Saturday’s Top Prospects in Dayton

<p>This past weekend was a rarity for me as I was able to catch 2 and a half games over a 2 day period. Friday night I checked out Springfield in their 72-58 win against Northmont. Saturday I caught the first half of the Trotwood-Madison and Dunbar game, then transitioned over the Belmont HS where I watched the Bison take out West Carrollton 84-68. Over the games, there were many names I wrote down but only a few made me say “Wow” for one reason or another. Below are my top 6 performers from the weekend.</p> <p>Tyron Barnes (2023) Springfield- The freshman point guard was excellent on both ends of the floor in Springfield’s win against Northmont. On the offensive end, he handled tough defensive pressure well, especially in the half court setting. Defense is where he made the biggest impact. As an on-ball defender, he has the speed and agility to stay in front of opponents and even had a few hustle plays diving after loose balls. He has quite a high ceiling.</p> <p>Ray Cole (2020) Springfield- A lengthy forward with a ton of bounce. Disruptive on both ends of the floor. Uses his long arms and control to block shots on the low post. On the offensive end, he is a guaranteed bucket on the block as a tremendous finisher, especially among traffic. At 6’5 he is one of Springfield’s biggest bodies and really helps the Wildcats who focus on their guard play primarily.</p> <p>Jordan Smith (2021) Northmont- On a night where Northmont really struggled, Smith really impressed in the loss. At 6’6, he’s a scrappy interior presence on the offensive end. Possessing the skillset to handle the ball as well as post up, he has a ton of upside as he continues to grow. He still needs to work on his finishing at the rim, but he is able to create the shots which will eventually equate to more points.</p> <p>Deshaun Huffman (2021) Dunbar- The atmosphere at Dunbar High School was incredibly loud, but It didn’t bother Huffman. Calm and collected, he is a smart defender and doesn’t bite on pump fakes, etc. On the offensive end, he was getting to the rim easily and impressed with his arsenal of breakdown moves. At 6’2, he some decent size to create space on the perimeter. He has a bright future for the Wolverines as he continues to grow.</p> <p>Carl Blanton (2020) Trotwood-Madison- The senior was all over the place on Saturday afternoon. Possessing an unreal vertical leap, Blanton was literally jumping over defenders for rebounds and was incredibly tough to box out. Without a doubt the most athletic player on the floor with his size and skill. There is an intimidation factor he brings to the table just standing in the paint as guys are scared to try and shoot over him.</p> <p>Shawn Phillips (2022) Belmont- The 6’9 center is without a doubt a D1 prospect with his skillset and length. One can tell he’s added muscle to his frame since his freshman year. Defensively, he blocked shots with ease. He moves well from block to block on the offensive end and finishes it with ease under the basket. His physicality is tough to match as his box outs were so strong and so solid, opponents couldn’t get around him. My biggest concern is he needs to do a better job of staying out of foul trouble. Regardless, he was without a doubt the best prospect I saw.</p>