skip navigation

Prospect Scouting Report: Battle in the 614

By Greg Glasser, 01/18/23, 8:15PM EST

Share

Our scout writer was on hand for three games and highlights the top unsigned performers

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The second annual Battle in the 614 presented by Elevated Sports Events took place this past weekend at Ohio Dominican. While there were 18 games total, I was able to scout three of them:

St. Charles over Westerville Central

Walnut Ridge over Licking Heights 

Hilliard Davidson over Reynoldsburg 

Below, I break down the top performers from those games along with a handful of honorable mentions.

Dom Aekins (Walnut Ridge / 5'9 PG / 2024) If this was your first time viewing Aekins this season, you'd have no idea that it could have been considered a slight "off night" for the junior that averages over 30 points per game. That's because Aekins still finished with an MVP-like day as he scored 16 points and dished out six assists in a win over Licking Heights. It's not often a player the size of Aekins gets Division I attention, as indicated by a recent offer from Youngstown State earlier this month. And if they do, it's because they have a certain skillset that's considered elite. In Aekins' case, he possesses an elite level of speed that comes with an advanced offensive ability. On Monday, Aekins was at his best when he would come to a quick stop and sink multiple shots from mid-range. He also has an exceptional ability to elevate on his jumper. His handles are excellent and although he's small in stature, the junior is so quick that he often gets past his defenders which can lead them to committing a foul as he scoots through them. Aekins is far and away the primary ball-handler and scorer for Ridge and at times on Monday, it led to some defensive traps and Aekins had a higher than preferred amount of turnovers. An area of improvement for him will be to limit those turnovers as well as converting on some difficult finishes in the paint. For now, Aekins is one of the most fun prospects from the 2024 class in the area and I look forward to see his recruitment continue to evolve.

Peyton Frey (Hilliard Davidson / 6'6 Wing / 2023) A three-year contributor for the Wildcats, Frey was a co-leader in scoring with 17 points and led his team with six rebounds and three assists. Frey has good upper body strength and a bit of a "classic" feel for the game, with an ability to play in the post and on the wing. He's a good finisher around the rim and is an above average passer for his size. He reminds me of Max Martz, the 2019 Upper Arlington 6'6 wing forward that now plays at Penn. While Martz may be a better outside shooter, I think Frey is more athletic. Similar to Martz, Frey is a strong student as well. I know a lot of college coaches are focused on 2024 prospects and the transfer portal, but players with Frey's combination of skill, size and academics are hard to come by.  Seriously, he's worth a look for high academic schools in the Ivy or the Patriot League. His older brother, Jared, is a freshman at Stony Brook. Frey currently has an offer from Shawnee State and absolutely has the ability to play at the D2/NAIA level, but is too good of a player to not receive more attention.

Cole Carter (Hilliard Davidson / 6'0 PG / 2023) Alongside Frey, Carter also notched 17 points and was the game MVP in their one-point win over Reynoldsburg. That was mostly due to his excellent composure, as he hit two game-winning free throws and was a perfect eight-of-eight from the foul line. Beyond his collectiveness at the charity stripe, Carter did a good job of getting through the lane and finishing around the rim. He has a really strong frame and did an admirable job of taking care of the ball. Although Carter didn't attempt much from outside nor display any breath-taking flashiness, he played his role as point guard just as he was asked. Similar to Frey, Carter is also an outstanding student. For all of these reasons, he's worth a look for regional Division III programs.

Devin Martin (Westerville Central / 6'1 PG / 2024) Even in a two-point loss to St. Charles, Martin was one of my favorite players I watched this past weekend. That was mostly due to his energy and how he sparked some much needed production, mostly in the second half, for the Warhawks. He was by far Central's most productive offensive player, as he hit three timely triples in the second half and finished with 13 points. Defensively, Martin never took a possession off and forced the St. Charles guards into pressure in which they had a hard time handling. Son of Warhawks head coach Kevin Martin, Devin has a lot of the disciplined traits you'd expect from a coach's son. He also is noticeably bigger and stronger than when I saw him during his sophomore season. I don't have a projection yet on where Martin can play collegiately, but I do know he has the ability and on-court leadership to play at the next level. 

Jordan Fisher (Reynoldsburg / 6'5 Wing / 2025) Fisher gets a nod for his stand out play in the fourth quarter when the Raiders nearly came back from a 15 point deficit. The sophomore scored 12 of his team high 16 points in the final period as he finally became assertive with the ball. I say finally because this is the next step for Fisher to really reach his potential. He has such a smooth offensive game and is too talented to not make a difference all fourth quarters. Fisher deserves credit for his composure as he went six-of-seven at the free throw line, but all of those attempts were in the final period and he should be able to get to the line all game. Currently holding offers from Youngstown State and University of Texas Rio Grande, Fisher absolutely has the ability to be a Division I player. The key is to now show off that potential all game, every game.

Honorable Mentions: I've covered three games for St. Charles and in all three, senior guard George Mosholder has by far been the best shooter for the Cardinals. For programs that are looking for an under-the-radar prospect that can shoot from long range, Mosholder is worth a look. 

For Walnut Ridge, I want to give props to senior big Xhavier Hunter, who scored 10 points and had five rebounds, but most impressively had 5 blocks. With a big frame, Hunter is not especially quick, but he effectively controlled the post and had great off-ball defense to help prevent Licking Heights from scoring in the paint. 

Licking Heights had a full team effort in their close loss to the Scots, but the player that stood out the most was junior Alieu Ceesay. The thin guard was a difference maker on both ends, scoring a team high 14 points and adding seven rebounds and three steals. He showed really good instincts and is a sneaky good athlete for his size.

Reynoldsburg senior guard Zazen Bivens had the best game I've seen from him on Monday. At times, he can be an inconsistent shooter, but that wasn't the case against Licking Heights as he hit a three pointer and handful from midrange towards his 14 points. He also was unselfish and led the Raiders with four assists. I like Bivens' competitive nature and hope he can continue this type of offense for the remainder of the season. 

Recent News


Get the 270 Hoops Preview Magazine today!