Top Prospects: Olentangy at Westerville Central
A terrific second half from senior point guard Thomas Hickman pushed Westerville Central over Olentangy 68-57 last night. The Warhawks advanced to 5-1 and Olentangy moved to 3-2.
The game was back-and-forth for nearly three quarters, as both teams struggled with consistency on the offensive end. Westerville Central eventually strung some baskets together and built an 8-10 point cushion, forcing the Braves into a full-court press. From there, Hickman roasted the defense and led them to victory.
Now, we’ll provide evaluations for the top prospects from last night’s game.
Thomas Hickman (2018), 6’2” PG, Westerville Central
Hickman had a game-high 25 points, but more importantly was the guy who protected the ball down the stretch. Hickman knifed through the defense in the open floor all night with his in-and-out move and hesitations. He can finish athletically at the rim and has good court awareness to find shooters if he draws a double team. Hickman struggled shooting the ball and needs to improve in the half-court, but a college that looks to push the tempo will suit Hickman.
Sean Marks (2019), 5’11” PG, Olentangy
Marks plays with good pace, as his quick decisions and changes or speed allows him to draw contact and get to the line. His shooting threat jumps out most. He compliments the jumper with a mean pump-fake to draw quick separation. Marks is an efficient scorer (5/10 from the field, 1/1 from deep, and 8/8 at the free throw line) but did turn the ball over quite a bit. Despite lacking in size, Marks could wind up with an NAIA or Division II scholarship next summer.
Cam Schroeder (2018), 6’6” F, Westerville Central
The mobile post player runs the floor, has quick post moves, and shoots a decent jumper. Schroeder finished with 12 points, many of which came down the stretch at the free throw line. We liked the way he crashed the offensive glass too.
Solomon Wells (2018), 6’4” W/F, Westerville Central
Wells excels as a finisher as he came up with a reverse in traffic and a couple other tough ones. Most of his baskets are going to come on straight-line drives and hustle plays. His jumper is a bit flat with a slow-release but his intangibles could make him interesting for a Division III roster.
