Toledo Top 64 Preview: Orange Team
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The annual Toledo Top 64 is back for its 3rd year! It will be played at Lourdes University on Sunday, October 1st, 2023. Less than 2 weeks away! This event brings some of the best players in the NWO area…
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Continue ReadingThe annual Toledo Top 64 is back for its 3rd year! It will be played at Lourdes University on Sunday, October 1st, 2023. Less than 2 weeks away! This event brings some of the best players in the NWO area under one roof for college coaches to come to watch them compete against each other. This article will talk about one of the eight rosters made up of eight players who will be at the event.
This article will cover the Orange team. The orange team this year is very good and is led by their dynamic duo of guards, Max Dawson Max Dawson 6'3" | SG Willard | 2024 State OH and Micah Bays Micah Bays 6'2" | CG Sylvania Southview | 2024 State OH . Dawson already holds D2 scholarship offers while his fellow senior Micah Bays Micah Bays 6'2" | CG Sylvania Southview | 2024 State OH is looking for his first but this kid can go! Then the wings they have two 6’5 kids with sophomore Race Kowalcyzk and Junior from Huron Jackson McNulty Jackson McNulty 6'4" | PF Huron | 2025 State OH . The big for this team is 6’7 Nik Echelmeyer Nik Echelmeyer 6'8" | C Sylvania Northview | 2024 State OH . To round out the team they have very good guard and wing play from some rural areas; from Patrick Henry Lincoln Creager Lincoln Creager 6'2" | SG Patrick Henry | 2025 State OH , Liberty Benton Carson Conaway Carson Conaway 6'5" | PF Liberty Benton | 2024 State OH , and Evergreen’s Eli Keifer Eli Keifer 6'1" | SG Evergreen | 2024 OH . This team has good height, length, and phenomenal skill making them one of the toughest teams in the event. Continue to read to hear about each player in depth.
Dawson is one of the highest climbing guards after this summer. He led all scorers at the Midwest Live in June by averaging almost 30 points a game, got a ton of attention with the Ohio Buckets , and gained some offers from high-level D2 schools in the area, his most recent being Ashland. Dawson is a flat-out bucket getting. He is super simple and efficient with his game. He will never over-dribble, he simply gets to his spot and gets buckets. He is automatic from beyond the arc, especially with space. He is a very high IQ player because he always knows where to be and when. He has great off-ball movement. He is a sneaky strong kid as well because he plays through and with contact well. Dawson is someone you will want to watch.
Bays is one of the most underrated guards in the state that will show out and impress. He can do it all. Listed at 6’1 he has a really good size and, a strong body. He is a tremendous athlete. He can jump out the guy, fast with a good first step, and great fluid movement. Bays is very smooth when he runs. Great change of pace to his game. He is a tremendous slasher who can put the ball in the rim himself or find an open teammate. He can finish over, around, or through you. He has a nice smooth jumper, but he’d rather put you on skates and get to the rim when he has the ball on the perimeter. He scored a school-record 43 points last year. Defensively, he can guard any guard and wing you throw at him. His size allows him to bang with bigger players and his quickness can be stifling for any guard. He puts great pressure on the other team’s guards.
Highlights
Kowalcyk was limited in his role for the Final Four St. John’s Titans last year but do not expect the same from this sophomore moving forward. He got significantly better from what I had previously seen in the AAU season. He was so much more aggressive and confident. He seemed to have flipped a switch. He was good at getting to the mid-range and pulling up. Listed at 6’5 with freakishly long arms his jumper is very tough to contest. He seems to have gotten a lot more comfortable in his body because he is using it better on the defensive end. He will be a key component for the Titans this year who hope to make it back down to Dayton.
Echelmeyer is a big kid who moves very well. He is 6’7 and has some very strong moves in the post. He has some good size and coordination. He runs the floor hard and plays hard. He has a knack for getting rebounds and will be a problem to deal with on the boards. He has a good presence around the rim.
Highlights
The junior guard from Patrick Henry has some great tools. He is a big-body wing who moves and has a high IQ for the game. He is very good at shooting in traffic and open. He is really good at getting to his spots in the midrange. His high basketball IQ leads him to create easy shots for himself off the ball. He also is a sneaky good defender who has good anticipation and a knack for poking the ball out. I like this kid’s game and what he can do for a team.
Conaway is a big wing from Liberty Benton who can put his name on to colleges’ radars in a major way on October 1st. The 6’5 wing is as solid as they come. He has a very nice skillset that allows him to play inside and out. He likes to shoot the ball from beyond the arc. He has a nice stroke that is hard to contest with his height and length. He has a wide frame that will be good for him getting bigger and stronger. He is a good rebounder. He has a nice bag when he gets the ball near the rim. He has a good ability to put the ball in with either hand. He is a very good defender but specifically a blocker. He can send your shot to the 5th row if you’re not aware of him.
Eli Keifer Eli Keifer 6'1" | SG Evergreen | 2024 OH
Eli Keifer Eli Keifer 6'1" | SG Evergreen | 2024 OH
Keifer is a high-volume shooter who will score the ball. He needs no space to get his shot up. He is very good at shooting with a hand in his face. He has a very good one dribble pulls ups. He gets very good elevation on his jump shot. This helps him make some very difficult shots. He has extreme confidence when he plays that he makes the shot from anywhere on anyone. If the kid gets hot, good luck stopping him.