Circle City Shootout: Southern Ohio Prospects
Both Southeast and Southwest Ohio were represented at the Circle City Shootout. This particular recap is a look at those standout prospects who weren’t previously evaluated this week on the site.
Previous evaluations of these players can be easily accessed by clicking the links under their names.
Eric McLaughlin (2018), 6’5” W, Hidden Gems Black / Lynchburg Clay
Logan Swackhammer (2018), 6’2” PG, Hidden Gems Black / Chillicothe Unioto
Swackhammer is gifted passer. He’s not going to wow you with his athleticism, but the high-academic prospect simply makes the correct basketball play every time he touches it. He’s a calming presence for an offense. Swackhammer can also shoot the ball very well.
Ethan Conley (2019), 6’3” G, Dayton Metro / Franklin Monroe
Shots weren’t falling for Conley, when we had our opportunity to watch him. However, Conley is quite surely a Division I prospect — that much is clear. He’s a great looking athlete who can bully guards from 15-feet and in. However, he was shooting a lot of finesse shots from that area, coming with his back to the basket. They were mature moves that hardly rimmed out. Super athlete. Wouldn’t be surprised if Division I programs start swarming Conley this summer.
James Anderson (2018), 6’9” F/C, Ohio Elite Purple / Troy Christian
Caleb South (2018), 6’1” PG, OH-NOVA Rice / Bethel
If his team would have advanced further on Sunday, South could have been on one of the All-Tournament teams. He can play at any speed, as he often sprints down the floor in transition, then gathers slowly as defenders fly by him with steal attempts. The change of speeds is awfully impressive, and important for someone who isn’t quite a burner. High IQ. Only thing missing this weekend was the shooting, as he struggled from deep and at the free throw line. The shooting woes were surprising, as South scores the ball at an elite level in the winter.
Ryan Rose (2018), 6’2” G, Ohio Elite Purple / Bethel
Flat out, Rose can shoot the rock. He hit it off the catch from three-point land; he hit it off the two-dribble pull up with people in his face; he just can shoot it like crazy. Rose is going to draw some looks this summer as a specialist, as he’s clearly improving at a rapid pace. Reliable decision maker too.
Bryce Hunt (2018), 6’7” W, OT Elite
Dominic Pierce (2018), 6’4” G, Club Ohio – Pierce / Cincinnati Princeton
Pierce is an athletic slasher who plays within himself. He’s not going to force much, as he keeps the ball moving and waits for an opportunity to drive. Most impressive was a play where he saved a ball going out of bounds, ran up the court, caught it, took one dribble and flushed it home.
Giovanni Santiago (2018), 6’1” PG, Team One Phenoms / Cincinnati Hughes
Kameron Gibson (2018), 6’4” PG, Club Ohio – Pierce / Walnut Hills
Gibson has elite physical traits from the point guard position. Unfortunately, his skills were marginalized by playing out of position, mostly come off the ball on the wing. Regardless, when Gibson brought up the ball and was able to find gaps in the defense, he capitalized by finishing with either hand. He’s very collected, as he never looks frustrated, or displays much emotion at all. Gibson has a nice catch-and-shoot trey ball.