COLUMBUS, Ohio - - The third week of the Central Ohio Fall League, powered by Nova Village, saw the young talent in Central Ohio once again take the court at Reynoldsburg High School’s Summit Campus. This past Saturday’s theme was keeping momentum, as the top two teams in both divisions kept pace and continued their runs through the league while they are headed to the playoffs. On the court there were outstanding guards, a big that play hard in an impressive performance and an athlete that showed up and played very well for his team.

Landon Page: He’s been solid throughout the entirety of the Fall League, but this past Saturday he had his best performance and helped pace his team to another 2-0 day, keeping them unbeaten. He did a little bit of everything on the court for his team, on offense he got to the rim consistently, shot the ball very well and made good decisions with the basketball in his hands. He showed that he could lead the fast break and be trusted to finish himself or get the ball in the hands of his teammates. When the ball wasn’t in his hands, he was in continuous motion, finding cutting lanes and soft spots in the defense to get easy shots for himself. Defensively, he was active with hands and disrupted ball handlers. Page was excellent on Saturday, he is one of the key reasons to his teams success. 

Brantley Neff: An instrumental part of his team’s comeback in their first game, Neff was a pure competitor, a battler that never gave up during a game. He was particularly amazing at baseline out-of-bounds passes, always making the right pass in a spot that most young players struggle. He knocked down numerous jumpers, from both three and the midrange, displaying his reliable jumper. A high energy player that was effective with his communication on the court, whether it was encouraging teammates or calling out screens, Brantley’s voice could be heard during the game. He was a crafty finisher at the rim, getting some tough layups to drop over and around length of bigs inside the paint. His team is in the middle of the pack, tied with two other teams, with a hot streak of good basketball that they put on the court this past Saturday. 

Colin Sonk: The biggest kid on the court whenever he stepped on it, Sonk used his size to dominate his opponents all morning long. He never got out of his element, staying in the paint and using his good footwork to create shots for himself and finishing with a soft touch around the basket. His timing for rebounds was really good as well, keeping good positioning and rising above the defense to grab the ball as it was coming down. When he pulled down offensive rebounds, he kept the ball high where nobody else could reach it and he was able to finish over small players in the paint. In the open court he ran like a deer, getting out on the break and getting to the basket for easy buckets. On the defensive side of the court, Sonk did an excellent job of playing without fouling, playing vertically against drivers and forcing them to finish over his length. His team is still unbeaten and looks like the team to beat in the division, with consistent play from Colin they could be ones left standing in the end. 

Eric Kershaw: One of the better bigs in the building this past Saturday, Kershaw played with effort and energy during both games, leading to good results for his team as they continued to roll by picking up their third straight game. He soft touch at the rim, finishing numerous time around the basket as he powered through post defenders and other players reaching their hands as he made his move. Despite not being a great athlete, Eric was still able to maneuver past defenders with a powerful and quick enough first step that allowed him to get space in the paint. He did a lot of his work early, getting quick position and then letting his strength do the rest once he gets the ball. Kershaw was also a really efficient rebounder, having the ability to move others out of his way and carve out space for himself to grab boards. His play is a big reason his team is streaking into the final weeks of the Central Ohio Fall League and is a squad that has a real chance to win it. 

Eli Buck: This kid was really good in transition, getting out on the break and up the floor in a hurry, being able to finish at the rim constantly while on the break. A really good athlete that rushed up the court and used both hands at the bucket to score. He was a quick decision maker, knowing when to shoot the ball while on the run or get it out of his hands to a teammate for an easier score. While he shined in transition, Buck played well in the half court as well, being able to find spots in the defense to score and used his ability to finish with both hands to score in those situations. He gave good effort as well, making hustle plays such as getting his hands on the ball against drivers or helping off his man to stop a play on defense. Eli has a team that is picking up steam at the right time, if they compete with the same effort and toughness they did this past Saturday, they will be a tough out for any team. 

Treyaun Fountain: One of more electric guards over the duration of the Central Ohio Fall League, Fountain played his best game this past weekend, putting everything together and being one of the best players to step foot on the court at Reynoldsburg High School’s Summit Campus. He showed his ability to get his shot off over taller defenders in the paint, using a quick release and high arch on his floaters with a good touch on his around the rim on his layups. He threw some great passes to his teammates as well, demonstrating good court vision and the willingness to make the tough pass. His jumper was more than reliable this past Saturday as well, being efficient in both his shot selection and the shots he made as well. Nobody was able to speed him up with the ball in his hand, he was able to be patient while moving with purpose on his way to the basket. His team is a top-4 seed right now with an even 3-3 record after back-to-back losses on Saturday, but they are still a team with the talent to go on a run. 

Carter Gerken: His length and versatility on the court made him stand out this past Saturday, with him being able to control the pace on offense and protect the paint on the defensive end. His team is one of two unbeaten teams in their division and will have collision with the other unbeaten team this coming Saturday morning. He brought the ball up court and set the offense for his team, making smart passes from wherever he was on the court and made sure his teammates were in the correct spot so the offense would continue to flow. Defenders were not able to rush Green either, he took his time with the ball in his hands and was patient, using his handle to get by defenders without over dribbling. Defensively, Carter made sure that opposing drivers knew he was in the paint, making the change direction on their drives or completely ignore shooting the ball over him. He continues to make things tough on offensive players and his team benefits from that, as the continue their march to the playoffs. 

Jason Smith: A high energy player that played his butt off the entire time he was on the court, Smith changes the tempo whenever he gets the basketball in his hands. He never gave up on plays, making sure to contest shots and even blocked the shot of a driver that was looking to shoot over him. His communication on the court was top-notch as well, whether it was encouraging his teammates when he was sitting or calling out screens or even screaming as he closes out on a shot, Jason was the loudest voice on the court. The young man was an exceptional finisher at the rim, having good body control in the air along with the skill and talent to get the ball in the basket. His jumper was working on Saturday as well, knocking in shots from deep in both games, picking up big wins for his team. When he cut to the basket, he did it with intent and a purpose, even when he didn’t get the ball, he made it seem like he was going to. He made hustle plays as well, diving on the floor for the ball when it was on the ground and fighting for his team. 

Umar Tawab: Getting a big block on the baseline got his day started, and it kept going as his team went 2-0 on the morning, which increased their record to 4-2 and set them well for a playoff run if they can continue their winning ways. He was a crafty finisher around the basket, being able to contort his body in the air while still being able to get the ball in the hoop. His handle was good enough to allow him to get past defenders and get in the paint or to where he could find shooters on the perimeter. On the defensive side of the court, he was always around the ball, whether it was getting rebounds or picking up the ball and getting his team started on the break. Tawab had a good day on Saturday, with his ability to weave throughout the defense and finish as well as defend at a quality level. 

Tre Barksdale: One of the best overall athletes that entered the building Saturday, Barksdale was a treat to watch in the open court with his speed and jumping ability making him a highlight waiting to happen. He is a quick jumper, getting off the floor in a hurry and making it difficult for defenders to block his shot. His athleticism helped him get a huge block and contest multiple shots at the rim as well. Tre showed to be a good passer in both transition and in the half court too, getting the ball to the right teammate in position where they could score. His ball handling set the pace for his team, using his change of direction to get past defenders and set up others. Despite him being a really good athlete, he showed flashes of being a high IQ player with the way he operated in half court situations. This young man proved that he is one of the best athletes in the area for his age, something he can use to help propel his team to more wins.