Who are the top freshman in the state this season? Don't even list freshman or JV players.

The problem with exclusing Freshmen team and JV team players is you exclude some freshmen who are playing at that level but that are better than some others who are starting varsity and scoring 10 points or more a game. That's part of the problem also with just comparing the current high school season. Another measure (not exclusively the only one) is looking at what scouting services report by watching kids at all-star camps and the AAU circuit. I would look at a combination of all of this if you want a balanced discussion of the 2013 class. But its your thread and your rules.

I understand stats are not everything, however if they are really some of the best they will be playing varsity. I dont think you need to score ten points a game to be one of the best either, if you play at a successful program.

Okay, if they really are one of the best freshman in the state and still play jv or freshman you can list them.

Nigel Hayes - 6'6 210 - Toledo Whitmer

Marc Loving - 6'6 180 - Toledo St. Johns

Both averaging around 14 ppg, and both have tremendous upside.

I will agree with ross_ford because there are guys out there like Brogan Roback (also at St. Johns) who could wind up being VERY good.

Agree with IRISH above. Add Lauf kid from Napleon and just across the border Jackson Lamb of Michigan Bedford...

irish_buffalo wrote: Nigel Hayes - 6'6 210 - Toledo Whitmer

Marc Loving - 6'6 180 - Toledo St. Johns

Both averaging around 14 ppg, and both have tremendous upside.

I will agree with ross_ford because there are guys out there like Brogan Roback (also at St. Johns) who could wind up being VERY good.

this---and yes,Roback is a STUD(just ask coach Mouch from CCHS!!!)

I think Ironton has a freshman by the last name of carter starting

There are tons of freshmen with potential in Ohio, and especially in Northwest Ohio. It varies from year to year and from class to class as to what areas of the state are strongest. Right now it appears the sophomore class is strongest in Central Ohio and the freshmen class in Northwest (although Cincinnati and Cleveland do OK in both classes). What is important to remember with freshmen is where they are in physical development, growth and maturity and how hard they work. Some freshmen are essentially done growing and very developed. Others have barely started. At this age some will grow 4 or 5 inches and put on good weight and get much stronger, while others will not change much in the next 4 years. All of the freshmen from the Northwest mentioned so far on this thread are already very good players and can get even better. And there are maybe two dozen more that could be included with excellent potential futures. I know that sounds like an awful lot of players to some people in one region of the state but they are out there.

Alex Bates from Smithville is going to be a star.

Canton McKinley's freshman big man was very impressive in the two games I saw this year as well.

How has NO ONE said mtrulz yet? lol

I haven't heard of Bates yet, but is the Canton McKinley "big man" the 6-6 frosh Mike Mills? He's listed among the top 70 Freshmen in Ohio in Prep Spotlight Magazine's new edition. Prep Spotlight's main evaluator John Stovall is known as the best in the Midwest. While the magazine misses some players who don't attend the top camps or play on high-profile AAU teams, it has proven to be a remarkable early barometer on who is being watched now or will in terms of college recruiting.

Mike Mills is the name I couldn't remember yes.

Bates is a 6'2 point guard scoring 8+ points, 5.5 boards, and 4 assists for the Smithville Smithies.

Napoleon's Lauf (previously mentioned on this thread) tallied 24 tonight but the Wildcats fell by 9 points to Ottawa-Glandorf. Lauf plays with Team Toledo AAU which includes some (not all) of the better freshmen talent in Northwest Ohio.

Quite a story today (Feb. 25) in the Toledo Blade regarding 4 of the Toledo area's freshmen players. Interesting quote from Nigel Hayes on his own future. There are at least a dozen others in the area with significant potential to play in college, but there is so much time left to get there or not that predictions are not that easy.

Brady Harris Olentangy Orange...hands down best in OCC

Rossford is right, Hayes and Loving are going to be amazing players in the future and I see myself going to a lot of St Johns and Whitmer games in the next few years

ross ford81 wrote: Quite a story today (Feb. 25) in the Toledo Blade regarding 4 of the Toledo area's freshmen players. Interesting quote from Nigel Hayes on his own future. There are at least a dozen others in the area with significant potential to play in college, but there is so much time left to get there or not that predictions are not that easy.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100225/SPORTS12/100229804

What is interesting to me is that there are MANY other 9th graders in the Toledo area who are competitive with the four freshmen highlighted in The Blade. Some have played with or against these players in AAU. Candidly, for some all of their improvement in the future will come on skill sets and for others it will be a combination of growth, strength, physical maturity issues, etc. plus a combination of getting better at the skill sets. It would be wrong at this point to label anyone a "can't miss" major D-1 talent (although some will be at that level for sure). It would be shortsighted as well to say that a freshmen who did not play varsity this year will not get there as well -- no doubt that some will and quite a number of them will be at the D-2, NAIA or Junior College level. If that happens (going to college on scholarship and enjoying the game of basektball) congratulations to all in this strong class who achieve it. If not, there is still plenty to enjoy in the high school years. As mentioned before, PrepSpotlight Magazine lists 10 Toledo area frosh among the top 70 in the state, and it looks like four of them are playing Friday night at SJJ in the non-varsity TCL finals.

Bates plays in the Wayne County Athletic League...[/b]

Dont be surprised if two of those kids profiled in The Blade today are playing at SJ next season.

Rossford, I thought the same thing. Nigel has tremendous talent and upside and is a great kid (4.0 student says a bunch) but to say that you are going to North Carolina and then after two years going to turn pro? He didnt even say that is what he'd like to do, he said that is what he is going to do.

I hope that all happens but he needs a ton of work before ever making it to that level. I do like the confidence though.

Its gotta be tough when your always told how great you are.

I've seen several young talents come through the TCL, play as freshman, and not be much better as seniors.

Irish: I really don't see how a freshmen can legally transfer to SJJ for next season and play. I know of a "hardship exception" but none of them could qualify for that. Just don't see it, but I'm certainly not going to tell you it won't be discussed or attempted.

Actually, I think it is possible that one of them might make the move. It would take a physical move by the parents to do so, and it would be possible for one of them to make it happen much more so than the others. Nothing much surprises me anymore.

I've seen folks get around transfer rules a thousand times. Rossford hit the nail on the head as far as moving goes. There is a Titan JV player who played at Whitmer last year.

His family physically moved for "hardship" reasons, an exception. None of the four players named could claim this exception, but they could still physically move.

Agreed. And he did move.