Coaster Clash Saturday Standouts
Written by Brennan Lewis
Some big-time Ohio talent was brought under the large roof of Cedar Point Sport Center this past weekend. Ohio Buckets Black came away with the 17u championship although I was unable to catch a game of theirs, and TNBA Ohio completed a dominant run in the 16u tournament for the W.
Top Performers
Stephon Bohanon | 2027 | 6’0 G | Saint Ignatius | TNBA Ohio
Stephon was a very important piece to the 16u champions, mostly running the point guard spot. He’s a kid who continues to grow (both physically and mentally) and his game is constantly improving. He was smooth under pressure in both of Saturday’s games and it seems as if the moment is never too big. His jumper was hitting and was able to connect on a couple of threes both off the dribble and in the catch and shoot. He is now also physically ready to score off of fast break against other varsity players and was able to cause other teams’ havoc off of steal-and-scores. I like him to continue to improve the next couple of years.
Jaylen Jackson | 2027 | 6’2 G | Lorain | TNBA Ohio
Jackson is a name that blew up in Northeast Ohio this winter with Lorain and for good reason. Playing with TNBA this weekend, he had the gym going crazy on Saturday with back to back transition dunks. He has a solid motor on both ends of the floor every coach would want on their team. His shot is also continuously improving. And for just being a sophomore, he’s got good size for a guard. With Lorain graduating a couple of stars, Jackson will be the focal point of that team next year and will take another huge jump. This was my first time seeing him in person and he did not disappoint.
Erick Graham | 2027 | 6’3 G/F | Cardinal Stritch | Hopson Elite
Graham played up this weekend with Hopson but you would have never been able to tell. He was the offensive leader for the 17u Hopson team and led them to a 2-2 record. Graham is tough to stop and somehow always found away into the paint for a bucket. Once he did that a few times the catch and shoot three point shot came along. He lets the game come to him rather than force anything. His lengthy defense and smooth game will make him a small college priority by the time it is set and done, but he still has two years to improve. His IQ makes it seem like he should be older than he really is. Graham will be the focal piece in helping turn around a very young Cardinal Stritch team.
Daeshawn Fiore | 2026 | 6’0 G | Columbus East | Midwest Pumas - Weatherby
Fiore is a ball of energy. This was the first time I had seen him since last summer and he has improved offensively immensely. He is one of the better scorers on Weatherby so he has to step up. He is so quick and twitchy that he can get to the rim with ease. He was also the loudest person in the gym defensively, calling out screens and letting his teammates know where he was. That was refreshing to see. He still will have things to work on to touch up his game, but the motor and feistiness will surely get him the accolades he wants. In the winter, he is a huge player for Columbus East and is asked to do a lot more than he would with some better talent. I think he would be a tremendous glue guy player at the next level.
Grady Hughes | 2026 | 5’9 PG | Wadsworth | Akron Bobcats
This was my first time hearing of Hughes, but it didn’t take long for him to take the game over against Hopson Elite. He is the facilitator for the Akron Bobcats and when he isn’t scoring himself he is dishing off to teammates. He is an excellent shooter but isn’t limited to just the top or just the corner as some players now are. One thing I noticed is how good he is at using the ball screen up top. He is very quick and can get a layup or a dish off to the post despite his size. It seemed he never got tired despite hardly coming out with only a 6 man roster. The Bobcats are in good hands with him running the show. A very good modern day point guard and will try to improve Wadsworth high school from a 5 win season this upcoming year.