Run n’ Slam: Northeast Ohio Standouts
There’s no way to properly recap or summarize the Bill Hensley Memorial Run n’ Slam event. You just have to be there, at least once in your life. The Spiece Fieldhouse hosts all of the top high school teams from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa. Meanwhile, there’s several other pristine basketball venues with plenty quality college prospects.
We’ll do our best to capture the action, by spotlighting just over 65 Ohio prospects who exceeded expectation. We’ll call them “Standouts,” and segment them by state region throughout the early week.
Jayson Woodrich (2019), 6’5” G, All Ohio Black / Beachwood
Besides being a consistent outside shooter, Woodrich also has an obvious size advantage on the perimeter. The tall two-guard uses those physical tools to defend multiple spots and challenge shots at the rim occasionally. He hustles and stays involved with plays on defense. He’ll either be a D-II steal or a JUCO product with D-I upside.
Kevin Davet (2019), 6’9” C, All Ohio Black / St. Ignatius
To be brutally honest, we left the high school season pretty unsure about Davet. That’s why the NE Ohio big man is ranked at no. 133, which is definitely too low after watching him this spring.
Davet is a surefire D-II prospect with the chance of even breaking that threshold. He’s operating much more swifty while also developing as a powerful low post scorer. Converted a couple and-ones when we watched him. Davet is also capitalizing on his size as a rim protector and defensive rebounder.
Chris Richardson (2019), 6’4” W/F, Akron Bobcats / Revere
We’re not totally sure what position Richardson plays at the next level, but he has a workable mix of skills. If he winds up at the D-III level, we’d evaluate him as a combo forward that can defend 2-4.
He was flat-out productive on Saturday afternoon as a scorer and rebounder. The athletic shot-maker was aggressive and physical in the painted area. Richardson can finish on post-ups and also shows some ability to put it on the deck and attack. His jumper looks nice and goes in rather consistently. Richardson also passes out of the paint well.
Luka Eller (2020), 6’8” F, C2K Elite / Lake Catholic
Eller had another good weekend in the low-post, an area he seems to have focused on this spring. He has excellent poise with his back to the basket and can pass or finish over either shoulder. Eller also runs the floor well and is a capable ball-handler. Pretty strong upper body.
Montorie Foster Jr. (2020), 6’0” PG, All Ohio Red / St. Edward
Foster is a bouncy lead guard who did a good job of driving directly at defenders. His downhill quickness puts a lot of pressure on his matchup and often results in an open layup. When Foster isn’t getting all the way to the rim, he’s able to hit the mid-range jumper after a crossover move. We also really like Foster’s off-ball activity on offense.
Alonzo Gaffney (2019), 6’9” W, All Ohio Red / Garfield Heights
Gaffney was in takeover mode like we’d never seen before on Championship Sunday. He led All Ohio Red past the Illinois Wolves, Indy Heat, and Iowa Barnstormers on the last day of the tourney by being ultra aggressive.
From the top of the key, Gaffney used his height to deliver passes into the post. He also was able to shoot or drive from that spot. When the Ohio State commit decided to attack, he either finished or got to the free throw line pretty much every time. The most impressive aspect of his weekend is that Gaffney played like he had something to prove, despite being a five-star recruit and college commit. Inspiring effort from the state’s top prospect.
Amarion Dickerson (2021), 6’4” W, Rebels 16U / Rhodes
We’ve written at length about Dickerson this spring, but there’s still more to be said. The emerging sophomore-to-be was simply excellent on the defensive side of the floor. His length and lateral quickness allow him to block shots against older competition. He looks like a D-I prospect at the moment because of his athleticism. He’s already developing in terms of basketball IQ and assertiveness.
Garvin Clarke (2020), 6’0” PG, Rebels / Euclid
Clarke was back with his Rebels teammates on the non-circuit weekend. The true point guard was a coach on the floor. Clarke led his group by controlling tempo, delivering timely passes, and calming them down via on-court communication. He can either pick apart a defense in the half-court with his quick handle and passing ability or make plays on the break. Clarke also is a very high percentage free throw shooter.
Anthony Maxie (2020), 6’4” F, All Ohio Cleveland / Benedictine
Maxie explodes off the floor as a shot blocker in the paint. He even has a good second jump when he’s not able to corral a rebound or deflection on the first effort. On a team where nobody else really wants to focus their efforts around the basket, Maxie steps up and protects his goal. He can also move his feet against wings. His stock will continue to rise as he adds offensive skill.
Brison Waller (2019), 6’9” F, All Ohio Red / Garfield Heights
The mobile athletic forward impressed us with his defensive versatility this weekend. He’s light on his feet and even thrived defending guards 20-plus feet away from the basket. Waller’s speed and activity level translated to transition offense also, as he sprinted towards the rim on the fastbreak. Any Midwest D-I programs looking for a versatile defender should prioritize Waller in July.