Toledo Central Catholic 54 @ Lutheran East 71 Recap

<p>Lutheran East started their season off with a bang, defeating the Toledo Central Catholic Irish 71-54 at home. In a game that was sloppy for a majority of the first half, Lutheran East used their suffocating defense to take control in the second half and come away with a comfortable victory in the end. Here were the top performers from the contest filled with potential college prospects.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="918983" first="Sirr" last="Hughes"], 5’10 PG Lutheran East 2021: Hughes started feasting in the second half, doing whatever he wanted to the smaller TCC guards. He was getting to the basket and making mid-range pull-up jumpers at will in the second half. Hughes has an impressive ability to twist his body in mid-air and finish layups from tight angles. One trait that makes this more difficult is his reliance on using his left hand no matter the side of the hoop. I’d like to see him develop a right hand that can finish.</p> [caption id="attachment_954736" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/03/Chico-Johnson.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-954736" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/03/Chico-Johnson-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="867942" first="Chico" last="Johnson"] has a lot of upside for a young but talented TCC squad.[/caption] <p>[player_tooltip player_id="867942" first="Chico" last="Johnson"], 6’2 PG Toledo Central Catholic 2023: Johnson showed why he’s regarded as one of the top Sophomore prospects in the state. Johnson had a very tough finish in transition over [player_tooltip player_id="919043" first="Jalen" last="Knott"] who met him at the basket. Johnson is one of the few guards on TCC who showed he can space the floor, knocking down a couple 3-pointers off the catch and one pull-up right in a defenders eye in the fourth quarter. Johnson is another kid who is overly reliant on his dominant hand around the basket, but his upside is tremendously high and we’re excited to continue to monitor his development.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="552857" first="Jalin" last="Billingsley"], 6’8 PF Lutheran East 2021: Billingsley is a mismatch on the perimeter for almost any high school big to compete with. He can put the ball on the floor and move well latterly for his size. Billingsley left a few points on the table with some missed layups, but still finished with 18 points and was a problem on the interior.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="918991" first="Collin" last="Albert"], 5’10 PG Lutheran East 2021: Albert is a microwave scorer who can put up points in a hurry for the Falcons. Albert does an excellent job of finishing off two feet around the basket, a trait that makes him one of the best guard finishers in northeast Ohio. Albert struggled shooting from the outside in this one, but showed he’s ready to produce for a senior laden back-court.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="919043" first="Jalen" last="Knott"], 6’1 SG Lutheran East 2021: Knott is one of the best perimeter defenders in northeast Ohio. He has the body and athleticism that looks like a corner-back on the football field. Knott does an excellent job of defending with his feet and not his hands until he sees a chance to get a steal. Knott didn’t provide a ton of offensive production in this game, but his defense jumps off the page every time I watch him play.</p>