COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On a chilly afternoon on the north side of Columbus, six middle school teams came together to compete in the Renaissance University Invitational at Northside Christian High School. Woodward Park defeated Boys Prep, Yorktown beat Warrior Nation (7th), and in the afternoon’s most anticipated matchup, Warrior Nation (8th) took down Sherwood.

If this event is any indication, the crowd in attendance got to see the exciting future of Central Ohio basketball and it looks really bright. Every young man that stepped on the court has unlimited potential with the chance to make an impact at the next level, but let’s take a look at some of the standout players from Saturday afternoon.

Javier Napier ( 2027 / Boys Prep / 5’10 G): In a game where his team had a distinct height disadvantage, Napier did not let that affect the way he played his game. He showed good burst in the open court, gliding to the rim in transition and being able to finish over the bigger front line of Woodward Park. The eighth grader showed really good body control as he bounced off of the bigs Woodward and was able to still get the ball to go in the basket. Napier flashed the ability to be a playmaker off the dribble as well, getting his teammates involved with some sweet passes to them for easy buckets. Despite the constant pressure that was on him, he stayed composed and made solid decisions with the basketball. Even in a loss, this young man was impressive and has a bright future ahead of him.

Reuben Holmes ( 2027 / Woodward Park / 6’6 F): Apart of the biggest middle school front line I’ve ever seen, Holmes’ intensity and athleticism really set him apart from other young men. The forward was dynamic on Saturday afternoon, as his 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals helped his team to a 58-34 victory over Boys Prep. He was explosive at the rim as he threw down a big dunk in the final quarter of the game. He finished very well at the rim and knocked in his free throws consistently all afternoon. Holmes showed the ability to slide his feet on the perimeter and stay in front of ball handlers and get his hand on the basketball either by playing passing lanes or poking the ball away from ball handlers. The ceiling for this eighth grader is very high.

Keon Bonner ( 2027 / Woodward Park / 6’3 HG): The versatility of the young man was off the charts, doing a little bit of everything for his team on the court. Obviously, he has good size and along with the ability to handle the ball and get to the rim when he wanted to due to the size advantage. Bonner got the team into its offense at times when he dribbled the ball up the court and was able to show off his playmaking skills in transition with some really nice passes. His 15 points was second on the team while his 10 rebounds, six assists all led the team and he added in a couple of steals as well to deepen his impact on the game. The 2027 prospect has nice size, to go along with the explosiveness off the dribble to be a force getting to the rim at the next level as well. He was the most consistent player on the court during the first game, doing whatever was needed for his team to get the win.

Pharoahe Zaire ( 2027 / Woodward Park / 6’9 C): The biggest young man on the court used his size advantage to have his way in the opening contest on Saturday, leading Woodward Park with 19 points and adding nine boards to go along with a block as well. Zaire showed some soft touch around the basket, living in the paint and dominating the smaller lineup that Boys Prep put on the court. His footwork is solid and he was patient when he got the ball, whereas most young bigs with that kind of size advantage would have rushed to get the ball up. The Woodward Park product was not just a big man that was a statue on defense, he moved well laterally and was able to cover ground with his quickness. This young man has a chance to be a varsity player next year and help his next school win a lot of games.

Makhi Ali ( 2027 / Yorktown / 5’10 PG): One of the most competitive kids in the building all Saturday afternoon, Ali was relentless in his approach to the game against the Warrior Nation 7th grade team. The eighth grader was explosive off the dribble and lived in the lane, getting to the rim at will and finished with a game-high 27 points (18 in the second half), eight rebounds and three steals. Ali was shifty with the ball in his hands and could weave through the defense with ease, contorting his body in different ways to get to the rim in the second game of the afternoon. His body control was excellent as well, bouncing off the bigs of Warrior Nation and being able to finish, especially in the second half where he was in take over mode the entire time in route to a 48-44 win. Makhi’s competitive nature shined through as he attacked all afternoon, despite all the defensive focus that he received.

Semajey Andrews ( 2028 / Warrior Nation (7th) / 6’4 F): One of the better athletes that saw the floor on Saturday afternoon, finishing the game with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. The rangy seventh grader was especially good in the second half, using his height to control the glass and get second chance points for his team. He struggled in the first half finishing at the basket, but turned it around after the break and hit most of those same looks. His first block towards the end of the opening half helped solidify their one-point halftime lead. Andrews also showed the ability to guard the perimeter when called upon and can affect shots with his quick leaping ability.

Josiah Newton ( 2028 / Warrior Nation (7th) / 5’3 PG): The pitbull of a point guard played his heart out, even in a loss on Saturday afternoon. Newton played with good pace all game, but has blazing speed in the open court when he sees the need to use it. He finished the game with 11 points and two assists. His defense was the thing that stood out the most, he only gathered one steal but he got plenty of deflections and was able to help create transition offense for his team. Josiah also made Yorktown’s best player work for every point he scored because of his quick feet and the way he forced tough shots. He competed at a high level until the final buzzer, and was a big reason that his team remained in the game.

Breaker Heller Jr. ( 2027 / Warrior Nation (8th) / 5’9 G): The consistent second option for his team, Heller was excellent in his role as a guy that could get his own bucket. He finished the game with 14 points and knocked in four important free throws in the second half of his team’s victory. Heller took advantage of his matchup and was able to get to the bucket off the dribble. He also made Sherwood pay with his movement off the ball, being able to get layups off of cuts to the basket. His perimeter defense was good as well, making things tough for the other Sherwood guards to get going on offense. One of the unsung heroes of the Warrior Nation win on Saturday, Heller Jr. played a wonderful game.

Deon Johnson ( 2027 / Sherwood / 6’3 G): One of the best overall talents in the gym all afternoon, Johnson showed every reason why he’s one of this city’s best young prospects. The versatility of his game was on full display, dropping 19 points and doing it in various ways. He got to the rim and finished, picked his spots in the midrange and knocked in some, he also stretched the floor and hit a three as well. He added 9 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block to exhibit how well-rounded his game is on both ends of the court. Without his second best player, Johnson had his team down by one point entering the foul quarter and played the majority of the game, and played his heart out. His matchup against Warrior Nation’s Antwon Pollard was the most entertaining part of the afternoon, keeping the crowd on edge with every dribble. Johnson’s future is as bright as any young man in Central Ohio.

Antwon Pollard ( 2027 / Warrior Nation (8th) / 6’1 G/F): Pollard was in attack mode from the opening tip, taking it right to Sherwood’s defense and taking the challenge of guarding their best player. The young man put his imprint on this game early and did not let up, scoring 19 total points, grabbing five boards and dished out a couple of assists as well. He played at a steady pace and never let the defense speed him up, while displaying a sound skill set. Pollard has a good handle, and used it to get the basket, he initiated the offense when he needed to and never forced anything. The eighth grader scored on every level, including a three from about four feet behind the high school three-point line. Pollard, along with Sherwood’s Deon were two of the three best players that played all day, showing that the future of Central Ohio basketball is in good hands.