Early Season Central Ohio Sophomore Standouts
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During the 2020-2021 season, the Central Ohio area has seen many amazing performances and some of those have come from the young men in the class of 2023. This Central Ohio area class has proven to be fairly deep and…
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Continue ReadingDuring the 2020-2021 season, the Central Ohio area has seen many amazing performances and some of those have come from the young men in the class of 2023. This Central Ohio area class has proven to be fairly deep and amazing athletic with tremendous upsides. There are guards that a plethora of different skill sets and big men that can flat out get the job done on both sides of the court. With the majority of the league’s now full swing into their season, a nice assessment can be made on these young men. The 2023 class is missing one amazingly talented player because his conference is failing their players, Dailyn Swain Dailyn Swain 6'7" | SF Africentric | 2023 State #81 Nation OH of Africentric could be the best overall prospect in the area and one of the best in the entire state and has not gotten to showcase his skills because the Columbus City League is lacking. He is everything a coach wants in a player and young man, long and athletic, he can handle the ball and finish around the rim, best of all he is coachable and leads by his play. That had to be addressed, but now here are the sophomore’s who have stood out so far this season.
Ryan Nutter Ryan Nutter 6'3" | PG Dublin Jerome | 2023 State OH – Dublin Jerome: The best pure passer in the area for his class, Nutter has elite vision for his age and is the traditional point guard that will always work in basketball. He gets the ball to his Celtic teammates in a multitude of ways; sweet bounce passes with the perfect english on them, full court passes that are reminiscent of Jerome quarterback Ryan Miller, or drive and kicks where he shows how good he sees the court. Nutter can also put the ball in the basket, averaging close to 12 points this season and can finish at the rim with either hand or he can bury the three with frequency. Defensively, Nutter plays hard and can cause problems for opposing guards with his shiftiness and quick feet. He gathers steals and starts transition offense for his team, he is one of the better transition players in the Central Ohio area as well. When teams are looking for a point guard, this young man should be on the calls they make because of Nutter’s skill set, basketball IQ and toughness on the court.
Donovan Hunter Donovan Hunter 6'7" | PF Spire | 2023 State OH – Westerville Central: While his offensive numbers are not eye-popping (because he is playing with three really good players), he could be the most intriguing prospect on this list. The 6-foot-7 Hunter is long with crazy versatility on both ends of the floor. He rebounds the ball at a high rate, being able to box out and time his jump just right and then he leads the break himself and pushes the ball up the floor and gets the ball into the playmakers hands. Hunter can also finish at the rim himself, with a soft touch around the basket and he can step out and hit mid-range jumpers. Hunter is also an amazing screen-setter which is an underratedly necessary skill to have at every level. He shines on the defensive end, controlling the paint for his Warhawks and swatting away shots at a rapid pace. This young man is the future of Westerville Central and will lead them over the next few seasons, he is getting valuable experience that will only make him more of a beast in the future.
Lachlan McDonald- Dublin Jerome: As a shooter, McDonald is one of the best in his class, he combines a quick release and good form to knock down deep shots at a high rate; it also helps to have an excellent passer such as Ryan Nutter Ryan Nutter 6'3" | PG Dublin Jerome | 2023 State OH diming you up. Once McDonalds gets his feet set, get ready to take the ball out the net and set up your offense because it’s dropping. He excels in catch-and-shoot scenarios with no look being too far away for him. McDonald can also put the ball on the floor when it is called upon for him to do so, he gets inside the three-point line and exhibits a soft touch along with the ability to get his shot off over taller defenders. The 6-foot-3 guard is averaging over 13 points per game and is playing some really solid defense as well. He has nice defensive instincts, with active hands that create steals and transition offense for his team. McDonald is a young man who will earn plenty of looks from schools as time passes and his team will benefit from their backcourt of tomorrow of Nutter and McDonald.
Sonny Styles Sonny Styles 6'4" | SF Pickerington Central | 2023 OH – Pickerington Central: The football superstar makes this list because of the defense, athletic ability and sheer energy he provides for the Tigers. Styles’s reaction time is off the charts good (hence why is a stud safety), being able to jump with offensive players and block the shots of anybody. In Pickerington Central’s game against Gahanna, he swatted away five shots and was everywhere defensively, blocking shots in the paint and on jump shots, showing his freakish athleticism. On offense, he uses his abilities to finish around the rim, and looks so natural and fluid in the process. Although his future is not on the hardwood, he needed a shout out because his defense is game changing.
Xavier Riley- Zanesville: The Licking County League’s sixth-leading scorer, and the youngest player in that top six, Riley has shown that he is an absolute sniper from beyond the arc with a six three-pointer game. Riley is built like a football player, with a stout upper-body and thick legs, but he can get it done on the basketball court. He glides his feet around the perimeter as if he’s moving on a treadmill to find open shooting lanes, his release is not the quickest but he gets the ball up without getting blocked. Riley can also get past defenders when he puts the ball on the floor, with a solid handle and crafty moves to get into the paint where he can finish over taller players. He plays at his own pace and does not rush himself or force bad shots. As his game expands and he gets better at getting to the rim, Riley will explode in the scoring column and turn the heads of college scouts and coaches.
Trenton Collins- Lakewood: Collins has scored in double-digits in all but two games so far this season, averaging over 14 points per game which includes multiple 20-plus point games. He has a reliable jump shot and gets to the basket with his burst of a first step, looking as if he was shot out of a cannon. Despite the lack of team success, Collins has looked amazing as he plays with confidence and a never quit attitude. Collins can hit mid-range jumpers, especially off the bounce, using good rhythm and space creation to get the shot off. The 6-foot-3 guard is trying to lift a struggling team to victories with his energy on the defensive end as well, showing good instincts when tracking down that ball and the active hands required to accumulate steals on that side of the court. Collins has nice size for his position along with the offensive resume so far this season that his name will be mentioned among the best in his class up until he graduates high school.
*All statistics provided by 270Hoops.com