Recruiting Report: Eric McLaughlin (2018)

As a sophomore at Lynchburg-Clay, <strong>Eric McLaughlin</strong> (2018) made a name for himself by averaging 12.8 points and 7.6 rebounds on the way to a Division III State Semifinal appearance. McLaughlin posted consecutive double-doubles in the Regional Semis and Regional Finals, proving that he’s prepared for the big moments going into his upperclassman years. The talent displayed has since drawn interest from Otterbein, Findlay, Denison, and St. Francis (PA). Besides performing highly with Ohio Unity 16U this summer, what is the 6’5” prospect doing to continue his development? “My dad is a teacher at the middle school, so I mean, we go to the gym every day. We lift weights four out of five days, and the fifth day is a carb day,” McLaughlin said. McLaughlin is often called upon to go inside for the Mustangs; but it was actually a moment this summer at an Otterbein camp which made strength his focus. “There was just this one play, and it just changed my mind about everything. I just remember, I went to the lane and I just got hacked … It was a big guy that hit me. But I was like, ‘I’m not going to take that,’” McLaughlin recalled. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-79867 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2016/08/unnamed-240x300.jpg" alt="unnamed" width="240" height="300" /> McLaughlin has a mature demeanor and playing style. Versatility, experience, and patience, will make it easy for Lynchburg-Clay to construct a game-plan centered around him. The coaching staff will have a lot to work with. “In high school, I’ve been asked to play the center or the two- and three-guard,” McLaughlin said. In the post, he is willing to distribute with his back to the basket. His foot-speed and shooting touch make him a scoring threat too. On the perimeter, dribbles are more effective than fancy — using minimal bounces to find a soft spot in the defense. Once there, his pull-up jumper is solid. Furthermore, McLaughlin believes he can defend every position. With that being said, which position McLaughlin plays in college is yet to be determined. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-79866" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2016/08/unnamed-1-300x206.jpg" alt="unnamed-1" width="424" height="292" /> The overall trend with McLaughlin is versatile abilities coupled along strong decision-making. The underrated small-town stud plans to improve his ball-handling and strength going forward. If his 5-day training regiment is any indication, McLaughlin’s skills will likely be even more wide-ranging by the time he steps into a college program in two years. McLaughlin carries a 3.9 GPA.