Shane’s Top 10 Team in NWO area – 5 through 10

<!-- 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 top 5 through 10 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>10. <strong>Toledo Christian – Coach Tyler Boris</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles are the third TAAC team in my top 10 and like everyone else on this list, they got a three-headed monster for teams to deal with. All seniors and playing different positions and roles which is why I am so high on the Eagles this year. Running the show and their point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1889580' first='Kalon' last='Butler'] is one of the better passers and true point guards in the area. He has some great size and basketball IQ for a point guard. He sees plays before they happen. [player_tooltip player_id='1943724' first='Karter' last='Koester'] has taken leaps and bounds to his game and is ready for a great senior year. His confidence to make every shot and play is through the roof. He is a knockdown shooter who can shoot off the dribble just as well as catch-n-shoot. He will be the head of the snake for the Eagles and someone difficult to stop. Then their big [player_tooltip player_id='1225073' first='Xandyr' last='Hesson'] is the last piece to the puzzle. The very lengthy big that plays his tail off. He gets rebounds, defends, and plays with a super high motor. These three players can all play their game and complement each other well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1950594,"width":"317px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Karter-Koester.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Karter-Koester.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1950594" style="width:317px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>9. <strong>Maumee Valley – Coach Dontaviyon Fleming</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maumee Valley Country Day is coming into this season with a lot of preseason hype and after watching them play this past Saturday I can say it's real. They have a great duo in [player_tooltip player_id='1617828' first='CJ' last='Majors'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1605224' first='Amani' last='Dickerson']. They both are equally as important to this team for success. Majors is a high-volume shooter and scorer, and the Hawks will only go as far as he takes them, and he seems ready for that challenge. He has shown much improvement every time I watch him play and this past Saturday was no different. He can score it from all three levels and in any way he wants to. Fellow senior Dickerson is the glue and do-it-all guy for the Hawks. He is a great defender and slasher. His length and athleticism allow him to get to the rim often and guard any position. He will be key in major matchups against high-level players because I think he can shut them down. They also have a 6'9 freshman coming in, [player_tooltip player_id='2128752' first='Ty' last='Lewis']. He is a very raw player but with that size, he will help any team instantly</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2280071,"width":"367px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screenshot-2023-11-22-at-7.43.22 PM.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Screenshot-2023-11-22-at-7.43.22 PM.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2280071" style="width:367px;height:auto" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: JGP Images</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>8. <strong>St. John's Jesuit – Coach Mike Schoen</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Titans are one of two teams on this list that made it down to Dayton for the Final Four last year and they hope to repeat that same success. They have lost their star player CJ Hornbeak but the Titans are not going to be forgotten this year. They have some good young talent in the program ready to continue the successful and great tradition that is St. John's Jesuit basketball. Leading that is their sophomore forward Race Kowalcyzk. He has taken leaps and bounds as a player over the summer and is coming into this year as one of the Titans' best players after not playing much as a freshman. He is just more confident and aggressive. He is looking to fill Hornbeak's role as the go-to scorer for St. John's. He is tough and is ready to display this to Toledo. They have a senior guard with a ton of varsity experience in [player_tooltip player_id='1679929' first='Jaylen' last='Murphy']. He played a major role in the Titans' run to Dayton last year and did it with his confident shooting streak. He can make the ball from anywhere on the floor and with a quick release. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2225037' first='Jayden' last='Jones'] is someone else coming off a hot AAU season that put his name on the radar. He is a very nice athlete who can defend and put the ball in the rim. They are coached by Mike Schoen, who I believe didn't get enough credit for the Titans' season last year. He has proven to be one of the best coaches in the area as he has led St. John's to nothing but winning seasons since he took over the head coaching job. He will have this young Titans team and program ready to go.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1950378,"width":"358px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Race-k-buckets.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/05/Race-k-buckets.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1950378" style="width:358px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7. <strong>Marion Local – Coach Kurt Goettemoeller</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marion Local is like St. Francis in the fact that they have two monsters in the post. [player_tooltip player_id='1404789' first='Jack' last='Knapke'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1432036' first='Austin' last='Niekamp'] are the two-headed giants that bring it for the Flyers. They are too big but have almost opposite games. Knapke is the bruiser and more of an old-fashioned big. He will leave you hurting after the game because he will take it to your chest aggressively. He is a presence on the boards because of his size and effort. He loves to do all the dirty work a big need to do. Niekamp on the other hand is one of the top forward prospects in the area and state. This kid is a great modern-day big. He has a beautiful stroke from beyond the arc and his height along with length is making his shots uncontestable. These 1 2 punches of bigs for the Flyers I think make them a top team in NWO.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2280072,"width":"386px","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/Austin-Niekamp-crop-504x331-1700700361.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Austin-Niekamp-crop-504x331-1700700361.png?w=503" alt="" class="wp-image-2280072" style="width:386px;height:auto" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: JPG Images</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>6. <strong>Toledo St. Francis De Sales – Coach Jamie Kachmarik</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Francis De Sales is one of many teams that has benefitted from transfers in the NWO area. They added the brother twin towers Alan and [player_tooltip player_id='1943725' first='Logan' last='Horton']. They are some of the biggest players in the area and some tough kids to stop. They are constantly getting better and will be tough to stop for anyone in the state specifically NWO. Logan seems to be getting more and more comfortable with his big frame and body and is showing it by moving better, especially on the defensive end. Alan is getting bigger and better as well but for him on the offensive end. He is getting stronger and more efficient in the post with his moves. He gets his hand on almost every board and puts the ball back in the rim. He is a high-level finisher with both hands. Good luck getting rebounds or shots off in the paint against this team. The Knights also have one of my favorite players in the area running the show [player_tooltip player_id='1605229' first='Jameson' last='Heck']. Heck can flat-out ball and unlike his two new extremely big men Heck is the definition of heart over height. He can get buckets in bunches. He and the Horton brothers are going to be a force.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2223747,"width":"385px","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/Jameson-Heck-crop-613x403-1696287614.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Jameson-Heck-crop-613x403-1696287614.png?w=612" alt="" class="wp-image-2223747" style="width:385px;height:auto" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jgp.images/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JPG Images</a></figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5. <strong>Emmanuel Christian – Coach Sed Harris</strong></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Emmanuel Christian has lost the most of any program in the area since the top player in the country Jerry Easter left for La Lumiere (IN) but I believe they have a great duo with Jalen Brown and [player_tooltip player_id='1705961' first='Nate' last='Miles'] Jr. that will be tough to stop. Jalen Brown is one of the best guards in the area and is now in the leadership position for Emmanuel Christian. He is the senior point guard and will run the show for the Warriors. He can shoot the ball and get to the rim. He has some great explosive athletic ability and my favorite thing about his game is his defense. He has an ultra-high motor on the defense. He applies great ball pressure. The other head of the duo is the highly talked about Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='1705961' first='Nate' last='Miles']. He has made some of the biggest improvements of any player in the state in my opinion. He already had a great size and skill set coming into high school, but he has transformed into an athletic wing who can do it all. He is leaner, stronger, jumps higher, and quicker than he was previously. He is going to be difficult to stop at the Division 3 level this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2280075,"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/2/2023/10/Nate-Miles-crop-505x332-1700700521.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/10/Nate-Miles-crop-505x332-1700700521.png?w=505" alt="" class="wp-image-2280075" style="width:357px;height:auto" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: JPG Images</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Honorable Mentions (alphabetical order): Archbold, Liberty-Benton, Rogers, Start, Southview, and Toledo Central Catholic.&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->