NEWARK, Ohio -- Great basketball is being played all over Licking County right now. From Newark's hot 8-1 start to undefeated 9-0 Heath, the Newark area is loaded with talent and that includes Licking Valley.

First year coach Luke Gibson picked up win No. 1 of his Licking Valley career on Monday when his Panthers held off a late charge from Philo sophomore superstar AJ Clayton, making the final two defensive stops it needed to pick up a 52-49 victory. 

In a first half that may have set offensive basketball back 10 years when the teams went into halftime with Philo holding a 14-13 lead, Licking Valley picked up steam in the third quarter.

Riding the hot hand of senior guard Carson Conley, Licking Valley scored 23 points in the third quarter alone, as Conley either scored or assisted on a large chunk of them, nailing a corner three right before the buzzer to send the Panthers into the final frame with a 36-26 advantage.

The final frame was the Clayton show, as the 6-foot-8 sophomore went absolutely bonkers, putting Philo on his back and scoring 14 of his game-high 23 points in the period. After struggling to find any sort of rhythm offensively in its slow half court sets, Philo decided to just put the ball in the hands of Clayton and get the hell out of the way.

That strategy nearly won them the game, as Clayton showed off his deep, deep bag of tricks, creating offense at will off the bounce, showcasing impressive vision, passing ability, body control and shot making. Clayton's length made a huge difference on the defensive end as well where he blocked four shots and had two big steals and a forced five second call that put Philo in a position to win.

The Electrics had two chances to tie the game, as Clayton missed a three with eight seconds remaining. Forcing a Licking Valley turnover on the next possession, the Electrics had one more shot to send the game into overtime, however, Licking Valley senior Hunter Vermillion blocked a potential game-tying three seconds before the buzzer, slamming the door shut on Philo's rally and giving the Panthers its first win of the season.

Monday's game was a showdown of two tough kids with a huge desire to win, as Conley led Licking Valley with 22 points and a handful of assists, while Clayton finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, four blocks and two steals. 

Licking Valley will look to get back over .500 when it resumes league play this weekend with a home matchup on Friday against Utica and a road date at Granville on Saturday.

AJ Clayton (6'8 WF / Philo / 2022): Simply put, Clayton is the best prospect that we've scouted in the area this year. The 6-foot-8 sophomore gives us the same feeling that we got when we saw guys like Kaleb Wesson, Jerome Hunter and Seth Towns at the same age. With a rangy and intriguing frame that he's still filling into, Clayton looks the part of a big-time Division I prospect and he certainly plays like it. The sophomore has a great handle for his size and blew us away with his ability to create for others off the dribble. Clayton is an elite passer, showcasing incredible vision and passing creativity, fitting a handful of impressive passes into tight spaces. We were impressed with Clayton's patience on post ups, as he showed a natural ability to pass out of the post and out of double teams, routinely finding open cutters and shooters on the weak side of the floor. Initially popping up on our radar in the summer of 2018 at The 270 Hoops Intro where he won the first-year event's "Best Big Man" award, Clayton has clearly expanded his skill set since then, as he looked like a pure wing with his ability to handle, shoot and distribute. Clayton knocked down three triples, two of which off the bounce and the other on a spot up situation where he sized up his defender and shot over him. On the defensive end, Clayton can move laterally and is very good at defending without fouling, especially on the interior where many young bigs might be prone to dumb fouls. Clayton blocked four shots, keeping his hands high and upright, using his 6-foot-8 frame to deter anything around the rim. In the fourth quarter, Clayton impressed defending in space, helping Philo execute a full court trap to create the turnovers it needed to get back in the game. While Philo may be an hour or so drive from Columbus, Clayton is worth the price of admission for anyone looking to see a big-time prospect that demands attention from every Division I program in the state. 

Carson Conley (6'1 PG / Licking Valley / 2020): While unheralded, Conley is one of the most accomplished players in the senior class in all of Central Ohio. A four year starter who has seen a lion's share of time for the Panthers, Conley plays like a savvy veteran with a strong feel for the game and major desire to win. The 6-foot-1 point guard took over when his team needed, knocking down three catch and shoot triples, delivering dime pass after dime pass and showing his ability to score it off the dribble. Conley is a relatively big guard that can really handle it against pressure. The most impressive part of his game is his passing, as Conley sees plays before they happen and can fit the ball into tight spaces. Conley delivered two really impressive full court outlet passes, both of which leading to buckets, where his touch was especially apparent. They call him 'Highlight Carson' for a reason, as Conley is tough to stop in transition, but can also come through in the clutch when the game slows down and defenses key in on stopping him. Division III programs looking for a tough leader at the lead guard spot should give Conley a look as he has deserved it and then some with the three-plus great years of basketball that he's played at Licking Valley.