Stock rising guards from 2023 rankings update part 3
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We updated our 2023 rankings last week and had some notable prospects move up in our rankings. We’ve already broken down some guards who moved up and this is the last group of guards to be featured from the 2023…
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Continue ReadingWe updated our 2023 rankings last week and had some notable prospects move up in our rankings. We’ve already broken down some guards who moved up and this is the last group of guards to be featured from the 2023 August rankings update.
Hardy is a unique prospect because he’s got some skills that are incredibly intriguing but still figuring how to put them all together. Hardy has some nasty shiftiness to his game and the ability to create for himself like few in the state can match. Hardy also puts in good effort defensively when guarding on ball and can force turnovers. From a shooting perspective, Hardy is tough to stop when he’s hot from the outside. It’s really about figuring out how to use these skills in more translatable ways. I’d like to see Hardy score using less dribbles and be more decisive with the ball in his hands. If Hardy can become better at playing within an offense, he could be a steal for a scholarship program who will give him a shorter leash than he’s allowed during the high school season. Cleveland Heights has a lot of talent in the program right now so I’d expect college coaches to be in and out the door all winter checking out their variety of prospects.
Reese had a great spring for Mid Ohio Pumas Ballinger as he proved to me that his scoring talent is going to work at the next level. Reese has a functional handle which allows him to create space for himself and is honestly really similar to Hardy, the player profiled above. Reese is bigger and a better outside shooter but not quite the athlete and doesn’t have the quickness that Hardy has, so some clear differences in their game. Reese had a really quality Junior season for Westerville North and they’ve become a sleeper candidate this winter with a solid core of returners.
Highlights
Day picked up an offer from Taylor after a solid spring and summer with Midwest Basketball Club Gold. Day can shoot it from the off guard spot and fit in well on a squad that had some impressive wins this grassroots season. Middletown is a trendy pick to move up the GMC ranks and Day is the leading returner for their team. We’ll be following that entire conference closely this winter and see where Day leads the Middies.
Holbert is a SHOOTER! With one of the deepest ranges in all of Ohio, Holbert is capable of exploding for 5+ 3’s in any game that he plays. I saw firsthand this spring how hot he can get at the All Ohio Super 16 as his Mid Ohio Pumas Roberts squad got some big wins that weekend. Holbert also creates a lot of offense during the high school season. I expect small colleges to make Holbert a priority this winter as he’s a hidden gem for those schools.
Ruth was a member of Ohio United, another Adidas Gold squad who won some big games this summer. Ruth plays with good pace from either guard position as he’s able to beat you with his shot or off the bounce. Ruth also plays for one of the better Division III schools in the state, Bishop Ready. Ruth has shown the ability to be productive for both of these highly successful squads and seems like he can produce at the small college level as well. Colleges looking for a combo guard with a little size who helps contribute to winning should check Ruth out this winter.