Chi-Town Tip Off: Promising Prospects To Know
Khalid Ousmane HEIGHT 6'7" POS PF CLASS 2025 Khalid Ousmane School: Grand River Academy Club: Lake Erie Defenders 2024 A big time prospect and player to know out of the state of Ohio is Khalid Ousman. Ousman, a 6’7 small…
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Continue ReadingKhalid Ousmane
Khalid Ousmane
A big time prospect and player to know out of the state of Ohio is Khalid Ousman. Ousman, a 6’7 small forward, has a lot of promise with an all round game that jumps off the page in a few different ways. At his height he is extremely fast and agile with his movements. On offense he can spread the floor and put the ball on the ground if needed, dominate with his size from the mid-post and in, or catch and shoot off of a screen when given time to set up his shot. Defensively, he is a rim protector who has the ability to move out to the perimeter and defend a guard during switching situations. In his contest on Sunday morning he recorded 3 or 4 blocks at the hoop from players trying to go by/over him. Ousman has a high ceiling. He has length, athleticism, and a nice skill set when it comes to his game as a whole. He did seem a little hesitant playing today but I think it will all start to click soon and that’s when his stock is really going to take off. He is going to have a chance of playing on a high-level college floor one day if he keeps on working.
A team that played with a lot of energy and teamwork this weekend was the Lakeshore Force 2025. They have a roster that covers every position with a few players that hold some really nice talent overall. They have bigs who know how to play out of the post and who cut off of the ball, guards with solid handling and shooting ability, and coaches who know what they are talking about. One of their best guards with weekend was Cale Buboltz. Buboltz is a 6 ft combo guard who moves extremely well off of the ball. He cut a number of times to the rack during their 4 games, receiving the ball a decent amount and finishing a lot of his attempts. When he has the ball in his hands to start possessions he showed that he knows how to run an offense and be a vocal leader for his team. This was a group that played well all around as a team this weekend, there is a lot of promise here for a successful spring/summer ahead.
Highlights
Elias Cole-Williams
Elias Cole-Williams
Elias Cole-Williams has one of the nicest layup packages I saw this weekend. He kept all of his attempts simple and to the point, making for a lot of efficient basketball being played by his Ignite 17U Navy team. Cole-Williams was really fun to watch. He cuts down the middle of the floor with tremendous speed, usually ending with a finish by himself or an assist for a better look by a teammate. There were a few occasions this weekend where he scored 3 or 4 possessions in a row for his team going to the rim, to help them close out the victory and get the W in the contest. His game speaks for itself. He keeps it simple and that leads to a lot of success. That’s the beauty of it. In todays game I think about of people forget that the point of offensive is to score as efficiently as possible. Elias Cole-Williams did that this weekend to a T. Something that every coach who wasn’t his opponent at the time, loved to watch.
Sean Register Sean Register 6'6" | PF Eastlake North | 2024 State OH Jr.
Sean Register Sean Register 6'6" | PF Eastlake North | 2024 State OH Jr.
Another individual who has an underrated game in my eyes is Sean Register Sean Register 6’6″ | PF Eastlake North | 2024 State OH Jr. Register Jr is a 6’7 power forward who is well seasoned in the post with his back to the basket. He has a big body that he takes full advantage of inside the paint, fantastic footwork near the block, and really soft touch on the ball. For his Lake Erie Defenders team he is another big post presence who gets down the floor in the blink of an eye. He doesn’t really spread the floor as well as his counter-part Ousman, but he doesn’t need to. He is patient enough around the hoop and smart enough with his moves to make an impact near the basket no matter what. Looking forward I’m interested in who is looking at Sean. He has a good head on his shoulders on the court, and all the physical gifts to compete against some high-level athletes. All things you want to see in someone who you are trying to bring into your program from a college coaching perspective.
Joe Niego
Joe Niego
Joe Niego has a game that is interesting to me. He has a lot of skill and ability on offense while having nice length to be a difference maker on defense as well. This weekend he showed off a number of different ways he can score on the floor while being able to create space and finish over smaller defenders. When it comes to defense he can guard the 3-5 on the floor, sometimes even the 2 depending on how quick and small that guard is. Niego plays for Mike Glennon Elite 2026. A team that knows how to move off the ball, can spread the floor 1-5, and most importantly – they play unselfish basketball. Early on in the AAU season it’s tough to see teams that play for one another and just want to find success as a whole. I would say that this group definitely showed that this weekend on more than one occasion.