Three Diamonds in the rough who emerged at GBCA Senior Showcase
There were some diamonds in the rough in the group of 82 players in the Class of 2018 who attended the Greater Cleveland Basketball Coach Association Senior Showcase on Oct. 5 at Brecksville High School.
One such player who really popped out was Sincere Hackney, who plays at Rhodes High on Cleveland’s west side. Time and time again during the scrimmages Hackney, a point guard, was able to get past his defender off the dribble and get to the rack where he finished a high percentage of the time. In doing show he displayed a knack for making difficult shots close in while absorbing contact.
Hackney is also considered a strong defender, according to his high school coach Shawn Spencer, who said he doesn’t hesitate to put Hackney on the opponent’s best player, no matter his size. The 6’ 170-pound guard has a 74-inch wingspan and a 28-inch vertical. He made need help academically, although he carries a 2.4 GPA. Classroom issues caused him to miss games last year, according to his coach.
Jordan Ball, 5’10” 145, guard was a starter on a team at Avon Lake a year ago, which was one of the better ones in Northeast Ohio. This guy is lightning fast in transition and works the passing lanes well to pick up steals and then take the ball the other way for a layup. Defensively, his 29-inch vertical, combined with a 7’ reach and 72’ inch wingspan help make him a good shooter. Needs to get more lift on his jump shot.
An explosive leaper and very athletic, Josh Ozanne, a 6’3”, 175-pound wing, St. Ignatius, could clearly play at the college level. He earned quality minutes as a junior, according to his coach Brian Becker, but did not start. A slasher who can get to the rack off the dribble, Ozanne showed during some of the station work at the showcase that he could finish high above the rim and with authority. He’s also expected to be a lockdown defender, where he can also use his 27-inch vertical leap to challenge shots.