Long is a name that you’re probably used to seeing at this point in our Mitten State Mash 17u coverage. Needless to say, he was named as a Top Performer at the event. Long has a ton of upside and skill. If there was an MOP at the event, he’d easily be in the running.

Long was nothing short of outstanding at the Mitten State Mash. He was very active on the boards on both ends of the floor. Long did a great job chasing down the rebound. He didn’t just establish position and wait. He read the ball off the rim and went and got it. Long was shifty around the bucket. His soft feet and control with the ball allowed him to go up and around defenders near the rim. Long term I could see him stretching out to a 3 or a combo F at the next level.

Long will be playing with the Cincy Reapers at the Mitten State Mash. He’s a true post player and relishes the role. Long isn’t afraid to try to dominate near and under the rim. He’s a highly efficient offensive player and a true 2 way threat.

Obviously, most players from out-of-state could qualify as a “new name” to me. However, Long certainly fit the qualification as an under-the-radar big man from Lakota West High School that deserves some small college attention. He is a willingly physical presence in the paint on both ends of the floor that finished consistently, rebounded his area, and held his own defensively. Long played with Cincy Reapers 17u.

A player who had a strong end to his junior season, Long has some nice momentum heading into his final grassroots summer and stood out for the Cincy Reapers on Saturday morning. Long is a physical forward who scored with his back to the basket multiple times, not shying away from contact in the paint and setting strong screens where he could roll to the rim. Long also almost sent the game to overtime with a good look from 3-point range that went in and out at the buzzer. If I’m a small college coach, I’m trying to get my eyes on this Cincy Reapers group a couple times this summer.

Playing on the top team in the OHSAA, Long has fought for minutes on a team filled with talent. Efficiently scoring from the field when his name has been called, Long is shooting 65% from the floor this year. Long had a season high eight points in a two-point win over Lima Senior, going 4/4 from the field in that game. Long being sick and missing the Firebirds last game proved to be a big deal as Princeton took a lead over the shorthanded Lakota West squad in the fourth quarter. Long returning to the court will provide a quick boost for a Lakota West squad looking to finish off an unbeaten conference season with three games remaining.

Long was one of the tallest players on the court and his size made him a tough matchup for the two teams he went against. Height was a major advantage for layups and offensive rebounds. I liked the soft hands Long showed as well, catching a lot of contested passes. In a league that is lacking a lot of bigs, Long did an excellent job taking advantage and scoring.