OK Conference Top 50 (10-1)
After breaking down players in the OK Conference ranked 50-41, 40-31, 30-21, and 20-11, we’ve finally made it to the best of the best, the top 10 players in the area. This proved to be no easy task, as each…
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Continue ReadingAfter breaking down players in the OK Conference ranked 50-41, 40-31, 30-21, and 20-11, we’ve finally made it to the best of the best, the top 10 players in the area. This proved to be no easy task, as each of the 10 prospects below has had exceptional high school careers thus far and will go on to be players at the next level. Without further ado, here are my top 10 players in the OK Conference regardless of class.
10. Nate Claerbaut Nate Claerbaut 6'10" | C Zeeland East | 2021 State MI , 6’10 C, Zeeland East 2021″
Nate’s a lanky, 6’10” prospect who has an advanced offensive skillset and a physical presence that is still in its development. On the block, Nate has quick feet, allowing himself to get past defenders with several crisp post moves. He has a soft touch on his shots in the paint and does a great job of sealing off defenders in ball screen actions to get high percentage shots up. Nate’s also flashed an ability to knock down shots from the midrange extended. Defensively, Nate has shown good awareness and the ability to flash to help side and alter shots with his length. The future Ferris State Bulldog should be regarded as one of the best big men in the area this season.
9. Jalen Charity Jalen Charity 6'5" | CG Northview | 2022 State MI , 6’5″ G, Northview 2022″
Jalen is arguably one of the most under the radar prospects in the state. This is due to his athleticism and playmaking ability. Jalen has a natural feel for the game and can score in many ways. His bounce jumps out on highlights, and especially in person, as does his shot-making prowess. Jalen has a long way to go in terms of his physical maturation, but the potential to what he could be at the next level is hard to ignore. His length is disruptive defensively, and he has the quickness to match up with guards and wings alike.
A few highlights from this weeks Fall league @HoopsNorthview @BankHoops @PrepHoopsTate @6deepbasketball @PrepHoopsMI @alleyesonuhoops @endless_motor pic.twitter.com/gqBSbVlyZv
— Jalen Charity Jalen Charity 6'5" | CG Northview | 2022 State MI (@JalenC03) November 9, 2020
8. Brandon Claerbaut Brandon Claerbaut 6'5" | SF Zeeland East | 2021 State MI , 6’6″ G/F, Zeeland East 2021″
Brandon is one of the best two-way players in the OK Conference, due in large part to his shooting ability and his length. Standing at 6’6″, Brandon uses his frame to both shoot over defenders and provide suffocating defense with great closeouts. In addition to his size, Brandon has a high release point on his shot, making defending him an even harder task. Brandon has also shown a habit of running down opponents and blocking their shots at or near the rim. His hustle is a key intangible to his game, and something that he can hang his hat on at Ferris State University, where he’ll be playing next season with his brother Nate.
7. Brady Titus Brady Titus 5'10" | PG Tri-Unity Christian | 2022 State MI , 5’10” G, Tri-Unity Christian 2022″
Although this list is strictly top 50 players from the OK Conference and Tri-Unity Christian plays in the Alliance league, it would be a disservice to exclude Brady. He’s my number one overall ranked point guard in the area and he’s only a junior. Brady is the type of skillset to dribble out of a full-court press and make it look effortless. He has next-level vision, finding teammates with no-look passes, and can anticipate opponent’s passes, creating turnovers and transition scoring opportunities for Tri-Unity. He was my MVP at the Prep Hoops 250 Expo this past fall and should continue his dominant ways in the Alliance league this season.
6. Sam Krist Sam Krist 6'5" | PF Rockford | 2021 State MI , 6’5″ G/F, Rockford 2021″
Sam brings a lot to the table both offensively and defensively for the Rams. He’s a fundamentally sound player who creates quality shots in a majority of isolation-based sets. He does a great job of creating his own shot, can score both at the rim off the dribble, and in pull-up situations. His poise stands out as a skillset that drives his entire game. Sam doesn’t force bad looks and does a great job of creating quality shots for his teammates off of dribble drives. Defensively, Sam creates problems for opponents due to his length. Sam will be furthering his basketball and academic career at the United States Naval Academy next year.
5. Trip Riemersma Trip Riemersma 6'4" | SG Zeeland East | 2021 State MI , 6’3″ G, Zeeland East 2021″
Trip is a lanky prospect who plays with a lot of juice. His energy level is always amped up, allowing him to create turnovers and finish transition plays above the rim. Trip is also a very talented player in the halfcourt who can both facilitate quality shots for his teammates and create high-percentage looks for himself. He has a smooth jumper in spot-up and pull-up situations. Trip also does a good job of using his length to convert tough shots through a crowd in the paint.
4. Ethan Erickson Ethan Erickson 6'1" | SG Forest Hills Northern | 2021 State MI , 5’11” G, Forest Hills Northern 2021″
Ethan is arguably one of the most dangerous shooters in the state, knocking down 47% of his threes from a season ago. His shot-making ability has a ton of depth to it too, proving he can knock down perimeter shots off multiple screens, from pull-up and off-the-dribble looks. Simply put, Ethan requires a full-game faceguard if you want to avoid him dropping 30. Ethan is also not just a shooter. His ability to break down defenders and score in the paint has continued to evolve into a key component of his game. Ethan will be teaming up with the Claerbaut brothers at Ferris State University next season.
3. Jack Karasinski Jack Karasinski 6'5" | SF Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2022 State MI , 6’7″ G/F, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 2021″
Jack’s game has started to get noticed by a handful of Division 1 schools in the past year and for good reason. He’s a highly athletic wing that can handle the ball, make great reads and finish shots in a variety of ways. He’s a good shooter whose range extends to the perimeter, and he’s a force when he slashes through the lane. Defensively, Jack has taken his game to the next level, showing his ability to not only guard his man but slide over on help-side and erase opponents’ potential scoring opportunities.
Couple highlights from fall league pic.twitter.com/TmuSjhUO78
— Jack Karasinski Jack Karasinski 6'5" | SF Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2022 State MI (@JackKarasinski) October 28, 2019
2. Kyler Vanderjagt Kyler Vanderjagt 6'4" | 195 lbs | SF Northview | 2022 State MI , 6’4″ G, Grand Rapids Northview 2021″
Kyler has college-ready size and a game to match. He’s a knockdown shooter from the perimeter and can create his own shots in the halfcourt with ease. Kyler’s also a gifted passer who does a good job of sucking in the defense, allowing his teammates to find cutting lanes for easy shots. His size and length have given Kyler the ability to guard multiple positions on defense, and his quickness creates transition opportunities off of turnovers. As of January 5th, Kyler is my highest rated uncommitted prospect from the OK Conference.
1. Kobe Bufkin Kobe Bufkin 6'4" | SG Grand Rapids Christian | 2021 State #71 Nation MI , 6’5″ G, Grand Rapids Christian 2021″
Kobe is the undisputed best player in the state and a top-50 player in the country. Kobe has elite intangibles that have made him one of the most sought after recruits in the 2021″ class. Kobe’s ability to change his pace of play on a dime is rare. His length is overwhelming on both sides of the court as he’s proved to be one of the premier shotmakers through contact in the country. Defensively, his length and quick first-step create turnovers and easy buckets for Christian. The future two-guard in Juwan Howard’s offense will be one of the most exciting players to watch from the OK Conference