Butler District Final Standouts in D3
Fort Loramie, Jackson Center, and Cincinnati Christian punched their tickets to the Regional tournament Friday night with impressive victories. Each of the 6 teams playing in the Districts had at least one player that impressed me during their game. While…
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Continue ReadingFort Loramie, Jackson Center, and Cincinnati Christian punched their tickets to the Regional tournament Friday night with impressive victories. Each of the 6 teams playing in the Districts had at least one player that impressed me during their game. While several other prospects could be added to this list, I kept this to the top performer from each team. Take a look below and watch for some of these guys come Regionals next week!
Deanza Duncan (2021) New Miami- What Duncan lacks in height he makes up for in heart. The junior guard was one of the most active defenders on display in the Vikings loss against Fort Loramie. Has quick hands and great lateral footwork on the perimeter. Got caught a few times with questionable fouls due to him reaching but for the most part played solid defense. Impressed me with his flexibility and was able to get through ball screens many times. Offensively was too quick to defend on the perimeter and did a nice job drawing fouls in the paint against bigger opponents. He showed he can shoot the ball well, but some of his shot selections from college range were questionable.
Grant Albers (2021) Fort Loramie- The 6’3 junior didn’t fill up the stat sheet with his scoring numbers, but got it done in other ways for the Redskins. He was an intense interior presence with his size. Offensively set hard, solid screens on the ball and was tough to push off. When in the paint, Albers was too strong for New Miami defenders to box out. Most importantly, he rebounds with 2 hands and keeps the ball high. Showed throughout the season he can score 10+, but needs to work on his jump shot and mechanics as he struggled to connect on some jumpers.
Aidan Reichert Aidan Reichert 6'4" | PF Jackson Center | 2021 State OH (2021) Jackson Center- You won’t find a more hard-working player than Reichert as the kid can flat out play. An incredibly strong built player, he impressed this game with an ability to attack inside-out. Interior wise he is too strong of an upper body and frankly, showed he could play inside with strong post ups. He sealed off opposing defenders and kept them from fighting over the top. Reichert has a nice jump shot and connected on some midrange shots. Noticed during the last game in Sectionals that he wore a brace on his right wrist. Fell on it during this game and clearly was hurting.
Colby Cross Colby Cross 5'10" | PG Cedarville | 2020 State OH (2020) Cedarville- The senior guard played his heart out in his final high school game. Scorer was a great way to describe his game against Jackson Center as he put the ball in the basket in different ways. Specifically did well off the dribble with midrange level shots. Elevates on his jump shots allowing space to get clean looks. Did a nice job defensively getting through ball screens.
Fred Shropshire (2020) Emmanuel Christian- The demeanor of Shropshire is what caught my eye in the Lions loss against Cincinnati Christian. He was very patient with the basketball, utilizing a quick first step off the dribble and overall making smart plays. Very disciplined and did not force offense with his shooting or bad passes. If a D3 is looking for an unsigned seniors yet, Shropshire could be name to consider.
Logan Woods Logan Woods 6'4" | SG Fairfield | 2022 State OH (2022) Cincinnati Christian- It’s hard to believe Woods is playing in Division 4 when you consider his size and skillset. The 6’3 wing is big for a small school player and he was without a doubt the tallest guy on the floor. He too impressed with his ability to play inside-out. While his shooting mechanics are a little off, he still finds a way to put the ball in the basket. His length allowed him to move the basketball as he created space and simply passed over smaller defenders. It will be fun to watch Woods continue to develop but he showed signs of being a high level talent in the coming years.