Geico Nationals: Oak Hill Acad. vs Link Acad. (Part 2)

Photo: Wiley Price St Louis American

Joel Francisco

April 2, 2022 @ 07:22 PM

Geico Nationals: Oak Hill Acad. vs Link Acad. (Part 2) FORT MEYERS, FL—It’s hard to believe but Geico Nationals is in its thirteenth year of existence and its been quite a ride with a staggering amount of players that have ended up in the NBA, including Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Jaylen Brown to name a few. This year is no different as there are a plethora of highly-talented ballers in [player_tooltip player_id="889560" first="Jordan" last="Walsh"], [player_tooltip player_id="1041394" first="Chris" last="Livingston"], Dariq Whitehead, Keyonte George, and Gatorade National POY Gradey Dick. Much-Improved [player_tooltip player_id="1041394" first="Chris" last="Livingston"] (Oak Hill Academy) 2022, G, 6-foot-5, 190 pounds Joel’s Take: The Kentucky-bound Livingston has improved his game each and every season. The bully-ball guard has some Lance Stephenson and Stanley Johnson to his game. He has the strength and physical mindset to damage defenders off the drive and his 3-point shot is becoming more consistent. He can finish with either hand and he plays with a solid motor. All-Around [player_tooltip player_id="594069" first="Julian" last="Phillips"] (Link Academy) 2022, F, 6-foot-8, 200 pounds <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/D0BE1C64-E107-4F9E-B1A2-00322A0FC249.jpeg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1252056 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/D0BE1C64-E107-4F9E-B1A2-00322A0FC249-150x150.jpeg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> Joel’s Take: The willowy Phillips didn’t have his jump shot falling for him, but he found a number of ways to impact the game. He used his lengthy frame and ball skills to slash his way to the rim and he is quite bouncy. In addition, he showed savvy with his passing and he hit the boards at both ends. l     On the Rise [player_tooltip player_id="981141" first="Tarris" last="Reed Jr"] (Link Academy) 2022, C, 6-foot-9, 245 pounds Joel’s Take: Reed, who is headed to Michigan, has a lot of the physical traits coaches want in their big men. He has a big frame with broad shoulders and long arms, has good feet and solid hands. His offensive game is still in its rudimentary stages, but he hits the offensive glass hard for put-backs. Defensively, he moves pretty fluidly and he can hedge out on screens. It’s about the “D” [player_tooltip player_id="996898" first="Felix" last="Okpara"] (Link Academy) 2022, C, 6-foot-11, 240 pounds Joel’s Take: Okpara is yet another center with a huge frame and solid athleticism. The Ohio State pledge has good hands and long arms, and he is a formidable rim protector. His offensive game is pretty raw, but he can snag rebounds and finish through contact. Need some time [player_tooltip player_id="1387024" first="Christian" last="Reeves"] (Oak Hill Academy) 2022, C, 7-foot, 230 pounds Joel’s Take: It will take some time, but Reeves has come along way in the past couple of years. The willowy center has a narrow shoulder base, but he has very long arms and soft hands. Despite having a slight frame, he will battle for rebounds and try to finish through contact. His nimble feet will make him a versatile defender at the next level and his shooting touch is impressive. It will take some time to contribute at Duke, but he has a nice upside.