Oklahoma 2022 intros

<p><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Photo c/o Lawton Christian School.</span></em></p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fcfc9a;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">[player_tooltip player_id="967448" first="Didier" last="Maleng"]</span></strong></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #c9c9c9;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 10pt;">6’10" C</span></td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lawton Christian</span></td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Drive Nation (TX)</span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Maleng should prove to be a stellar prospect. Though the 2022 and 2023 classes are otherwise chiefly devoid of blue-chip centers, he could outlast the status quo; already with two state titles to his name, Maleng projects for an excellent second-half stretch.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Though Maleng hasn’t received merited attention, his recruiting should erupt in his junior year once his likeness comes to the forefront of the state’s inside prospects. He is strong, physical and has an all-around solid frame and explosive strength. With his measurable proclivities already in-place, Maleng’s  work ethic will bear a direct causation on recruiting trajectory; the more he chooses to add to his bag, the better.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">On-court, Maleng’s ability to position himself with his back to the bucket has been, so far, unmatched by his opponents at the high school level. His defensive presence provides a protection of the basket unparalleled by many players in the state. Most indicative of his all-around talents was a triple-double he recorded <a href="https://twitter.com/LCS_Hoops/status/1233617413016555520?s=20">last season</a> with 28 points, 15 boards and 10 blocks.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Should Maleng’s game continue to progress, it is hard to put a ceiling on what he can accomplish, nor which level he will be playing in two years.</span></p> <hr /> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #fcfc9a;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">[player_tooltip player_id="955389" first="Demitrius" last="Neal"]</span></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #c9c9c9;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 10pt;">5’10" PG</span></td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tulsa Hale</span></td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Oklahoma Hustle </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">We first had the opportunity to cover Neal at the Durant Lion Classic last winter, and he immediately impressed with his scoring talent. A few weeks later, the then-relatively unknown sophomore scored <a href="https://twitter.com/OklahomaHustle/status/1220859393320812544?s=20">50 points</a> against a rival opponent. His talent earned him a spot on the <a href="https://www.tulsaworld.com/all-world--boys-basketball-player-of-the-year-roster/article_4e991798-a5c7-59c2-b952-29bac009b56e.html">All-World</a> honorable mention short-list following a fantastic second year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Neal has the potential to be a legitimate Division-I prospect. His skill-set loosely resembles that of Micah Thomas, who led the state in scoring in 2018 before penning to play at the D-I level. Like Thomas, Neal’s game predicates primarily on a vast catalog of adaptable scoring moves relying on a sharp coordination between his hand and foot-work to maneuver between defenders as he attacks the rim. So far, he has displayed an offensive attack diverse enough that his defenders haven’t found ways to stop him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">From beyond the perimeter, his skill again mirrors Thomas; he can shoot the ball well out of movement and has a sharp, consistent and quick release. His shot-maturity was outstanding for a sophomore last season, netting shots at a great efficiency for a high-volume shooter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Put simply, I have no question as to how his scoring game will translate; the next step for Neal, however, will be to apply his athleticism to his defensive skills to solidify his status as a blue-chip prospect.</span></p> <hr /> <p>&nbsp;</p>