (5’6”/CG/2025)/Columbus), Jaden Calloway (5’2”/CG/2025/Columbus), Antwon Pollard (PG/Columbus/2027), Trey Thorpe (WF/2027/Columbus).  Look for many of the above players to be participating in the March 9^thBuckeye Prep Elite Showcase.

Standout Players

Arness Lawson (6th Grade)	Mykel Murphy (6thGrade)	Nasir Turner (6thGrade)
Caden Ivery (4thGrade)	Tony Cornett III (4thGrade)	Gabriel Tucker (3rdGrade)
Winfield Garrett IV (3rd Grade)	Evan Allgood (3rdGrade)	Isaih Giovana (3rtd Grade)
Brandon Youngblood (3rd Grade)	Tyson Cornett (2ndGrade)	Ty Brooks (4thGrade)
Kolton Peterson (4th Grade)	Amir Hodges (6thGrade)	Antown Pollard (4thGrade)

Player Pictures

Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase Nearing

Intact Basketball Preview Standouts

Schroder, Thomas, Daniels, Tucker, Fields & Wilson

On Saturday, we had the opportunity to checkout some of the action at the Intact Basketball Preview at Whitehall HS near Columbus. In addition to the slate of Intact games in grades 2^nd-4^th grade, there were also several Central Ohio Boys Basketball (COBBA) games held in the same facility.  In terms of the preview format, each game consisted of one 20-minute half.

One of the best players we saw all day was Trayton Schroder (4’8”/SG/2026/Olentangy). We’ve seen Schroder on several occasions, as he has been a consistent all-star out our Buckeye Prep Elite Showcases. Schroder’s play with his community-based team was very impressive, and it’s clear he is continuing to develop.  He’s a true floor general who excels at running his team with poise, communicating and making plays for his teammates. Schroder is also highly skilled and he has a high basketball IQ.  At this rate, Schroder should be a star when he reaches middle school, and he should play varsity ball early in his high school career.

Possibly the best player in the gym was the youngest player in the gym.  Gabriel Tucker (4’7”/PG/2028/Reynoldsburg) is only a 3^rd grader, but his skill set, savvy, and poise are that of a much older and mature player. Tucker handled the rock with precision, changed direction and speed at an elite level, and unlike most 3^rd graders, Tucker displayed a strong crossover, in and out dribble, euro-step and step back shot. From what we saw, there can’t be very many 3^rd graders in this state more talented than Tucker. No wonder he’s running with the Akron-based Ohio Phenom Academy in the spring and summer.  We intend to keep a close eye on this kid’s development! 

We were also impressed with the size of Khani Thomas (5’10”/C/Columbus/2026). We’ve seen him excel at our elite showcases, so his talent was no surprise to us.  With his Probound Silverbacks winter team, Thomas towered over the other players on the court.  Consequently, he was a rebounding machine! we also liked how Thomas advance the ball on the break after the rebound. If Thomas continues to grow and to develop his skill set, he could eventually end up being a long-term post prospect.  Right now, he’s simply bigger than everybody else!  We got our first look at Brody Fields (5’2”/PG/2026/Ashville), but what little we saw suggests he could be a good one down the road.  Good length and skill is what we saw.  

No discussion of standout would be complete without mentioning Mike Daniels (4’7”/SG/Hilliard/2027).  Daniels is a dynamic player who is equally adept at scoring or making plays for teammates. He’s smart, plays hard and is a committed defender.  He also is talented enough to play up against 5^thgraders and not miss a beat. It should also be mentioned that Daniels is currently ranked among the top 4^thgraders in the state. We look forward to seeing him play at our March 9^thBuckeye Prep Elite Showcase, where he will participate in the prestigious North vs South All-Star for the Central Ohio All-Stars. Below is a complete list of standouts we saw at the event. 

Standouts

Treyton Schorder	Gabriel Tucker	Mike Daniels
Khani Thomas	Brody Fields	Chavis Wilson
Jett Jerwers	Amare Spina	Landon Sears

Under Armour Sponsors New Middle School League

Three years after entering youth basketball in a big way with the UA Next Combine Series, Under Armour appears to be doubling down with youth basketball with the UA Future League, their new platform designed to enhance the shoe company’s footprint and exposure to youth basketball. Beginning in April, nine regional sessions from the North East to Northern California are set to tip off in the inaugural season of the Future League.  

Each of 2 regular season sessions guarantees 4 games at a cost of about $395 per team, depending on the number program teams that enter.  The 3^rdsession is a championship session which will be held regionally. Under Armour hopes to attract the best sixteen, 4^th-8^th grade teams in each region, and are feverishly conducting research and gathering feedback on the top teams.  In terms of the Midwest Region, sessions are scheduled for Lynwood, IL on May 3^rd-5^th; Westfield, IN. June 7^th-9^th: with the championship session scheduled for June 28^th-30^th in Kansas City, Mo. 

Although there are no guarantees that participation in the new middle school league will one day lead to a coveted spot on Under Armour’s UAA Circuit, the exposure generated by the league could pave the way for future selection. League organizers hope that an exclusive, competitive, professionally run, and regional focused league will separate itself from other middle school leagues such as NYBL, Nike’s MADE League, and the Midwest Circuit.  It’s unclear what programs will ultimately enter the first-year league, but according to Zach Park, league director, they have filled almost half of the 16 spots in each region.  We will certainly try and keep an eye on this ambitious effort.

Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase Accepting Registrations

Now that 2019 is underway, the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase is starting to accept registrations.  This year’s event is scheduled for March 9^th (1-day) at Otterbein University near Columbus, Ohio.  Both boys (3^rd-12^th) and girls (5^th-9^th) are welcome.  At a cost of $150.00, the event will consist of 4 league games (boys & girls) and a possible all-star game for standout players.  Awards will be presented to all all-star game participants and MVPs. Also, every player will receive a reversible jersey they can keep.  As always, this event will attract the top boys and girls from not only Ohio, but the Midwest and nationally. Moreover, the level of competition and exposure will be unmatched!

The event will also be hosting Ohio North vs South All-Star Games for 3^rdand 4^thgrade boys and 6^th-8^thgrade girls.  Rosters are currently being developed and invitations will be based on a player’s statewide ranking and success at prior Buckeye Prep and/or other elite events. Although participation in the all-star games is free, every player must register, pay and participate in the elite showcase portion of the event. Tentative roster s will be posted as soon as we have completed them.  Below are links to the event Information Page and registration.  For additional information about the event, please email us at Buckeyeprep@yahoo.com or call at 614-502-9359.

Information Page

Registration Link

2018 Showcase MVPs

2018 Showcase Rankings

2018 Showcase All-Star Teams