MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- Olentangy Liberty senior wing forward Ben Roderick is one of the elite players in all of Ohio. In the opening quarter of Saturday's non-league game at Marysville, Roderick wasted no time making his mark, scoring 15 of his game-high 28 points in the opening period to lead the Patriots to an 80-55 victory.

Leading 25-12 after a quarter of play, Olentangy Liberty looked well on its way to a blowout win, however Marysville fought back, getting the deficit back to single digits, trailing 40-31 at half. 

That was the closest the Monarchs got on Saturday, as Roderick and the Patriots opened up the game in the second half, cruising to a 25-point win on the road.

Roderick led all scorers with 28 points, adding 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals. The 6-foot-6 senior dominated around the rim, finishing off several offensive rebound put backs, while knocking down three corner triples and finishing a few transition dunks.

Senior forward Nick Nakasian added 11 points for the Patriots, while senior wing Mitchell Kershner pitched in nine points. 

Marysville was led by a trio of double-digit scorers, as senior combo guard Bodie Eberhart led the way with 12 points. Sophomore guard Jack Christian added 11 points, while senior power forward Phil Hughes rounded out the scoring with 10 points. 

After dropping its first game of the season in a thriller to Cincinnati Taft, Liberty has won three-straight and will look to keep rolling next week at home vs. Westerville North before heading to Pensacola, Fla. for a holiday tournament after Christmas. 

For Marysville, the Monarchs lose its second game in as many nights after falling to Central Crossing on Friday. The road will not get any easier as the Monarchs will travel to undefeated Dublin Coffman next Friday.

Ben Roderick (6'6 WF / Olentangy Liberty / 2019): Roderick looks every part of a Division I basketball player and he plays like it too. Dominating from the opening tip, Roderick made his presence felt in every part of the game, using his sheer size, strength and athleticism to his advantage against a Marysville team without a true matchup for him. Shooting 10-of-23 from the field, Roderick got plenty of looks around the rim, cleaning up offensive rebounds and finishing through Monarch defenders. Roderick didn't have his greatest shooting performance from the three-point line, making three of his 10 attempts from deep. The smooth lefty can create a shot from anywhere on the floor and is best served when he's in attack mode and getting to the rim. Roderick has a tendency to fall in love with the three, which is not a problem when he's making them. The senior added some strength to his broad shouldered frame, which has allowed him to power his way through every defense he's faced this season, resulting in plenty of three-point play opportunities. A physical rebounder that gets his nose in the middle of everything, Roderick has really rounded out his game and become more impactful in all areas. With several mid-major offers, we feel Roderick would be most effective and successful at that level, however, high-major programs like Wisconsin and Xavier have continued to track his progress this winter. Roderick will have every chance to average at least 30 points per game this season, which could cause a high-major program to pull the trigger if he's still unsigned by the spring. 

Bodie Eberhart (6'3 CG / Marysville / 2019): A standout player in the 2019 class since his sophomore season, Eberhart has been the focal point of Marysville's offense for three seasons now. Scoring a team-high 12 points on Saturday, Eberhart had a few impressive moments in the game. Eberhart scored in a variety of ways, including coming off a screen and burying a right corner three, hitting a step back three off the dribble in the right corner and weaving through two defenders with an slick euro step in transition. There's some real scoring ability with Eberhart, who had a difficult matchup with the 6-foot-6 Roderick tracking him for most of the game. Eberhart has a quick first step, can get into the lane and has good enough vision to find teammates on the move. Eberhart is best served off the ball where he can get himself open and knock down shots, however, he showed an ability to handle and create which should really help him find a home at the next level, as there is always going to be spots for smart players that know how to play and can make shots. 

Phil Hughes (6'7 PF/C / Marysville / 2019): A move-in to Marysville last winter, Hughes has been a great addition to the Monarch program and is only improving. A steal for Goshen at the NAIA level, Hughes is one of the very best post prospects in the 2019 class, as he has a big strong body, is an aggressive finisher at the rim and can clean up the glass. Hughes moves well for his size, showed off a tighter handle than what we expected and has a sweet stroke from the free-throw line. Hughes is a definite Division II interior prospect and is honestly better than what we previously thought. Hughes keeps the ball high, has good footwork on the block and is not afraid to go up and challenge guys at the rim on both ends. Hughes' best moment on Saturday came in the first half, when he slipped down to the block, drop stepping and finishing a powerful two-hand slam. 

Nick Nakasian (6'4 WF / Olentangy Liberty / 2019): The Patriots have been a two-man show primarily on offense this season, as Nakasian has been a great secondary scorer alongside Roderick. Saturday was a solid showing for him, as he finished with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists. The 6-foot-4 forward's athleticism sneaks up on people, as he finished an impressive two-hand alley oop in the first half. Nakasian plays with a great motor, can get to the rim and gives the Patriots toughness on both ends. Nakasian is committed to Division III Carnegie-Mellon in Pittsburgh. 

Jack Christian (5'10 WG / Marysville / 2021): While Christian's best college prospects are on the baseball field where he is one of Central Ohio's elite talents on the diamond, the 5-foot-10 guard has made a name for himself on the hardwood since last season. Saturday was a solid showing for Christian, who finished with 11 points and five rebounds. The stocky guard is a shot maker supreme that Marysville uses to come off screens and bury shots. Christian showed a little bit of ability off the dribble, flashing a strong rip through move that he used to get into the lane and draw a foul, in addition to a right hand drive earlier in which he finished with nice touch off the top of the glass on a trailing defender. Christian has a nice step back jumper that he sets up well, which allows him to create separation despite not being exceptionally quick or athletic. For as good as Christian was last season (and he was very, very good), the best part of his freshman year was a near complete game shutout in the district  baseball tournament where Marysville knocked off top-seeded Grove City. 

Llwyatt Hofer (6'5 PF / Olentangy Liberty / 2019): On a team where there are plenty of top scoring options, Hofer doesn't often get many touches, however, we liked the game he played on Saturday. A strong post at 6-foot-5, Hofer plays within the Liberty offense as well as anyone, as he is a big reason why the Patriots move the ball so well. The 6-foot-5 senior is a strong rebounder and can block shots at the basket, as well as being a reliable inside scorer when he's given opportunities. Hofer is a solid role playing big that will be a key part of a team that thinks it can win league and district titles this winter.