Saturday’s Forward Standouts from Cleveland Play-By-Play Classic
In the three games I was able to catch at the Cleveland Play-By-Play Classic (before catching the flu), forwards were the difference-makers. The Cleveland Heights frontcourt comes to mind as most striking, but there were several notables throughout Saturday’s action!…
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Continue ReadingIn the three games I was able to catch at the Cleveland Play-By-Play Classic (before catching the flu), forwards were the difference-makers. The Cleveland Heights frontcourt comes to mind as most striking, but there were several notables throughout Saturday’s action!
Jevontae Jones (2019), 6’4”-6’5” W, Richmond Heights
Jones, someone who is just now catching our eye this season, is a big wing who plays with energy. Good physical tools and a willingness to fly around on defense is a rock solid combination. He uses his size to make smaller guards uncomfortable in one-on-one defense. On the other end, Jones looked to post-up quickly and score with craft inside. We would’ve liked to see him go up strong more often, though. Potential late steal for Division III programs in NE Ohio. Jones had eight points and six rebounds against Shaker.
Nigel Martin (2019), 6’4” W, Cleveland Heights
Martin continued making a convincing case for the most improved senior in Ohio with his 26-point outing Saturday. He has become wildly efficient as a scorer and had it going from inside and out against Canton McKinley. Martin has tremendous body control and a soft touch on finishes in traffic — pretty much automatic with his right hand. Uses long strides on his gathers around the rim. As mentioned, Martin also shot the ball very well from the outside. He likes to size up the opponent and if they don’t close the gap, the shot is going up quickly. Martin also tacked on a mid-range pull-up that was heavily contested.
Although Tiffin is the only program to offer thus far, the Cleveland Heights coaching staff has mentioned that they want to get Martin a D-I offer. His improvements could give him a chance to reach that level, especially if the Tigers make a run.
Jaelyn Withers (2019), 6’8” W/F, Cleveland Heights
Speaking of a postseason run, Cleveland Heights really might have a chance if Martin and Withers keep it rolling. The no. 1 senior prospect in Ohio and a Louisville signee, Withers dominated the painted area on both ends of the floor. The strong and fluid athlete controlled the defensive glass when he wasn’t sending shots the other way. Makes it look easy down there, including whenever he decides to attack the rim.
Withers also dictated pace whenever the ball when his hands at the end of a defensive possession. He either made quick, long outlet passes to streaking guards or took it himself for the deuce. Again, he got whatever he wanted all night on his way to 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Brenton Walker (2021), 6’6” F/C, Canton McKinle
Walker, a transfer from Wayne, is an avid rebounder with unique strength and physical maturity for a tenth grader. Although he has some bounce to go with it, Walker doesn’t rely completely on an athletic advantage to get boards, he also boxes out. Corralled 10 rebounds going against that Cleveland Heights duo.
In terms of scoring, Walker is most effective when he grabs an offensive board and can go right up with it for a dunk. However, the Division I prospect isn’t quite someone you’d run offense for on a post-up. He’s uncomfortable going over his shoulder to score over a defender at the moment.
Zion Kolodynski-Darby (2019), 6’5” W, Lakewood
The stats may not have been there in this low-scoring affair, but Darby’s versatility really impressed us. The Fairmont State signee is a tall small forward and he thrived in sets that saw him posting up a mismatch on the block. He knows how to get position on the block and plays well through contact. His length and height is an asset when it comes to distributing — even against immense pressure, he calmly scans and delivers the floor for cutters and open shooters. Adding bulk to wiry frame should help him have the same type of impact at the Division II level.