Ohio Capital Conference- Buckeye Division Players To Watch

<p dir="ltr">With three teams already hitting this court in this division, and none losing yet, the Buckeye division of the OCC should be an all-around competitive division with a clear favorite to win but no team has put themselves as the clear second team. The realignment shook this entire division to its core, with no teams from this division returning. <strong>Pickerington Central (18-7)</strong> comes from the Ohio division with a wealth of talent at its disposal, they are added into the Capital division with <strong>Lancaster (6-17)</strong> and <strong>Reynoldsburg (14-11)</strong>. Also, <strong>Newark (1-0 this season; 22-4 last season)</strong> won the Capital division last season, and while they look to repeat as champions of a division they come to this division along with <strong>Groveport Madison (10-13)</strong> who look to spoil their rivals quest. <strong>Central Crossing (5-18)</strong> round out this newly formed division of the OCC, a division that will pit old rivals against each other while creating new ones as well. While they compete against each other, these are the players to watch for as the season progresses.  </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Cameron Roudabush- Senior; Lancaster:</strong> One of the players who has already hit the court, Roudabush is already leading his team in scoring at 14 points per game. This coming off of a season in which he averaged 5.2 points per game. Roudabush has a quick release from deep and is tough as nails finishing at the rim. Once his feet get set, that shot of his gets working, his form is also a sight to behold itself. This season has shown that Roudabush can be the go-to scorer on his team. On defense, Roudabush gets his hands in the way of the ball, gets deflections and starts the fast break for his team. He looks to up his team’s victory output as well, hoping to increase their six game win total. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="967135" first="Elijah" last="Hinton"]- Senior; Newark:</strong> Another player who has already taken the court, only playing one game, Hinton dropped 18 points in the Wildcast’s first outing this season. The 6-foot-5 senior plays with an edge that the OCC is not always used to, with an aggression that is unmatched in his division. Hinton is a load to handle once he has position down low, carving out space and powering through defenders. He has shown a capability to step out and nail perimeter jumpers as well with a nice looking stroke and good follow-through. His soft touch around the rim allows Hinton to get easy points in the paint for his team, something that will bode well for increasing his 5.2 point per game average from last season. If you are a fan of old-school, bully ball type of basketball then Hinton will be a revelation. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="919039" first="Drew" last="Ballinger"]- Senior; Newark:</strong> The leading returning scorer from last season, averaged just under 12 points per game, Ballinger has already started off hot with a 17 point game in the first game of the season. That 17 point performance showed teams and fans alike that he is ready to step up and fulfill his potential. The 6-foot-4 swing guard is a good shooter who can get his shot off at any moment, hitting 3 three-point shots in his game against Zanesville. Ballinger can maneuver his way through a defense and get into the lane with the ability to finish at the rim. Ballinger’s season will be successful because not only is he talented but this offense will revolve around his skill set, colleges should start to get to Newark games soon. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1045461" first="Julian" last="Heckman"]- Junior; Reynoldsburg:</strong> Heckman went out in his first game and led his team in scoring with 17 points and exhibited his shooting skill and defense. The junior is the leading returning scorer after averaging 8.6 points per game, but after transfers and seniors leaving this team now belongs to him. Heckman showed a propensity to get after the ball defensively, pressuring ball handlers and making it uncomfortable for them to dribble the ball up court. On offense, he is still developing as a playmaker for others but he can take defenders one-on-one off the dribble consistently. With the ball being in Heckman’s hand for the majority of the season, the junior will be able to get better at passing the ball and spreading it around to teammates. In his junior season, Heckman should see an increase of college letters coming to him. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="867951" first="Devin" last="Royal"]- Sophomore; Pickerington Central:</strong> Having an extended off-season to continue to slim down, Royal looks to take a leap into a major player in the state conversation of best sophomores this season. Royal stands at around 6-foot-5 and has good basketball instincts. He has the ability to grab a rebound, start the fastbreak himself and finish at the rim with his impressive ball dribbling. He only averaged 6.6 points per game last season but coming back as the second leading scorer for the team should only do good things for his output. Royal is also active on defense, with good lateral movement and quick hands that deflects and blocks basketballs all around the court. Royal should be an exciting player to watch this year with his skill level rising each and every day. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="805144" first="Elhadji" last="Thiam"]- Senior; Pickerington Central:</strong> If your eyes can keep up with him, then he is a joy to watch operate. To be so tall, 6-foot-7, Thiam runs the court like no one else is around with a stride that makes him almost impossible to contain in the open court and that is just without the ball in his hand. When the ball is in his hands, Thiam could be more dangerous because of the way he effortlessly glides through the traffic of opposing defenses. Although he will not be asked to do so, Thiam can make plays for his teammates in half court situations. On defense, Thiam is able to swipe at the basketball and get steals while being able to guard multiple positions. Thiam’s versatility makes him one of the players that should be seen this season, he has the potential to breakout this season. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Travis Needham- Junior; Central Crossing: </strong>The only returning player with much of any kind of varsity basketball experience, Needham will be the go-to guy for coach Neil Hohman and the Comets. Needham only averaged 1.8 points per game but will be the focal point of an inside-the-paint based offense this upcoming season. The 6-foot-2 Needham is a load to handle in the paint, with broad shoulders and the ability to power through defenders and finish at the rim. Having to lead a young team with only 13 total varsity games under your belt will test his leadership skills, but it will go a long way with coaches and scouts if this young man can keep this team together and make them competitive over the sprint that will be this season. Needham is a tough-minded young man who will battle, scratch and claw to keep his team afloat in the Buckeye division of the OCC this season.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="918960" first="Garner" last="Wallace"]- Senior; Pickerington Central:</strong> The leading returning scorer for the Tigers, Wallace is an athletic standout and he combines all of his traits and uses them on the court. Wallace played safety and wide receiver for the Division 1 state champion Tigers and followed that up by playing quarterback for this year’s football team. The Northwestern football commit is a pure leader on the court and zips down the court for easy transition baskets like he runs the 800 and 1,600 meter relays in track. In 20 games last year Wallace averaged just over 14 points per game and with the offense centering around him those numbers will rise. The 6-foot-5 Wallace brings his football toughness and his one track mind to his team and makes his teammates better. If you are reading this and want to see a pure athlete in an environment where he can use all of his gifts then Wallace will be worth the price of admission to check him out. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Scotty Lomax- Senior; Groveport Madison:</strong> Athleticism in spades, mainly ace of spades, Lomax can fly above and over defenders with “the greatest of ease,” as the WWE legend Booker T would say. With so much athleticism, Lomax has tremendous body control while driving through traffic, he is able to find his way through creases in the defense and explode to the basket. Lomax has good hands in traffic, being able to grab balls with multiple hands around him and rip them away from defenders. He’s not the marksmen that some other players in the OCC are but Lomax is a threat with his mid-range jumper and he can consistently hit free throws. Defensively, he moves his feet quickly and pressures the basketball like no other. Lomax is an exciting player to watch, one that has drawn interest from smaller schools and can be a good fit anywhere with the energy and electricity he brings to a team. </p> <p><em style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">*All Statistics Provided By 270Hoops.com*</em></p>