WORTHINGTON, Ohio -- Hosting the fifth annual Stephen Gussler Invitational, Thomas Worthington was home to four intriguing games. We'll take a look at the results and top performers from each game as the event goes on Friday.

Let's start off with Olentangy Orange and Dublin Jerome. In a game that Orange controlled most of the way, Jerome made it interesting late behind a near heroic showing from senior guard Dan Lee. Lee fueled a fourth quarter run that helped the Celtics close a nine-point deficit, however, it was too little too late as Orange raced away in the final seconds.

Lee led all scorers with 24 points, while freshman Ryan Nutter added eight points.

For Orange, junior Jason Foster finished with 15 points, while junior guard Andre Irvin added 11. 

Jason Foster (6’5 WF / Olentangy Orange / 2021): One of the top stock rising juniors in the area, Foster has been terrific since moving in from Northland over the summer. The 6-foot-5 wing is showing more guard skills than we ever thought he had, as he can really handle it and score it off the bounce. Foster is a relentless finisher, attacks the glass hard, is a rim protecting threat inside. We got to see Foster’s special finishing ability, as he absorbs contact at a high level, can score it with either hand and has high-level explosiveness. While he’s still a developing shooter, Foster has great two-way potential and an intriguing 6-foot-5 frame that he will be able to add weight to. 

Dan Lee (6’1 PG / Dublin Jerome / 2020): The senior Lee did everything he could possibly do to lead the Celtics over Orange, scoring 24 of Jerome’s 46 points and hitting some TOUGH shots in the fourth quarter to overcome a nine-point deficit. Lee is a very talented offensive player with an excellent feel. The 6-foot-1 senior knows how to create space and get to his spots on the offensive end, as he knocked down a handful of pull up jumpers, while stretching the floor and burying two deep catch and shoot triples. Lee scored on all three levels on Friday, converting two And-1 buckets, used his strong crossover to knock down two mid-range buckets and forced five steals which led to three transition buckets in the first half. The senior communicates at an elite level, constantly putting his young teammates in the right spots on the defensive end, while showing the IQ and unselfishness as a passer that you need. With a GPA above 4.0 and an ACT over 30, Lee is an instant qualifier for any program in the country and will be able to make an impact from Day 1. 

Jordan Bethel (6’2 WF / Olentangy Orange / 2021): Getting our first real look at Bethel, we were impressed with the tough 6-foot-2 wing. Receiving the start on Friday, Bethel instantly impacted the game with his defense, getting a steal and score and forcing another deflection moments later. Bethel is a strong finisher who showed good athletic tools, as he really gave Orange a boost. The younger brother of current Lawrence Tech sophomore big man Jalen Bethel, Jordan Bethel is more of a wing than his older brother, however, he is just as relentless around the rim and will be a player to watch in this program going forward. 

Ryan Nutter (6’3 G / Dublin Jerome / 2023): While he’s a freshman playing big minutes and has been prone to the mistakes that come with his inexperience, Nutter still impacts the game at a huge level on both ends of the floor thanks to his toughness, intangibles and motor. Nutter had a strong showing on the glass, coming up with several big-time rebounds on each end of the floor, clearing space and going up in traffic. The 6-foot-3 freshman stays in the passing lanes, coming up with two steals, one of which on the fast break where he showed great recovery speed to stop the break. On the offensive end, Nutter is a heady ball handler that changes speeds and can get to his spots. Nutter shows good vision and passing touch, can hit shots off the dribble, as he knocked down a tough mid-range pull up. When attacking the rim, Nutter shows the ability to finish through contact. As he continues to add more experience and scoring ability to his arsenal, Nutter is going to be one of the more complete players in his class as he already knows how to impact a game with rebounding, defense, passing and overall toughness.