Indy: Top 17U Guards
Between the EYBL, UAA, adidas Silver, Nike Midwest Takeover, and Terrific 24, the city of Indianapolis was a basketball fan’s dream this weekend. Every coach and scout had more wristbands than a preteen girl when the Livestrong era was in full-swing and every team had the opportunity to play in front of college coaches as the spring Live Period came to a close.
Ohio performed pretty well overall and we’ll take time to extensively recap all of the top performers at each grade level, starting with 2019 point guards.
Sam Clear, 6’3” G, All Ohio Gold / Northview
In February, Clear told Prep Hoops that he’d received no college interest. We surely doubt that’s the case now. The off-ball shooter has been consistent from deep all spring. He’s pulling the triple with confidence when he’s open and making smart quick decisions when he’s not. Meanwhile, Clear also showed the ability to put it on the deck for a one-dribble pull-up or floater. We have him evaluated as one of the top D-III shooting specialist prospects in Ohio.
Samari Curtis, 6’4” G, C2K Elite / Xenia
In C2K’s lone 17U win this weekend, Curtis hit a couple deep 3-pointers down the stretch to pull away. He has legitimate NBA-range with his feet set. He packages the jumper with a shifty handle and court awareness. Curtis can get caught watching occasionally on defense, but his offensive production is special.
Amari Davis, 6’4” G, C2K Elite / Trotwood
As expected, Davis seemingly converted every mid-range jumper that he attempted. Also, he rebounded especially well for a guard. His verticality and toughness allows him to rebound like a forward and even defend much taller wings. When Davis grabs the rebound, he immediately pushes the break and changes the pace. Also, any questions about his jumper are foolish at this point.
Will Penny, 6’4” G, Indiana Elite Ice / Logansport (IN)
Penny showed a lot of skill as a slasher against Nova this weekend. The springy athlete made use of a euro step in traffic on two occasions. On another, Penny powerfully spun through the lane and kissed it off the glass for a finish. His jumper was inconsistent, but Penny’s athleticism in transition and on the wing is an asset.
Aaron Good, 6’3” G, Northwest Ohio Basketball Club / Wapakoneta
The small-town prospect is shooting the triple well for NWO. Good may have a bit of a thin build, but he seems to take pride in battling inside for tough floaters and rebounds. We like the edge he plays with.
Josh Corbin, 6’3” G, All Ohio Red EYBL / Gahanna
Corbin has been one of Ohio’s top prospects this spring. We have him slotted at no. 14 in the class of 2019, and that’s definitely too low. Corbin doesn’t even need his feet set to be productive from the 3-point line. He’s clearly one of Red’s most reliable scorers, given his shooting ability. In fact, Corbin is second in the team in scoring and has connected from beyond the arch at a 43 percent clip on 47 attempts, per D1 Circuit.