The Buckeye Prep Showcases have always been known for displaying the top players in Ohio, but this event also featured some of the better players from surrounding states.
Standout players
Jack Gibbs (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North)
2013, PG, 5-10, 170 pounds
He is a scoring point guard with a very good basketball IQ. Gibbs has an old school game that features change-of-pace dribbles, ball fakes and head fakes. He is a good shooter with range to 20 feet and a good defender who understands how to make his teammates better. One of Gibbs' best attributes is that he is a winner; a very good trait to have.
Marc Loving (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's)
2013, SF, 6-8, 200 pounds
College: Ohio State
He is long, skilled and athletic and hands down the best prospect in Ohio for the 2013 class. He can shoot, is improving as a low-post scorer and still likes to face up but can use a plethora of moves to score once he faces his defender. His length is a weapon on both ends of the court and as he continues to get stronger and more assertive, his stock will rise exponentially.
Players to watch
Kipper Nichols (Lakewood, Ohio/St. Edward)
2015, SF/PF, 6-4, 200 pounds
He is a combo forward with developing skills who is a solid athlete and plays with good intensity. He will need to either grow or increase his skill base in order to continue his development into an elite prospect. Nichols is good now and should continue to improve as he gets bigger, stronger and more skilled.
Tony Anderson (Columbus Marion-Franklin)
2015, PF, 6-6, 210 pounds
He is a skilled face-up power forward who spends a little too much time on the perimeter, but his upside is unmistakable. Anderson is a pretty good shooter to 15 feet but he can also use his big body to power in the paint, when he is motivated. Anderson was the best freshman big at the event and could be very good down the road.
A.J. Harris (Dayton, Ohio/Dunbar)
2015, PG, 5-8, 160 pounds
He is a dynamic, young lefty point guard who can do everything you want a point guard to do. He is quick, athletic, strong and will be handed the offense at famed Dayton Dunbar High School -- which is a rare feat.
Andre Foster (Trotwood-Madison)
2015, SG, 6-0, 160 pounds
Foster has a nice offense package for a youngster. He is a good shooter with solid range to 17 feet and although he drifts in and out of the game, he has the talent and potential to be considered at least a solid mid-major prospect already. Foster looks as if he has at least a couple more inches in him which will increase his stock.
Mike Simon (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson)
2015, PF, 6-5, 210 pounds
He is a big and powerful post player who has some skill. He can put the ball on the floor some and get to the cup, but is also capable of facing the basket and hitting 15-footers. As he continues to grow and increase his skill base, he should become a highly sought after face up 4-man by many schools in the Midwest.
Notes
The eighth grade group has as much, if not more, talent than the older age groups. It looks like that maybe a very outstanding class nationally. It seems every area has a big-time 2016 player. It's early but you have been warned. PG Winston Cassius from Michigan may have been the most outstanding player in that age group.
Michael Ryan (Lakewood, Ohio/St. Edward) and Jaylin McDonald (Cleveland/St. Ignatius) were two of the more intriguing players in the ninth grade division. They are both very long with solid athleticism and have developing skill sets but their upsides are very good.
John Stovall, a recruiting coordinator, has worked as director of scouting for Prep Spotlight Scouting Service and magazine for 15 years.