Shelby's Alex Bruskotter finalist for Ohio Mr. Basketball Award
COLUMBUS -– Shelby High School’s Alex Bruskotter is among the finalists for the 2024 Ohio Mr. Basketball Award, the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association has announced.
The 6’8 Bruskotter, a Shelby senior, averaged 23.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game this season for the Whippets.
Bruskotter, the Northwest District Co-player of the Year was also the Player of the Year by the District 6 coaches association and the Mid-ohio Athletic Conference.
He scored 53 points in a game with 12 3s in one game this season. He is second in scoring behind the legendary Larry Siegfried. Bruskotter was also invited to represent Ohio in Italy in March. He is a three-time Allohioan.
Bruskotter is a Wright State University commit.
The winner is to be announced March 20. Voting is currently underway for the 224 registered OPSWA members and will end at noon on Monday, March 18.
The voting process for OPSWA members is the same as that used to determine the Heisman Trophy winner in college football. First-place votes get three points, second-place votes get two points, and third-place votes get one point.
Ohio’s Mr. Basketball was selected by the Associated Press from 1987-2016. Since 2017 it has been presented by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.
The other 2024 Ohio
Photo by Nick Woodlock
Mr. Basketball finalists:
– J’allen Barrino, Malvern, 6-2, senior
Division III East District and Inter-valley Conference North Division Player of the Year after leading the Hornets to a 22-0 regular season. He has played 59 career games at Malvern and the team has gone 56-3.
– Marcus Johnson, Garfield Heights, 6-1,
sophomore
NE Lakes District POY is coming off an All-ohio first-team season as a freshman and ranked 12th nationally in the Class of 2026.
Johnson led the Bulldogs (21-1) to a 19-0 start that included wins against Huntington Prep, Western Reserve Academy, defending Texas state champion Faith Family Christian and OHSAA champion Richmond Heights. Johnson has offers from Ohio State to Alabama, Cincinnati, LSU and Villanova.
Averaged 23.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals.
– Kruz Mcclure, Westerville South, 6-4,
junior
The Central District, District 10 Coaches Association (co-) and OCC Capital player of the year, Mcclure averaged 23.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.6 steals for a 16-8 district semifinalist.
The guard shot 45 percent from the field (30 percent from threepoint range) and 88 percent at the free throw line despite suffering from Crohn’s Disease, which flared up several times during the season and hospitalized him the night before a district tournament game. Mcclure, who owns 14 Division I offers (Ohio State, Dayton are very interested), has scored 1,098 points in his career.
– Jesse Mcculloch, Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, 6-10,
senior
NE Lakes District POY. Michigan State recruit led Falcons (16-5) to the No. 1 ranking in Division III as defending state champions, despite losing high profile forward T.J. Crumble to rival Richmond Heights. Mcculloch averaged 22.4 points, 14.1 rebounds, 4.3 blocked shots and 2.7 assists.
– Tyler Mckinley, Cincinnati Winton Woods, 6-9, senior
19.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.6 apg. Shot 61.7 percent from the field and led his team to the Eastern Cincinnati Conference title for the first time. A UC signee, he is rated the No. 1 player in the state in all publications. Was ECC player of the year. Also played at Walnut Hills and Link Year Prep Academy in Missouri where he won a national title.
– Hayden Nigro, Louisville, 6-5, senior
Northeast Inland District Player of the Year. 6-4 wing averaged 20.9 points on 51.3 percent shooting from the field. Averaged 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists. ... Huge games against some of Louisville’s best competition, including 31 points against Akron Hoban and 31 against Lutheran East . ... Fouryear varsity player, threeyear starter. Louisville’s all-time leading scorer with 1,434 points.
– Mason Shrout, Camden Preble Shawnee, 6-5, senior
24.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.6 spg, 57.2% FG, 42.0 3 PT% 1st Team Western Ohio Athletic Conference, WOAC Player of the Year; District 15 Player of the Year.
– Colin White, Ottawa-glandorf, 6-6,
senior
Ohio State University commit averaged 24.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game this season for the Associated Press poll champion Titans, who are 20-3 as of March 4. White is already a twotime All-ohio first team selection and has been O-G’S top player on three straight state semifinal teams (runners-up in 2022, 2023).
Information about the OPSWA is available at: https://www.ohsaa.org/ NEWS/OPSWA*