COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It's that time of year again. A new freshman class arises, offering hope and excitement to see a new batch of basketball talent cement its own legacy in Central Ohio. It seems like just yesterday that we were covering a talented freshman class in 2012-13 that included players like Seth Towns and Nick Ward, who now have moved onto the college ranks. 

High school is a tremendous time, but as everyone knows, it goes quickly. For the 2020 class, these young men enter an era unlike any before it. Media coverage for prep basketball is at an all-time high, while social media is an essential part of every day life. With that being said, let's take an early look at the 2020 class in Central Ohio.

Disclaimer: Our 2020 watch list is not final. For high school coaches, if you have a player that you think should be included, send us an email with player information in order for them to be added.

The Return of the Guards:

2020 is loaded in the back court and projects for as strong of a guard class as there has been in recent years. The last few classes in Central Ohio have been littered with high quality wings and bigs, while guard play has come at a premium. That looks to change in 2020 as the class is led by dynamic back court pieces.

These guards include Dublin Coffman's Dominiq Penn, the son of Ohio State hall of famer Scoonie Penn, who comes into his freshman season as the early favorite to man the Rocks' point guard position on the varsity level. A calm and composed guard that gets the ball where it needs to go, Penn is really advanced for his age, and will benefit by playing in a program that develops talent as good as anyone in the OCC. 

Staying on the western side of Columbus, Hilliard Bradley has a batch of talented back court pieces that have been talked about for years now. Point guard Matt Allocco comes in with hype and experience, as the sharp shooter looks to fill in greatly alongside junior guard Braden Norris. The pair could figure to be the best perimeter shooting duo in the entire area. On the wing, Bradley features the athletic Chris Mayfield, who has a shot to grace the starting five alongside Allocco. The Jaguars, with the addition of Allocco and Mayfield, could win its first district title in program history this March if all things go according to plan.

In the City League, Walnut Ridge has a dynamic guard in Qian Magwood, who was one of the better freshman performers we saw in June. As the Scots graduate a deep 2016 class, Magwood and fellow freshman, 6-foot-5 forward Von Cameron Davis, bring promise and upside to Walnut Ridge this season. 

Arguably the area's best prospect, however, will don the purple and white this season. Yes, that's right, the rich are getting richer. Josiah Fulcher, a 6-foot-2 wing guard out of Pickerington Central, might arguably be the best player in the state in his class. Fulcher looks to see early action on an absolutely loaded Tigers squad that has enough talent to make a run for the state championship. Fulcher is joined in the 2020 class by wing prospects Jamir Simpson, son of two-time Mr. Basketball award winner Greg Simpson, and Dametrius Krenshaw, a 6-foot-3 athlete who has already been offered by Kentucky for football. 

Delaware Hayes has a talented freshman class coming in led by do-it-all point guard Nate Griggs. Griggs, while at 5-foot-7, comes in with an IQ and feel for the game that is off the charts. Griggs is joined in the class by 5-foot-10 shooting guard Addison Harvey and 6-foot-4  forward Paul Burris. The trio could all see varsity action for a Pacers team that looks to get back into league title winning contention in 2016-17. 

Also in the City League, 5-foot-11 point guard Talik Lee of East has drawn rave reviews, while West figures to have a strong guard in freshman Dominic Farley. South has a promising wing prospect in 6-foot-2 Marcus Johnson, who looks to see early playing time on varsity. 

With a highly-anticipated 2016-17 season just around the corner, Central Ohio is up for grabs more this season than ever before. Several freshmen prospects look to make an early impact, which could alter the landscape of local basketball for years to come. 

You can check out the whole 2020 watch list here.