Ohio completed the sweep in Saturday night’s “Battle of the Border” All-Star basketball showcase at Thomas More University.
The girls set the tone early with a dominant 93–69 win, and the boys followed with a thrilling 110–109 nail-biter to seal the deal and finish off a perfect night for the Buckeye State.
BOYS
All-Star games are meant to be fun, and the Battle of the Border delivered exactly that.
With the clock winding down and Ohio holding a narrow lead, Trey Perry—a Miami (OH) commit—buried a clutch three-pointer to give the Ohio All-Stars the edge. Kentucky’s halfcourt heave at the buzzer came up just short, sealing Ohio’s 19th all-time win in the series.
Kentucky controlled the game for much of the night, taking a 59-51 lead into halftime and holding an 11-point advantage with 11 minutes to play. But as the game wore on, the top talent on the floor rose to the occasion.
Perry led the way for Ohio with 26 points, while Tyler Kropp—an incoming Big Ten player headed to Northwestern—added 22 in the comeback effort. Bennett Kayser contributed 17 points, and Toby Nwokolo chipped in 11 to round out Ohio’s top scorers.
On the Kentucky side, one of the most memorable performances came from a player still searching for his college home.
Walton-Verona’s Aaron Gutman made the most of his moment, highlighted by a crucial save that led to a Kentucky bucket in the final minute. Then, with under 10 seconds remaining, Gutman found himself with the ball—and the trust of his teammates—driving in for a go-ahead layup just before Perry’s game-winner.
“It means a lot because it showed that everyone on the court trusts me,” Gutman said. “Even the coach. I hope that showcases that if I can do it with these guys, I can do it at the D-1 level—or whatever level I can go to.”
Gutman finished with 13 points and was one of four Kentucky players to score in double figures. UT-Martin commit Ty Price led the way with 25 points and was named Player of the Game for Kentucky. WKU signee Armelo Boone added 15, while Morehead State commit Vince Dawson scored 10.
Playing under a college-style setup—with a different court and shot clock—brought a new experience not just for the players, but for the coaches as well.
Joining Great Crossing head coach and state champion Steve Page on the sideline was Lloyd Memorial head coach Michael Walker, who served as an assistant for Team Kentucky.
“We had fun,” Coach Walker said. “We talked over some strategies, but most importantly, we just hung out, talked basketball, and had a blast. Shoutout to Randy Ward, his son, and the entire team for selecting me. But that’s also kudos to Lloyd and the success we’ve had.”
Walker also had the special privilege of coaching his son, EJ Walker—a South Carolina commit—one last time before he heads to Columbia on June 6.
As one of the few players on the floor committed to a Power Five program, EJ showed his strengths in a key area, battling against Northwestern-bound Kropp all night.
“Physicality,” EJ said. “Just being physical, staying under control. I’m pretty physical, but I had to get used to the cuts and bumps—stuff that I’m not always used to.”
Physicality wasn’t an issue for either side. Kentucky narrowly outrebounded their state rivals by three, setting the tone in a game that was competitive until the final buzzer.
With the win, Ohio now leads the series 19-13.
OHIO ALL-STARS 110, KENTUCKY ALL-STARS 109
OHIO — 51-59 — 110
KENTUCKY — 59-50 — 109
Scoring
OH — Perry 26, Kropp 22, Kayser 17, Nwokolo 10, Stadelman 7, Wassler 7, Siegfried 6, Fisher 4, Greer 4, Riep 4, Waleskowski 3
KY — Price 25, Boone 15, Gutman 13, Dawson 10, Jenkins 9, Warfield 9, Walker 7, Decker 4, Mabe 4, Mukadi 4, Beickman 3, Edmonds 2, McCutchen 2, Russell 2
GIRLS
The Ohio All-Stars may have taken control of the game early, but it gave every player on the floor the chance to suit up for at least one more high school basketball game.
Ohio jumped out to a commanding 58–29 halftime lead and never looked back. Kentucky was never able to grab the lead, but even in a one-sided contest, the game was filled with meaningful moments for the players.
The showcase featured Louisville commits, Grace Mbugua (Danville Christian) and Peyton Bradley (Meade County), who led Kentucky with 10 points.
It was also a special moment for several northern Kentucky standouts, who got the chance to share the floor rather than compete against one another.
Among them were Newport Central Catholic’s Caroline Eaglin, Walton-Verona’s Braylin Terrell, and Holy Cross’ Aniyah Carter, all playing under Holy Cross head coach Ted Arlinghaus, who served as an assistant for Team Kentucky. The trio combined for 15 points and eight rebounds, showcasing their chemistry and skill on a larger stage.
“It’s cool to play with the others from northern Kentucky,” said Eaglin, an NKU commit. “We play against them in the regular season, so it’s good to have fun out here playing as teammates instead of competitors.”
For Braylin Terrell, who’s heading to college at just 17 years old, the game offered one final high school experience.
“It feels really good to be able to play again with the season being over,” Terrell said. “I’m still 17, so I could technically be a junior—so it’s a little nerve-wracking going into college.”
For Coach Arlinghaus, it was a meaningful opportunity to coach one of his most accomplished players one last time, Aniyah Carter.
“It was nice to get one last time,” Arlinghaus said. “After we lost to Cooper in region, to get out there and spend a few days with her at practice and the game was special.”
With the win, Ohio cut into Kentucky’s lead in the all-time series, trimming it to 17–14.
OHIO ALL-STARS 93, KENTUCKY ALL-STARS 69
OHIO — 30–28–19-16 —93
KENTUCKY — 13-16-19-21 — 69
Scoring
OH — Parrish 15, Shugula 11, K. Miller 13, Lipps 9, Barnitz 7, Frazier 7, Mounce 6, Williams 6, Nienaber 5, Whitaker 5, Pitzer 4, C. Miller 1
KY — Bradley 10, Collins 8, Gilbert 8, Adkins 7, Carter 6, Cummins 5, Eaglin 5, Frazee 5, McAlarnis 5, Terrell 4, Quisenberry 2, Archibald 2, Mbugua 1, Strader 1