Ohio 17 U Standouts from Queen City Clash
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The Queen City Clash brought out a lot of in-state talent to the Queen City to compete at one of the first midwest Prep Hoops Circuit events of the spring. In this article we’ll break down some of the standout…
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Continue ReadingThe Queen City Clash brought out a lot of in-state talent to the Queen City to compete at one of the first midwest Prep Hoops Circuit events of the spring. In this article we’ll break down some of the standout Ohio talent from Saturday.
Grassroots Elite came out the gates firing with a strong showing in the first game of the morning. Newman made a lot of plays at both ends of the court in the second half to help his team pull away. A strong attacker of the basket, Newman got downhill and finished off one and two feet at the rim. Newman also hit a big 3-pointer on the wing and then attacked a closeout which allowed him to skip it to the corner for a teammate to knock down a 3-pointer. That started a run by Newman’s high school teammate Xavier Vickerstaff Xavier Vickerstaff 6’5″ | PF Mayfield | 2025 State OH who knocked down four 3-pointers in the second half, two or three assisted by Newman. Finally, Newman jumped a passing lane and made a feed to a teammate running the floor with him to help give his team enough cushion to hold on in the end.
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One of the more physically imposing bigs in the Grit Region of the Prep Hoops Circuit, Staley is a load to handle in the paint. When Staley runs the floor, he’s really tough to stop because of his long strides and physical profile. A couple slam dunks and layups on the fast break, Staley can overpower guards that get switched onto him in the post position as well. For Staley, having the motor he plays with offensively on the other end of the court will be key. He blocked a couple shots and has legit upside to tap into as he continues to develop.
The Ohio Saints have a solid roster and two Licking County League players stood out to me on Saturday as Dustin and Dylan Fox Dylan Fox 6’4″ | PF Johnstown | 2025 OH both made solid impacts in an afternoon win. It was the lefty Dustin who had his fingerprints all over the victory. Making impressive passes, Dustin found the open man whether it was a shooter in the corner, a teammate running in transition or simply a player open in the paint. Combine that with some time and space 3-pointers off the catch and patient drive and scores and Dustin had a nice all-around performance. I want to see more from this Ohio Saints team as we continue with the Prep Hoops Circuit season, they showed some intriguing potential for down the road.
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Midwest Basketball Club Burgett played two intense battles on Saturday and Conkle made plays happen in both contests. The point guard who helps set the table for his team, Conkle makes the lives of his teammates easier with his passing ability. A solid athlete, Conkle rotated over and blocked a shot on the first possession of the second game. A good rebounder for his size, Conkle’s high motor allowed him to get some loose balls a player of his size usually doesn’t end up with. A solid small-town scorer, Conkle is coming off an impressive junior season for Coshocton.
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Charging Elite played one of the most entertaining games of the day and while they fell short Vs KY Rise, I walked away really impressed with Appiah. A player who played a bench role for Olentangy Orange last season, Appiah should see a brighter spotlight as a senior with more opportunities to shine on both ends of the court. With a quick first step, Appiah was able to get downhill and attack the basket. I also noticed that Appiah’s relentless slashing ability put him in positions to grab his own misses and hit some putback layups. Appiah also hit a couple spot-up 3-pointers as he can knock down shots when his feet are set from downtown. With his impressive athleticism, Appiah also had a steal and a blocked shot from behind. Consistently bringing the intensity that he showed today will make Appiah a target for regional Division III schools.