Mid State League- Buckeye Division Sleeper Players

With all but one team in the Buckeye division taking the court, it is easy to tell which players have made impacts on their respective teams without scoring all the time and those are the players that fans, coaches and scouts alike all sleep on and overlook. These players are able to glide under the radar and play winning basketball without having the pressure to carry teams, but they are the glue to their team. From sophomores who are trying to break out, to seniors who are getting that one last season to put their game on film, these players should be considered when talking about the better ones in the Mid-State League as a whole. Get ready to read about the young men that are under-the-radar for now. Jacob Denney- Junior; Liberty Union: Denney averaged just under 10 points per game last season, and is the Lion’s second leading returning scorer. The 6-foot-6 swingman must pay rent in the paint because he lives at the rim, constantly cutting to the rim and finishing inside with a soft touch. Denney has soft hands to catch tough passes in crowds and keeps the basketball high to make sure his shot does not get blocked. So far, playing in three games during the 2020-2021 season, Denney is only putting up six points per game but is adding some extraordinary defense and controlling the glass like never before. A young man to keep your eye on if you’re looking for a big man in the 2022 class. Ryan Willams- Senior; Bloom Carroll: So far he quietly leads his team scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game so it is time for this young man to get some credit for his improvement. The 6-foot-3 guard has good basketball instincts defensively, with a quick jump and the ability to block shots. Williams also has quick hands that are able to get reach in without fouling, getting steals while being a good outlet passer and starting fast breaks with those passes. When left open, he can knock down jumpers from deep as well but he makes his money in the paint. Williams is crafty around the rim and he seems to will the ball into the hoop, and with his team off to a 2-1 start this young man should start getting more recognition. Garrett Meddock- Senior; Teays Valley: Meddock may not ever put up the gaudy stats like other players but his value comes from being able to do a little of everything, while only standing only 5-foot-11. Meddock is a good spot up shooter from deep, but when defenders overplay that, he also has a quick first step that can get him to the basket where he finishes very well. Showing good vision when he drives to the hoop, Meddock has shown the ability to get the ball to the perimeter when he gets to the cup. After averaging 7.6 points per game last season, he has only raised it to an even eight, but his impact to a team is felt in a different way. Jason Sailor- Senior; Logan Elm: After averaging a razor’s edge over 10 points per game last season, Sailor is only putting up six points per outing so far this season but he can quickly get hot during a game and carry them to a win on his own. Sailor has scored 20 and 29 points in seasons past and no one would be surprised if he does it again. He is a superb shooter that must be taken into account for, but he moves well without the ball in the halfcourt and runs to the three-point line on fast break opportunities. Again, this writer’s short ball player bias may come into play but this young man can help a smaller school in the future. Stephen Mikell- Senior; Hamilton Township: After only scoring 93 total points in 17 games, Mikell gained some experience that he will be able to use and carry into this season. The 5-foot-9 (this writer loves short ball players) has the soul of a 6-foot-9 hooper with his ability to get into the lane and finish in places where players his size should not be able to finish. Mikell gets pressure on the ball handler and uses his diminutive height to make them uncomfortable, cause turnovers and get out on fast breaks. A sneaky good player that will be instrumental in whatever success Hamilton Township has in this 2020-2021 season. Charlie Bean- Senior: Fairfield Union: In 20 games last season, Bean averaged eight points per game but he exploded for a 20-point outburst which let everyone know that when given the chance, he can consistently put the ball in the basket. In this team’s one and only game, Bean scored 17 points in a victory over Circleville. Offensively, Bean is made for this era of basketball because he can get to the rim and shoot from deep very well. A quick first step gives way to Bean getting in the paint where he finishes through contact but if the defense leaves him open from three, the lefty makes them pay. The 6-foot-4 Bean could have a breakout year in 2020-2021 but he is on many radars just yet. Evan Justice- Senior: Circleville: Before the sad injury to [player_tooltip player_id="805219" first="Riley" last="Gibson"], this young man was going to be the possible second scorer for this team, and in his absence, Justice has stepped up. So far through four games, Justice is averaging upwards of 12 points per game which includes a quietly scored 26 points. The 6-foot-3 Justice is difficult to keep out the paint with his quick first step and the craftiness to get around defenders to finish over taller players. He takes advantage of defenders sagging off by knocking down deep range jumpers that only frustrate the defense. To start this season, Justice has been impressive in leading this team and if he keeps it going it could pay off at the end of the year. Clayton Rhyne- Sophomore: Amanda-Clearcreek: Popping onto the scene at the early part of this season, Rhyne is still an unknown to the masses of fans over the state of Ohio but he is leading his team in scoring in the first three games of 2020-2021 with 12 points per game with a season-high so far of 17. Rhyne has shown an ability to get to his spot on the court and do what he wants when gets there, hitting turn-around fadeaways that seems to surprise the defender. On defense, Rhyne is all energy and flies all over the court to make plays for his team by getting deflections and getting in the passing lanes. If Rhyne keeps up his production, by the end of this season he will no longer be slept on.   *All statistics provided by 270Hoops.com*