Play by Play Classic: Top Upperclassmen Performers
Flyin’ to the Hoop is this coming weekend and all, but the Play by Play Classic was about as perfect a day of Ohio basketball imaginable. We’d be setting ourselves up for disappointment if we thought this weekend could bring us a more compelling day of games than what happened Sunday. Six of the seven contests were close in the fourth quarter, under-the-radar prospects emerged (check below), and even the proven college signees made their case to move up the rankings!
As always, most importantly the players made plays. So we’ll take a look at those performances now…
CJ Charleston (2019), 5’11” PG, Gilmour Academy
Lutheran East had no answer for the quickness and downhill attacking style of CJ Charleston. He scored 27 points, many of which coming byway of his full-speed attacks to the rim. Charleston also was able to play a slowed-down pace by shooting the triple and making sure the ball was filtered into Dechlan Kirincic in the fourth quarter.
Dechlan Kirincic (2018), 6’6” F, Gilmour Academy (Marian signee)
Kirincic has always impressed with his versatility as a post-up scorer, as he’s able to face-up and shoot the mid-range jay or power in for hook shots. Where he showed a little something new was as secondary ball-handler against Lutheran East’s full-court trap. Kirincic even went coast-to-coast on one occasion, finishing off the play with a spin gather into a layup. He led all scorers with 32 points.
Pete Nance (2018), 6’10” F, Revere (Northwestern signee)
Nance needs to be ranked in the top five of the 2018 class, maybe top three. He was the most polished prospect we saw all weekend, and that includes Jerome Hunter, Alonzo Gaffney, Meechie Johnson, Dwayne Cohill, and Dane Goodwin.
His feel for the court and poise against double-teams led to countless easy baskets off Nance assists. He handled it as their primary ball-handler despite pesky 6-foot guards heckling him all the way down the court. Nance dropped in a pair of triples and dominated on the block when Revere needed a bucket.
Demetrius Terry (2019), 6’1” G, Lakewood St. Edward
After scoring 25 points against Benedictine the night before, the junior 6’1” guard kept it rolling against Shaker on Sunday. Terry is an explosive athlete who threw down multiple highlight-level dunks and connected on 3-pointers for a total of 26 points. Terry can play both guard spots because of his vision, athleticism, and jumper. Seems more confident than ever before.
Side note: Terry missed most of the grassroots season last year after the NEO Shooting Stars main team disbanded before the July live period. Expect NAIAs and D-IIs to take a hard look at Terry this coming summer.
PJ Flannery (2018), 6’3” G, Lakewood St. Edward
Flannery’s 3-point shooting is a valuable asset on a star-studded St. Edward team that should be considered the best team in Ohio after last week. He’s an aggressive sniper who benefits from the ball and player movement in this offense. Flannery also was impactful in passing lanes, as he jumped a couple passes and pushed the break. Strong enough frame to defend wings of various size, maybe even some fours at the Division III level.
Dale Bonner (2018), 6’3” G, Shaker Heights (Fairmont State signee)
Bonner continued his impressive senior season by dropping 36 of Shaker’s 90 points against St. Edward. Minus Christian Guess, the Fairmont State signee undertook more of the scoring load and was on fire from the outside. His high-arching jumper gives him deep range.
Alex Heath (2018), 5’9” PG, Garfield Heights (Mercyhurst signee)
Amongst various Division I prospects, Heath allows everything to fall into place for Garfield when he’s shooting the ball well, controlling the tempo, and protecting the ball. Heath was the key in their first half dominance over Brush by making the opposing point guard uncomfortable.
Lunden McDay (2019), 6’3” hybrid, St. Vincent-St. Mary
McDay had, by far, his most complete offensive performance to date on Sunday. Known mostly for his finishing ability, McDay came out against Cleveland Heights and dropped in spot-up threes, handled the ball on the perimeter, and mixed in strong takes. As a lengthy defensive-oriented wing, McDay will make a big impact for a low-major if he continues to stretch defenses with the jumper.
Mike Bothwell (2018), 6’3” G, Cornerstone Christian (Furman commit)
The veteran lefty was ready to put on a show once he took the floor at 9p.m. on Sunday night, putting the kids to bed early by dropping 16 points in the first quarter. Bothwell was pulling up from way downtown, hitting an NBA-range bomb on a streak of four-straight possessions where he converted 3-pointers. Bothwell scored 30 points in the blow-out over Elyria Catholic.
Kendall Saunders (2018), 6’5”-6’6” F, Cornerstone Christian
Saunders was a major stock-riser at the Play by Play Classic. He’s a big-bodied four that can take it to the chest of a defender for finishes. Saunders can finish over taller defenders by jumping into them and keep his arm extended to avoid rejections. He also splashed multiple 3-pointers when the defense forgot to respect him from outside. He scored 22 points and will be a key member of their postseason run.