GROVE CITY, Ohio -- On Wednesday, July 12, 270 Hoops held its annual Prospect Camp at Central Crossing High School. A total of 70 local juniors, seniors and a couple sophomores took the court over two sessions in front of college coaches to display their skill and get the attention of the college coaches in the building.

The team consisting of Kraig Gilbert (Grove City), Amare Spiva (Pickerington Central), Derek Goodman (Olentangy Berlin), Marlo Collins (Thomas Worthington), Micah Germany (Bishop Ready), Isaiah Webster (Franklin Heights), Aaron Foster (Dublin Scioto) and Day’von Diles (Pickerington Central) played some balanced basketball, everyone played a role as they went undefeated for the session and were crowned champion.

There were many young men that made an impact last Wednesday, let’s take a look at which players stood out.

Kraig Gilbert ( 6’7 F / 2024 / Grove City): The MVP of the first session and helping lead an unbeaten team, Gilbert dominated the entire afternoon, earning the nickname “Jokic,” from the staff. He showed great footwork in the post, being able to pivot with patience until he found daylight to shoot. Gilbert also stretched the floor by knocking in numerous triples with a tremendous looking jumpshot and the knowledge to know when to shoot it and when to hit a pull up midrange jumper. The incoming senior connected with teammates on excellent outlet passes off rebounds and hit cutters while he was the three point line on some absolute dimes. Gilbert was deserving of the MVP honors of session one and hopefully every coach that watched him got in contact.

Gavin Dalen ( 6’8 F / 2024 / Milford): The best big man shooter in the session, the lefty was money from all around the perimeter the entire session. He was another one of the true stretch bigs in the building, with his smooth release. He was never worried about getting his shot blocked because of his release point. Dalen also had nice touch around the rim, softly knocking shots in, in the paint with solid footwork as well. The senior was a willing and capable passer out of the post and on the perimeter to cutting teammates and three-point shooters. Dalen has a huge upside and is a quality scholarship player that can make an impact on both sides of the court.

Derek Goodman ( 6’4 G / 2024 / Olentangy Berlin): A key cog of the winning team of the first session, Goodman is the definition of a sniper. The senior didn’t cheat the drills, doing things at game speed and competing the entire afternoon. He kept defenses off balance during the games with this ability to shoot and get to the rim off the dribble. Goodman has all types of range and can get his shot off as quickly as he catches it. He played with pace, no defender was able to speed him up and take him out his game. He does not make mistakes when the ball is in his hands and showed his high IQ a couple times with extra passes for more open shooters. Goodman is a no-brain scholarship player that makes an impact whenever he is on the floor.

Amare Spiva ( 6’3 G / 2025 / Pickerington Central): One of the best defenders and playmakers in the entire session, the way this incoming junior can swing a game's momentum showed up big time in the 5-on-5’s when he helped his team go unbeaten. Spiva made drill work look effortless with his easy athleticism and his smoothness on the court. He defended with the highest level of energy while still consistently making plays with the ball in his hands, both passing and scoring. He was a human torture chamber on the court, either forcing turnovers or tough shots from the offensive player. Spiva has a wicked first step and can get in the lane whenever he needs to, he made some brilliant passes to his teammates off the bounce and made key plays all afternoon. His explosive athleticism and ability to always be in the right place on the court makes him one of the most intriguing point guards of his class.

Josh Pratt ( 6’2 G / 2025 / Lincoln Park (PA)): Amongst a handful of young men that were not from the Columbus, or even Ohio area, Pratt was able to make a quiet splash at the camp. One of the more consistent mid range shooters in the first session, especially for guards in attendance. When he got to his spots on offense, whether in games or in drills, he was able to knock in shots efficiently. Pratt showed off a really good handle of the ball and the strength to get defenders off of him that are trying to get the ball. He was really good in the open court, making confident decisions and getting his teammates involved as well. The incoming junior from Pennsylvania certainly came to Columbus and turned some heads.  

Noah Kershaw ( 6’4 W / 2025 / Westland): One of the talents that new coach Joel Jackson will get to enjoy in his first season taking over at Westland, Kershaw is one of the best competitors on every court he steps on. He went through drills at game speed and never took a possession off once the 5-on-5’s started. Played with hustle and grit on the defensive side of the ball and he can flat out knock down jumpers on offense. He’s not just a spot-up shooter either, he showed that he can make tough shots over tenacious defense as well. His length and cutting ability make him a constant threat when he is off the ball offensively. Kershaw is primed for a breakout junior season under one of the bright young coaches in the area. This young man worked hard, took advice and played extremely well when the ball was tipped off.

Jaden Calloway ( 6’2 G / 2025 / Bishop Hartley): One of the most improved shooters in the building, the elder Calloway started the session by knocking down 9-of-10 from midrange and 8-of-10 from three in the NBA combine style shooting drill. Jaden is instant offense off the dribble and can get to his spots when he needs to, but it was his spot-up shooting all day that was really impressive. The incoming junior was physical on defense, staying attached to his man and forcing tough shots over his length. Another big season is approaching for Jaden, after the first season of Andreas James and his staff at Bishop Hartley.

Jakhi Calloway ( 6’0 G / 2026 / Bishop Hartley): The younger Calloway was one of two sophomores in attendance during the first session, but his poise, passing ability and defensive tenacity always stand out. Calloway was unanimously chosen by the other players to pass the ball during shooting drills because of his ability to deliver game-like passes at all times. During live gameplay, his decision making stood out, he always made the right decision with the basketball and never forced anything. The sophomore stole the ball with his crafty and unique multiple times and is always a threat to get to the rim and score with his amazing layup package. Jakhi is one of the best young guards in the area and with an explosive sophomore season on the way his name will be known by plenty more colleges.

Ezra Bobo ( 5’10 PG / 2024 / Licking Heights): This young man was full of electric energy and positivity all afternoon, consistently encouraging teammates and doing everything full throttle all afternoon. He was the first one to volunteer to be the passer during the shooting drill and made sure that guys had game-like passes to catch so they could simulate game action. On the court, Bobo’s speed in transition stood out, he was able to blaze past defenders and make plays for himself and his teammates. His spirit and energy is something that college coaches need in their huddle.

Tariq Johnson ( 6’2 SG / 2024 / Mifflin): A transfer into Mifflin that looks to give the Punchers offense a boost after the loss of LJ Foster, Johnson was a beautifully shooting lefty that went 9-of-10 from the midrange and 7-of-10 from three during the shooting drill. He looked patient and poised when the ball was in his hands and was always in the correct place to make the correct play on the court. His height allowed him to get his shot off over other guards in the building as well, with his quick release and confidence that every shot would go in. Johnson will be able to put his name in the conversation with the top scorers in the City League if he continues to shoot the ball the way he did last Wednesday.

Noah Gamble ( 6’1 G / 2024 / Olentangy Berlin): Another one of Olentangy Berlin’s excellent shooters that were in attendance the ball literally fired off of his hands whenever he let it go. His release was quicker than a hiccup and if he got the defender in the air from a pump fake then he would fly by his man and make a play for a teammate. Gamble was a patient decision maker and was able to get the ball out of his hand to an open teammate. His shooting ability was the most eye popping thing he did, his high quality defense was on display as well. He played passing lanes well and was able to deny his man the ball a couple of times in key moments of games. Coaches in attendance should have gotten an eye on this young man, he flew under the radar all afternoon.

Wesley Lucas ( 5’9 PG / 2025 / Fairfield): Being one of the shorter players in the session didn’t deter him from putting pressure on the defense with his handles, both in transition and after made baskets. Lucas played with extreme pace and stayed in attack mode when the ball was in hands. He showed off a crafty handle to go along with his explosive speed, controlling the ball with the ability to keep his dribble alive. His first step was explosive and allowed him to get in the lane to create for himself and others. As an attacking guard, Lucas can have a season that gets his name on the radar of some of the college coaches that were in the building.