Weekend Notables: All Ohio Showcase and Great Lakes Classic
Between the All Ohio event on Saturday and the Great Lakes Classic on Sunday, we saw a lot of talented basketball players who will be heard from in 2018-19 and/or can play at the next level. We’ve touched on many…
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Continue ReadingBetween the All Ohio event on Saturday and the Great Lakes Classic on Sunday, we saw a lot of talented basketball players who will be heard from in 2018-19 and/or can play at the next level. We’ve touched on many of them already:
- Game MVPs from All Ohio Showcase
- Standouts from All Ohio Showcase
- Game MVPs from Great Lakes Classic
- Standouts from Great Lakes Classic
But, there’s no reason to constrict the number of players we cover when there are plenty more deserving. So, nothing fancy here, just quick hits on quality performances.
Anthony Maxie (2020), 6’5” F, Richmond Heights
The Benedictine transfer is primed for his first season of a major role playing varsity basketball. Super athletic rim protector who compensates for any size disadvantage with length and freaky leaping ability. Maxie goes after every opportunity to block a shot or grab a rebound. His presence on the back-end is crucial for these Division IV State Championship hopefuls.
Jevontae Jones (2020), 6’5” G, Richmond Heights & Jamar Talbert (2020), 6’2” G, Richmond Heights
If Richmond Heights is going to reach the pinnacle this season, it’s mostly going to be because of their collective length and switch-everything defense. Jones and Talbert will likely be the unsung heroes because of their limited offensive roles. However, their athleticism and length defensively are crucial for them to play a fast-pace style on both ends. Additionally, they combined for 17 points on Sunday night and can both get to the basket.
Dakota Cochran (2020), 6’2” G, Shaker Heights
Cochran is going from shooting specialist role player to the experienced leader on this year’s team. He leads by example and showed admirable poise in a hostile environment on the road. He has a lot of ability, too. His spot-up jumper remains pure and his athleticism is starting to shine on rebounds and transition finishes. We think Cochran could be a very nice role player at the D-II or NAIA level.
Bryon Ottrix (2021), 5’10” G, Glenville
Ottrix had a very inefficient night on his way to scoring 13 points in our first time watching the sophomore. Although he struggled to find his way and wasn’t particularly impressive in his shot selection, he showed enticing physical tools in terms of quickness and handle. Score-minded lead guard.
Ricky Radtke (2021), 6’7” F, University School
Radtke is a developing stretch forward who shoots the ball from a good launch point and can even put it on the floor when the defense overcommits on a close-out. Once he becomes more comfortable in his body, Radtke’s timid nature as a rebounder and interior score should improve. Either way, an interesting prospect for sure.
Aundray Farmer (2019), 6’3” F, Warrensville Heights
Farmer is an athletic undersized forward who is crucial to their team as a rebounder and physical presence. He boxes out very well and can score it in traffic. Farmer also displayed vocal leadership in a game that wasn’t going so well for Warrensville.
Omahn Dobbins (2020), 5’10” G, Warrensville Heights
Dobbins provided a spark off the bench, scoring a total of seven points to earn crucial minutes in the second half. He can knock-down open shots and even baited a shot-blocker with a sick pump fake inside before stepping through for a crafty finish in the paint. If he continues that level of play, their best lineup will include him alongside Brandon Rush and Ramelle Arnold.
Johnny Bigsby (2019), 6’1” PG, East Tech
Bigsby is one of several players who got after it defensively — flying around in passing lanes and applying on-ball pressure for 32 minutes. Conversely, Bigsby took care of the ball in impressive fashion once East Tech secured their second half lead over Warrensville. Also a capable shooter.
Jamal Sumlin (2022), 6’1” G, Rhodes
Sumlin dropped in 12 points in an overtime win over Kenston. He can shoot from the outside with space. The speedy guard also showed awareness around the basket, avoiding shot-blockers with a crafty pump fake and, later, a floater.
Erik Uszynski (2019), 6’4” F, Legacy Christian Academy
Uszynski’s interior scoring game is all about power, pump fakes, and step-throughs. Although he’s not a dynamic athlete by any means, he understands how to get his shot off in back to the basket situations while having shooting ability in the mid-range. Struggled to rebound against athleticism. He could find a Division III program to play at it if he wants it because of his ground game.
Cali Davis (2020), 6’1” G, Africentric
Davis opened his season with an 18-point performance in a loss to Harvest Prep. In the opening minutes of the second half especially, Davis seemed to come out of halftime with more urgency. The thing is, with the graduation of Tre Baumgardner, he needs to play like that the entire game because he can actually create his own shot. He’s very fast with the ball while also continually showing development as a shooter. Davis, though, needs to add weight or strength as he too often loses his footing after legal contact.
Soul Hines (2019), 6’4” G, Harvest Prep
Hines knocked down a pair of 3-pointers on his way to 10 points in their win over Northland. Hines once again has the green light in their offense and is especially effective on spot-up jumpers. He also was able to turn the corner a couple times coming off ball screens. Big guard.
Devan White (2020), 5’7” PG, Northland
White simply handled the ball well and played with quick hands and feet on defense. He will be an important piece for this young team because of his poise, slashing ability, and on-ball defense.
Makhale Massey (2021), 6’3” G/W, Northland
Massey went for a quiet 19 points, powered by three 3-pointers in the second half. At the moment, his outside jumper is his best scoring weapon by far. That is partially because Massey appears unsure of himself off the dribble still. The lengthy wing does, however, rebound well in traffic.
Larry Stephens (2020), 6’1” G, Springfield
We really liked what we saw out of Stephens in spurts on Saturday. He was able to create separation off the dribble in crafty ways, including ball fakes and step backs. Stephens shot the ball well off the dribble and has a quick release. He has added muscle to his frame, too.
Ani Elliot (2021), 6’5” F, Springfield
Keep an eye on Ani Elliot going forward. He’s a really good athlete at 6’5” who can defend the basket, keep pace physically with upperclassmen, and run the floor. Elliot showed a decent touch around the basket. But, like we said, the vertical and athleticism around the rim is most exciting.
Garner Wallace (2021), 6’4” W, Pickerington Central
The collective perimeter defense of the Tigers might be the strength amongst strengths for this Pick Central ball club in 2018-19. Wallace, their sixth man, is an important cog of that defensive machine. He has great awareness on that end of the floor while also being a lock-down kid individually. His quickness and length are an asset.
Coleton Landis (2019), 6’7” F, Pickerington Central
Now a senior, Landis’ assertiveness around the a basket looks to be more of a priority for the unsigned post. While he still proved capable as a spot-up shooter, Landis was more impressive when turning over the shoulder on the block. He also rebounded with power in his six-point, five-rebound night.
Sam Towns (2019), 6’7” F, Pickerington Central
After strangely having a hard time finding his way last season with Springfield, Towns seems to have discovered a good fit with the Tigers. On Saturday, he was called upon to be a versatile defender as their four against small lineups. He moved impressively on the perimeter while also getting up for rejections at the rim. Towns was in foul trouble, but we liked his aggression.
Sammy Sass (2019), 6’0” PG, Upper Arlington
Sass, who we later learned had just been cleared to play after a football injury, ran the UA show in a confident manner. A couple late turnovers weren’t his best moments, but Sass’s decisions as a passer looked second nature. He’s a very agile athlete that can stop on a dime.
CJ Karsatos (2019), 6’8” F, Upper Arlington
Karsatos stepped up as a physical presence for an Upper Arlington rotation that demands toughness. He recorded eight rebounds in their close loss to Wayne while setting good screens and finishing high-percentage looks around the basket. Fluid athlete.
Cam Fancher (2021), 6’2” G, Wayne
We really like Fancher because he knows who he is, a shooting specialist, and he’s very good at it. Fancher scored six points on a pair of first half triples but ended up using the pressure he put on the defense to pump fake and get into the lane for the pass. His jumper is super pure.
Casey George (2021), 5’9” PG, Pickerington North
George scored nine points and took care of the ball against pressure as a primary ball-handler. We think he will earn minutes because of his reliability and chemistry with star forward Jack Sawyer. George’s tendency to look into the post and feed the ball in there is an important feature.