Logan Markley of Bath is defended by Trevick Bertke of Shawnee during the Elida Tip-Off Classic at the Elida Fieldhouse.
Chris Howell | The Lima News
Names like Cameron Elwer, Beckett Bertke and Jordan Priddy are widely known in the area as high-caliber players, and to the surprise of no one, each of them is off to a strong start.
So how about some lesser-known names who have turned heads in the first few weeks of the season?
That’s what this list is for, the rising stars from the early portion of the season.
Here are eight players who are off to a hot start after flying under the radar during the preseason.
Logan Markley, Bath
Bath won just two games last season, and through its first four games, it has already matched that effort. Logan Markley has played a huge role in that success. Prior to Tuesday night’s game against Temple Christian, the 6-4 junior wing is averaging 19.8 points per game and shooting 57% from the field, including 43% from the three-point line. After dropping a pair of games to Shawnee and Elida at the Tip-Off Classic, Bath has wins over Ottoville (62-52) and Van Wert (43-41). Markley had 19 points in each of those wins and a season-high 26 against Shawnee.
Aazaad Burton and Jeff Williams, LCC
The departure of Willie Foster and the graduating class left questions for LCC about who would surround leading scorer Jordan Priddy on the floor this season. Aazaad Burton and Jeff Williams, a pair of freshman guards, have provided answers for the T-Birds. Burton, an athletic 6-0 slasher, has already had scoring games of 12 points against Shawnee and Lincolnview, as well as 14 points against Lincolnview. Williams, a 5-6 speedster, scored 10 points against Lincolnview last weekend. Both are providing a nice complement to Priddy, who has a pair of 30-point games during LCC’s 3-1 start.
Lane Lee, Pandora-Gilboa
Pandora-Gilboa’s effort to replace the production of Aiden Harris, the now-graduated Putnam County League and Blanchard Valley Conference player of the year, is off to a nice start with Lane Lee. The Rockets are 3-1, and Lee has scored 20.3 points per game, including a 28-point performance in a 51-56 win over Elmwood. Lee is currently Pandora-Gilboa’s only player averaging double figures, and he’s also made a significant contribution on the defensive end with 11 steals in four games.
Zack Zimmerman, Ada
As a sophomore, Zack Zimmerman was an honorable mention in the Northwest Conference. This year, he’s taken a leap that could earn him first-team honors in the Blanchard Valley Conference if his play remains consistent. Ada is 3-2 in its first five games, and Zimmerman has scored 16 points and grabbed 5.8 rebounds per game. The 6-2 junior has hit 13 threes, and he’s also formed a promising core of underclassmen at Ada with Carson Conley (11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists), Kaleb Hickman (7.4 points, 5.2 rebounds), Gavin Oldfield (6.6 points, 3.6 rebounds) and Colton Dysert (4 points, 2.4 rebounds).
Ashton Miller, Ottoville
Ottoville has had a complicated start to the season with a record of 3-3, including a lopsided loss to Spencerville last weekend, but Ashton Miller has been a bright spot. The junior guard has struggled with turnovers (24), but he’s averaged 12.1 points per game, good for second-best on the team, and hit seven three-pointers in the process. Miller had 24 points against Perry, 15 in an overtime win over New Bremen and 14 against Fort Jennings. Once Ottoville gets a few more games under its belt, Miller and Landon Horstman (14.3 pts, 10 rebs) should become a matchup nightmare for opposing teams.
Max Hammons, Lincolnview
Max Hammons is a player that showed impressive flashes during his freshman season. This year, he’s become a top offensive option for the Lancers, scoring 17 points per game on 45% percent shooting from the floor. In Lincolnview’s first back-to-back weekend of the season, Hammons had 21 points and 6 assists in a 69-57 win over Upper Scioto Valley and 22 points the next night in a 71-34 win over Continental. The scoring of Hammons, complimented by the shooting of Chayse Overholt (16 3-pointers on 51% shooting) makes Lincolnview a much more interesting team than they’ve been in previous seasons.
Levi Glick, Waynesfield-Goshen
Although Waynesfield-Goshen has started just 1-5, Levi Glick has been a consistent go-to option on offense, scoring at least 13 points in all but one game this season. Glick’s first two games were a 23-point performance against Riverside and a 32-point outing against Calvary Christian. Glick, who’s shooting 36% from three and grabbing 7.8 rebounds per game, even scored 18 of Waynesfield-Goshen’s 22 points against Jackson Center last weekend. For the Tigers, taking a step forward in the win column means finding a consistent third scoring option behind Glick and Jace Kaufman (12.2 ppg).
Reach Chris Howell at 567-242-0468 or on X @Lima_Howell
