Photo-Worthy Moments Explained: Flyin’ to the Hoop
In this series, I want to take some of the photos I capture and explain to you what was going on at that moment or why I consider it photo-worthy. A photo freezes time, yet they usually have a story or meaning behind them. These are some of my favorite photos from this past weekend at Flyin’ to the Hoop from our Ohio players.
John Hugley IV– Brush High School
This photo of his teammates picking him up may not be the most athletic looking photo you have ever seen, but this big man has range, and his teammates love it. At this moment, John hit a deep bucket and earned himself a 3-point play the old fashioned way. John is a 6’9 C/PF, and he started the game draining a three on the first possession. I was instantly impressed. He can work any part of the floor, and he has fairly good handles for someone of his size as well. Once he joins Pitt next year, I could see him toning up a little and gaining more explosiveness that will ultimately make him a valuable PF for Pitt.
Andy Barba – ISA at Andrews Osborne
Andy is a mid-major division 1 player with a high level ‘killer-instinct.’ The 6’6 SG/SF had ice in his veins Friday night in their big win over Hillcrest Prep. In this photo, Andy drove the ball directly at one of Hillcrest Prep’s 5-star athletes with strength and ended up earning a 3 point play. His ability to drive and shoot behind the arc is a key reason he will end up play Division 1 basketball most likely. Talking with Andy, there is some more interest coming his way, and hopefully, some more offers will be coming in after the performance he had this weekend.
VonCameron Davis & Kaveon Ross – Walnut Ridge High School Duo
This duo is STRONG. They are physical, athletic, and have serious finishing abilities inside. They absolutely dominated Woodward this past weekend, and this photo depicts the mood on the court. The strength they have was just unmatched, and they exploited it. VonCameron will be playing at Kent State, and Kaveon recently announced his commitment to play football at Tiffin. At the high school level, these two are hard to stop. The pair had 27 points each and a combined 18 rebounds.
Elmore James – Brush High School
There is a lot to be said about this young player. This photo is another example of strong play at the rim and his teammates feeding off of his energy. The 6’0 G already boasts a strong, athletic frame and also has the agility, awareness, and game-sense college coaches are looking for. The Sophomore put up 21 points and added 5 rebounds with 0 turnovers. As he matures and develops, I could see Elmore getting more creative in his play and creating more opportunities for his teammates. He received an offer from Youngstown State after his play at the tournament, and he already holds one from Cleveland St. He has a lot of room to grow, and he could potentially earn high-major offers by the time he is a senior.
Rayvon Griffith – Taft High School
This photo depicts a confident player that knows they are about to dominate. I know its only warm-ups, but if you have ever seen this Freshman play, he is confident, not cocky, in what he does from the moment he touches the court. Sometimes people cannot properly distinguish confidence and cockiness. Cockiness generally tends to those who think they are the next big thing. Their mouths do the talking and sometimes they follow up what they are saying, but a lot of times it is hype. Confidence is what a player like Rayvon has. His play from minute one is intense, and he moves in silence. A lot of young stars talk their talk, but Rayvon puts his mature ability to display each time he steps onto the court. His game speaks for itself, and that is why he is getting the national attention he does. He will be a top D-1 prospect when it’s all said and done. He had 25 points and 16 rebounds this past weekend.