Landon’s Week 7 Player Evaluations: Forwards
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This week was full of great games that had lots of great players in them. I saw some exciting prospects and look forward to giving you my evaluations each and every Sunday throughout the season. It is time to recap…
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Continue ReadingThis week was full of great games that had lots of great players in them. I saw some exciting prospects and look forward to giving you my evaluations each and every Sunday throughout the season. It is time to recap this week and look at what our exciting prospects did.
Hamilton Heights @ Lebanon – 1/5/2021
Luke Carroll Luke Carroll 6'5" | SF Hamilton Heights | 2022 State IN (Hamilton Heights) (2022) – 6’3″ SF: Carroll was a stat-stuffer in this game, making multiple momentum-changing plays early on. He had two big steals that led to fast-break buckets during the Huskies’ 24-2 run in the 2nd quarter. He reads passing lanes well and knows when to jump them. He is also a good shot-blocker, coming up with three blocks in this one. He is a very physical player down low who is always going to make hustle plays for his team. He didn’t show as much as I was hoping on the offensive end of the floor, but he has good touch around the rim. I think the next part of his game would be developing a mid-range jumper, so if he can do that, it will take his game to a much better level.
Kobe Ottinger Kobe Ottinger 6'5" | PF Lebanon | 2022 IN (Lebanon) (2022) – 6’4″ PF: Ottinger has good size, and he can knock down shots as well as take it to the hole. This makes him a tough matchup for the majority of players at this level. However, in this one, he struggled mightily from the outside. Early on in the game, he got to the rim and got a couple of bunnies. He also hit his first three-point attempt. However, in the final three quarters, Ottinger got away from being aggressive to the rim and started settling for threes. He needs to keep that aggressiveness in his game, even when things aren’t going well for him. With his offensive skill set, he has a lot of potential, but he just needs to fine-tune some of his skills and get a better feel for the game. I expect him to continue to improve and his senior year could be a breakout one.
Hunter Crew Hunter Crew 6'5" | PF Lebanon | 2022 IN (Lebanon) (2022) – 6’5″ PF: Crew showed a couple of nice takes to the rim, usually with his left hand. He was able to finish inside, but Hamilton Heights did a good job defending him on the low block. They knew that he was looking to drive every chance that he got. In order for Hunter’s game to advance, he is going to need to develop a mid-range jumper that will at least keep the defense honest. He is aggressive on the glass, and I expect his game to grow over the next year. I look forward to seeing how he can improve in the remainder of the season and the offseason going into his senior year.
Fishers @ Indianapolis Pike – 1/8/2021
Jeffrey Simmons Jeffrey Simmons 6'7" | PF Fishers | 2022 State IN (Fishers) (2022) – 6’7″ PF: Simmons is a big, bruising post player that brings his football mindset to the basketball court. His go-to move is to catch at the high-post and drive to the rim. Besides playing well down low, he also showed the ability to knock down shots from the mid-range and beyond the arc. He finished the game with 19 points, but he did have 7 turnovers due to some forces on the offensive end. If Fishers is going to succeed this season and next, he is going to need to pass out of double teams and not try to force things in the paint. If he can learn to do this better, he will definitely receive some Division 1 interest in both football and basketball.
Ryan Conwell Ryan Conwell 6'2" | SG Pike | 2022 State #155 Nation IN (Pike) (2022) – 6’5″ PF: Conwell was a stat-stuffer in this game for Pike, showing out on both sides of the ball. He tallied 8 pts, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 6 steals in the win. He struggled shooting the ball in this game, but he definitely has that in his arsenal. He uses his outstanding athleticism to get to the rim and finish. He uses his hands to come up with steals and he has a great ability to read passing lanes. His defensive ability alone is enough to make a difference in a game, but when you add in his offensive talent, he is going to continue to get looks at the NAIA and Division 2 level.
Edward Jones Edward Jones 6'5" | PF Indianapolis Pike | 2021 State IN (Pike) (2021) – 6’5″ PF: Jones was outstanding for Pike in this one, giving them a very good presence down low to control the paint. He is physical and aggressive inside the paint, and he has great footwork which allows him to be smooth inside. He is very athletic, and this allows him to make plays all over the court. One thing that his game is lacking is a jump shot, but he did knock down a 35 footer at the buzzer for the end of the first quarter. He doesn’t hold any offers right now, but he is underrated as a player and should be able to play at least at the NAIA level.
Westfield @ Carmel – 1/9/2021
Brian Waddell Brian Waddell 6'5" | SF Carmel | 2021 State IN (Carmel) (2021) – 6’5″ SF: Waddell was the offensive catalyst all game for the Greyhounds. He was able to get basically anywhere that he wanted to all night. He was 3-5 from beyond the arc and 7-10 overall, and his stock just continues to rise during his impressive senior season. He is a playmaker that always has his eyes up so that he can see the court really well. One problem that he had in this one was with offensive fouls. He was called for three charges just by getting too deep into the paint. If he can develop a short floater to avoid those offensive fouls, he will an even more prolific scorer. Waddell currently holds Division 1 offers from Incarnate Word and Wright State.
Sam Orme Sam Orme 6'9" | SF Carmel | 2023 State #196 Nation IN (Carmel) (2023) – 6’6″ SF: Orme is a young player that has tons of confidence and knowledge of the game. He has tons of height and length which allows him to get a shot off over basically any defender. His post defense is improving every time out, and as he bulks up, it should improve much more. His shooting though is what makes him a great player for Carmel this season. He has a high-arcing three-point shot that is very consistent. He knocked down two shots from deep in this one, and as he grows and matures at the varsity level, he will continue to develop and make him a highly sought-out recruit in a couple of years.