“We are still getting all the rosters in from all of our teams,” said Eric Horstman, the founder and president of the event, “but as of now, we have over 10 five stars (recruits) that will be attending the event. We have over 20 four stars that are attending the event, and a little bit of history, this past June, we had the most players ever get drafted into the NBA. We have 10 Flyin’ to the Hoop alumni that are now in the NBA, which brings our total to 87 past participants of the tournament, playing or have played in the NBA.”
Horstman also announced they will hold the Top Gun Showcase for the second straight year. That event will feature eight games in two days (March 12-13) at Vandalia Butler High School. The teams and matchups will be announced in December.
Among the teams in the Flyin’ to the Hoop are six that won state championships last season, including the Centerville boys, who will play Southern California Academy in the final game on the third day of the event.
Botkins and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary also won state titles in Ohio last year. Three participating teams won championships in their home states: Pace (Ga.); Combine Academy (N.C.); and Wheeler (Ga.).
The top-ranked recruit who will play in the Flyin’ to the Hoop is Shaedon Sharpe, a 6-foot-4 guard from Dream City Christian (Ariz.). He’s the No. 1 ranked recruit in the 2022 class, according to Rivals.com, and committed to the Kentucky Wildcats in September. Dream City also has the uncommitted recruit in the 2022 class: Yohan Traore, a 6-11 forward.
Flyin’ to the Hoop kicks off Jan. 14 with a game between ISA Academy, of Ohio, against Link Academy, a new school in Branson, Mo., that features four players ranked in the top 60 of the 2022 class.
Other top-150 recruits in the field from the 2022 class include:
• No. 14: Julian Phillips, 6-8 forward, Link Year.
• No. 31: Jordan Walsh, 6-7 forward, Link Year.
• No. 45: Tarris Reed, 6-8 center, Link Year (committed to Michigan).
• No. 53: Felix Okpara, 6-10 center, Link Year (committed to Ohio State).
• No. 62: Sencire Harris, 6-3 guard, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (committed to Illinois).
• No. 95: Jaylen Thompson, 6-7 forward, Southern California Academy (committed to Stanford).
• No. 108: Jalen Reid, 6-10 forward, Southern California Academy.
• No. 109: Paul McMillan, 6-3 guard, Cincinnati Woodward.
• No. 119: Jaxson Kohler, 6-9 forward, Southern California Academy (committed to Michigan State).
The top-150 recruits in the field from the 2023 class include:
• No. 7: Omaha Biliew, a 6-8 forward, Link Year (Mo.).
• No. 12: Robert Dillingham, 6-1 guard, Combine Academy (N.C.).
• No. 20: Bryson Warren, 6-2 guard, Link Year (Mo.).
• No. 51: Dailyn Swan, 6-4 guard, Columbus Africentric.
• No. 53: Rayvon Griffith, 6-3 guard, Cincinnati Taft.
•No. 74: Maki Johnson, 6-4 guard, Huntington Prep (W.Va.).
• No. 79: Marlon Barnes, 6-6 forward, Brush (Ohio).
• No. 117: Lawrent Rice, 6-3 guard, Wayne.
• No. 141: Gabe Cupps, 6-2 guard, Centerville.
Here’s the complete schedule of Games:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022
Game 1, 6:30 p.m.
ISA Academy (Ohio) vs. Link Academy (Mo.)
Game 2, 8:15 p.m.
Huntington Prep (W.Va.) vs. Drea.m. City Christian (Ariz.)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 2022
Game 3, 11:30 a.m.
Bellbrook girls vs. Tri-Village girls
Game 4, 1:15 p.m.
Columbus Africentric vs. Oakwood
Game 5, 3:00 p.m.
Drea.m. City Christian vs. Shaker Heights
Game 6, 4:45 p.m.
Wheeler (Ga.) vs. Saint Ignatius
Game 7, 6:30 p.m.
Pickerington North vs. Wayne
Game 8, 8:15 p.m.
Link Academy vs. Huntington Prep
SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2022
Game 9, 11:30 a.m.
Botkins vs. Tri-Village
Game 10, 1:15 p.m.
Dunbar vs. Buchtel
Game 11, 3:00 p.m.
Garfield Heights vs. Pickerington Central
Game 12, 4:45 p.m.
St. Vincent-St. Mary’s vs. Fairfield
Game 13, 6:30 p.m.
Brush vs. Gahanna Lincoln
Game 14, 8:15 p.m.
SoCal Academy (Calif.) vs. Centerville
MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022
Game 15, 11:30 a.m.
Pace Academy (Ga.) vs. Trotwood-Madison
Game 16, 1:15 p.m.
Massillon Jackson vs. SoCal Academy
Game 17, 3:00 p.m.
Combine Academy (N.C.) vs. Cincinnati Taft
Game 18, 4:45 p.m.
Omnia Academy (Finland) vs. West Carrollton
Game 19, 6:30 p.m.
Cincinnati Woodward vs. Kettering Fairmont
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