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Midwest Mayhem – First-Rate Performers

Midwest Mayhem - First-Rate Performers
April 7, 2023

WILDER, KY – The inaugural trip to the Midwest for OTR was a terrific success, as some of the top teams from the region descended on Town & Country Sports & Health Club and its 5 courts for two rousing days of action.

With a second OTR trip looming over Memorial Day weekend back to the same location, we got an opening taste of some of the talent from Ohio, Kentucky and points further east and west.

These guys were first-rate talents in a good field all weekend:

By: Keith Agran

Jay Rose | G | 2024 | Griffin Elite

Spent most of his time on the wing carving up defenses with clever dribble penetration and an underrated athletic ability that came at me as the weekend developed, absolute deadeye shooter from multiple levels and was easily among the best passers I saw all weekend, that part of his game came out more on Day 2 when he took over some PG to expand his profile, super impressed all weekend with his confidence and composure as a surefire D1 guy.

Wes Enis | G | 2024 | Team Wildcat HGSL (pictured at top)

From an overall standpoint knowing Georgia’s Team Dickerson guard Roc Lee (below) well already no one new player impressed me more than Enis, a true PG in the greatest sense he was at his best playing classic lead guard as a facilitator and poised ballhandler, neck and neck with Rose of Griffin Elite as the weekend’s best passer as he found seams and got the ball into his bigs in the right spots for dunks or easy buckets, powerful frame with a sturdy lower half pushed defenders aside or he scored through them, can’t sleep on his scoring ability and has all the instincts to be a terrific next-level player and one deserving of some D1 looks.

Roc Lee | G | 2024 | Team Dickerson Black

Great to see Lee back on the floor and showing off his myriad of skills from the backcourt, now 6-6 and power-packed with more muscle he can be virtually unstoppable in spurts, the downhill power game is next-level already but he uses that and craftiness of the mind to keep you guessing and hurt you in the pull-up game as well, great fundamental stroke and a versatile defender at his size who will body up bigger players, has been on of GA’s most prominent risers for 2 years now and from my chair he is fulfilling that promise.

Dayton Williams | G | 2024 | Griffin Elite

Silky smooth lefty was such a sleek mover he didn’t look like he was expending much energy until he went baseline for a few thunderous jams, in between those moments he was a wing threat both as a catch and shoot guy as well as a dangerous slasher, good size to guard the backcourt and small forwards, Griffin was so fun to watch and so skilled and Williams is the kind of guy that will get a great boost from the platform of playing in UA Rise and with such a good org.

Brooks Laukhuf | G | 2024 | Ohio Buckets

Another lefty and part of an Ohio Buckets team that could have had more guys featured for sure, among that deep group you could see the reason MAC schools in his neck of the woods are all in, sneaky athlete who again like many of this Buckets squad somewhat surprisingly blew guys away off the dribble and up to the rim, can play point and direct things well but projects as a college wing with the shooting touch and ability to create offense for himself.

Debaba Tshiebwe | G | 2024 | Team Wildcat HGSL

Carved from Greek marble he was easily the most impressive physical specimen on hand, younger brother of Kentucky Wildcat and former National POY Oscar he displayed a lot for the same physical dominance of his brother onto unsuspecting and frankly overmatched opponents at Midwest Mayhem, just too much to handle in close he showed off good hands and nifty feet, there’s work to do away from the basket but that amounts to a minor thing when you can start with his type of god-given gifts and a body like his.

Julian Bunton | G | 2025 | Louisville Legends

Like his 2026 Legends compadre James Clark (featured in my Bombers piece) he has noticeable natural gifts that intrigue, most of that comes from an easy athleticism that is a step ahead, but there’s basketball acumen to like as well as he was a slashing fiend and open court mover that showed off what he can become when it all comes together, stepping out past the arc and knocking down treys upped the ante and this summer and his next high school season has the potential to vault this player to new heights.

Nasir Turner | G | 2025 | Ohio Elite Foundation

Had some stretches where you saw him bear down and make clutch buckets putting pressure on the defense and others where he was just an unfair matchup for the competition and was able to show off a more full gamut of offensive options, brimming with confidence you love a guy that wants the ball and has the wits to score in bunches or create for his teammates.

DeMarcus Surratt | G | 2026 | Griffin Elite

The averages over the weekend speak to the versatility, can put together some highlight reel stretches with his springiness and pure lift, 6-2 but the long arms make him seem much bigger and it plays both as he rises over defenders for shots but also rebounding as a guard and defending passing lanes, the finishing & measurables & versatility at both ends in particular highlight this top Lexington-area sophomore.

Keith Agran has lived in Georgia since 2011 and joined OTR as a National Evaluator in 2021. He previously scouted for Prep Hoops dating back to 2019, and also spent 3 years as a sports writer at two newspapers in New Jersey. After a championship-coaching background on the HS-level also in NJ, he accepted the Girl’s Basketball Head Coaching position in May 2022 at Mt Bethel Christian Academy and now balances scouting and coaching still with a keen eye on talent around the region. You can reach him at keithagran1@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @BracketSage.


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