Recruiting Report: Samari Curtis

Photo Credit: Don Tate &nbsp; <strong>Samari Curtis </strong>(2019) has proven this season why he is one of the best basketball players in Ohio. Currently ranked #8 in Ohio’s Class of 2019 rankings, Samari shows that not only is he an incredible scorer, but also an incredible playmaker. &nbsp; As of February 5, Samari leads the GWOC in scoring with an average of 23.9 PPG. In fact, only twice this season has he scored less than 20 points during the game! He scores with his mid-range and three-point shooting, as well as attacking the rim hard and finishing in traffic. Not only does he score, but Samari also passes the ball extremely well and is one of the top players in assists in the GWOC. He tells me, “My best on court skill is my passing. I love to make my teammates better and to make that play that shocks me and him”. His ability to drive-and-kick sets all his teammates up, whether they be behind the three point line or diving to the hole. &nbsp; The one area where Samari wants to improve his game is “my ball handling and all around fundamentals of the game. I learn something new every time I go onto the floor”. Samari has already begun to show improvement in this category. The amount of turnovers he had per game has diminished since early in the season. &nbsp; I asked Samari if he felt there was pressure on him to be Xenia’s go-to-guy because he was the leading scorer. He told me no and earlier this season there was a game winner for the Buccaneers and it was a senior that took the shot. This is another reason why Samari Curtis is such a unique basketball player. He puts his team before himself and is willing to not take late game shots for the better of the team. Samari hopes within his last two seasons at Xenia to become an all-around better player as well as for him and his teammates to compete at a higher level. “I want to lead the GWOC in assists and steals…I would like to see us competing for state. That has always been a dream of mine to play in the state championship”. If Samari continues to get better, there is no doubt these goals of his are obtainable. &nbsp; Although he has not been offered any scholarships at this time, Samari has received interest from Ohio State, Xavier, Dayton, Cincinnati, Arizona, and Wright State.