North Coast League Preview

<p>The top North Coast League teams are dealing with considerable roster turnover from last season, besides Lake Catholic. Plenty of four-year contributors and leading scorers are off to college. Even so, we believe the standings will wind up similar this season with a tightly packed Red Division while Lake Catholic and Gilmour Academy defend their division championships.  </p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>First Team</strong></span></h5> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/luka-eller/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Luka Eller</a> (2020) | 6-8 PF | Lake Catholic</strong></h6> <p>Skilled, yet physical, stretch forward whose combination of size and mobility is unmatched in the Blue Division. Eller tore it up last season with 24.9 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He returns as a Mr. Basketball candidate with a chance to lead a run to states alongside classmate Luke Frazier. </p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/luke-frazier/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Luke Frazier</a> (2020) | 6-4 SG | Lake Catholic</strong></h6> <p>Dayton commit with dynamic one-on-one scoring ability. Crafty and athletic. Creates separation at will and can shoot it off the dribble with range. Commands a second defender and is willing to distribute. Averaged 19.9 points per game as a junior. </p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tevin-jackson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tevin Jackson</a> (2020) | 5-8 PG | Cleveland Central Catholic</strong></h6> <p>Jackson's command of the offense is why we predict a first-place finish for CCC. He controls pace and knows how to fit passes into tight windows. Very comfortable deferring to other talented scorers and makes their life easier by compromising the defense with the dribble drive. Takes chances on defense to create chaos.</p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jaden-hameed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jaden Hameed</a> (2021) | 5-11 PG | VASJ</strong></h6> <p>Hameed is an all-around player with a terrific skill-set and court sense. Expect him to take on more scoring responsibility in year three with many of VASJ's 2018-19 roster no longer around. He shoots very well from beyond the arch and scores with touch in the paint. Impact defender, too. Averaged 15.3 points and 4.0 assists last season.</p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/dominick-moegerle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dominick Moegerle</a> (2020) | 6-5 SF | Hoban</strong></h6> <p>Forceful athlete who finishes with power and explosiveness. Moegerle, a Walsh commit, is one of the few returning key pieces for Hoban. He provides rebounding, defensive versatility, and interior scoring. Hard to keep away from the glass and an active rebounder. Moegerle put up 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last year.</p> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>Second Team</strong></span></h5> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/connor-otoole/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Connor O'Toole</a> (2020) | 6-2 G | Gilmour Academy</strong></h6> <p>O'Toole's ability to produce as a primary ball-handler and go-to scorer will be put to the test. We believe he will answer the ball emphatically. His elite outside shooting ability predicates everything in his game. Heady passer. Good positional size. </p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jonah-waag/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jonah Waag</a> (2021) | 6-2 G | VASJ</strong></h6> <p>Athletic combo guard who enters the year with considerable defensive and scoring responsibilities. Very good motor and Waag is comfortable playing at a breakneck pace. Likes to push the ball and attack early in the possession. Scores in bunches when he finds the rhythm. Capable of defending the other team's top perimeter scorer every night.</p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jashun-cobb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jashun Cobb</a> (2020) | 5-11 G | Benedictine</strong></h6> <p>Experienced and athletic lead guard poised to fill the scoring gap left by Davin Zeigler, Andy Barba, and others. Cobb is very quick side-to-side, both with his dribble and laterally on defense. Scores in traffic. </p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/deshaun-nettles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deshaun Nettles</a> (2020) | 6-7 PF | Cleveland Central Catholic</strong></h6> <p>Talented forward with mobility who stretches the floor and causes mismatches. There's a void left in CCC's frontcourt from the 2019 graduates that we expect Nettles to fill via physical paint touches and interior defense. He has the tools to defend multiple positions, but a rim protection role may be where he's asked to focus. Creating pick-and-roll chemistry with Jackson would lead to open shots for Nettles.</p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/arthur-fayne/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Arthur Fayne</a> (2020) | 6-2 G | Cleveland Central Catholic</strong></h6> <p>CCC's leading returning scorer can once again focus on creating shots while Jackson runs the offense, even though Fayne projects as more of a lead guard at the next level. Good skill-set and a fundamentally sound player. Routinely able to get to the basket off the dribble drive.</p> <h6><span style="font-size: 10pt"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Honorable Mention:</span></strong> Eric Buckner (BENE), Dan Peterson (Padua), Akinlana Popoola (Padua), Erik Stern (Walsh), Donny Gato (NDCL), Marcus Aulizia (JFK), Daryl Peterson (Hoban)</em></span></h6> <h6><span style="font-size: 10pt"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Potential Breakout Players:</span></strong> Brody Gowen (Hoban), Charles Abston (BENE), Deitric Hearst (BENE), London Maiden (BENE), Connor Sams (Hoban), Jesse Hayes (Padua)</em></span></h6> <hr /> <h5><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>Predicted Finish:</strong></span></h5> <p>BLUE DIVISION</p> <p>1. Lake Catholic — True contender for the Division II Canton region for a pretty simple and important reason: their two stars are back and better than ever. Frazier and Eller constitute the most formidable inside-outside combination in the state. Both create shots and have a physical/athleticism edge against their opponents. Posted a 17-5 record last season.</p> <p>2. Walsh</p> <p>3. Padua</p> <p>4. Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>RED DIVISION</p> <p>1. Cleveland Central Catholic — The Ironmen were 1-6 in the conference last season before torching the North Ridgeville district during postseason play. They graduated an impressive rotation of post players who anchored their defense and were the focal point of their offensive attack. This season we expect Fayne, Jackson, and Nettles to take advantage of spacing and a cleared out paint as they deploy a perimeter-oriented attack.</p> <p>2. Benedictine — Not only did Bene lose 2019 graduates like their Red division counterparts, and they also said goodbye to transfers Andy Barba (ISA) and BJ Busbee (Lutheran East), who figured to be key pieces. Jashun Cobb and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/eric-buckner-jr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eric Buckner Jr.</a> will stabilize their 2019-20 team with experience in the backcourt, though. Additionally, they welcome two talented forward prospects, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/charles-abston/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Charles Abston</a> and London Maiden, into prominent roles.</p> <p>3. VASJ — Vikings graduated shooting specialists and most of their frontcourt. Back, though, are a pair of Division I guard prospects. Hameed and Waag are both capable of picking up more scoring responsibility. They have experience and will value possession. Finally, both apply pressure on the defensive end. </p> <p>4. Hoban — Hoban figures to be physical and disciplined as a function of their culture. Moegerle and Daryl Peterson are back while 6-foot-7 sophomore <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/brody-gowen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brody Gowen</a> should provide another inside punch. Questions about guard-play linger, though.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>WHITE DIVISION</p> <p>1. Gilmour Academy</p> <p>2. Warren JFK</p> <p>3. St. Thomas Aquinas</p> <p>4. Trinity</p>