OHSBCA Showcase Preview (Part I)
We’re on a mission to preview the OHSBCA Showcase front-to-back. Every single player. June 29 marks the first time Division I coaches aren’t restricted from attending this event. And we want to make sure every Prep Hoops Ohio subscriber is…
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Continue ReadingWe’re on a mission to preview the OHSBCA Showcase front-to-back. Every single player.
June 29 marks the first time Division I coaches aren’t restricted from attending this event. And we want to make sure every Prep Hoops Ohio subscriber is thoroughly prepared on who and what to watch for from 9AM to 5PM this Saturday.
In Part I we’ve broken down roughly half of the field. Enjoy!
Top Tier in Each Class
The top of the mountain. Members of this group are the very best in their class and project as mid-major or high-major recruits.
2020
Garvin Clarke | 6-0 PG | Cleveland Heights | #12 | Team 1: Pass-first floor general with advanced playmaking skills in the pick-and-roll. Impact on-ball defender with the athleticism to stay in front of elite guards.
Grant Huffman | 6-4 G | St. Edward | #50 | Team 2: Tremendous slasher who provides scoring on the wing but can also lead a team as their primary ball-handler. Finishes creative runners in traffic and has flashed improvements in his catch-and-shoot mechanics.
Devontae Blanton | 6-6 SF | St. Edward | #86 | Team 3: Hasn’t played this spring due to injury. Combines an efficient, three-level scoring package with a thick build.
VonCameron Davis | 6-5 SF | Walnut Ridge | #28 | Team 3: Consummate slasher who uses spin moves and other skilled gathers to score in traffic. Finishes everything. The progression of Davis’s ball skills and outside jumper have been promising.
Josiah Fulcher | 6-2 SG | Lima Senior | #19 | Team 6: Advanced shot-maker with “go-to scorer” potential at the next level. Creates looks in one or two dribbles. Impressive defensive instincts and a wide stance that allows him to defend bigger wings.
Luke Frazier | 6-4 SG | Lake Catholic | #48 | Team 8: Dayton commit. Clever shot-creator with athletic pop who can get to the basket. Has a feel for the game.
2021
EJ Farmer | 6-4 SG | Cleveland Heights | #23 | Team 4: Quick-twitch athlete who creates space for his lefty jumper at will. Volume jump shooter who flashes playmaking ability with a live dribble. Aggressive in passing lanes.
Kalen Etzler | 6-8 PF | Crestview | #63 | Team 5: Ohio State commit. Versatile weapon on both ends of the floor with tremendous length. The state champion shot 42 percent from deep as a sophomore. Gifted passer and feel in the halfcourt.
Jalin Billingsley | 6-7 PF | Lutheran East | #58 | Team 9: Possesses an enticing blend of physical tools that cause mismatches and suggests high-major potential — nimble feet, big body, and a scoring touch.
Josh Irwin | 6-6 PF | West Geauga | #79 | Team 9: Coming back from injury. Skilled pick and pop weapon who can truly shoot, attack, or pass out of the triple threat position. Constant on-floor communicator who provides rebounding and toughness.
Logan Duncomb | 6-9 C | Moeller | #87 | Team 10: Sixteen-year-old big man who has picked up three Big Ten offers in June. Chippy interior presence whose length suggests growth potential. Flashes shooting and over-the-shoulder scoring ability.
2022
AJ Clayton | 6-7 C | Philo | #77 | Team 3: Low- to mid-post scoring option with a natural touch and strong frame.
Sonny Johnson Jr. | 5-10 PG | Garfield Heights | #3 | Team 4: Quick, skilled ball-handler with a knack of connecting on contested 3-point jumpers. Looks to thread the needle with bounce passes while driving baseline.
Sean Jones | 5-10 PG | Gahanna | #4 | Team 5: Prolific creator who dices up defenses with elite handle and body control. Poised and fundamentally sound beyond his years. Makes opposing guards uncomfortable with his ball pressure and quick hands.
Josiah Harris | 6-6 PF | Richmond Heights | #52 | Team 6: Promising combination of size, skill, and toughness. Catch and shoot ability that extends beyond the arch but Harris prefers to the lower the shoulder and score at the rim.
Bowen Hardman | 6-4 SG | Princeton | #24 | Team 8: Talented shooter with range and a smooth one-dribble pull-up. Flashes the ability to get to the rim and create space with crossovers.
Most Momentum
These prospects have hit their stride this spring and June. All have added multiple D-I offers recently.
Nate Johnson (2021) | 6-2 PG | Lakota East | #36 | Team 3: Explosive slasher with a rare amount of patience. 190-pound guard with a wide frame that could carry more muscle. Capable of defending 1, 2 and 3.
Roderick Coffee (2022) | 6-3 G | Harvey | #40 | Team 3: Impressive scorer who shoots pull-up jumpers with balance and consistency.
Kobe Johnson (2021) | 6-3 G | Canton McKinley | #85 | Team 7: Power athlete who finishes through contact and is becoming more shifty with his handle.
Trey Robinson (2020) | 6-6 SF | Hamilton | #30 | Team 10: Skilled wing-forward with a long build that can score the ball. Showing signs of becoming more of a shot-creator than catch-and-finish guy.
Under-recruited Seniors
Rising seniors whose recruitment doesn’t quite reflect with their talent, yet.
Dalton Mischal | 6-3 F | McClain | #42 | Team 1: Physical combo forward who can defend multiple positions and score contested baskets in the paint. Provides constant energy and rebounding.
Tyler Eberhart | 6-7 PF | Kenton Ridge | #59 | Team 1: Skilled face-up forward who can score it from wherever he receives a pass in the halfcourt. Good feel for the game for a forward and his development as a player suggests a strong work ethic.
Jamir Simpson | 6-5 F | Lima Senior | #112 | Team 3: Dynamic face-up scorer who seems to get to the basket whenever he attacks. Quick second jump. Flashes ball-handling ability when he picks up steam in the open floor going coast-to-coast.
Carl Blanton | 6-2 SG | Trotwood | #37 | Team 4: Athletic wing who provides spot-up shooting and ability to attack a close-out.
Montorie Foster (2020) | 6-2 PG | St. Edward | #35 | Team 5: Quick, explosive athlete who provides constant energy and a defensive presence at the point of attack. Fearless slasher who has fine-tuned his pull-up jumper.
Trevon Ellis | 6-3 G | Stivers | #41 | Team 6: Powerful combo guard with a shifty handle who makes late passes when help-side slides over. Scores against contact or with a 15-foot jumper off the dribble. Rebounds well for a guard.
Breakout Candidates
Prospects who could surprise you. Better than advertised.
Luke Howes (2020) | 6-1 PG | Fairview | #17 | Team 1: Walsh commit. Offensive creator with an aggressive mindset on the defensive end of the floor. Strong, compact build.
Aidan Noyes (2021) | 6-5 SF | Moeller | #111 | Team 2: Bouncy slasher who thrives attacking closeouts and in transition. Effective pull-up shooter with a reverse pivot turn-around jumper from the middle of the lane in his arsenal.
Ricky Radtke (2021) | 6-6 PF | University School | #55 | Team 4: Intriguing combination of height and outside shooting ability. Interested to see Radtke against athletic competition at Capital.
Josh Thorbahn (2021) | 6-5 SF | Ottoville | #117 | Team 5: Three-point sniper capable of hitting off the dribble to go with his spot-up threat. Strong body that allows him to punish mismatches and rebound.
Omar Abuhamdeh (2021) | 5-10 PG | North Royalton | #10 | Team 6: High-IQ compact guard with command of the floor who likes to keep everyone involved. Must respect his outside shooting ability but he can also attack and hit a floater.
Jackson Sizemore (2020) | 6-8 C | Perrysburg | #78 | Team 6: Impactful defender who provides communication and rim-protection on the back-line of a defense. Capable of scoring on 3-pointers and quick over-the-shoulder hooks. Willing and effective screener.
Henry Raynor (2021) | 6-6 PF | St. Ignatius | #81 | Team 6: Modern power forward with a expansive skill-set out of the face-up. Uses spin moves to get to the basket and has pretty much every skill you’re looking at his position.
Curtis Harrison (2020) | 6-7 PF | Seven Hills | #82 | Team 7: Harrison’s soft touch and springy legs make him very effective as a paint scorer and pick-and-roll guy. Wide frame. Has struggled staying on the floor for entire seasons because of injury.
Alex Williams (2021) | 6-4 F | Moeller | #70 | Team 8: Positionless 215-pound hybrid with the powerful build of a forward and the ball skills of a guard. Williams can create a shot, drive-and-kick, shoot it, rebound, start the break, and defend most positions — sometimes those things happen all within a 30-second span, too.
Multi-sport Athletes
A trio of prospects who excel on the football field and make recruiting headlines in another sport.
Carson Ryan (2020) | 6-5 G | Struthers | #29 | Team 1: Skilled scorer with ball-handling ability and a strong frame. Ryan likes to get to the basket but can hit open jumpers, too.
Luke Floriea (2020) | 5-10 PG | Mentor | #2 | Team 7: Boston College football commit. Fast, skilled playmaker who aggressively seeks opportunities to pull 3-pointers or attack the basket. Disruptive amount of energy on the defensive side of the floor.
Jayden Ballard (2021) | 6-3 SF | Massillon Washington | #21 | Team 10: Ohio State football commit. Athletic transition scorer who can defend the wing.
First Look
I haven’t evaluated these players either ever or in a few years. We will be sure to watch them at the showcase on Saturday.
Kareem Swain, Bishop Thomas, Adam Chaney, Mitch Raifsnider, Bobby Crenshaw, Logan Woods, Derrick Anderson, Jalen Wanger, Logan Smith, Nolan Mader, Peyton Bissler, and Marcus Stewart
Come back for Part II later in the week. All unmentioned participants will be included in our second segment, where we talk superlatives.