DiFranco Classic Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The OHSAA basketball season got started on Wednesday and I caught two of the five games in the event. In this article I'll break down the standouts from Amherst's 53-41 win over Oberlin and Sandusky's 79-76 win over Elyria. In the other games North Ridgeville defeated Firelands 78-53 while the Midview girls' team defeated Elyria 57-37 and the host Midview boys defeated Keystone 61-45.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Trent Branchen","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77245","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Amherst","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Branchen had a big first half, showing off his ability to finish around the basket in a variety of ways. Branchen showed good touch around the basket and finished through contact. I also liked the effort I saw from Branchen running the floor, giving him opportunities to beat the defense to the paint and finish in transition. Amherst had a spread-out scoring output but Branchen stood out above the rest in the Comets victory.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Omario Hopkins","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Oberlin","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Hopkins was playing well on both ends, causing some havoc defensively and finding himself open around the basket a few times early to allow Oberlin to stay in it early. Hopkins then started to show his 3-point shooting ability in the second half, knocking down a couple open 3-pointers. Oberlin has a nice group of seniors with a few underclassmen also getting minutes, I expect them to finish near the top of their conference this season.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1491457"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Crutcher was clearly the best prospect I scouted at the event as he's ready to break out for Elyria as a Sophomore. Crutcher knocked down five or six 3-pointers and shoots a very clean ball off his hands with a quick, confident release. Crutcher was efficient from downtown and ended the game with 26 points. I'd like to see Crutcher get more polished with his in between game as he sometimes struggled to make counter moves when attacking the basket. If he got all the way to the rim he did a good job of using his impressive physical tools to finish at the basket. Crutcher looks like a Division I prospect and has a lot of upside.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1163458"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Green is poised to have a huge senior season and he started that off the right way with 29 points and a victory. Green makes so many plays defensively as he had probably six or seven defensive stocks (blocks or steals). Green also shoots a good ball from the outside, with a compact release that involves a smooth off hand guiding the ball towards the rim. If Green can develop his ball-handling ability a little more to take defenders off the bounce, he'll improve his upside even more. Regardless, Green is set to make a big climb in the rankings after his performance at the Toledo Top 64 and last night.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1201866"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"The toughest player on the floor, Walsh was a warrior when driving to the basket and taking contact often at the rim. Walsh shot a lot of free throws but that numbers could've been higher as a couple drives to the basket ended with a lot of contact and whistle. Walsh ended with a game high 32 points on a high volume of shots but was crucial to Elyria's push to come back in the second half. I'd like to see Walsh take more control against full-court pressure as his team struggled early dealing with a full-court press. If Elyria took better care of the basketball early, they would've had a better chance to win it at the end. With Walsh and Crutcher leading the team, they can compete for a conference title this season.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["1552704"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Moore showed off his impressive shot-making early from the outside with a couple pull-up and spot-up 3-pointers. Moore also made some impressive no-look passes that had the defense scrambling to adjust. Moore and Green make a nice senior combo for the Blue Streaks as they brought the high-pressure defense early and got a nice neutral court victory to open up their season.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["1672053"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"A couple Sophomores impressed for Sandusky as [player_tooltip player_id='1672052' first='JAson' last='Henlon'] made a bunch of winning plays from the guard position, but Brown gets the last spotlight of the event. Brown played hard on both ends and finished with either hand around the rim. Brown also knocked down a couple corner 3-pointers that were huge momentum shifts in the game. If Brown can get his handle tighter, it will help him score easier this season and next season when Moore and Green graduate. Sandusky had four players finish in double-figures and this core group has a lot of talent.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-637f959052bc4"} /-->