In what has been one of the most odd high school basketball seasons ever where the circumstances and experiences of different teams around the country have been totally different in some regards, 2022 Ohio State commit Bowen Hardman has been making the most of things.

Playing in the Greater Miami Conference in Cincinnati (Ohio) for Princeton High School, the same school which produced current Oklahoma City Thunder second year player Darius Bazley, both Hardman and the Vikings have enjoyed their ups and downs throughout this odd season.

“It has been pretty tough (this season), but it’s a great learning experience with all of it,” Hardman told BuckeyeGrove. “Knowing that you won’t be able to play or have fans is hard but it just shows that you have to keep working each and everyday because you never know what opportunities await.”

The No.141 overall prospect in the 2022 class on Rivals, Hardman is averaging 13.5 points and around three rebounds a night for Princeton, who currently sits at 7-5 and has had their last few games postponed.

Hardman is putting up these numbers on pretty solid shooting efficiency as well, as he is shooting 38 percent from the field, 34 percent from deep and 81 percent from the stripe this season.

“I think I’ve been able to do a lot of things pretty well throughout this season so far like running a very skilled offense and getting more comfortable on the defensive end,” said Hardman. “One of the biggest parts I have improved in is having that accountability for our team, leading each and every day and learning how to become a better leader through ups and downs during games or tough stretches.”

After stepping into a larger role for Princeton this season, Hardman’s game has taken some strides forward. At 6-foot-4, Hardman is a lanky wing who can really shoot it, however he says he has been improving his physicality as well and continuing to add to his frame.

“I’ve definitely improved physically and I have improved my pace on both ends,” said Hardman. “I’ve learned how to better grind through long quarters and getting the best opportunities for not just myself but my teammates as well.”

While this season has been very stressful for many teams and has required a lot of focus, Hardman also told me he has been taking notice of the work Ohio State has been doing on the court this season.

“Man, my Buckeyes are rolling this season,” said Hardman. “I think that Coach Holtmann and all of his staff are doing an unbelievable job with keeping those guys on their toes and making sure they are ready to compete everyday. They are doing a really good job of just handling business, whether it is at home or on the road.”

While Princeton has been hit hard with COVID this season and has been forced to cancel a handful of games because of it, the Vikings still possess one of the more talented rosters in Cincinnati and Hardman has high hopes for both he and his guys as the state tournament gets ready to begin next week.

“It has been an interesting season,” Hardman told me. “We have had a lot of success but at the same time have had some down times. However, we are ready to make a huge run this postseason. The Vikings will be coming out strong, I promise!”

The number nine seed in the southwest district, the Vikings have a tough road ahead in a loaded Cincinnati district, but as Hardman said, they certainly will be coming out strong.

Stay tuned for BuckeyeGrove for the next story of this series next week featuring 2021 Ohio State commit Malaki Branham!