POWELL, Ohio - There is a stark difference between high school and AAU basketball. While the majority of the players in the gym at Olentangy Liberty High School on Wednesday still have AAU and other events this weekend, the level of competitive looked more like a Friday night in December. 

With eight teams taking the floor last night in the first of several summer league sessions this month at Liberty, let's take a look at some of the night's top performers.

Jerome Hunter - 6'7 SF - Pickerington North - 2018: 

Jerome Hunter smells blood in the water. Whatever it is that triggered a switch in his approach to the game, it was a welcomed change that has turned the 6-foot-7 wing into an absolute animal. Playing with a great motor and aggression as of late, Hunter was dominant once again on Wednesday, abusing defenders for buckets from all over the floor. If Hunter wasn't breaking down defenders from the top of the key and finishing at the rim, then he was knocking down perimeter shots, and if he wasn't doing that, then he was giving the ball up, running to the rim, and posting up defenders for buckets. With a versatile game that allows Hunter to do just about anything, the lengthy wing forward has been one of Ohio's best 2018 prospects in the last month, as his stock could really explode this summer with a strong July in AAU.

Zach Watson - 6'2 PG - Dublin Jerome - 2017:

If Watson's junior season was a breakout campaign, the 6-foot-2 Dublin Jerome guard is going to kick down the door as a senior. One of the area's absolute best guards in the 2017 class, Watson was the top backcourt player that we watched on Wednesday, as he knocked down shots, handled the ball with grace and command, and used his unassuming athleticism to get to the basket and score. Watson has a chance to be one of the area's top scorers next season as Dublin Jerome loses four of five starters from last season's team.

Christian Carter - 6'2 PG - Thomas Worthington - 2017:

For Carter, his career at Thomas Worthington has been filled with ups and downs, but we think his time is coming soon. A high-level athlete that impressed us prior to this freshman year at a fall camp, Carter has struggled with consistency, but gone from Thomas Worthington is a deep senior class that will open up the offense for him in the spring. Dominant on the drive on Wednesday, Carter was able to get anywhere on the dribble, attacking the basket and finding open teammates for scores. A tough kid that has a chance to have a big senior year, Carter is beginning to receive interest from regional Division II programs.

Taevion Kinsey - 6'4 SG - Eastmoor Academy - 2018:

A high-wire act on the wing, Kinsey is one of the area's more elite athletes, and really looked like a player that could blossom into a legitimate Division I guy on Wednesday. Using his length, quickness and agility to his advantage, Kinsey was able to get anywhere he wanted off the dribble, creating space and knocking down shots on the perimeter. Able to get in the middle and create, Kinsey was efficient for a young Eastmoor team that looked improved on Wednesday. The Warriors will go as far as Kinsey can take them in the winter, as he are expecting a big junior season from him in a City League South filled with new faces and uncertainty. 

Eli McNamara - 6'8 PF - Pickerington North - 2018:

The word for McNamara is upside. With as much of it as nearly everyone in the area, McNamara's game is starting to come full-circle this spring, which could mean great things for himself and his team going forward. A long combo forward that can knock down shots from the perimeter, while also being able to bang in the post with a trio of moves, McNamara is coming along smoothly and looked like one of the area's top prospects on Wednesday.

Austin Bennett - 6'4 SF - Westerville North - 2017: 

Throwing down the dunk of the night in transition on a Thomas Worthington defender, Bennett showcased the high-level athleticism that the late-blooming wing possesses. A player that we have had an eye on for the last three years, Bennett looks to finally be putting the pieces together, as he is starting to receive strong interest from top-level Division II programs in the state. A big summer and breakout senior season could really help Bennett's stock reach a new level.