Audition time: Christian Guess (2018) shows flashes in front of West Virginia’s Huggins
The most anticipated game on the schedule at the Dunk 4 Diabetes Shootout on Jan. 28 had to be Shaker Heights taking on Pickerington North.
The game featured unsigned Shaker wing Christian Guess, an athletic freak, who is being recruited by the likes of West Virginia.
In fact, none other than West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins was on hand to see the 6’6” guess, who was pitted against Indiana commit Jerome Hunter.
Hunter got the better of the battle as he outscored Guess 17-15 and his team got the ‘W’ as well, 67-58.
Guess showed flashes, but didn’t play with his usual fire. It was as if he was trying to show Huggins he can control his emotions on the floor.
He did have his moments, though. He got a nice dunk in transition and had a sweet drive down the line where he faked a behind the back pass only to bring the ball back and lay it in.
Shaker’s other outstanding guard Dale Bonner struggled to get going offensively and scored 7 points.
Shaker did not help its cause by missing 18 free throws in the loss.
Sophmore Dakota Cochran, a 6’3” guard, scored 17 for Shaker.
Impressive for Pickerington North was freshman forward Jack Sawyer. The 6’4” plays football player was all-state in that sport as a ninth grader. Against Shaker, he proved lethal as he ran the floor and was very active in scoring 13 points.
Hunter continually attacked the rim for Pickering North and showed off great body control by finishing and some explosiveness in a nice one-hand punch while scoring 17 and winning game MVP honors.
Also impressive was 6’10” Eli McNamara (2018) a Miami of Ohio commit who passed the ball extremely well and also moves very well.