Westerville North's Tony Cornett shows skills at Ohio State team camp

Westerville North’s Tony Cornett III has steadily built up a strong list of college offers. Since the start of May, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard has added ones from Akron, Bowling Green and Toledo as summer camp season has gotten underway.

Now with offers from 10 schools, including one from every Mid-American Conference school in Ohio, Cornett said the mission isn’t complete because it’s never complete.

“I feel like it’s more fuel for me,” he said of the recent offers from the Zips, Falcons and Rockets. “None of the offers I’ve gotten, I’m satisfied with. It won’t be a single offer that will make me fully satisfied because it’s like, why would I be satisfied with that offer? The job’s never finished.”

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It’s an attitude that has helped Cornett and the Warriors reach the Ohio Division II title game in each of the past two years, winning the championship in 2025 and falling in overtime in 2026. In this year’s five-point loss to Massillon Washington, Cornett had 15 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and four turnovers in 35 minutes.

On June 5, he was on the main court inside the Jerome Schottenstein Center as Westerville North participated in Ohio State’s team camp for the second consecutive day. The Warriors opened the day with a blowout win against Massillon Jackson with multiple members of the Ohio State coaching staff keeping an eye on the game.

The Buckeyes have not offered, but they continue to show interest.

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“They definitely fit high on my radar for me, personally,” he said. “I’m pretty sure they like how I play. I hope so. We talk every now and then. I’m supposed to come for a visit this month.”

Toledo and Akron are also scheduled to host Cornett on visits in June, he said. While he played in his first of three games June 5, Cornett was watched by Ohio State assistants Dave Dickerson, Mike Wells, Jamall Walker and Brian Walsh, recruiting coordinator Terence Dials and program assistant William Buford.

They saw several highlight plays, including one on which Cornett blocked a shot, gathered the ball, pushed it up the floor to an open teammate, sprinted toward the basket and took a lob thrown back to him for a dunk.

“A play like that, that’s multiple winning plays, all-in-one plays,” he said. “It made it even better that the lob came from my brother (Tyson), so that was special. He’s got to throw that one up.”

Cornett said he looks at rosters when he thinks about where he might play collegiately.

“What program could I fit in the most?” he said. “What program recruits players that are more like me and have my game style, like tall, versatile, strong, bigger guards? Also, looking at a program that develops players, too. The development is the big thing for me. If they can develop someone who plays like me, that’s something I definitely look for.”

247Sports.com ranks Cornett as a three-star prospect. He’s the No. 112 national prospect, the No. 19 shooting guard and No. 7 player in Ohio, and this season Cornett said he has to be ready to step into more of a leadership role on a team he said features only two returners with varsity experience.

Cornett said he’s working to improve his jumper and get stronger.

“I have to keep improving and getting stronger and bigger,” he said. “I’m working on my shot. Always working on my shot. That’s my No. 1 priority right now, because I have to be able to hit the open shot. Also, getting downhill, using my body, elevating over smaller defenders.”

Ohio State men’s basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @AdamJardy.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: At Ohio State team camp, Westerville North’s Tony Cornett shows skills