All In Hoopfest: Southwest Ohio Fs
Over the entire week, we’ll be highlighting the impressive performances from Ohio prospects at the All In Hoopfest in Louisville. We started on Monday with the Breakout Performances. Now, we’re taking a trip all the way around Ohio by checking in on players in accordance to their state region and position.
In wrapping up the southwest Ohio region, we’ll focus on forwards.
Grant Whisman (2020), 6’5” W/F, Mid Ohio Pumas Elite 2020
It’s hard to project which position Whisman will end up at in college. He plays like a guard most of the time, with his smooth jumper and deliberate ball fakes. But sometimes his feet aren’t quite quick enough to defend opposing 2-guards.
Anyways, when he finds a rhythm, Whisman appears to be a strong D-I prospect. He impacts the game on offense regardless, because of his scoring ability. Once the Middletown Madison prospect adds an edge and speeds up his decision-making, his recruitment could explose.
James Anderson (2018), 6’8” F/C, OEBA Purple
We’re a little surprised that Anderson hasn’t received an offer following the All In Hoopfest. He’s played well this entire grassroots season, but he especially stepped up during this second Live Period weekend. Anderson was playing with more fire — calling out screens on defense, taking it to the chest of defenders on post moves, and scoring more often. Anderson may be huge but he’s capable of handling it just inside the arch, as he has incredible feet and hands for his size. Spin moves and step-through moves were his bread and butter in the interior this weekend.
Jake Warriner (2020), 6’3”-6’4” W/F, Pro Bound
Bryce Hunt (2018), 6’7” hybrid, OT Elite
With an undersized OT Elite team, Hunt logged a lot of time at center for this team. He did an impressive job of defending a diverse group of bigs that ranged from 6’6” to 6’9”, as he’s strong enough to win rebound battles and challenge shots against all of them. On the glass, Hunt is consistently focused on box-outs; when he wins position, there’s no doubt he’ll come down with the ball because of his vertical leap. Part of the reason we came away impressed by his effectiveness against centers is because he’s shut down guards in previous tournaments. Hunt is a Division I athlete who runs the floor like a track star and takes anyone off the dribble with straight-line drives. Hunt would be a steal at the D-II level, but he currently lacks offers.
Sam Towns (2019), 6’6” W/F, Pro Bound
This weekend, Towns looked more like a wing that we’ve ever seen in person. In a loss to Indiana Elite Central, Towns showed elusive driving ability. The rising star from Dayton Springfield is especially effective when he’s trailing the play on the secondary break — Towns is able to pop a three or take someone off the dribble if they close-out too hard. His mobility at 6’6”, combined with the scoring ability, leads us to believe Towns has D-I upside.
Thomas Arrington (2018), 6’5” F/C, Ohio Unity
Arrington left it on the court this weekend by sacrificing his body for rebound attempts. The big-bodied prospect from Springboro crashes the glass hard. Once he gets inside, Arrington has soft touch on layups. We’d like to see him become a consistent threat with his jump shot. He seems to be a strong D-III prospect currently, for schools searching for a post presence.