Weekend Warm-Up: adidas Gauntlet Silver & Hoop Group
Starting this week and continuing throughout the entirety of the grassroots season, Prep Hoops Ohio will provide weekly previews for circuit events (EYBL, adidas Gauntlet Gold, UAA, adidas Gauntlet Silver, and Hoop Group) and non-shoe-sponsored tournaments.
The goal is to give coaches, scouts, and fans a heads up on everybody’s team performance the weekend prior while also taking a look at individual stock-risers. Recruiting updates, statistics, and analysis will be provided wherever appropriate.
(Grassroots coaches and sources can reach out to anthony@prephoops.com to provide information if you’d like.)
After posting about the EYBL, UAA, and Gold Gauntlet earlier today, here’s a preview of this weekend’s action at adidas Gauntlet Silver and Hoop Group.
The adidas Gauntlet Silver action will take place in Indy for the second weekend in a row. Four Ohio-based programs have teams in the Silver: Nova Village, Mid Ohio Pumas, Ohio Hoopsters, and Ohio Ballstars.
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Nova (James) went 3-1 in their first weekend of circuit play. They advanced all the way to the semifinals of the Gold bracket. They’re placed in a pool with Indiana Elite Central, KY Royals, and the Motor City Grizzlies this time around.
Leading the way for them last weekend was point guard stud Jeremiah Keene, who has been one of Ohio’s top stock-risers early this fall. The 6’0” scorer/playmaker has offers from Kent State, Stony Brook, and UT-Martin. He was also watched by Miami, Ohio University, Toledo, Wofford, and Furman in Indy. The versatile Terin Kinsway from Delaware Hayes also had a strong weekend, scoring 13.8 points per game. Kinsway is currently in contact with West Liberty, Fairmont State, Ashland, Wheeling Jesuit, and Wofford.
The Ohio Hoopsters played in Washington DC for their first round of Silver games, going 2-1. They have a plethora of under-the-radar talent, including Logan High School 6’5” guard Bo Myers. The Hoopsters have fielded calls from UT Chattanooga on Myers. Additionally, he’s been directly contacted by Davidson, Anderson, Air Force, Concord, Carson-Newman, George Mason, Trevecca Nazarene, Malone, and Montclair State. Meanwhile, Garrett Denbow will be back in the fold this weekend after dealing with an ankle injury. He’s being recruited by Division II programs.
The Mid Ohio Pumas went 2-2 last weekend. Olentangy point guard Sean Marks is their headliner. The savvy point guard is expected to be watched by Ohio Dominican, Hillsdale, Gannon, Malone, the University of Chicago, and Ohio Wesleyan this weekend.
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In the 2020 grade level, the Mid Ohio Pumas have some high-end talent on their team. And nobody on that team has been better than Grant Whisman this spring, a 6’7” wing from Middletown Madison. Whisman averaged 18.0 points per game last weekend. Davidson, Purdue, Toledo, Wright State, Liberty, Miami (Ohio), Cleveland State, and Dayton watched the Pumas in Indy. Whisman has additionally received Big East interest this week. His teammate Jake Younkin is also receiving interest from the Horizon League, MAC, A-10, and Big South.
Meanwhile, Nova’s 6’8” center Hayden Stone has ascended in a major way over the past half-year. The defensive minded post will be watched by Akron and Ashland in Indy.
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The Mid Ohio Pumas Elite 2021 team is yet to lose a game this season. They took down Indiana Elite Central 77-75 in the Gold Championship to cap off their 5-0 weekend in Indy a week ago. Their entire frontcourt is outstanding, but they’ll be especially tough to beat when Moeller 6’8” center Logan Duncomb is rolling. He scored 21 against Indiana Elite Central, including the game-winner as time expired. Duncomb was given a peek by Indiana and Iowa last weekend. Coming up, Ohio State will be in to check him out this weekend. He also has Purdue and Xavier interest, along with a Winthrop offer.
Tyrese Hughey also appears to be a D-I post player in this 2021 class. Although we’re unaware of early interest after his weekend in DC, Midwest programs can check him out with the Ohio Hoopsters in Indy this weekend.
After a successful weekend in Pittsburgh, the Hoop Group is moving their show to Maheim, PA this weekend for the Spring Jam Fest. Two TNBA teams and another squad from the Nova Village will be in action there.
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Although Nova (Russell) remains one of Ohio’s most cohesive and talented teams, they didn’t have their best weekend in Pitt, going 1-3 during the first Live Period weekend. However, Penn verbal commit Max Martz has been dropping nearly or over 30 points routinely this spring.
Meanwhile, TNBA Flash made it to the round of 32 in Pitt, finishing 4-3 on the weekend. Fairmont State commit Mike Bekelja led the team in scoring. Meanwhile Jake Maranville and Tyler Stephens are racking up college interest from Fairmont State, West Liberty, Malone, Charleston, and Stonehill College.
Brandon Rush continues to be the lead man for TNBA Ohio. He received his second D-I offer earlier this week as Central Connecticut joined St. Francis. The Warrensville Heights guard will be watched by Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, Furman, Lehigh, and Lafayette this weekend. Also, VASJ 6’7” forward Latrace Jackson reportedly had a nice outing in Pittsburgh.