The final EYBL session is a grueling one. Five games in three days, as the nation's best and most talented players crawl to the finish line of the AAU spring. For several Ohio State targets, that crawl to the finish line was a successful one in the EYBL's concluding session in Atlanta this past weekend.
Let's take a look at some of the weekend's top players.
Kyle Young - 6'7 SF - King James - 2017
Top Performance: 23 points, 12 rebounds in 101-80 loss to California Supreme
Season Stats: 17.1 points (49.3 FG%, 78.7 FT%, 35.2 3PT%), 8.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Young wrapped up a breakout debut season in the EYBL by helping King James go 3-2 in the final weekend, bringing the Ohio club's final record to 8-8. With a chance to qualify for Peach Jam, King James ended a turbulent season on a good note, with much of that success due to the efficient play of Young. A versatile wing with great length, Young proved his high-major value on the biggest stage against the best competition in the country.
Markell Johnson - 6'2 PG - King James - 2017
Top Performance: 24 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists in 79-71 win over Mac Irvin Fire
Season Stats: 18.2 points (49.4 FG%, 65.4 FT%, 34.8 3PT%), 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.2 steals
Playing four of five games this weekend, Johnson was a stud in each of those contests, posting double-figures in each game. Scoring at least 20 points in his last three times on the floor, Johnson's top performance came in a win over Chicago power Mac Irvin Fire, going for 24 points, six rebounds and eight assists, showing the high-level play-making ability that the Cleveland guard possesses. While Johnson's impact on the floor is a no-brainer, it is Johnson's recruitment that is up in the air at the moment. Stuck between reclassifying to the 2016 class, or remaining in the 2017 class and going prep (Johnson is not eligible to play in Ohio as a high school senior in 2016-17), Johnson has a few interesting months ahead. Regardless, "Special" as he is called, is as good as any guard in the Midwest.
Kaleb Wesson - 6'10 C - All-Ohio Red - 2017
Top Performance: 30 points, 11 rebounds in 84-77 loss to Southern Stampede (GA)
Season Stats: 13.6 points (60.9 FG%, 76.8 FT%, 50.0 3PT%), 8.4 rebounds, 0.5 blocks
Opening up the weekend with an emphatic 30 points and 11 rebounds vs. Southern Stampede, the Ohio State commit Wesson would follow that up with 20 points and 14 rebounds the following day. However, Wesson would score just 26 points in the following three games, as foul trouble limited his minutes and impact. Wesson's foul trouble could be a cause for concern, as he picked up five fouls in nine of 16 games this season, averaging 3.2 fouls per contest. A bright spot for Wesson, though, is the fact that the 6-foot-10 big man has continued to be the model of efficiency on the block, posting really impressive shooting averages from the field, free-throw line, and from behind-the-arc.
Nojel Eastern - 6'7 SG - Meanstreets - 2017
Top Performance: 15 points, 6 rebounds in 75-73 win over All-Ohio Red
Season Stats: 9.4 points (41.2 FG%, 72.6 FT%, 25.0 3PT%), 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists
A player that Ohio State has been hard on for most of the spring, Eastern had a productive final weekend in the EYBL, leading Meanstreets to a final record of 9-7. While Eastern hardly takes all of the shots for his Meanstreets squad, he had a few impressive scoring performances to open the weekend, going for a session-high of 15 points in a tight win over Wesson and All-Ohio Red. The type of lengthy wing that Ohio State likes to recruit, Eastern features offers from Michigan State, Illinois, Xavier, Purdue, and UNLV, among others.
Jordan Goodwin - 6'4 SG - St. Louis Eagles - 2017
Top Performance: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists in 81-66 loss to Team Penny (TN)
Season Stats: 16.4 points (42.2 FG%, 58.3 FT%, 21.4% 3PT%), 9.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists
An athletic wing guard that is fresh off an offer from Ohio State last week, Goodwin had a terrific weekend in leading St. Louis Eagles to a final regular season record of 11-5. Active on the glass, in transition and in the scoring column, Goodwin posted three games of at least 14 points and eight rebounds, with his best performance of the weekend coming in the opener against Team Penny. With Ohio State being his latest offer, the athletic Goodwin has also been offered by the likes of Michigan State, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Purdue and Northwestern, among many others.
