270 Hoops All Ohio Challenge Top Performers

The 270 Hoops All Ohio Challenge brought out some of the top talent from the entire state of Ohio to compete against each other. I traveled to Dublin, Ohio to see the event firsthand and these were my top performers from the open gym.

Des Watson: Watson was clearly the top performer at the event as the 6’5 wing came out and was making a statement with his performance. Watson is nearly impossible to contain when he’s attacking the basket and has a variety of counter moves to beat defenders to the basket. Early on in the open gym he was also knocking down a high percentage of his 3-pointers, his shot faded as the night went on but it was promising to see him make the amount that he did. Watson had a monster junior season scoring the basketball and has continued his upward trajectory this summer. With his talent and motor he’s a prime candidate for Mr Basketball in the 2020–21 season.

Aj Braun: In my couple viewings of the 6’9 Braun I would say the one word that describes his game is dependable. Braun won’t overwhelm you with athleticism or shot blocking. While he did hit a couple spot-up 3-pointers he’s not going to blow you away with perimeter skill either. Braun is a post you can count on to play with a high motor, compete on the glass and get position underneath the hoop for easy layups. In this open gym setting there wasn’t a ton of help from the guards/wings in the paint, so once Braun caught the ball it was one dribble and up for either a basket or a drawn foul. By leading his team to the championship victory, I’d say that Braun once again proved he can be productive against some of the top competition in the state.

Jared Frey: Frey is one of the best shooters in the entire state and once again he made it rain from long distance. Frey surprises defenders with his confidence to pull-up from 25+ feet consistently. His off-ball movement is constant and this allows Frey to get open for looks that most elite shooters wouldn’t get with the amount of defensive attention placed on them. From a quickness standpoint Frey wasn’t able to beat many wings off the bounce, but when he did he does a good job of finishing at the rim over length.

Corey Tripp: Tripp was the best passer at the event, using his impressive zip to find open shooters on drive and kick looks. Tripp’s passing has been something he’s always shown the ability to do, but he looked more confident from the outside on 3-point attempts. If Tripp can continue to knock down shots from the outside at this level he will add to his offer list. Another thing I like about Tripp’s game is his frame and how he uses his strength when attacking the basket. He’s able to body smaller guards and typically plays off two feet when attempting layups in transition.

Ramelle Arnold: Arnold was one of the top scorers from the event, really finding his outside shooting stroke. Arnold is a point guard who can just fill it up as a scorer and that’s exactly what he did in a gym full of talent. While Des Watson was the stud performer on his team, Arnold worked off Watson well and the two became a nice combo for their team throughout the evening. Despite being the smallest player at the event, Arnold did mix it up on the defensive end and competed in every match-up.

Tj Pugh: Despite being a small school prospect, Pugh can compete athletically against these bigger school prospects. Pugh is a flashy passer but I thought he was more substance than flash at this event. On the defensive end Pugh created havoc to start fast-break opportunities. Pugh also knocked down a fair share of off the bounce looks from the outside, which will make it much easier for him to attack the basket if defenses must respect his outside shot.

Jamiya Neal: Neal was the most athletic player at the event and his explosive leaping ability was evident many times throughout the evening. Neal looks like he has springs in his legs as he just flies throughout the air for breathtaking dunks. Neal is an underrated passer from the wing position as he really sees the floor well. I thought he settled for jumpers a little too often early on, but during his teams championship run Neal was scoring around the basket often to help his team win the ship.

Related posts:

Android 8 has introduced a feature called Adaptive Icon in an effort to make the launcher icons of all apps appear consistent. This affects launcher icons for all current and future Android devices…