Prospect Spotlight: Ratez Roberts (2019)
Photo Credit: Julie McMaken Wright
Sidney HS has risen in the Dayton area as one of the best teams in Division I. One reason has been the efforts from the players the Yellow Jackets have on their team. Junior Ratez Roberts (2019) is one of those rising players with lots of potential. Roberts has seen a major improvement in his game since I first saw him play at Flyin to the Hoop in 2017.
Sidney came out to a slow start this season. There were a few games they did not finish at the end and allowed to slip away. However, in the last several games, the Yellow Jackets have been improving and currently riding a 3 game winning streak. Ratez has been a huge factor for Sidney especially on the defensive end of the floor. Currently 5th in the GWOC in rebounds and leading in blocks, Ratez has impressed many with his athleticism on the defensive end of the floor. He is lengthy enough to defend opposing guards but also can also challenge defenders in the post. One area to improve is his shooting touch. Ratez has improved drastically in his midrange shot, but needs to improve his consistency as well as his 3-point shot.
Roberts not only plays in the post for the Sidney basketball team, but also starts as a WR for the football team that made the playoffs this past season. Playing football has helped Ratez improve his aggressiveness and allowed him to play more physical on both ends of the floor.
Ratez currently does not hold any offers or interest for basketball, even though he is definitely capable of playing at a Division 3 college after graduating next season. However, Roberts holds interest from Air Force and Eastern Michigan for football. If he continues to improve on the hardwood, Ratez could see a spike in his basketball recruitment and could pick up his first offer in the near future.