Top 250 Expo Early Entries: 2019 Forwards
Prep Hoops Ohio’s Top 250 Expo isn’t this Sunday, or next Sunday, or the following, but the one after that. September 16 at Pickerington North. So, you have plenty of time to sign-up, and you can do that right here.
Wooster, Denison, Hiram, Marian, Marietta, Mount St. Joseph, Otterbein, Charleston, Mount Union, and Wittenberg have already RSVP’d for the showcase. You can play in front of them, and here’s the point of today’s article, also against legitimate competition. Nearly 50 players have signed up so far, most of which are bona fide college prospects, others with something to prove. There’s room for plenty more to join, and here’s the senior forwards you’d play against.
Na’Elle Simmons, 6’7” F, Beechcroft (2019 rankings: #32)
Simmons is our highest ranked 2019 prospect signed up at the moment. Anyone who saw him this summer knows that the lengthy big man is intriguing He’s very thin but has great growth potential, which makes his effectiveness on the glass and as a rebounder pretty exciting. He’s has a developing package of skills but will likely shoot a high percentage in the paint in mid-September and carry that into his senior year as well. In college, we expect him to either go prep for a year to develop his body or be asked to redshirt otherwise.
Matt Oehler, 6’4” W/F, Lakota East
Oehler is a kid we haven’t seen play outside of his video highlights online. Here’s a couple first impressions: he’s mobile enough to defend 3s and he shoots it pretty good. As a junior, he was 37 percent from deep on 70 attempts. However, he shot just 36 percent on 2-pointers. So, we will definitely look to see how he’s doing in both categories.
Keyshawn Jones, 6’5” F, St. Vincent-St. Mary (#156)
Jones made a real impression on us at last year’s final four. He started for the D-II State Champs and shot 75 percent on field goals, mainly because he was relentlessly getting to the rim and has a body that’s hard to defend on straight-line drives. Against Trotwood in the championship game, he was a 10 point and 6 rebound contributor. Probably all signs that he’ll retain his spot in the starting five on one of Ohio’s top 2018-19 collections of talent.
Coming up at the Expo, we just want to see Jones dominate the paint. Using his athleticism and strong build, he should bring the energy and assert himself on both college recruiting boards and the defensive glass alike.
Others: Matt Crane (Holy Name)
As more sign-ups come in, you can follow @PrepHoopsTop250 on Twitter for nationwide updates. Or go to the Likes on my personal account to see the Ohio-specific sign-ups, those are the only Likes I have, so you won’t have to deal with a jumbled mess.