All In Hoopfest: Southeast Ohio Prospects
Over the entire week, we’ve highlighted the impressive performances from Ohio prospects at the All In Hoopfest in Louisville. We started on Monday with the Breakout Performances. Now, we’re wrapping up a trip all the way around Ohio by checking in on players in accordance to their state region and position.
Here’s our final piece, as we’re taking a look at the small-town prospects in southeast Ohio.
Zach Loveday (2020), 6’11” F/C, Mid Ohio Pumas
Eric McLaughlin (2018) 6’5” W, Hidden Gems Black
As a versatile wing, who could likely play either forward spot at the D-II or NAIA level, McLaughlin seems wildly underrated. To our knowledge, he only carries one NAIA offer, which is a head-scratcher. (Since this article was written, McLaughlin has verbally committed to Mount Vernon Nazarene.)
Once again this weekend, McLaughlin shows the awareness of a point guard when he has his back to the basket in the high post. The Hidden Gems teammates stay active when they’re in this look, and McLaughlin delivers no-look balls into tight windows. However, defenders certainly can’t play him like a passer, because he’s a very good shooter and slasher.
Although McLaughlin plays for a small high school in Lynchburg-Clay, it shouldn’t hurt his recruitment. On a grassroots team with plenty of Columbus-area recruits, McLaughlin often appears to be the top prospect. His combination of length, IQ, athleticism, and skill is undeniable.
Cameron Brooks-Harris (2018), 6’7” W, OH-NOVA (Tillman)
Brooks-Harris was finally awarded with four D-I offers this weekend. The incoming senior from Zanesville has been one of the freakiest athletes in the 2018 class for two years now, but this weekend he proved his value in front of a ton of D-I coaches.
On offense, Brooks-Harris attacks from the perimeter. He’s become respectable as a three-point shooter, so defenders have to close-out now. Brooks-Harris takes advantage of their momentum by taking one long dribble towards the rim for high finishes — he’s able to dunk the ball or finish through contact with this single dribble in either direction. Defensively, CBH looked like a rim-defender for NOVA. This group had no true bigs in Louisville, so he was often at the back line of defense against premier competition. Against Twenty Two Vision, he had one sequence where he cleanly rejected anywhere from 2-4 layup attempts from D-I prospects — which speaks to his verticality and quick jumping ability.