Nike Cup Standouts
First weekend of the Ohio grassroots season is in the books. Teams primarily took their talent to Columbus or Cincinnati, and I got my feet wet at the Nike Cup by watching as many new players as possible. Here are…
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Continue ReadingFirst weekend of the Ohio grassroots season is in the books. Teams primarily took their talent to Columbus or Cincinnati, and I got my feet wet at the Nike Cup by watching as many new players as possible.
Here are the guys who impressed me the most:
Carter Jones (2021) | 6-3 F | Mid Ohio Pumas (Gilliland) / Centerburg
Jones has light feet to go along with a strong, thick build. He runs the floor well and stays active without the basketball — he didn’t just score on post-ups as their 5, rather catching on dives to the basket often. Looks for contact inside and finishes with a soft touch. The lefty also stepped outside for a 3-pointer. Tracks rebounds down throughout the lane. Jones also showed mental toughness by persevering after getting called for a few questionable fouls.
Frank Waganfeald (2021) | 6-6 C | All Ohio Gold (Kizer) / Oregon Clay
Waganfeald is noticeably lighter on his feet, which helps him play against mobile posts, touch ball-handlers on the pick-and-roll, and defend the basket on help-side. Shows nice foot-work when getting to the cup from the mid-post. Strong one-on-one post defense against Brenton Walker, who is maybe the most physically dominate center in Ohio’s 2021 class.
Waganfeald will play with C2K Elite this year but filled-in for his old team on Saturday.
Shane Garcia (2021) | 6-3 SF | All Ohio Gold (Kizer) / Toledo St. John’s
When it comes to scoring, Garcia is a shooting specialist. His biggest impact, though, was facilitating Gold’s offense by making quick reads and staying active without the ball. Willing screener on and off the ball, which freed up open 3-pointers for teammates. Doesn’t over-dribble and made the right pass consistently. Securing rebounds and being stronger with the ball in traffic is something we will monitor.
Brenton Walker (2021) | 6-6 C | All Ohio Black / Canton McKinley
Walker enjoyed a crazy size advantage this weekend, but that’s going to be the case his whole prep career. He has a massive frame with long arms. Yet, we were pleasantly surprised with Walker’s ability to blow-by opposing post players when he caught from the elbow or even the arch. Walker can put it on the deck for one or two dribbles and slide past forwards with a quick change of direction on power face-up moves. He has a shot-put shooting release but seldom settles for shots outside five feet.
Brenden Hill (2021) | 6-3 SF | All Ohio Black / Wayne
Hill is an athletic hustle guy with long arms. Really effective player in transition because of his ability to run the floor and finish athletically. Pushes pace off the defensive glass. Capable shooter when he has space. Defends with effort and has most of his impact on that end. Gets to 50-50 balls.
Noah Peeples (2021) | 6-3 PF | Rebels 17U / Buchtel
Playing against 17U competition, Peeples was ridiculously effective as a face-up scorer. He has creative counter moves (spin moves, step-throughs, and the ability to hit one-handed shot-put floaters when he’s cut-off) inside the paint. Really good feet and a very strong frame.
Jonzell Norrils (2020) | 6-0 PG | All Ohio Gold / Toledo Central Catholic
Norrils was exponentially more impressive in the first weekend of AAU, compared to our two times watching Toledo CCHS this winter. Gets to the basket by knifing through traffic with a strength advantage and elusive foot-work at a dead sprint in the open floor. Norrils is also a good passer in traffic. Finishes through the body of forwards.
DaSean Nelson (2020) | 6-7 PF | All Ohio Gold / Rogers
The gym buzzed every time Nelson dunked the ball. His explosiveness and power as a finisher is something special. Nelson — who will likely go JUCO — is an athletic, long forward who combines elite physical tools with constant effort. Terrorizing rim protector who can also defend in space. Covers ground quickly on help-side. Likes to push pace off the glass. Nelson’s shot is OK when he has space.
Connor O’Toole (2020) | 6-2 SG | All Ohio Cleveland / Gilmour Academy
This was our first time watching O’Toole since his sophomore season and he showed off a new side of his game on Saturday. Once considered more of a shooting specialist, it was nice to see his playmaking ability and high-IQ as a decision-maker. Really patient and poised with the ball. Effective shot-fakes because of the threat of his jumper. Fundamentally sound and a good feel for the game.
BJ Busbee (2021) | 6-1 G | Mid Ohio Pumas (Mills) / Benedictine
Busbee can knock-down open shots from everywhere on the floor, making him very productive and efficient as a wing-guard. He also flashes shot-creation ability off the bounce. Busbee is crafty once he picks up his dribble in the paint. Strong foot-work. Good handle. Defending quick guards is an area we will pay close attention to going forward.
Ben Morrison (2022) | 6-2 SG | All Ohio Turf / Rossford
Morrison is a team player who sees passing lanes like a point guard and uses his shooting threat to open those up. Very quick first step. Created separation whenever he needed it. Impressive shooting ability off the catch or in the second level on pull-ups. Good poise. Made late passes to forwards right before he was about to shoot it.
Kobe Johnson (2021) | 6-2 G | All Ohio Red / Canton McKinley
It was difficult for anyone on the All Ohio Red teams to standout on Saturday — their talent gap was just too steep. Nonetheless, Johnson’s ability to get to the rim with elusiveness was ridiculous. It seemed like he was scoring every time he touched the ball. Strong body. Finishes from difficult angles.
Vernon Smith (2021) | 6-7 C | All Ohio Red / Buchtel
Again: it’s hard to make this list as an All Ohio Red player, since we only watched them on Saturday. Why? They should dominate grassroots teams who don’t have D-I prospects throughout their roster. So, Smith and these next two guys are prospects we were less familiar with coming into the Nike Cup.
Smith’s athleticism and fearlessness around the basket impressed. He attacks the rim without avoiding contact and finished strong. Rather quick laterally for his size and has a ton of potential defensively. Provides energy off the bench.
Bowen Hardman (2022) | 6-3 SG | All Ohio Red / Princeton
Pretty much blown away by the skill of Hardman, and I don’t say that lightly. On the notepad I carry around in my pocket, I have the word “skilled” underlined twice, actually. Hardman is just very smooth off the dribble and has a textbook jumper. Showed athleticism around the basket on contested finishes. Good handle.
Michael Bova (2022) | 6-0 PG | All Ohio Red / St. Edward
Bova is a tremendous defender who beats opposing point guards to their spots. Also uses his speed and quickness to blow by defenders going either direction. Scored around the basket at will. Attacked the rim with no regard for his safety and drew contact. Uncanny ability to finish.
Nate Houston (2022) | 6-0 G | Hopson Elite / Rogers
Houston is making a strong case for the top prospect in the Toledo-area’s 2022 class. He scored from the mid-range consistently with a terrific first step. Slid past the first line of defense consistently by combining shot fakes and jab steps with his quickness. Very quick off the ground as a leaper and dunked it easily despite his height. Efficient. Slender frame with long arms and big hands.
Sean Craig (2022) | 6-4 PF | Hopson Elite / Northview
Craig’s varsity experience showed itself this weekend with his constant communication on the back-end of the defense. He also understands spacing on offense and positions himself accordingly. If anything, he looks to pass it too much out of the post, but his unselfishness isn’t a bad quality. Craig, though, just scores it at a high-percentage over the shoulder, so we’d like to see him seek that shot more sometimes.
Craig really affects the game defensively, though. He finishes defensive possessions on the glass and can defend the dribble-drive quite well. Versatile player.