New Names from Hidden Gems Showcase
The centrally located Hidden Gems Showcase lived up to the expectations as an event where Ohio prospects could be seen by Division II, Division III, NAIA, junior college coaches, and media.
We took advantage of the opportunity by scouting the oldest age group, 11th and 10th graders with premiere underclassmen spruced into the mix. Our two-part recap will touch on Standouts and, the next tier of top performers, New Names.
Dior Conners (2022), 6’1”-6’2” G, Pickerington North
Going against upperclassmen, Conners simply proved that he can be effective against this level of competition. He’s a freshman with an early Stony Brook offer and we can the shades of D-I talent. He’s a long athlete with a lot of growth potential. Found creative ways to sneak passes into cutters all day. Plays with deception and shot a high percentage on contested layups.
Brandon Beavers (2019), 6’2” PG, Harvest Prep
After receiving an offer from Shawnee State in early-September, Beavers was a big reason we travelled down to Thomas Worthington Saturday. We learned that Beavers is a fundamentally sound left-handed point guard who is good at changing speeds. He plays with maturity and poise, a presence that commanded a primary ball-handler role within his team. Good body control at the rim.
Brock Unger (2021), 6’5” F, Berne Union
Not a ton to say quite yet on Unger. However, he showed enough promise to make this list. With a capable outside jumper and a build to defend multiple positions, Unger combines a scoring weapon with physical tools. He moves around pretty well and showed an ability to finish through traffic despite his willingness to take it up strong wavering throughout the day.
Max Stokey (2020), 6’7” F, Buckeye Valley
Stokey uses size and good footwork to create high-percentage looks in the post. He’s an aggressive rebounder with enough glimpses of athleticism to catch our attention. As he grows into his body and becomes more fluid, Stokey’s moves will render more effective and he could be an impact big. Someone for in-state programs to track.
Fred Wilkes II (2020), 5’10” G, Upper Arlington
I didn’t personally have much time to evaluate Wilkes, an Eastmoor Academy transfer, last weekend at our Top 250 Expo. So, I was glad to take my time with him today. He was awesome in the final game of his I saw. Keeping a low dribble, Wilkes is able uses side-to-side crossovers to skate by defenders. He carved up defenses and even made plays for others in the lane. We hope he takes on the mentality of putting pressure on defenses at all times, as he occasionally let defenders off the hook with contested jumpers.