REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio -- This past weekend, the AAU season brought me to Reynoldsburg High School for the Buckeye Championships. It was another weekend of fun basketball and I got to see some exciting players. In this article, I will recap some of the top performers from the article.

Philip Towns/2024/Columbus Elite/Linden-McKinley

Towns had by far the most impressive performance of the weekend with a 31-point performance. He scored in almost every way possible and hit tough shot after tough shot. He consistently knocked down threes while using screens as his defender would go under. Contested or not, Towns would bury a shot in anyone’s face and has all the confidence in the world. He showed some floaters, runners, layups with both the right and left hand, and almost every other way to score inside the arc. Towns has first-team all-city league potential written all over him and he is definitely someone to keep an eye on as the AAU season moves on.  

Rageon Morris/2024/Team Takeover/Trotwood      

Morris had an impressive showing with 21 points as he scored in a number of different ways. His natural quickness and athleticism allow him to explode to the rim. He gets downhill in a hurry is and hard to stop once he gets a piece of the paint. The up and down tempo of the game really favored Morris as he was able to get out in transition a number of times. He is a relentless defender who never stops working to get steals. Morris is also a great cutter and can finish strong inside. 

Carson Brigger/2024/Ohio Stars/Springboro

Brigger has a really smooth shooting stroke which he uses effectively. His natural length and height allow him to shoot over defenders both off the bounce and from the catch. He had a couple of mid-range pull-ups that impressed me because of how quick he was able to rise up. He also knocked down a pair of threes and totaled 14 points. His offensive skill set is advanced for a sophomore and can only get better from here. 

Aiden Harris/2024/Findlay Bombers Blue/Pandora-Gilboa

This is the second tournament where I was able to watch Harris play and he has impressed. The lengthy sophomore is a lights out shooter and drained five triples. He gets to his spot quickly and is ready to shoot on the catch which is crucial for great shooters. He relocates well after passing up shots and uses his pump fake effectively. Harris got into the paint for a floater after getting past his defender with a pump fake on two occasions. He finished with 22 points and shot the three-ball at a great clip.

James Nowell/2024/Justice and Hope Kings/Eastmoor Academy 

After watching Nowell’s flamethrower light up the Battle for the City, I knew it would be no different when I saw him warming up for this game. He nailed five triples on his way to 22 points. For a sharpshooter, Nowell has a really quick dribble and showcased a ton of different moves to get open. Every time he shoots a three-ball you expect it to go in and most of the time it did. He also is a really strong defender and does a great job staying in front of his man. He rarely gets beat off the dribble and can recover quickly. Nowell is one of the city league’s brightest stars and he can only get better. 

LaJames Washington/2024/Justice and Hope Kings/Columbus South

Washington is another bigger guard who rebounds and gets inside at a high level. His strength allows him to draw fouls and he got to the free-throw line with regularity. He finished with 16 points and showed his shooting ability with a three to close the game. Washington starts the break immediately after grabbing a rebound which helps his team in transition. He is also a sturdy defender who can guard one through four. I am excited to see what he can do next season for South. 

Max Dawson/2024/Ohio Storm/Willard

Dawson showed some great flashes in a win for Ohio Storm. His 11 points came in a variety of ways with pull-up jumpers and finishes at the rim. After the lefties’ three-point shot was not falling early, he focused on getting to the rim. Dawson found great success leaking out in transition where he is quick with the ball and exploding to the rim in the halfcourt. The driving allowed Dawson to open up his outside jumper later in the game. 

Savon Davis/2024/Justice and Hope Warriors/Groveport

Davis is a really scrappy and gritty point guard who was fun to watch. He is really fast with the ball in his hands and gets to the rim quickly. He is a little undersized but still does not shy away from contact and can finish among the trees. Davis finished with 11 points and great command of the ball for the JH team. He is a pest on defense and never stops working to guard his opponent. He came up with a few steals that led to easy transition buckets on the other end. With Groveport losing a couple of guards, Davis could be a replacement for that talent. 

Jimmy Hill IV /2024/Team Takeover/Dayton Dunbar   

Hill found most of his success in the mid-range game. He does an excellent job reading screens and deciding when to pull up off the bounce and when to take the ball to the rim. All of his 16 points came from inside the three-point arc. Hill is also a great passer from the screen and roll and found cutting teammates time after time. He is bigger than most point guards which allows him to be effective on the glass.