Recruiting Report: Mike Woods (2018)
While Michael Woods (2018) is going to immediately add an athletic and intelligent off-ball game to a basketball program, it’s more about what’s happening in the classroom for this 6’3” shooting guard out of Central Crossing.
“I’m going to go for criminology or criminal justice. I want to make sure they have a very good program in that. I want to make sure they have a good basketball program as well; but basketball isn’t my main concern because I know I’m not going to get drafted into the NBA or anything like that. So, that’s why I want to focus on schooling and making sure the campus is in a safe spot and things like that,” Woods said.
Currently, Woods has a varying degree interest from two in-state programs.
“The Otterbein coach was texting me a couple weekends ago and I got a couple letters from Ashland, and I think they emailed my mom too. I think I’m going to go to one of Ashland’s basketball camps, coming up soon. Yeah, so far those are the only two.”
“I was texting the head coach [of Otterbein] and the assistant coach,” Woods told Prep Hoops Ohio. “I haven’t really spoken to them in person, but I was texting them.”
“He was just like asking me if I’d like to go there, or what my plans were after high school and stuff. I mean, he said he wants to get the recruitment process started with me. I would definitely go on a visit there to see how I like it and stuff. I’ve heard the campus is really nice,” Woods said, in regards to Otterbein’s program.
The senior-to-be currently carries a 3.0 GPA and a 16 on the ACT. He’s disappointed with the 16, but it was his first attempt and there’s a re-take coming in September that he plans on taking.
Woods had a nice spring for Hidden Gems Black. We’ve been impressed his off-ball awareness, and his acceptance of a non-primary-ball-handler role. Woods is able to creep around the three-point line and find open shooting opportunities. Yet, he’s not simply a shooter, as Woods has the athletic ability to score in transition and be a plus-rebounder for his position.
In order to take the next step as a player, Woods is hoping to pull all of his raw abilities together with awareness and ball-handling.
“I would think I’d be a shooting guard. Because I’m not the best dribbler but I have a pretty nice shot. And I feel like teams, especially a lot of high school teams, they always close out on me real hard and want me to drive. So, I’m trying to elevate my game to that next level where I can actually drive. So if they play off, I can shoot. But if they come out, I can drive,” Woods said.
Scouts can watch Woods this June and this winter with Central Crossing, where he will have a lot of team responsibilities, as his teammate Antwon Hampton has transferred to Groveport Madison. In July, he’ll be back with Hidden Gems Black.