Ohio high school boys basketball: Meet the state’s best point guards for the 2023-24 season

Who are the top point guards in Ohio high school boys basketball this season?

With fall sports in the rearview mirror, the high school basketball season is finally here.

SBLive Sports is highlighting some of the best players in Ohio heading into the winter season.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the best of the best in high school boys basketball. To get things started, we’ll begin with the players who specialize in handling the ball.

Here are 20 of the best point guards in Ohio entering the 2023-24 high school boys basketball season.

There are hundreds of standout boys basketball players in Ohio, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive! You can discuss the other point guards worthy of fans’ attention in 2023-24 by connecting with us on Twitter @SBLiveOH or emailing ryan@scorebooklive.com.

(Note: All stats/information was gathered prior to the season starting)

Dominique Aekins, Walnut Ridge, senior

A first-team all-district and special mention all-state honoree in Division I last winter, Aekins is listed at 5-foot-8 but is one of the state’s top scorers and has signed with Duquesne. He averaged 28.1 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds last season.  

Jaiden Arnold, Cincinnati Aiken, junior

Standing 6-foot-1, Arnold transferred to Aiken after averaging 10.1 points and 2.4 assists while helping Cincinnati Princeton win a Division I district title. He has been offered by Purdue Fort Wayne. 

De’Erick Barber, Richmond Heights, junior

Barber earned first-team all-state honors in Division IV last season while helping the Spartans win their second consecutive state championship. Among the Northeast District’s leaders in assists each of the last two seasons, Barber has offers from a list of schools that includes Arizona State and Duquesne. 

J’Allen Barrino, Malvern, senior

While helping Malvern finish 24-2 and earn a Division III district runner-up finish, Barrino averaged 16.5 points, 5.3 assists, 4.5 steals and 4.0 rebounds. He was named second-team all-state. 

Rosean Burns, Beechcroft, senior

Burns was a first-team all-district and second-team all-state honoree in Division II last season while helping Beechcroft reach a district semifinal. Standing at 5-foot-11, Burns averaged 24.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 3.1 assists a year ago. 

Chance Casenhiser, Lake, senior

A 6-footer, Casenhiser averaged 23.5 points to lead all Stark County players while also averaging 3.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and two steals last season. Casenhiser holds the Lake program record for points in a game with 45 and was third-team all-state in Division II last season.

Damari Dammons, Brush, junior

Honorable mention all-district last season after missing his freshman season due to injury, Dammons stands 6-foot-2 and has been offered by Cleveland State.  

Derek Fairley, Lutheran West, senior

The 6-foot-2 Fairley averaged 10 points and was second-team all-state in Division II last season while helping the Longhorns earn a state runner-up finish.

B.J. Hatcher, Dayton Dunbar, junior

The 6-foot-1 Hatcher, who has been offered by Bowling Green, was honorable mention all-district last season as the Wolverines reached a Division II regional semifinal. 

Joey Jackson, West Branch, junior

Jackson, who is 6-foot-1, averaged 9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists last winter as West Branch finished 13-10. 

Marcus Johnson, Garfield Heights, sophomore

One of the top prospects in the 2026 class, the 6-foot-1 Johnson averaged 20.4 points while earning first-team all-state honors in Division I and helping Garfield Heights reach a regional final last winter. He has offers from a list of schools that includes Alabama, Cincinnati and Ohio State. 

King Kendrick, Northland, sophomore

In addition to scoring 33 points to lead the Vikings to the City League championship last season, the 5-foot-10 Kendrick averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals while earning honorable mention all-district honors in Division I. 

Arness Lawson, Pickerington North, junior

Lawson, who stands 6-foot-2, has offers from Kent State, Miami and Ohio University after averaging 15.8 points as a sophomore. He was second-team all-district and special mention all-state in Division I last season. 

C.J. Little, Garfield Heights, senior

A four-year contributor, the 6-foot-2 Little helped Cleveland St. Ignatius reach Division I state semifinals in 2021 and 2022 and Garfield Heights to a regional final last winter. Little has offers from a list of schools that includes Cleveland State, Kent State and Toledo. 

Cade Norris, Hilliard Bradley, senior

An Illinois State signee and standing at 6-foot-4, Norris averaged 19.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds while earning first-team all-state honors in Division I last season as the Jaguars were district runners-up. 

Trey Perry, Lakota East, junior

The 6-foot-0 Perry was honorable mention all-state last season after averaging 18.5 points and 3.3 assists. He has a list of seven offers that includes Murray State and Northern Kentucky.

Brandon Roddy, Harvest Prep, junior

The 6-foot Roddy helped the Warriors reach a Division III state semifinal last season when he averaged 11.8 points, 4.5 assists, three rebounds and 2.6 steals. He was honorable mention all-state. 

Kameron Sanders, Fairfield, junior

Listed at 6-foot-2, Sanders has emerged as one of the top scorers in the Greater Miami Conference. He helped Fairfield go 23-5 and earn a Division I regional runner-up finish a season ago. 

Luke Skaljac, Brecksville-Broadview Heights, senior

Skaljac is a Miami University commit who is 6-foot-2 and averaged 23.2 points while making first-team all-state in Division I last season.  

Micah Young, Westerville North, junior

Young is a 6-foot-2 junior who helped the Warriors go 22-3 last season as he earned third-team all-district and honorable mention all-state honors in Division I. He averaged 12.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists a season ago.

(Feature photo of D'Erick Barber of Richmond Heights by Ben Jackson, SBLive Sports)