270 Hoops Proving Ground Week 2 Sleepers

Mark Francis Jr.

September 15, 2020 @ 03:43 PM

Sunday, September 13th (happy belated birthday to me), Zach Fleer and 270 Hoops put on the second week of his Proving Ground, an event where four teams compete to be the first to win seven games. This week, the spotlight was squarely on the class of 2023, the sophomores, and they put on a show for the schools, scouts and fans that were watching. Many players stood out as the winners of the event, some players exhibited shooting skills that are rarely matched in this city but then a couple players flew under the radar that made all of the little plays that had a big impact on games. On a day where these young players set the competitive tone early and kept it a high level, these young guys were the ones that people did not notice much. Chris Towns- Patriot Prep: Maybe the best passer during the day, Towns did not light up the scoreboard with points but he lived in the paint and got the ball into his scorers hands on numerous occasions for easy buckets. He controlled his team at his speed, which seemed to be a breakneck speed, but Towns never got sloppy with the ball and did not make bad choices. In transition, Towns was exceptional, taking off and getting down court to make a pass that no other players made on Sunday. This young man will always find playing time because of how hard he plays on defense as well, he scrapped and clawed to stay in front of his man through all types of screens. Towns can be a really good point in a year once he learns to be more aggressive and more comfortable finding his own shot. Grant Burkholder- Newark: This point guard game up with a dagger three to seal one game and during the championship game, he kept his team in contention the entire time, showing grit and determination all afternoon long. Burkholder stayed in attack mode the entire event, attacking gaps in the defense where he knew he could score and finishing consistently. He never got rushed and played within himself, never making a bad play that cost his team. Consistent shot making also carried him during this day, not being able to be left open. Burkholder was aggressive on defense, jumping in the passing lanes and starting fast breaks on his own. If this young man can stay on his path, colleges will begin to call him with offers shortly. Donovan Hunter- Westerville Central: The first young man in the gym working out before the event, Hunter showed that he was about work before games even started. His play showed that he enjoyed competing during the day and the way he hustled was tremendous. Diving on the floor for loose balls and going for steals showed his toughness and grit on the court. He has amazing hands, catching every pass whether good or bad. Hunter played really well in transition, being able to run the floor like a deer without the ball and even creating plays on his own bringing the ball up the court. Westerville Central will continue to use him in positive ways and he will grow into an amazing prospect in the next two years. Tre Holliman- Grandview Heights: Fast with the ball in his hands, he got from end-to-end just as fast if not faster than any player on Sunday. Holliman displayed the ability to get in the paint and create open shots for teammates, continuously getting into the paint and frustrating defenders. In the transition is when that speed comes in handy as he just zooms past people for easy layups. He was one of the smaller players on the court but it did not stop him from shooting over defenders when he felt he had the advantage, and he shot the ball well from the outside. Grandview Heights has a player that can do many different things on offense, hopefully he can carry that into the fall basketball season. Maurice Charlton III- Gahanna: When this young man was on the court, if there was a miss, he was around the rebound almost every time. Showing a real knack for knowing where the ball would ricochet after it hit the rim, Charlton’s rebounding instincts seemed to be beyond his years. He was excellent as a screener all day, with a solid base and when he rolled to the basket he consistently finished at the rim. He played tough on defense, using his long arms to alter shots and impede the sight line of shooters on the perimeter. The talent pool at Gahanna is very deep and Charlton will fill an important role on the state title contenders.