POWELL, Ohio -- Dublin Jerome picked up their best win of their season so far as they handed Olentangy Liberty a 56-51 defeat.

It was only the second loss of the year for the Patriots and it was powered by the Celtics senior duo of Ryan Nutter and Luke Kuhlman. 

For more on their performances, along with some other notable scouting nuggets, check out the Prospect Scouting Report.

Ryan Nutter (6'3 PG / Dublin Jerome / 2023) From start to finish, Nutter was the best player on the floor Tuesday evening. The Marshall commit showed off his usual brand of toughness and resilience as he looked fully recovered from a previous groin injury that sidelined him for a few weeks. Nutter finished with 20 points, added four assists and was the clear catalyst that set the tone for Jerome. At 6'3, Nutter is one of the more physical guards you'll see and on Tuesday, his tenacity allowed him to score at a high volume inside the paint. He also has an unselfish mindset that allowed him to find an open teammate when the defense collapsed. Against Liberty, he didn't take many shots from mid or long range, but did connect on his lone three point attempt. Continued improvement with his outside shooting will be a key for Nutter to become an impact player at the next level. For now, Nutter's grit and versatility should lead the Celtics towards a district championship and potentially beyond.

Luke Kuhlman (6'4 WG / Dublin Jerome / 2023) The Celtics were held under 20 points and without a made three point attempt in the first half. That all changed early in the third when Kuhlman hit his first of four triples and provided the Celtics with the outside threat they were desperately missing early in the game. He also had the composure to secure Jerome's lead at the end with two made free throws on the 1-and-1. At 6'4, Kuhlman has a special combination of size and sharpshooting ability. He has a strong frame and a decent level of athleticism. At this point, Kuhlman should be a target for Division II scholarship programs as you won't find too many players with his size that can shoot as consistently well as he does. 

Tyler Kropp (6'8 WF / Olentangy Liberty / 2025) Since Kropp received a Division I offer from Radford in September, there has been buzz and intrigue surrounding the 6'8 wing forward. While he was mostly held to a bench role his freshman season and missed a significant amount of games to start this year due to a knee injury, Tuesday was one of our first opportunities to see Kropp play varsity for the Patriots. Against Jerome, Kropp came off the bench and played roughly half the game. During that time, we saw instances of the potential he has to offer. Kropp finished with seven points and had two standout plays; an impressive Euro step finish and a corner three. As Kropp seems to ease back from injury, you can't help but notice his size and skillset and how he'll be an attractive target for Division I programs. This season will most likely continue to be a developmental year for Kropp, but I'd expect him to become a force over the next two seasons.

Quick Hits: I'm not sure if they are college prospects, but it's worth mentioning the play of Olentangy Liberty seniors James Hummell and Jackson Mikola. Although not a pure scorer, Hummell is just a good old fashioned high school athlete who has the aggression and confidence to be a scoring threat. Mikola is thin, but has a long frame and is an underrated post player that recorded three blocks and five rebounds. Fellow senior Alex Okuley is perhaps the best athlete for the Patriots, but is more likely to play football at the next level. And I can't dismiss Liberty senior Matthew Wilson, a 6'2 guard who hit five threes and appears to be the Patriots best outside shooter. He also hit five triples earlier in the season against Newark. An individual who shoots that consistently well is worth a look for programs that may try to find an under-the-radar type player. 

For Jerome, I love the consistency and two-way play of Sasha Stavroff. The 5'11 guard may not always be the lead scorer or dominate the headlines for the Celtics, but he's efficient and plays hard. Senior post Max Hanneman showed off some nice moves in the post and adds some needed size for Jerome. I was also impressed with the athleticism of junior Brayden Krenzel, son of Ohio State quarterback legend Craig, who played a good game defensively and had a highlight breakaway dunk. Krenzel is committed to Tennessee for baseball.