Notes from different levels of College Basketball
So far this season I’ve scouted games from four different levels of college basketball. Those games include Division I: Michigan Vs Ohio. Division II: Ashland Vs Walsh. NAIA: Shawnee State Vs Rio Grande. JUCO: Hocking Vs Cuyahoga CC. In this…
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Continue ReadingSo far this season I’ve scouted games from four different levels of college basketball. Those games include Division I: Michigan Vs Ohio. Division II: Ashland Vs Walsh. NAIA: Shawnee State Vs Rio Grande. JUCO: Hocking Vs Cuyahoga CC. In this article I’ll break down some takeaways from the different levels of college basketball to give parents and players a better understanding of the differences. All of these takeaways are generalizations from the specific game I watched, teams from each level play different styles and different conferences will have unique styles.
Scouting future NBA players in Division I
In the Michigan Vs Ohio game there were two players with NBA aspirations on the court for the Wolverines. Freshman wing Jett Howard and upperclassmen big Hunter Dickinson. Howard has impressive off-ball gravity with his movement and shooting ability off the catch. Howard also has an impressive handle for a guy his size and age. Dickinson on the other hand is an old school big guy who looks to shoot over his right shoulder in the post often. Dickinson has expanded his game to include a rare 3-point shot or the mid-range. Dickinson is one of the top bigs in college basketball, but his defensive foot speed will be the question he must answer to play in the NBA.
Division II games are disciplined and physical
When scouting the Ashland Vs Walsh game, the two biggest takeaways I took from the game were how disciplined and physical the game was. Very few turnovers, bad fouls or bad shots were taken. Walsh was limited by a couple of their more talented guards being injured, which made their shot creation more difficult throughout the game. Watching the battle between big men Victor Searls and Owen Hazelbaker was unique as both players are experienced and very physical. Both players stand at around 6’6 and 6’7 and don’t have the athleticism and skill set for the Division I game, but their physicality makes them tough to match up and the two were bruising against each other on every possession in the paint. There are also plenty of players in Division II with the talent to transfer up to Division I, Garrison Keeslar is currently injured for Walsh but has the potential to eventually make the move up if he wants to in the future. Brandon Haraway is a senior, but he was the most productive player on the court. Haraway is a tough defender who also had some impressive takes to the basket to lead his team to a comfortable victory after a back and forth first half.
NAIA game has lots of shooters
To see my full takeaways from the NAIA game that I scouted click the link here to get my full recap of the Shawnee State Vs Rio Grande game.
JUCO game is free flowing and fast paced
The JUCO game I watched struggled to get a tempo to the game with lots of fouls, but even with the constant stoppages you could tell the free-flowing nature and fast pace of the game. Former Columbus City League star Trevell Adams has been a stud at the JUCO level and it’s no wonder why, the fast pace of play and open court style fits his game perfectly. Dennis Asoro struggled with foul trouble in this game but he’s another former Columbus City League star with a bright future at Hocking College.