Dayton’s Top Unsigned Seniors
With the 2019-20 season done and AAU on a brief hold, several guys still have options collegiately and will make decisions soon on where to play their college basketball. As you will see in this piece, most of the guys…
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Continue ReadingWith the 2019-20 season done and AAU on a brief hold, several guys still have options collegiately and will make decisions soon on where to play their college basketball. As you will see in this piece, most of the guys listed are small school prospects, with only one true D1 still on the board. Regardless though, all of these players are competitors and play with a ton of passion and skill that has attracted attention from myself, other scouts, and colleges so far. While there are certainly more seniors than the guys on this list still available, these players specifically I have seen many times over their high school careers and particularly look like they will excel at the college level. Here are 6 guys unsigned from the Dayton area that are still available currently.
Willeon Yates Springboro- Willeon’s name came on the board especially during the 2nd half of the season. Averaging 13 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds per game, he had strong performances against teams like Wayne and Miamisburg and even finished 4th in the GWOC in assists for the season. How does he do it? First off, his speed and control with the basketball. It’s difficult to guard Yates on the perimeter because of his quick crossovers, explosive first step and tremendous vision. The 5’9 point guard is also a star football player and could likely play college ball in either sports. For basketball purposes, D3s should keep Yates on their radar if they’re looking for an athletic guy to run their offense.
Yousef Saleh Yousef Saleh 6'0" | PG Beavercreek | 2020 State OH Beavercreek- Saleh saw massive improvement during his senior year and showed his capabilities as a floor general for the Beavers this season. Averaging 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists on the year, Yousef was one of two fantastic guards for Beavercreek this year. His vision is elite and he keeps the ball moving to teammates on the perimeter. Defensively, Saleh plays wide, moves his feet incredibly well, and cuts off the dribble drive quickly. One of the biggest question marks is his ability to finish consistently in the paint. While his quickness allows him to get by defenders pretty easily, he struggles to hit layups in the paint in traffic at a consistent level. There is no doubt he can play college basketball as he is already receiving interest from JUCOs as well as NAIA-D3 schools. With his frame and backcourt skills, I think he is easily an elite D3 prospect.
Mo Njie Mo Njie 6'9" | C Centerville | 2020 State OH Centerville- One of the most sought after names in Dayton, Njie is the best true center in the Dayton area in the 2020 class. Defensively, he is a nightmare with his long arms, perfectly timed jumps and aggressiveness. Offensively there are concerns with his ability to maintain the basketball in the paint and his footwork on post moves. While he is 6’9 and usually the tallest player on the floor when he played high school ball, he will not always be the biggest guy when it comes to college basketball. Holding offers from schools including Xavier, Providence and Toledo among others, I think Mo will excel at a D1 low-major school and will benefit the most at a MAC school like Toledo.
Brady Uhl Brady Uhl 6'1" | SG Alter | 2020 State OH and Jack Smith Jack Smith 6'3" | SG Alter | 2020 State OH Alter- 2 of the 3 key members of Alter’s senior trio, Smith and Uhl excel in all aspects of their game, but both have certain areas they especially excel in. For Uhl, he is a gifted scorer capable of giving you 16+ points easily on any given night. The leading scorer in the GCL this year, Uhl showed an improved ability to hit the midrange shot, as well as use his strong build to attack from the perimeter. At 6’1, he is a strong 2-guard that can guard the position as well as consistently score. He has the attention from D3s and NAIA as of now. Smith also can score the basketball, however he has shown to be one of the better on-ball defenders still available. At 6’3, he’s bigger for a shooting guard and can guard multiple positions, including both guard spots and smaller wings. He initiates contact and is tough as nails when guarding the ball. His footwork is quick and methodical. Schools including Otterbein and Muskingum are looking at him currently as Jack is a solid D3 prospect that many schools in the OAC should consider.
Larry Turner Larry Turner 6'4" | PF Chaminade Julienne | 2020 State OH Chaminade-Julienne- Last but definitely not least, Turner comes in as a 6’4 small forward that similarly to Jack Smith Jack Smith 6'3" | SG Alter | 2020 State OH , can get it done on both ends of the floor. Larry’s size makes him a mismatch many times as he has shown he is more comfortable attacking from the perimeter on the offensive end. That’s not to say he can’t score in the post or with his back to the basket, but he primarily likes to score his points off the dribble drive. Defensively, he utilizes that same length and long reach to disrupt perimeter players. Combine this with his impressive vertical leap and you have a player that can guard multiple positions as well. My biggest concern with Larry is can he defend true post players? While he can guard the perimeter and midrange game well, I have seen him struggle when it comes to guarding on the block and being posted up. Even with this, his motor and drive is tough to match and as a result, I see D3s keeping him on their radars if they need a small forward or wing.