Top Five: Cincinnati Christian at CHCA

<p>CHCA suffocated Cincinnati Christian in the second half. They limited their Miami Valley Conference foe to 14 second-half points, four of which came in garbage time. It served as a marquee early-season win at home for the Eagles, a talented Division III team who should develop into a tough out as they find a bit more offensive firepower. </p> <p>Let's dive into the scouting notes on the five biggest difference-makers from Tuesday night.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt"><em>But first, it's important to provide context. Why? Some games are fast. Some games are slow. Some games are played poorly. Others are played well, etc., etc., etc.  The context is important when it comes to evaluating prospects. </em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt"><em>Game notes: This was a well-played small school Ohio high school basketball game. It involved patient halfcourt offense orchestrated by dueling point guards who can play on scholarship at the next level — Younkin and Woods. CHCA played an unorthodox 2-3 zone. CCS went with a 2-2-1 full-court defensive look. Neither schemes really bothered the other, but it led to a methodical pace. Lot of points on 3-pointers and put-backs. Good ball and player movement. Several mobile forwards, but the boards were mostly controlled by aggressive guards.</em></span></p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jake-younkin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jake Younkin</a> (2020) | 6-2 PG | CHCA</strong><br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt"><strong><em>stats: 9 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists</em></strong></span></h6> <p>Unsigned senior. Younkin showed his physicality and point guard instincts, matching up with CCS star Logan Woods in most man-to-man situations. Made quick reads as a passer from the top of the key and with a live dribble. He tallied five assists but created other open shots and got a guy to the free throw line on a clever drop-down pass. Very good passer. Younkin can rebound in traffic. Still an elite shooter even if he wasn't automatic Tuesday. Contains the dribble, forcing opponents to take contested shots.</p> <h6><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/logan-woods/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Logan Woods</a> (2022) | 6-3 PG | Cincinnati Christian</strong><br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt"><strong><em>stats: 10 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists</em></strong></span></h6> <p>Woods' physical potential is exciting. He's a young and long athlete with high hips. Looks like he could be mid-growth spurt right now and he's already a big point guard at 6-foot-3. Woods, who scored all 10 before halftime, showed a good feel for the game while remaining poised throughout. He made a couple of nice passes on the drive and threaded the needle from the top of the key against the zone. Shot it well. Instead of flat-out attacking, Woods was a bit tentative on in-traffic finishes— an area he has plenty of time to improve. </p> <h6><strong>Ben Southerland (2022) | 6-6 PF | CHCA</strong><br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt"><strong><em>stats: 7 points, 2 rebounds</em></strong></span></h6> <p>Southerland's potential is one of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday. He's a mobile 6-foot-6 player who looked very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He can put it on the floor and spot-up shoot, knocking down two stand-still triples. Southerland moves well laterally and has solid speed. As he adds size and expands his skill-set, Southerland will continue to make a name for himself. </p> <h6><strong>Kai Vance (2021) | 6-6 PF | Cincinnati Christian</strong><br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt"><strong><em>stats: 8 points, 2 rebounds</em></strong></span></h6> <p>Vance has promising mobility and athleticism. Showed flashes against CHCA's zone, scoring four points on a pair of two-hand dunks in the halfcourt. Vance shot it comfortably and may turn into someone who consistently stretches the floor. Attacking on the perimeter after ripping through, he also added a running floater that illustrated his touch. </p> <h6><strong>Billy Southerland (2020) | 6-5 PF | CHCA</strong><br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt"><strong><em>stats: 13 points, 7 rebounds</em></strong></span></h6> <p>Southerland was the night's most productive player. The senior provided rim protection, defensive rebounding, and points in the paint more consistently than anyone else. While other forwards played away from the rim, Billy Southerland sought opportunities to be physical inside by going through the body on finishes and out-muscling others for boards. Quickly outlet the ball to guards. Hung in the air for a few tough finishes. His hard-nosed performance was key. </p>