Ohioeliteprep.com All-Star Classic – 2028 Standouts
COLUMBUS, OH – With two trips to Cincinnati on the horizon as part of OTR’s expansion in its 2023 schedule, we headed to the Columbus-market and Columbus East HS to get eyes on both some local 2027 and 2028 rising talent, as well as a group of 2027’s from all over the state.
We start here with the Columbus-area All-District 2028 standouts, as they faced off against each other in a kind of crosstown rivalry game.
By: Keith Agran
Luca Filia | PG | Columbus (pictured at top)
The MVP of the 2028 game and it was easy to see why within the first 5 minutes, super slick handle but was never out of control as he carved and used excellent vision to find guys on a dime, morphed between distributor and scoring PG as he finished with a flourish and some flair round the basket as well, impressive showing and is surely a name to track as he’s way ahead of most 7th-graders in the IQ and understanding department.
The two best players in the @ohio_com All-District 2028 game were fairly clear, slick lefty guard Luca Filia (left) took home MVP with some prodigious handling, vision and finishing, while the physicality, speed and variety of Mekhi Roddy was a serious handful pic.twitter.com/wrX36iuws7
— Keith Agran (@BracketSage) February 19, 2023
Mekhi Roddy | CG | Reynoldsburg
Right with Filia in the MVP voting was surely Roddy who used both a physical brand along with some polish beyond his years, on the physical side he was a bull driving it as he was bigger and stronger than most, but added danger came as a 3-pt shooter as he showed off range past the arc that needed to be marked closely, good to see a young player on the rise playing some defense as well as he was tough on the ball with effective hands.
Xavier Jones | SF | Westerville Heritage
The energy and enthusiasm he brought to the floor were apparent right from the warmups and continued all day, together with a downhill wing attack game that is still in development he made for one of the more intriguing-as-yet-formed packages I saw on the day, the athleticism and joy are there so as he develops all 3 levels this could be a name we get to know even outside the region.
Like what's in the toolbox for downhill PG Jordan Wagner (left) as he attacks openings with speed and power, while energy guy Xavier Jones plays enthusiastic and loose and has intriguing traits which will grow – in @ohio_com 2028 All-District Game pic.twitter.com/wD5AxItyue
— Keith Agran (@BracketSage) February 19, 2023
Jordan Wagner | PG | Groveport
The 2nd best PG behind Filia was Wagner who had a nice size advantage which he used well on some of the smaller guards, he was sneaky quick and packed plenty of power getting into gaps while keeping his head up and on the swivel, he’s clearly from the school of “drive it or die” PG’s we see these days but further development of a consistent deep shooting game will boost him to another level.
Saron Stewart | PF | Hilliard Heritage
The interior physical dominance was Stewart’s forte and in this age it’s a weapon in itself, the game from further out is still on the come but an athlete of his size and agility was a menace at both ends as he was the 2028’s best rejector, really good hands on the catch and as a glass-eater at both ends, surely a name to get to know as his offensive game expands.
Two frontcourt 2028's in the All-District game here at @ohio_com who had a physical advantage both with the frames and the athletic movement were Saron Stewart (left, 32) and Jimmy Braima, each has so much upside and showed off good hands in close and activity protecting the rim pic.twitter.com/jTn17TZqxm
— Keith Agran (@BracketSage) February 19, 2023
Jimmy Braima | PF | Licking Heights
Tall and long at the 7th-grade level and that made him a terror defending around the rim, his movement and natural athleticism were easy to like and he was quick off the deck as a finisher and shot-blocker going mostly against the equally-active Stewart in a fun big man battle, again like Stewart an expanded offensive game should be fun to watch in coming years.
Evan Allgood | SG | Grace Christian
Lit things up in the 3-pt shooting contest and remained hot in the all-star game, was a bucket when left alone from deep, has a good head and IQ for the game and as he grows and his body develops he can become much more than just a deep bomber.
Two 2028's who had good showings in the 3-pt contest carried that over in the @ohio_com All-District Game, Evan Allgood (left) and Tyler Johnson weren't afraid to let em fly from deep and knocked down a solid % pic.twitter.com/S8DxojF8Ny
— Keith Agran (@BracketSage) February 19, 2023
Tyler Johnson | SG | Whitehall
Another deep bomber who was superb in the 3-pt contest the diminutive Johnson didn’t shy away from anything all day at either end, like Allgood showed off a really good eye for the game and utilized that against bigger players with a tight handle and a head on the swivel, with more size you have to like what his game can become.
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.
