Prospect Evaluations: Xenia vs. Olentangy Liberty
Junior combo guard Samari Curtis took over in the second half to push Xenia over Olentangy Liberty for a victory at Flyin’ to the Hoop. Xenia outscored the Patriots by 13 points in the second half in their 67-60 win.
Both teams came in with a .500 record, Xenia leaves at 7-6 while Olentangy Liberty drops to 5-6.
Time to take a look at the prospects in this game, including two of the top seven juniors in Ohio…
Samari Curtis (2019), 6’4″ G, Xenia
Besides the occasional play from point guard Jay Evans, Xenia’s offense is entirely reliable on Curtis to make plays. The junior showed a nice in-between game against Liberty’s zone, whether it was stopping and popping or the floater. Curtis remained unselfish despite a ton of blown layups from his teammates by finding open shooters and leading cutters easy opportunities, finishing with a game-high four assists.
Curtis is yet to find consistency as a shooter from 3-point or from the free throw line. When Liberty went to a man, Curtis drew a ton of contact at the basket with hangtime and his herky jerky attack style. He shot 3/9 from deep and 6/12 from the line.
Ben Roderick (2019), 6’5″ W/F, Olentangy Liberty
Roderick was mostly effective around the basket, scoring 16 points in the paint. On the flip, he was 3/11 from deep. Roderick found soft spots against for Xenia’s zone and showed D-I caliber athleticism on finishes. He’s good in the passing lanes and should be able to defend a couple positions at the next level. Becoming more consistent as a shooter will be crucial.
Mitchell Kershner (2019), 6’3″ G, Olentangy Liberty
Kershner is a lengthy kid with a spot-up jumper who can put it on the floor for straight-line drives. He wasn’t capable of containing Samari Curtis one-on-one but could be a solid wing defender at the Division III level. Kershner had a few baskets by sneaking in for put-backs. He’s tough. Kershner finished with 16 points and shot 50 percent.
Nick Nakasian (2019), 6’3″ G, Olentangy Liberty
Nakasian struggled to find his stoke after leaving early for a tweaked ankle. He’s added a significant amount of muscle to his frame in the past year but has seen a drop in his production as a shooter. However, he remains a solid D-III prospect.