Shane’s Top 10 NWO area Teams – 1 through 4

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This article is my first preview article for the high school season coming up. With most high school teams starting their season up next weekend and beyond this feels like a great time to put a preview article to get the anticipation up. This article will talk about my 1 through 4 teams in NWO this upcoming season. Teams from all divisions will be included and this article will be based on who I think would win in head-to-head matchups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4. <strong>Shelby – Coach Greg Gallaway</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shelby is the modern basketball team you want to have. They have some great wings with Wright State commit [player_tooltip player_id='1225066' first='Alex' last='Bruskotter'] and other senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1421138' first='Casey' last='Lantz']. These two are highly explosive athletes and long. They can do it all on the floor on both ends. Bruskotter is a big wing that plays more of a forward role and can shoot the ball outside. I think he and Lantz are a great duo because Bruskotter can do it all and is great on the inside, but Lantz can do it ball and great on the perimeter. Lantz is very long and quick. He is all over the place on both ends of the floor and is a great athlete. I think these two will take Shelby on a deep run for their senior year as they are surrounded by good role players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1446758,"width":"357px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/Alex-Bruskotter-Buckets.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/Alex-Bruskotter-Buckets.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1446758" style="width:357px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3. <strong>Lima Senior – Coach Quincy Simpson</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lima Senior is locked, loaded, and ready to go this season. Their duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1475110' first='Jekel' last='Cotton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1432045' first='Jagger' last='Hutchins'] is back for a 3rd year and have added a young freshman who is already coming in with a Division 1 offer from Cincinnati, [player_tooltip player_id='2140877' first='Shawn' last='Foster']. I got to watch Foster play for the first time this past Saturday and I was thoroughly impressed with his game. He plays the game sort of like a gunslinger QB. He can make every shot and do everything on the floor you want from a guard. Springy, smooth pace, and shifty athletic ability. As mentioned earlier, he will be added to the duo of Hutchins and Cotton who have gotten better and taken their games to the next level. Cotton is getting more athletic and comfortable in his body. He is a big, long, and skilled wing who is learning to score more and more at each level. Hutchins is getting more efficient from beyond the arch and seems to have his confidence growing. These three are supported by some good guards and wings who fill their roles well – Isiah “Boog” Wilson, [player_tooltip player_id='1705957' first='Amari' last='Addy'], [player_tooltip player_id='2347406' first='Noah' last='Simpson'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2226490' first='Jay' last='Walton']. They all are similar players but different in size. They are all strong, athletic, and long. They play very hard, and Coach Q will have their focus shifted to the defensive end. This is one of the last points why I think Lima will be a top team in NWO. Coach Q is one of the best coaches in the state of Ohio in my opinion. He has seen it all, he has a phenomenal culture set in the Spartans program and knows how to make the deep run in the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2223644,"width":"257px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Jekel-Cotton.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Jekel-Cotton.jpg?w=768" alt="" class="wp-image-2223644" style="width:257px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2. <strong>Ottawa-Glandorf – Coach Tyson McGlaughlin</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Unlike Whitmer, who has the hope to make it down to Dayton, Ottawa-Glandorf has made it down to Dayton 2 years in a row and to the state title game. The Titans know what it takes and how to get there. They know when to peak and how to win the big games and this is what they do every single year. They are not afraid of the big games or moments, specifically their best player and The Ohio State University commit [player_tooltip player_id='1222349' first='Colin' last='White']. White is the man for OG and is their team and has been in those 2 years going down to Dayton. He is now in his senior campaign and posed to put OG on his back. Ottawa-Glandorf has a great program and coach and some of the best home-court advantage I have experienced as a scout. They have a knockdown shooter on the wing with Cade Erford along with other good wing players who have gotten that experience of making a run. I think this year they will make it again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1737543,"width":"368px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/COlin-White-Glandorf2.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/COlin-White-Glandorf2.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1737543" style="width:368px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Whitmer – Coach Anthony Stacey</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I have Whitmer as my top team in the area because of their talent and the way their program has gotten better and better over the past years since Coach Stacey took over the program and Antione West came in. Antione West is the highest prospect in the NOW area holding offers from Ohio State, Georgia, and his most recent, Creighton. He is the head of the snake for Whitmer, and he is very difficult to stop. He can do it all and runs the show for the Panthers as their point guard. The big news with Whitmer is their offseason addition - [player_tooltip player_id='1432039' first='Makhi' last='Leach'], Elijah McLeod, and Andre Young. [player_tooltip player_id='1432039' first='Makhi' last='Leach'] is the biggest. Leach and West are 2 of the top 3 2025 prospects in the NWO area and now they have teamed up, going to be scary. Elijah McLeod and other senior guard Ta'Marrion Davis will be crucial for Whitmer as they give them the ability to stretch the floor. McLeod is a transfer from Wauseon, and I think is primed to have a breakout season and show everyone he can ball at the big-time Division 1 level with the Panthers. Ta'Marrion Davis is another big and long wing for the Panthers. He is athletic flies around on defense and can knock the 3 ball down making him a great role player and a good 3-and-D guy. Andre Young has a great fundamental base. He has great size, and nice athleticism, and will gain the skills to match over the next 4 years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whitmer has it all to go a long way. They have a lot of talent and depth on their roster. They have great high-level talent as well with West and Leach along with good role players with Damien Clay, Davis, McLeod, and Young. They have size and length that can flat-out defend with Davis, Leach, and West along with a smaller guard who is an energizer bunny in Damien Clay. They always play hard and defend with Coach Stacey at the helm and I expect them to make a run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2223646,"width":"322px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Antione-West-crop-506x333-1696283414.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Antione-West-crop-506x333-1696283414.png?w=506" alt="" class="wp-image-2223646" style="width:322px;height:auto" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: JPG Images</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->