270 Hoops Proving Ground Week 1 Sleeper Players
Week 1 of the 270 Hoops Proving Ground proved to be a success, with over 25 players in attendance, the atmosphere was one that reeked of competition and the young men played with a purpose. Playing to a certain point…
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Continue ReadingWeek 1 of the 270 Hoops Proving Ground proved to be a success, with over 25 players in attendance, the atmosphere was one that reeked of competition and the young men played with a purpose. Playing to a certain point amount then having to hit a free throw to end the game gives each late possession that much more meaning and makes the ball players play that much harder. Knowing that college coaches, friends, family and people like me watching, those young ball players showed everyone how good they were. The winners of the event were already detailed but there were players that flew slightly under the radar, the sleeper players of the day. These hoopers may not have made the splash plays for their team but they contributed in the little ways that helped out the team.
Jaydon Pearson- Senior; Dublin Scioto: Pearson came onto his team in the third game and made an instant impact, coming in and outworking the other players on the court. Grabbing offensive rebounds to give his team extra possessions and himself easy baskets, his team won their first game in his first game which was not a surprise. On defense, Pearson got his hands on the ball in the passing lanes creating transition offense for his team. Pearson’s long arms also allowed him to lock up in man-to-man defense. The senior hopes to continue his impact this upcoming season where it looks like he will have more of a role.
Chase Walker- Sophomore; Reynoldsburg: It is really difficult to sleep on guy this size, standing around 6-foot-7 and tipping the scales at over 300 pounds, Walker moves like a player much smaller. He showed a glimpse of range, knocking down a couple three-point jump shot along with nailing some mid-range shots. On the block he was a nightmare, throwing his weight around in the most coordinated of ways, finishing at the rim with a couple lay-ups that took people’s breath away. He also passed the ball very well, finding open jump shooters and hitting cutters right in the hand for simple finishes. Walker is apart of the bright basketball future at Reynoldsburg, looking to become apart of the 1-2 punch with John Mobley Jr.
Dan Wagner Dan Wagner 6'0" | CG Columbus Africentric Early College | 2022 State OH – Senior; Africentric: Apart of the winning team of the day, Wagner made all the little plays to keep his team in games and ultimately win them as well. The lefty showed why he is one of the best guards in the Columbus City League, hitting timely jumpers over defenders and displaying his ability to get to the rim with explosive lay-ups. Wagner crashed the glass on both sides of the ball, creating second chance points and easy transition buckets for his team. Wagner is apart of the most talented team in the Columbus City League south and has enjoyed an excellent summer of basketball, this young man expects big things from his Nubians.
Maceo Williams Maceo Williams 6'6" | C Gahanna | 2021 State OH – Senior; Gahanna: Williams was a huge part of team 4 and their early four game win streak, every dry spell his team had, this young man ended it somehow. He started draining deep jump shots early and when that wore off, he went to his bread and butter, the mid range jumper. It seemed as though Williams could not miss from 15-17 feet, taking advantage of defenders who backed off him too much. Once the mid-range started to work, he began to drive around defenders and finished at the rim really well. Gahanna has a loaded roster coming into the fall, with possible the best player in his class, Sean Jones Sean Jones 5'10" | PG Gahanna | 2022 State #102 Nation OH , and Williams only makes that team more dangerous for the state of Ohio.
Daviyon McDonald- Junior; Dublin Coffman: Using every bit of his 6-foot-7 frame to disrupt things defensively, McDonald did the little things to help lead his team to the championship. Stopping driving guards from getting easy baskets in the paint and blocking the attempts of those brave enough to test him, McDonald boosted his team’s confidence by getting them easy baskets because of his defensive prowess. On offense, he eventually found his groove, knocking down jumpers with regularity and creating for his teammates as well. McDonald has improved all summer, increasing his range and getting bigger as well. Dublin Coffman hopes he comes into the regular season ready to use his new found skills.