Recruiting Report: Jon Alessandro

With his size and ball-handling skills, <strong>Jon Alessandro </strong>(2018) of Beavercreek HS is a dangerous player. Currently unranked in Prep Hoops Ohio class of 2018 player rankings, Jon can easily make that list soon. Jon uses his size to beat opposing teams on the glass, and also his guard-like mentality to knock down longer range shots and beat his man off the dribble. Because Jon has the potential to score upwards of 20 points on a given night, he will sometimes lure double teams. Even then, he possesses the court vision to find the open man. In fact, through the first 15 games this season, Jon has only had two games where he didn’t have at least one assist during a game. &nbsp; What makes Jon a unique player is his varsity experience. Jon has been on Beavercreek’s varsity team since he was a freshman. He has improved every season so far in every category. I asked him what skill he has seen the most improvement since he started playing freshman year. &nbsp; He told me, “I’d have to say my outside shot and mid-range shot have improved the most”. &nbsp; His statistics back this up. Jon went from shooting 22% from the 3-point line his freshman year to 36% this year, and it wouldn’t be surprising if that number improves even more in-between now and his senior year. &nbsp; I also asked him if he felt there was any pressure on him because of his experience to lead the team although only a junior, especially late in the game. &nbsp; “Not really, we have 4 seniors on the roster. We all play well together and have good chemistry” &nbsp; Jon still wants to improve on his ball-handling before the OHSAA tournament starts, but his improvement in shooting plus his ability to make good passes are some of the reasons why he would like to play either guard or small forward in college. He also said he wants to work on being strong around the basket and finish around the rim better. One of the other reasons Jon’s statistics have improved has been some of the talent he plays against during the regular season. Due to their league schedule, Beavercreek used to play local powerhouses Wayne, Centerville, and Springfield twice during the season. I asked Jon if he felt playing these teams has helped prepare him for playing basketball at the next level. &nbsp; He said he felt it has. “I feel like it gives me an edge. I remember my freshman year we played Wayne and they had 5 starters with D1 interest”. &nbsp; Just this season, Jon has faced several top 10 players in their respective classes including <strong>Danny Davis</strong> from Springfield (2017), <strong>Darius Quisenberry</strong> from Wayne (2018), and <strong>Caleb McConnell</strong> from Dunbar (2018). &nbsp; Jon currently holds no college offers but has received interest from Air Force and recently Ashland University. Being only a junior though, expect him to pick up even more offers and continue to dominate the hardwood.