Northwest Ohio Showcase: Underclassmen Prospects
On Sunday, Prep Hoops checked out the Northwest Ohio Boys Basketball Showcase at Toledo Christian School. The third annual event featured players from the northwest Ohio area, with a select few driving in from out of town.
We came away from the showcase most excited about the young talent in the Toledo area. In this recap, you’ll find several of kids with Division I and Division II upside.
Mason Loeffler (2020), 6’3” G, Evergreen
Playing on a tweaked ankle, Loeffler was still dunking in transition and creating separation for his consistent jumper in the half-court. The sophomore can score it from all three levels, and does so efficiently (meaning, he doesn’t need too many dribbles to create separation from his defender) byway of pump fakes and step backs. It’s still too early determine, but at this time, we believe his ability to defend will determine whether he’s recruited by Division II or low-major programs.
Joey Holifield (2020), 6’0” PG, Cardinal Stritch
Holifield had yet another strong performance this weekend. We’ve heard questions about Holifield’s three-point shooting ability, but he excelled in that area on Sunday. Holifield also was making the right passes all day, even if his teammates weren’t quite ready for them. Also, Holifield’s ability to finish contested layups against taller opponents was impressive.
Jamiya Neal (2021), 6’4” W, Toledo St. Francis
Neal is a long, wiry athlete with tremendous bounce as a freshman. Even though he’s not the most muscular kid yet, Neal out-rebounded plenty of upperclassmen throughout the day because of how high he gets. The freshman has serious upside as a defender. As a scorer, Neal runs the floor well for finishes in transition and hit a couple catch-and-shoot triples.
Frank WagenFeald (2021), 6’6” F/C, Oregon Clay
WagenFeald is an interior scoring specialist. His feet allow him to operate pretty smoothly on post touches, which he was able to convert into a couple fade-aways and drop steps. Also, WagenFeald dropped in some 12-foot jumpers on pick-and-pop sets. Going forward, he needs get stronger with the ball and make an impact on the glass. But, he’s a young prospect who battled with upperclassmen all day.
Dayven Kizer (2021), 5’10” PG, Toledo St. Francis
Kizer has a smooth off-the-dribble game and mature court vision. He looks to penetrate, often getting a step on the defender with his hesitation move, and find jumpers in the mid-range. Also, Kizer makes sure that the ball moves side-to-side, giving spot up shooters open opportunities to shoot or create a shot before the defense reacts. Simply put, he had a mature outing for such a young point guard.