Eye Catchers from the Buckeye Classic
Written by Luke Harrington
Eye Catchers
Kai McGrew | 2026 |6’9 F | Lawrence North (IN) | AAU: Midwest Basketball Club 3SSB
A kid who caught my eye immediately when I walked in the gym Saturday was Lawrence North’s Kai McGrew. McGrew has a grown man’s body and uses that effectively in his game. Standing at 6’9”, the rising Senior can’t be moved in the paint, as he dominated the whole tournament around the basket with huge finishes, rebounds, and tip-ins. What surprised me the most is how effective he was in the catch and shoot game, as he shot the three ball at a very high clip. At his size, McGrew runs the floor like a guard and always seems to be in the right spots to help his team be successful. Paired with fellow big man Alan Horton, McGrew helped lead Midwest Basketball Club 3SSB to a Buckeye Classic championship, proving that this squad is the best AAU team in Ohio.
Race Kowalczyk | 2026 | 6’7 F | St. John’s Jesuit | AAU: Ohio Buckets EYCL
A guy who snuck up on me this weekend was SJJ’s Race Kowalczyk, who I’d heard a lot about but had never seen in person. Kowalczyk is tall and long, which aids to his pull up jumper being nearly unstoppable. He is a patient getting to his spots and has deceptive quickness off the bounce. The Junior is also a great teammate, as he is constantly making plays for others off the ball with pin downs, ghost screens, and cuts to open up gaps for others. Defensively, he has the ability to guard 1-5, which is a huge luxury for a team who already has a ton of length. Kowalczyk already has 5 D1 offers, but having a chance to showcase his ability beside top prospects like Julian Washington and Jason Singleton will allow him to pick up more as the spring progresses.
Kellen Wiley | 2026 | 6’3 PG | Wyoming | AAU: Midwest Elite Cincy MHC
An underrated point guard in the state of Ohio is Kellen Wiley from Wyoming. This Junior point guard was one of the shiftiest and most explosive players I saw all weekend, as his left-to-right crossover was basically unguardable. Wiley is elite with his handles and deceptive with his movements, keeping even the best defenders off balance. In addition, he is almost violent as he attacks the rim, making all of his jerky movements count. As a playmaker, Wiley does whatever the team needs, whether it’s distributing, attacking, or playing aggressive defense on the ball. I grade this young stud as a high D2 prospect, but with an improved jumpshot, I would not be surprised to see him get attention from low/mid major D1 schools as he enters his senior year.