Top 250 Expo Early Entries: 2020 Guards
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 junior guards you’d play against.
Cameron Awls, 6’1” G, Toledo Central Catholic
Awls is a player we haven’t seen since his 15U summer, where he showed flashes of being a three-level scorer capable of creating his own shot. We’re excited to see if he’s expanded on his jab series and has the quickness to free up his smooth jumper. We expect Awls to show up with a chip on his shoulder and look to prove himself with scoring and facilitating.
Conner Maciag, 6’3” G, Pickerington Central (2020 ranking: #79)
Maciag is back after suffering an ankle injury at last year’s event. The junior has grown in height over the last year and now has legitimate size as a combo guard. Maciag plays confidently in this setting, where he can freely play as a scorer and point guard. The local Pick Town prospect has quick hands on defense. He will not be shy against top competition, considering he has to defend many of the state’s top guards on a daily basis at practice.
Caleb Wallis, 5’6” PG, Jackson
Wallis made a name for himself this summer with Mid Ohio Pumas White (Beard) as a floor general, concluding in an offer from Rio Grande, a Southern Ohio NAIA. He may be one of the smallest players at the Expo, but Wallis has true moxie. He doesn’t force shots, handles the ball confidently, and converts jumpers when open. Defensively, Wallis is an irritant that can move his feet, often ending in frustration for opponents.
Carter Combs, 6’1” G, Lakota West
Every year there’s a couple out-of-nowhere kids who really open our eyes at the Expo and Combs is an early candidate to be the one. It’s hard to say because we’re going off highlights and season averages, but he definitely possesses a pure jump shot. On 67 attempts, he was 34 percent as a sophomore, which needs to be a little better. Combs also shows toughness on help-side defense and as a driver, the two things we’re really going to be monitoring with him. He had a nice game against Moeller last year, going 4/6 from the field for 11 points.
Khalil Davis, 6’0” PG, Princeton (#75)
Davis uses his athleticism to make plays defensively. Not only can he stick his man one-on-one, he’s also prone to fly in for an emphatic help-side block. Davis has a solid handle offensively but often falls victim to over-dribbling and not keeping teammates involved. He shot an eye-opening 46 percent on 3-pointers last year on 56 attempts, but we want to see him make quicker decisions in the halfcourt at the Top 250.
Chase Toppin, 6’1” G, St. Ignatius (#86)
Toppin has a collegiate frame as a combo guard, one that allows him to finish through traffic and deal with contact. He may not possess the high-percentage 3-point shot that Ignatius is known for, but he can score in bunches by getting to the rim.
Others: Jackson Locke (Newark), Caleb Piks (Mentor), Brody Ley (Granville), Bryce Profitt (Highland), Colby Rankin (Bishop Hartley), Peyton Daley (Edgewood), Jack Bailey (North Central), Fred Wilkes II (Upper Arlington), Shane Gladysz (Lakota West)
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.