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 coaches in the building.

In the end, a team that came from the very last court and worked up to the first court by not losing a game were crowned champions of session 2. Those young men were Devin Martin (Westerville Central), Kevin Darthard III (Linden-McKinley), Bassirou Kante (Western Hills), Phil Towns (Linden-McKinley), Kyren Hotelling (Westland), Bryce Snell (Cincinnati Country Day), Dillon Watkins (Claymont), and Seydou Watkins (Western Hills).

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

Devin Martin ( 6’3 G / 2024 / Westerville Central): The MVP of the second session was sensational the entire time. His drillwork was smooth and efficient, working through them with seriousness and applying what was taught in drills to the games. Once he got into the games, he made plays for himself and his team all afternoon, showing that he could score on every level of the court. Martin got to the bucket almost at will and finished with patience over defenders, had his mid range pull up jumper going and knocked down some from deep as well. Martin was deserving of the MVP award from this session, being a major winning piece on both ends of the floor.

Anthony Kulacz ( 6’4 G / 2024 / Lakewood St. Edward): One of the Kulacz twins in attendance on Wednesday, he was absolutely locked in during session 2, flamethrowing his way through the shooting drill, attacking the rim during the 2-on-2 drills, then taking those things to the court for live gameplay. The senior exploded to the rim and finished through contact when driving the basketball and could also pass off the drive very well. Kulacz had a huge block on a transition basket after not quitting on what would have been an easy layup for the other team. He was vocal on both ends as well and did not back down from competition.   

Connor Watters ( 6’4 F / 2024 / Big Walnut): This matchup nightmare was scary for defenders and tough to stop last Wednesday. His size made it hard for defenders to either stay in front or contest his shots during the live gameplay period. He was a knockdown shooter, whether it was from mid-range or distance, Watters proved that he could be formidable from anywhere on the perimeter. The senior displayed his crafty handle to get to the rim and finish some tough layups. With the way Watters was able to shoot and create off the dribble for himself, the potential for himself and his Big Walnut team is through the roof.

LJ Foster ( 6’4 F / 2024 / Walnut Ridge): A smooth operator on the offensive side of the ball, Foster can get his own basket whenever he wants and is an excellent cutter off the ball as well. At one point during a game he scored five straight buckets and looked unstoppable in that stretch. Despite his team not winning it all, his entire offensive package was on display for coaches in the building. Foster got to his spot off the dribble for easy mid range jumpers, got to the rim using his underrated strength and athleticism and also knocked down some shots from beyond the arc. Foster’s over 4.0 GPA also makes him a prime candidate to be a scholarship player and his offensive skill set will make him an instant impact player.

Juwan Turner ( 5’11 G / 2024 / Pickerington Central): A consummate and steady point guard, Turner put his excellent court vision, passing skill and ability to get to his spot and hit jumpers on display in front of college coaches in the building. The back-to-back state finalist starting point guard found ways to create his own shot off the dribble while still being able to get his teammates open looks as well. His poise and strength are always the strong point of his game, things that colleges value in lead guards.

Angelo Kulacz ( 6’5 G / 2024 / Lakewood St. Edward): He came on late in the session, but he finished with a flurry on the offensive end. Early on, his strength on the defensive end shined through as he frustrated ball handlers due to lateral quickness. He knocked down shots from range and could put the ball on the floor for offensive production as well. Much like his twin brother, Anthony, this young man can flat out put the ball in the basket when the time is needed. Kulacz nailed a multitude of jumpers from different places on the court, and kept defenses off balanced with his array of shots on the perimeter. Another for sure scholarship player that is looking forward to an exceptional senior campaign.

Braylin Wells ( 6’7 F / 2024 / Pickerington Central): An imposing presence on the inside, Wells is dominant whenever he touches the ball. He showed that he could be a true stretch big, knocking down 7-of-10 from three-point territory in the shooting drills. During gameplay, the incoming senior played his size, pushing people out the paint for rebounds and showing soft touch around the rim for easy baskets. Braylin is an impact player on both the basketball court and football field as well, making him one of most intriguing athletes in the area regardless of sport.

Kahdon Johnson ( 5’9 G / 2025 / West): Johnson has shown so much improvement throughout the past couple seasons, with his decision making and his perimeter shooting. The small point guard has always been one of the toughest players on any court he steps on, but his improved skill set makes him a player that is scholarship worthy, like many young men at this camp. Johnson was vocal on both sides of the ball, showing leadership and a good knowledge of the game. A big time junior season is on the horizon for Kahdon as his West High School Cowboys gear up for another season.

Philip Towns ( 5’10 G / 2024 / Linden-McKinley): Lethal offensive weapon that can create for himself as well as any guard that was in attendance. He was physical with the ball in his hands and got wherever he wanted to on the court. His jumper was pure all day, he was relaxed and never rushed to get his shot off. He was a huge part of the sessions championship team, taking over stretches of games offensively. Of course, your last name isn’t Towns unless you can sit in that chair and defend, which Phil did consistently. One of the toughest guards in the City League, Towns will easily be one the area's leading bucket getters.

Demilian Walker ( 6’5 F / 2024 / Cincinnati Taft): Another player from out of town that made a splash at the camp last Wednesday. Walker started by shooting really well in the NBA combine style shooting drill, hitting 8-of-10 mid range jumpers and 6-of-10 from three. The senior is an incredible slasher with the ball in his hand and plays off the ball as well as anybody did in the second session. Not only was he a really good shooter from the perimeter, he also finished at the rim with ease, getting the ball out of his hands quickly and using his size to not get his shot blocked. The Cincinnati Taft product can get it done with some of the better forwards in the state, he showed it last Wednesday.