NOE Showcase: Newcomers
Showcases and Expos are great opportunities to get in front of Prep Hoops for the first time. The following list of prospects are the guys who we studied for the first time at the Northern Ohio Elite (NOE) Showcase.
Colby Cross (2020), 5’9” PG, Cedarville
See Stock-Risers article.
Yousef Saleh (2020), 5’10” G, Beavercreek
Saleh told us that he didn’t play at all last year or during the spring for an AAU team because of a knee issue. He looked extremely healthy during the Showcase though. Saleh impacts the game mostly as a slasher, as he darts into the lane in a downhill fashion. Once he gets to the rim, Saleh hangs in the air for a rather long time and avoids contact in the air for creative layups. The kid is relentless. We’d like to see him create more for others when he gets into the lane though, because he will draw a second defender often throughout his high school career.
Katano Moss (four years college eligibility remaining), 6’5” W, transfer from Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy (Bahamas)
See Stock-Risers article.
John Garza (2018), 6’3” G, Bryan
See Shooters article.
Norian Lindsay (2018), 5’8” PG, Mansfield Senior
Came away very impressed with Lindsay, as this was our first time studying his game in person. Lindsay’s game that he showed in the Showcase could be easily translated to a more structured style (e.g. during the high school season). Lindsay affected games by dropping in bounce passes to his bigs or cutters — of which he never telegraphed, he just sort of was dribbling around the outside and then would throw passes that he wasn’t really staring down.
Jalen Dial (2021), 5’10” PG, Cleveland Brush
Dial definitely has the style of a true point guard, even at a young age. As one of the three 2021 prospects at the NOE Showcase, Dial proved capable to play with the older competition. He is an attacking guard, as he looks to get inside more than anything. Dial, the younger brother of Division I prospect DJ Dial, protected the ball despite some heavy ball-pressure from the defense.
Shane Garcia (2021), 6’2” G, Anthony Wayne
Garcia was on the receiving end of backdoor pass or two, as he read the defense intelligently. He was mainly looking to shoot the jumper, and, in turn, the defense played closely on him away from the ball — therefore he was able to take advantage with those back-cuts turned layups. Garcia has good length for a young prospect, which we’d like to see him use more wisely on during on-ball defense when his guy attacks against him. Also a willing passer, as Garcia pushed the break with an outlet when he controlled the rebound.
Joey Boujaoude (2020), 6’1” G, Lakota East
Boujaoude seemed to recognize early that he wasn’t going to be the primary ball-handler for Team E, as they were stacked with point guards. He adjusted by sneaking into blind spots in the defense, finding wide open opportunities as his defender fell asleep. Once Boujaoude received a pass, he released quickly for layups. Partially because of the open looks he created, he shot a very high percentage during the Showcase.
Dalen Soloman (2018), 6’5” W, John Hay
See Stock-Risers and Transition Playmakers articles.
Brent Moss (2021), 5’7” G, Tabernacle Baptist Christian Academy (Bahamas)
Moss’ body was clearly much smaller than most of his counterparts, which made his performance even more impressive. He’ll probably be a stud at the freshman or junior varsity level as a freshman. His ball-skills are pretty mature, as he was able to weave defenders against pressure. Moss also hit a couple three-pointers off the catch. Once his body develops, Moss could likely be a legitimate prospect.