All Ohio Nike Cup Recap: Central Ohio Prospects
There’s a few glaring takeaways from our weekend at the All Ohio Nike Cup.
First of all, Ohio is talented, but these grassroots teams still need time to gel. Naturally, with this being the first or second weekend that these talented groups have played together, this wasn’t any team’s best weekend.
Second, there’s a lot of All Ohio teams.
Third, each section of the state (Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southwest, and Southeast) brings a lot to the table. Therefore, we will break-up our Nike Cup recaps accordingly. For Southeast, we didn’t see enough players to compile a list. We expect that most of those players were involved in other tournaments across the Midwest.
Fourth and finally, on Sunday we watched exclusively 2020 players. Going into the weekend, it was the class we were most unfamiliar with. Probably still is, considering some of these players didn’t compete at the varsity level last season. There’s a lot still yet to be seen. But from what we gathered on Saturday and Sunday, this class has a ton of upside.
With that being said, these recaps will be heavy on 2020 prospects. In turn, there will be some oversights of upperclassmen who had good weekends.
Now, let’s explore some of those players who competed this weekend.
Na’elle Simmons (2019), 6’7 F, Pro Bound/Beechcroft
We didn’t see a ton of this Pro Bound team play, but we did watch their game against All Ohio Red on Saturday in it’s entirety. This game presented an opportunity for Simmons to battle against 6’11 center Abba Lawal. Simmons met the challenge, using his quickness around the basket to beat him to spots. Simmons nearly dunked on him at one point, which speaks to his explosiveness. What’s clear is that Simmons is a very above average athlete at his size.
Javohn Garcia (2019), 6’4 G, Pro Bound/Pickerington Central
Garcia reportedly had one of the best weekends of anybody in Columbus last weekend. Again, we can only speak on the one game. Based on that, it’s not hard to believe the other reports. Garcia is handful off the dribble, as he creates separation against elite athletes with crossovers and step-backs. The sophomore plays with a certain fluidity that is hard to stop, even when guys are in his face. Garcia has a nice jumper, and again, shoots it better off the dribble than most prospects.
Jah’von Blevins (2018), 6’5 W, All Ohio Red (Johnson)/Pickerington Central
Blevins is long. He uses this length defensively in the full-court, as he stretches into passing lanes. Offensively, his extension on lay-ups makes those attempts very hard to block midair. He slashes quickly and is aided by his reliable ball-handling ability. Blevins is a creator from the wing, who could honestly be considered a combo guard in the right system.
Lacey Watson (2018), 6’5 G, Elite Basketball Club/Whitehall-Yearling
Watson, along with this next prospect, is going to make a huge impact for Whitehall next season after transferring from Chicago, Illinois. Watson was ranking as the #19 prospect in Illinois by Prep Hoops, and this is when he was three inches shorter!
Anyway, back to this weekend. Watson is likely a Division I combo guard. It’s his passing ability that separates him. The defense is tempted to focus on him, because of his scoring ability, and he makes them pay with timely assists. Watson is also a terror in transition and even defended the rim at a high level in their five-guard lineup.
Reiko Bagley (2018), 6’5 G, Elite Basketball Club/Whitehall-Yearling
Bagley, a cousin of Lacey Watson, hit a countless number of treys in the second half of a game on Saturday. Bagley never changes his shooting form, whether it’s mid-range of NBA range. He can simply shoot the ball with the best of them. Bagley also has fantastic size for the guard position, giving his team defensive flexibility (again, they played five-guard lineups most of the game). Bagley and Watson are going to make some noise in the Mid-State League next season.
Dominiq Penn (2020), 6’0 PG, All Ohio Red/Dublin Coffman
Penn’s best moments came in the clutch, during overtime of their Gold semifinal against the Rebels. Penn scored all seven points for Red in the extra period, mostly by driving the lane and either finishing or being fouled. He changes speed very well, usually driving hard right after a hesitation move. He’s a complete player, with a nice jump shot and passing ability also. Strong Division I prospect.
Josiah Fulcher (2020), 6’1 G, All Ohio Red/Pickerington Central
Fulcher is a super talented athlete who sort of reminded us of Justin Jackson from North Carolina, minus the size. His two-footer floater in the mid-range is impressive, as he can get that shot on any possession. Although he rimmed out on many of those and the three-point attempts, they’re good shots that will go in with time. Attacks the rim with explosion. Stretches the floor.
Dane Goodwin (2018), 6’5 G, All Ohio Red/Upper Arlington
Goodwin probably has the best jump shot, whether it’s off the dribble or spotting up, in Ohio. It’s buttery smooth and he hardly ever even hits the rim on some of these attempts. Defensively, he was elevating to reject shots from the weak-side. He’s a court leader, even on a team with immense talent. The Ohio State commit is likely the earlier favorite for Mr. Basketball next season. In the meantime, he’s going to have a huge summer on the circuit.
Jordan Mitchell (2019), 6’6 W, All Ohio Red 17u/Montverde Academy (FL)
The former Gahanna Lincoln player is a great looking athlete who dominates in transition. On the break, he seamlessly side-steps defenders on his way to finishes. He also uses that athleticism and size at the front of the full-court pressure, as opposing point guards were no match for what Mitchell was throwing at him. Easily the best 2019 prospect in the gym.
Ross Ryan (2018), 6’8 F/C, All Ohio Red/Centerburg
Ryan has great mobility for his size, and is likely going to be a power forward at the Division I level. The agility allows for him to jump around in the half-court defense, where he can slide with other face-up forwards and contest shots. When Ryan grabs rebounds, he quickly outlets to talented guards to start the break. He can also run the floor himself.
Josh Corbin (2019), 6’2 G, All Ohio Red/Gahanna Lincoln
Corbin is known as a shooter, and shoot it he does. The jumper is sweet. But we were also impressed with Corbin’s driving ability, which is facilitated by the shooting threat. On a couple occasions, he was able to pump and get all the way to the rim with some athleticism. Corbin is definitely one of the most talented two-guards in Ohio. We’re eager to watch more often going forward.