Flyin’ to the Hoop once again brought in Ohio’s top talent along with EYBL Scholastic teams for four days of basketball action. Plenty of close games and big performances were on display.
CJ Rosser 6’9, 195 SG – Southeastern Prep (2027)
Rosser scored 11 points (5-10 FG, 1-3 3PT) against Reynoldsburg. He finished alley-oops and benefited from transition opportunities. He knocked down a three and showed some ability to put the ball on the floor, though his handle can tighten up. He can also continue to develop his half-court game to create easier looks consistently. He made several strong defensive plays, blocking 4 shots and grabbing 8 rebounds in the win. He followed that with a fantastic performance against Christ School, finishing his usual dunks in traffic and blocking 2 shots, but his three-point shooting was the story, going 6-8 from deep, including several from NBA range. He finished with a game-high 25 points on 9-14 shooting.
Junior County 6’6, 205 SG – Wasatch Academy (2026, UConn)
County was solid in the 72-57 win over Dream City Christian and even better against St. Ignatius. He has a strong build, is not overly explosive but is a capable athlete with good length. He can shoot but is not the type to force his offense, often making the extra pass. He also positions himself well defensively. It’s easy to see how County will be a valuable piece for UConn. He finished with 9 points (4-6 FG, 1-2 3PT) and 5 rebounds against Dream City, and followed with 16 points (7-11 FG, 2-4 3PT), 8 rebounds (3 offensive), 4 assists, and 2 turnovers in a 74-37 win over St. Ignatius.
Katrelle Harmon 6’5, 185 PG – Wasatch Academy (2026, UConn)
Harmon scored 15 points (4-9 FG, 1-3 3PT) against Dream City. He has good speed with the ball and gets to the rim off the dribble, finishing well with either hand. He plays effectively on and off the ball. He made several nice reads in the second game, both in the half-court and in transition, finishing with 6 assists and only 1 turnover. He had a few dunks but is more smooth than explosive. Harmon added 12 points (5-9 FG, 0-2 3PT) against St. Ignatius.
Chidi Nwigwe 6’7, 205 SG/SF – Wasatch Academy (2026)
Nwigwe was productive against Dream City and solid against St. Ignatius. He has strong physical tools and athleticism but can continue expanding his half-court game. He mishandles the ball at times. He was effective cutting and running the floor, scoring 20 points on 6-10 shooting in the first game. He had 8 points on 3-5 shooting in the second game but stood out defensively, switching across positions and creating transition opportunities with 4 steals. He shot 2-2 from three but just 4-10 from the free-throw line across the two games.
Ikenna Alozie 6’3, 195 PG – Dream City Christian (2026, Houston)
Alozie struggled in the opener against Wasatch, scoring just 1 point. He bounced back in a 75-72 overtime win over CATS Academy and a 66-65 loss to Iowa United, showing improved efficiency and perimeter shooting while even blocking shots defensively. He made good reads to set up teammates for easy finishes. While he didn’t show much above-the-rim athleticism, he got downhill effectively and made several clutch drives late against Iowa United. He averaged 6.3 points (40.7% FG, 37.5% 3PT), 5.7 rebounds, 4 assists to 2.3 turnovers, and 1 block over three games.
Keaundre Morris 6’3, 185 PG/SG – Dream City Christian (2027)
Morris plays well off the dribble and gets into his shot smoothly. He stops on a dime, maintains good balance, and has no wasted motion in his release. He knocked down multiple threes, and none of Dream City’s opponents could keep him out of the midrange. He’s a below-the-rim finisher but showed touch with either hand. Primarily a scorer (11 PPG, 41.4% FG, 37.5% 3PT), he also showed playmaking ability with 7 assists and just 1 turnover in their second game.
Mateen Cleaves Jr. 6’5, 210 PG – Dream City Christian (2028)
Cleaves was Dream City’s most consistent performer. His body type and style resemble Daishen Nix at the same age, but he shoots it better. He’s a physical guard with a solid handle and natural feel for the game. He was also the most vocal player on the floor and never seemed rushed. While not an elite athlete, he has good body control and can finish tough shots with either hand. He could take on more primary ball-handling responsibility and may benefit from being more aggressive as a scorer. Cleaves averaged 17.7 points (70.3% FG, 63.6% 3PT, 63.6% FT) and 3.3 rebounds over three games.
Toni Bryant 6’9, 215 PF – Southeastern Prep (2026, Missouri)
Bryant was extremely efficient with his new team, keeping things simple by rim-running and finishing opportunities inside. Beckham Black consistently found him in scoring position, helping him post 24 points on a perfect 11-for-11 inside against Reynoldsburg. He missed his only three but shows good shooting mechanics. He followed with 13 points on 6-8 shooting against Christ School. He elevates quickly and used his athleticism to total 15 rebounds, 3 blocks, and multiple dunks across the two games.
Obinna Ekezie Jr. 7’1, 220 C – Southeastern Prep (2027)
Against Reynoldsburg, Ekezie finished everything with two-hand dunks and handled physical defense well, scoring 11 points on 4-6 shooting and going 3-5 from the line. He protected the rim but picked up a few fouls while contesting shots. He didn’t play with high intensity but didn’t need to. He added 6 points against Christ School, with all three field goals coming on lob finishes, along with 9 rebounds and 4 blocks.
Beckham Black 6’4, 180 PG – Southeastern Prep (2027)
Black was excellent in both games, controlling tempo throughout. He broke down defenses with his handle and didn’t hunt his own scoring, finishing with 14 points (6-8 FG) and 9 points (4-8 FG) while shooting 3-8 from three across the two games. His biggest impact came as a playmaker, totaling 22 assists to 9 turnovers while averaging 5.5 rebounds. He’s not highly explosive but surprised with a strong half-court dunk in traffic. Defensively, he has very active hands, disrupting plays even if it didn’t always show up in steals.
Anthony Felesi 6’6, 205 SG – Utah Prep (2026, Pittsburgh)
Felesi played well in an 81-71 loss to CATS Academy, using his combination of strength and speed to attack the rim. He also shot efficiently (2-4 3PT, 4-4 FT), finishing with 18 points (6-12 FG) and 9 rebounds. He created opportunities for teammates off drives, adding 3 assists to 3 turnovers. Foul trouble limited his minutes. In a 74-69 win over La Lumiere, he scored 17 points on 8-16 shooting, again doing most of his damage attacking the basket and contributing defensively.
Jackson Kiss 6’8, 230 SF/PF – Utah Prep (2026, Iowa State)
Kiss struggled against CATS Academy but bounced back in the comeback win over La Lumiere. He turned the ball over frequently and had trouble finishing around the rim, sometimes forcing plays and other times lacking urgency. When effective, he attacked the basket well and converted several and-ones. He’s a capable shooter and a creative passer. He finished with 8 points (2-6 FG, 4-6 FT), 5 rebounds, and 7 assists to 6 turnovers against CATS, then posted 23 points (7-13 FG, 9-9 FT), 6 rebounds, and 4 turnovers against La Lumiere.
Arafan Diane 7’0, 290 C – Iowa United (2026, Houston)
Diane posted 19 points (7-12 FG, 5-7 FT) and 10 rebounds (4 offensive) in a win over Dream City. Despite physical defense and double teams that led to 3 turnovers, he remained efficient, showing touch on his jump hook and finishing several dunks. He also displayed a reliable baseline drop step and made some good passes out of the post. While mobile for his size, he struggled to close out on shooters. He added 15 points (6-8 FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds (5 offensive), 2 assists, and 4 turnovers in a loss to Christ School.
Jonathan Sanderson 6’3, 190 PG – La Lumiere (2026, Notre Dame)
Sanderson started slowly against Lakota West before taking over in the second half, attacking downhill and using his strength to score repeatedly in the paint. He finished with 26 points on 12-22 shooting, along with 7 rebounds and 3 assists, though he went 2-7 from three in the overtime win. He was less effective against Utah Prep, finishing with 4 points (2-8 FG, 0-5 3PT) and 4 assists to 5 turnovers.
Jacob Webber 6’6, 180 SG – La Lumiere (2026, Purdue)
Webber erupted early against Lakota West, scoring 16 first-quarter points and showcasing his quick release and deep range. He finished with 22 points, shooting 7-10 from three, including a game-tying shot to force overtime. His contributions outside of scoring were limited. He followed with 12 points (2-5 FG, 1-5 3PT, 7-7 FT) and 4 rebounds against Utah Prep.
Devin Cleveland 6’3, 175 PG – La Lumiere (2027)
Cleveland hit the game-winner against Lakota West but was otherwise quiet offensively, often staying on the perimeter when his team needed more creation. He finished with 8 points (3-8 FG, 2-5 3PT), 2 assists, 3 turnovers, and 2 steals while doing a strong job defensively face-guarding Bryce Curry. He responded against Utah Prep with 18 points (6-11 FG, 3-6 3PT), 7 rebounds, and 3 assists to 4 turnovers.
Joshua Tyson 6’3, 170 PG/SG – Lakota West (2027)
Tyson set the tone early against La Lumiere, attacking aggressively without forcing and consistently getting to the rim. He showed strong burst and finished several dunks, while also making impact defensive plays, including back-to-back steals leading to transition scores. Though he missed both three-point attempts, he showed a solid midrange game. He finished with a game-high 28 points on 13-20 shooting.
Bryce Curry 6’4, 180 SG – Lakota West (2027)
Curry started hot and remained productive despite being face-guarded for stretches, finishing strong in overtime. He shot confidently with deep range, making all four of his three-point attempts, and also showed a polished midrange pull-up game. An explosive athlete with strong body control, he competed physically against a bigger opponent. Curry finished with 24 points (9-11 FG, 2-2 FT) and 8 rebounds.
Trevor Manhertz 6’8, 170 SG – Christ School (2026, Indiana)
Manhertz is a left-handed shooter with deep, confident range and the willingness to fire over tight contests. He’s coordinated and a solid athlete but has a very lean frame. He struggled initially against Southeastern Prep, scoring 8 points (3-12 FG, 2-8 3PT), but exploded against Iowa United for 30 points on 11-17 shooting, including 8-12 from three.
Keonte Smith 6’5, 180 SG – Northridge (2028)
Smith showed strength, length, and natural athleticism but remains a work in progress. He lacks a consistent scoring approach, missing several shots around the rim and going 0-4 from three. He also struggled at the line (7-15) and recorded 7 turnovers due to ball-handling issues. His effort stood out on the glass, where he grabbed 12 rebounds, including 8 offensive, finishing with 21 points (7-18 FG) in a 58-55 win over Margaretta.
About the Author
