"The High IQ Floor General With Icewater Shot Making And Lockdown Defensive Fire"

Ben Ojala

@benojelly

6'2, Class of 2028

Evanston Township HS, IL

AAU: Elevate

Ben is the type of guard every winning team wants leading the charge because his game is built around making the right play at the right time while still having the confidence to take over the moment when everything is on the line. He plays with toughness, poise, IQ, unselfishness, and a competitive edge that constantly impacts winning. Whether he is raining shots from deep, making elite reads out of ball screens, creating opportunities for teammates, or defending with intensity against bigger players, Ben brings a complete floor game that keeps evolving every time he steps on the court.

In his own words, Ben describes himself first and foremost as a competitor and a winner. He made it clear that his focus is never on individual stats. Instead, his mindset revolves around making the right read, the right pass, and the right basketball play to help his team win. That mentality showed itself throughout Evanston’s season as Ben became one of the major engines behind one of the most dangerous and unselfish offenses in the state.

One of the biggest accomplishments from his season was tying the Evanston school record for most assists in a single season, matching a former teammate’s mark from his freshman year. Falling just one assist shy of breaking the record completely says everything about how much his playmaking and decision-making elevated over the course of the year. Ben’s growth as a true floor general became obvious as he constantly controlled pace, read defenses, and created quality looks for teammates possession after possession.

During Evanston’s regional championship run, Ben delivered one of his best postseason performances against Niles North, making high-level reads and allowing the offense to flow naturally through him. Because of his ability to make smart decisions and consistently put teammates in great positions, the game rewarded him offensively as well. That balance between scoring and facilitating is one of the biggest reasons his game has become so dangerous.

The postseason environment is where Ben feels most alive. Pressure does not shake him, but sharpens him. He openly admitted those are the moments he enjoys most because he believes his game rises when the lights are brightest. Going to sectionals in back-to-back seasons brought excitement, but this season carried even more meaning because he stepped into a much larger role compared to his freshman year. Competing against elite teams while showing the state exactly what he brings to the floor became one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.

Then came the moment Evanston fans will never forget—the buzzer beater against Loyola.

Coach drew up a play specifically for Ben to attack and make something happen. In that moment, there was no panic and no hesitation. Ben trusted himself completely. Coming down the floor, he pump-faked, created space, rose up, and hit the game-winning three as the crowd exploded around him. It was one of those moments every young player dreams about and one that instantly became etched into Evanston basketball memories.

What made Evanston so dangerous all season long was not just talent. It was chemistry, trust, and complete unselfishness. Ben explained that nobody cared about individual points because the only focus was winning basketball games together. The team spent countless early mornings in the gym building chemistry and elevating their shooting consistency, and the results showed. Every starter at one point during the season shot above 40% from three, while all five starters averaged double figures. That type of balance made the offense nearly impossible to key in on because anyone could erupt offensively on any given night.

Adversity still found its way into the season. Evanston lost its lead big for a month due to injury and battled through difficult losses against teams like Marist and Waukegan. Instead of fracturing the team, those moments strengthened their belief in one another. Ben felt those losses reinforced that Evanston had the talent from top to bottom to compete with anybody in the state as long as they stayed disciplined and refused to let opponents dictate their performance.

One of the biggest improvements in Ben’s game this year came through his on-ball decision-making. Earlier in his career, he leaned more heavily toward scoring, but over the past year, his development as a creator and facilitator exploded. He made a major point of looking to create open looks for teammates and embracing what a true point guard should do. His reads out of press breaks, ball screens, and spot-up situations became much sharper, and the increase in his assist numbers became direct proof of that development.

That growth is now carrying directly into AAU with Elevate, where Ben continues proving himself against high-level competition. After helping Elevate go 4-0 during the live period, his confidence, pace, and command of the offense continue to rise. The ability to balance scoring with playmaking while also defending aggressively has turned him into one of the more complete guards in his class.

This offseason, Ben’s focus is locked in on consistency. He wants his shot-making and reads out of ball screens to become even more reliable and efficient. His biggest goal is helping Evanston win a state championship next season because he truly believes the pieces are there to make a serious run. Along with team success, he is also chasing more college attention and future offers because he fully believes he is a DI-caliber guard capable of playing at the next level.

Every time Ben steps on the floor, coaches can expect a high-IQ guard that makes winning plays, shoots the ball at a high level, creates opportunities for teammates, and competes defensively without fear, regardless of matchup or size. He takes pride in defending, embraces pressure moments, and continues evolving into one of the most complete guards in Illinois basketball.

I assess that Ben brings tremendous value as a high-IQ two-way guard who impacts the game through decision-making, shooting, playmaking, and defensive competitiveness. His ability to control pace, make advanced reads, and create efficient offense for both himself and teammates stands out immediately. The growth in his on-ball creation and overall command of the game has elevated him into a much more complete offensive weapon, while his toughness and willingness to defend give him strong value on both ends.

Ben projects as a highly impactful winning guard because of his basketball IQ, shot-making ability, unselfishness, and defensive mentality. His feel for the game allows him to consistently make the correct basketball play while still possessing the confidence to step into big moments without hesitation. As his consistency as a scorer and creator continues to evolve, his ceiling keeps rising. The combination of leadership, playmaking, shooting touch, poise under pressure, and defensive toughness gives him the tools to succeed at the next level and continue growing into a major difference-maker. Stay tuned.