Mike Sharavjamts

As of today, August 16th, we have already seen 15 rising seniors from Ohio’s class of 2022 make verbal commitments to NCAA D1 schools. Based on recent history, that means we can still expect another 15 or so to follow suit by the end of the spring. While recent high-major commitments from players like Sean Jones (Gahanna Lincoln/Marquette) and Evan Mahaffey (Cincinnati Moeller/Penn State) have dominated the social media feed, there is still plenty of available talent left in Ohio’s 2022 class. Today we’re going to take a look at a few prospects who we expect NCAA D1 schools to continue to prioritize heading into the fall signing period…

Chris Livingston – ’22 SG/SF Akron Buchtel: There’s not really any room for debate as to who Ohio’s most coveted senior is by top college coaches. That list starts and ends with Livingston, a consensus top-10 prospect nationally, who reportedly is strongly considering offers from Kentucky, Kansas and Georgetown. Don’t be surprised if Livingston also weighs pro-options such as the G-League, a path that is becoming more and more common among the nation’s top prospects. An elite athlete who can change the game with his physical tools, Livingston has tremendous long-term potential with his size at 6’7 and combination of frame, explosiveness and fluid mobility. A capable ballhandler, passer and scorer off the dribble, as Livingston’s skill-set continues to evolve he’ll have a chance to be one of college basketball’s most talked about players.

Mike Sharavjamts – ’22 SF Centerville: There’s been a lot of coverage of “Mongolian Mike” on both this site and our social media this summer, as he weas one of the most talked about prospects on the successful Midwest Basketball Club 3SSB 17u team. Sharavjamts should continue to get plenty of buzz statewide heading into his senior year, as he enrolled at Centerville to join the core of a team returning from a state title run. A fluid athlete at 6’8 who is closer to a big point guard then he is to a post, Sharavjamts is an elite passer (probably Ohio’s best in 2022), who can handle the ball and create a shot for a teammate almost at will. With his length and a good motor, Sharavjamts is able to use his athleticism to cover a lot of ground defensively, and he brings a ton of versatility to that end. As he continues to add strength and confidence in his jumper, plus a year on a Centerville team playing a high-profile schedule, Sharavjamts should add to his list of offers which currently includes Rutgers.

Shawn Phillips – ’22 C Dream City Christian (AZ): It’s been a while since the big fella played significant basketball in the state of Ohio, as he spent his junior season at YPSI Prep in Michigan before announcing that he’ll be attending Dream City Christian in Arizona for his senior campaign. A native of Dayton who played his first two seasons at Belmont HS, Phillips has a massive frame at 6’10 with enough meat on his bones to bang with the big boys in college basketball. Phillips is an old school back to the basket big, and with that being a dying breed it will be important that he identify the correct system fit for wherever he ultimately signs his letter of intent. Currently holding offers from a slew of high-majors including Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati and Illinois, the ball will be in Phillips’ court to have the opportunity to sign wherever he wants based on the exposure Dream City Christian will receive on the prep circuit.

Kebba Njie – ’22 C La Lumiere School (IN): Another Dayton area big who has relocated to a prep program, Njie spent the first two seasons of his career at Centerville before transferring to La Lumiere School in Indiana. This summer in the Nike EYBL the 6’9 center enhanced his recruiting profile, adding to an offer sheet which now includes high-majors Butler and Kansas State. Njie is somewhat of a hybrid between the old school and new school center; in the past he’s showed the ability to face-up out of the short corner or mid-post and attack, but at La Lumiere he seems to have added some needed bulk to become more effective around the rim. With length and good feet for his size, Njie is a capable rim protector who plays with a good motor as well. Just like with Phillips, Njie should have as many exposure opportunities this winter as anyone in the country, as La Lumiere is a long-respected prep school with a national caliber schedule.

Ben Southerland – ’22 SF/PF Sycamore: Like Sharavjamts, Southerland has received a lot of buzz on this site and our corresponding social media thanks to his outstanding play in the last several months. We first noticed Southerland’s major improvement in a game this past winter at Hamilton HS, and the 6’7 combo forward carried that level of production onto the summer circuit, earning the praises of college coaches with his play on the Midwest Basketball Club 17u team. A new age four man who can shoot the ball with range to the three-point line, finish above the rim and the IQ to play in a college system, Southerland is a versatile scorer with an inside-outside game who can bring size to many of today’s college systems that preach “positionless basketball”. Maybe more so than any other Ohio based 2022 prospect, Southerland saw his offer sheet explode this spring and summer, as he now lists a dozen NCAA D1 offers including Liberty, Tulsa, Belmont, Akron, Wright State and more.

Tom House – ’22 SG Centerville: If Southerland was the 2022 prospect who saw the biggest increase in his recruiting profile the spring/summer then it would only be fair to list House as 1B. The 6’4 shooting guard, coming off a breakout winter which included the game winning shot in the regional final and a state championship, was a standout in June in front of NCAA D1 coaches over two weekends with Centerville and also put together some solid performances on the travel circuit with All-Ohio Red. Two things that House will undoubtedly bring to the college he selects are shooting and passion, as the Dayton area guard plays with a ton of confidence and emotion which fuel his shot-making ability from the three-point line. A mobile athlete who can sit down and guard, House is a high motor player who plays with a chip on his shoulder, and who has also shown significant improvement in his ability to use the dribble to free up space for his jumper. A potential “instant offense” player at the next level, House also saw his offer sheet lengthen during the summer, as he now holds offers from Georgia, Tulane, Winthrop, Furman and many more.

Paul McMillan IV – ’22 PG Hillcrest Prep (AZ): The third member of this list to leave Ohio for a national prep schedule for his senior year, McMillan IV is headed to a Hillcrest Prep team loaded with nationally ranked talent. After averaging around 30 PPG over his last two seasons at Cincinnati Woodward, McMillan IV is a proven scorer at the high school level who excels in the in-between game with floaters or using his strong body to get into the paint to score plus the foul through contact. Playing this summer in the Nike EYBL with Bates Fundamental, McMillan IV took on more of a pure point guard role, one which he likely will bring to the floor this winter with Hillcrest Prep. Additionally, McMillan IV is also a very capable on-ball defender, an important trait for college coaches to consider when comparing point guards. Currently with a variety of mid and high-major NCAA D1 interest and offers, this winter should really shape the final outcome in McMillan IV’s recruitment.

Drey Carter – ’22 SF/PF Westerville South: The only prospect on this list not to play on one of the three major shoe circuits this July, the success of Carter is a point of pride for all non-shoe circuit teams, proving that exposure opportunities can be found everywhere. Despite shoe affiliation, there was still a ton of talent on Carter’s Nova Village travel team, with at least three prospects holding NCAA D1 offers. The recruiting blowup for Cater started this spring but really escalated in front of college coaches at the OHSBCA showcase in June, where he showed great size and length at 6’7 as well as positional versatility and the ability to consistently shoot the ball from the three-point line. Carter still needs to add weight to his frame, but college coaches love his long-term upside and a big senior season in the Columbus area should only help increase his list of college suitors. Carter currently holds offers from Lehigh, Akron, Kent State, Miami (OH), Wright State, Toledo and UIC.

Honorable Mention: Jamal Sumlin (’22 PG Cleveland Rhodes), Roderick Coffee (’22 PG/SG Spire Institute), Jared Frey (’22 SG/SF ISA Academy), Amani Lyles (’22 PF Columbus Beechcroft), Mekhi Elmore (’22 PG Cincinnati Taft), Michael Bova (’22 PG Cleveland St. Edward), Aboubacar Cisse (’22 SG/SF Cincinnati West High), Jonathan Effertz (’22 PG Cleveland St. Ignatius), Cooper Davis (’22 SG Olentangy Liberty), Louie Semona (’22 PF Cincinnati St. Xavier), Jagger Landers (’22 PF Antwerp), Antwone Woolfork (’22 C Cleveland Brush), Josh Whiteside (’22 PF/C Gahanna Lincoln)

Ben Southerland

Even though there is still almost a month of summer remaining for some area high schools, the basketball related portion of summer effectively ends August 1st each year. After spending the month of June playing in front of college coaches at high school team events and then the month of July on the travel circuit, the top high school players from the Buckeye State are getting some much-needed rest this month.

With college coaches being allowed on the road to evaluate for the first time in almost two years, many of Ohio’s top young prospects got their first taste of playing in front college coaches this summer. Now, armed with information as to where they stand and what they need to work on, the name of the game is improving over the next few months before the high school season begins.

So, who were the big individual winners this summer? Centerville HS comes to mind first, as 2023 Gabe Cupps, 2022 Rich Rolf and 2022 Tom House all saw their recruitment explode. Other 2022’s who have received significant amounts of new offers include Ben Southerland (Sycamore), Drey Carter (Westerville South) and former 2021 prospect Keyshawn Hall (who will attend a prep school next year).

At Triple Double Prospects, we use the month of August to tinker with our player databases (as we’ve gone away from public online rankings), to make sure we have the most thorough and up-to-date information available. With that in mind, we have just completed updating our Ohio Prospect Database for the classes of 2022, 2023 and 2024, as well as our Greater Cincinnati/Dayton Prospect Databases for those same three classes. With those classes, it is our goal to have an active player profile for each name completed by the end of the month, with the majority of prospects already having a live profile on our site.

The prospect databases can be viewed by clicking on the link below or on the menu bar at the top of the page.

PROSPECT DATABASES

Keyshawn Hall

The final live period of July is known for having a lot of tired legs on the court, and tired eyes in the stands watching games. To succeed in the third event of July you have to really have a passion for the game, and have done the necessary preparation beforehand. We spent the last weekend of the travel season in Indianapolis, and even though there were several different events taking place, we spent the majority of our time at the Pacers Athletic Center, checking off the third of the three major shoe circuits we wanted to evaluate this month. Spending Friday and Saturday scouting games at the Under Armour Association Finals, here are some prospects who stood out in games we attended…

Keyshawn Hall – ’22 SF/PF Prep School: A class of 2021 graduate of Cleveland Heights, who dominated the Cleveland city league before transferring over for his senior year, Hall has made a huge splash on the recruiting trail this summer. Now classified as a 2022 prospect who will be attending a prep school next year, Hall earned NCAA D1 offers from Duquesne, East Carolina, Illinois State, Middle Tennessee State and Bowling Green based on his play during the first two live periods. With schools keeping a close eye on his progress in the UAA Finals, Hall was the most productive player on his C2K Elite team, going toe to toe with some of the circuit’s most highly regarded players. We loved the physicality and toughness that Hall played with Saturday against the Houston Defenders, using his massive frame and quick feet to defend the post. However, it is Hall’s offense that excites college coaches, as he’s an extremely unique prospect who can really handle and create with the dribble despite his big-bodied frame at 6’7. When Hall gets his hip into you it’s pretty much over for defenders, and he’s agile and skilled enough to finish around athletic defenders as well. Wherever Hall goes to prep school next year he’ll surely get a lot of continued college interest, as the late bloomer out of Cleveland might be the Ohio prospect who saw the biggest uptick in his recruitment of anyone in July.

Drey Carter – ’22 SF/PF Westerville South: Speaking of prospects who have seen their individual recruitment blow up in July, if there’s one player who can challenge Hall it would be Carter. A long wing forward out of the Columbus area with a ton of upside who has come into his own this spring and summer, Carter recently added offers from Akron, Kent State, Miami (OH) and Wright State, with all of those schools and then some tracking him in Indianapolis with his Nova Village team on the UA-Rise. Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for Carter’s Nova Village team, the game we watched was a blowout in Nova’s favor, but despite the poor evaluation setting Carter was Nova’s most intriguing prospect on the day. The 6’7 forward made shots from the perimeter and was aggressive off the dribble to get to his scoring spots, showcasing considerable upside as he continues to add weight to his lanky frame over time. With today’s college game focusing on shooters with size and mobility, Carter is the prototypical combo forward prospect for the modern game, and should continue to be prioritized by the in-state mid-majors as we enter commitment season.

Elias Lewis – ’23 SG Olentangy Orange: We had been hearing all spring and summer about the talent of this year’s Nova Village 16u team but unfortunately, before this event, had been unable to see them play. Saturday afternoon we finally caught up with the team and, despite a heartbreaking two-point loss, we came away impressed with several young prospects. The strength of the team in our opinion is the play of combo guards Elias Lewis and Ryan Nutter, with both catching our eye with their offensive prowess in Indy. Lewis in particular was an interesting prospect to evaluate, as he brings fluid athleticism and size to the guard position, as well as the ability to make shots from the perimeter. Shooting the three might be the thing that Lewis will be most known for, but he was also intriguing as a finisher with good athleticism off of two feet and showed the ability to handle and pass the ball in transition for his Nova squad. With players like Drey Carter blowing up on the recruiting scene in their 17u season, don’t be surprised if Lewis takes a similar trajectory next summer.

Christian Harmon – ’23 SF/PF Akron Buchtel: A new name to follow in Northeast Ohio who transferred in from New York, Harmon is enrolled at Akron Buchtel as part of a loaded roster with the likes of Chris Livingston for next season. Playing his summer ball with the C2K Elite 16u team, Harmon had a breakout session in Indianapolis. Heading into the game we evaluated on Saturday evening, we had received word that Harmon had been shooting the ball really well in Indianapolis; and that proved true as the 6’5 forward knocked in three consecutive triples at one point early in the first half to lead his team in scoring. A versatile offensive forward with a strong body capable of playing inside or outside on the high school level, if Harmon is able to continue to make shots at a high percentage, then he easily could be one of the top scorers for Buchtel next year, with defenses likely locking down the paint to limit Livingston’s ability to finish at the rim. Having just arrived in the area, we still don’t know a ton about Harmon, but his size, confidence and scoring ability make him a rising junior to follow statewide.

Honorable Mention: Bowen Hardman (’22 Cincinnati Princeton), Khalil Luster (’22 Lima Senior), Cooper Davis (’22 Olentangy Liberty), Josh Whiteside (’22 Gahanna Lincoln), CJ Hornbeak (’23 Toledo St. John’s), Bede Lori (’23 Caldwell), Ryan Nutter (’23 Dublin Jerome), Peyton Frey (’23 Hilliard Davidson)

There is no better opportunity for college coaches (and scouting services) to evaluate travel basketball then the Nike EYBL, specifically the Peach Jam. While the schedule was different this year with a shortened season squeezed in quickly in North Augusta, SC, just a couple days before the year end tournament, scouts and coaches alike tended to call this entire series of EYBL games this year’s Peach Jam. At the EYBL level at 17u the Midwest teams finished with up and down results, but there were plenty of individual bright spots and moments which excited the college coaches in attendance. Here are some of our top individual performers among Ohio and Kentucky based prospects in games we watched live in North Augusta from Friday through Sunday…

Josiah Harris – ’22 PF Richmond Heights: After missing much of the spring it was a welcome sight to see Harris back with the All-Ohio Red team, as the Northeast Ohio forward gave his team a spark which they greatly needed heading into EYBL play. The 6’6 forward, who is an early commit to West Virginia, started the season off with a bang, producing a dominant two-end performance in a win against Bates Fundamental and finishing with a strong showing in a victory we watched over PSA Cardinals. Harris is an athletic forward who has improved his comfort level on the perimeter, as he made several jumpers throughout the event and looked fluid handling the ball in face-up situations on the wing. What excited us most about Harris however was his energy; as he’s become more comfortable playing away from the rim, Harris was both aggressive in attacking offensively and locked in to take on defensive challenges from wings, forwards and bigs on the other end. Energetic forwards with strong frames and athleticism tend to do very well in Coach Huggins’ system at WVU, if Harris can maintain this level of consistency he could fit in nicely down the road for the Mountaineers.

Sean Jones – ’22 PG Gahanna Lincoln: There’s been a roaring debate this summer among travel basketball fans as to who the best point guard is in Ohio’s 2022 class. If we’re going strictly off of EYBL statistics (and we’re not saying that is the end all-be all measuring stick), it’s hard to deny the dominance of Jones. The 5’10 point guard out of the Columbus area put up special numbers in North August for All-Ohio Red, leading the team in scoring at over 15 PPG, as well as leading the entire EYBL in steals at 3.3 per game and finishing top-five in the EYBL in assists per game with 5.5 per outing. Those numbers are special, with a consistent ability to produce assists and steals being critical for the recruitment of a smaller guard like Jones who has always been able to produce big scoring numbers. What coaches really like about Jones is the combination of his quickness and competitiveness, both of which came in handy in the opening win over Bates Fundamental where Jones cleanly picked the pocket of his opponent on the game’s final possession to seal an All-Ohio win. Several high major NCAA D1 schools evaluated Jones in North Augusta such as Marquette, Xavier, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati; all of whom have already offered Jones a scholarship.

Reed Bailey – ’22 PF/C Brewster Academy/NH: Bailey’s only affiliation with Ohio is that he grew up in the Massillon area (where his brother Evan Bailey was one of Ohio’s top prospects in the 2014 class out of Jackson HS before eventually playing his college ball at Charleston), before moving to New England with his family in junior high. Since he has Ohio roots, and since there are only so many Ohio and Kentucky based prospects in the EYBL, we wanted to give Bailey a quick shootout for his play. Playing for the Boston/New England based team Expressions Elite, Bailey drew the attention from some of the nation’s top college programs with his combination of size at 6’10 along with mobility and skill-set. While we only got to see the fourth quarter and overtime periods of one game, Bailey clearly is a physically talented prospect who will be highly recruited at the next level. Along with playing at one of the nation’s elite prep programs in Brewster Academy (NH), Bailey already holds tons of offers, including Maryland, California, Virginia Tech, Iowa, Seton Hall, Davidson, Xavier and Loyola Chicago.

Dailyn Swain – ’23 SF Columbus Africentric: The top individual performer on an All-Ohio Red 16u team who posted an impressive 5-1 record in pool play through Sunday, Swain has continued to turn the corner from a confidence standpoint. When that confidence is soaring and Swain is aggressive there is an argument to be made that the 6’6 wing might be Ohio’s most talented rising junior prospect, as Swain has a skill-set to match his physical tools, which few can counter. Capable of handling the ball to attack from the wing, making shots from the perimeter or finishing in transition, Swain’s length and size on the wing make him intriguing as a high NCAA D1 prospect due to his leaping ability and fluidity. With so many weapons to choose from on the All-Ohio 16u team, Swain has become the go-to guy when it comes time to get a bucket, with that alpha male attitude being really the biggest step forwards for him in becoming an elite prospect. Heading into the weekend, Swain already held offers from Cincinnati, Ohio State, Marquette, Arizona State, Kansas State and Xavier, but we won’t be surprised if some new schools jump in after his showing in North Augusta.

Kaleb Glenn – ’23 PF Louisville Male/KY: One of the headliners in a Kentucky class of 2023 which is as deeply talented as any Kentucky class we’ve ever seen, Glenn is one of the featured prospects on Brad Beal Elite 16u team out of the Saint Louis area. While basketball is how he plans to spend his future, Glenn has the look of an NFL prospect, as the 6’6 forward is already physically mature enough to hop into a collegiate practice. Fortunately, Glenn knows how to use that body to his advantage, as he’s a physical competitor who uses his strength, as well as top-flight athleticism, to play a bull in a china shop role from the power forward spot for BBE. His outside shooting is still a work in progress but Glenn did show some ability to handle and attack in the high post or from the wing; however, it’s going to be the combination of his elite physical tools, college ready body and tremendous motor which will continue to make him not only a player ranked among ESPN’s top-100 prospects in the 2023 class but also a highly recruited prospect. Heading into the Peach Jam, Glenn holds offers from Indiana, South Carolina, Louisville, Arizona State, West Virginia, Western Kentucky, Wake Forest and more.

Marlon Barnes – ’23 SG/SF YPSI Prep/MI: One of the top shooters in Ohio’s class of 2023, Barnes has great size and a frame that makes him look the part of a future big time college player. Barnes was very productive in a game we watched Friday evening against Team United, as he was aggressive in finding his spots to score and made open shots as well. At 6’5 Barnes can score over defenders on the wing with his high arcing jumper, but the continued emphasis on developing his off the dribble game will only bolster his future recruitment. We like that Barnes played under control in both games we watched in North Augusta, and despite leaving the state for a prep opportunity in Michigan, the former Cleveland Brush wing is near the top of our list of top Ohio based 2023 prospects.

Donovan Hunter – ’23 SF/PF Westerville Central: Just like two other Ohio 2023’s in this article, one of the big reasons for Hunter’s success of late has been added confidence. The 6’7 forward, playing with Indy Heat 16u, was a scoring threat off the bench in Friday’s matchup with Howard Pulley out of Minnesota, as Hunter tallied 8 points on 3/5 shooting. With his size, mobility and skill-set Hunter is able to play around the basket or on the wing as a skilled forward, and his shooting stroke from behind the three-point line is something that will also keep the defenses honest. Since his play at the OHSBCA showcase back in June, Hunter’s name has been mentioned by a lot of college coaches as a sleeper or late bloomer in Ohio’s 2023 class, especially given his physical talent as his 6’7 frame develops. Playing for a team which made the Ohio final four last season, Hunter will get plenty more exposure opportunities this winter to add to his current offer list of Kent State, Ohio and George Washington.

Cyr Malonga – ’23 C Louisville Evangel Christian/KY: A native of the Congo with great upside, Malonga has made a name for himself in Louisville area basketball circles and now is expanding that name nationally playing with the 16u squad for Memphis based Team Thad. A high-level rim protector at 6’10 with a ridiculous basketball frame and fluid athleticism, Malonga is a force on the defensive end as a rim protector; where he consistently blocked shots in games we watched against JL3 and Bounce Elite. Offensively he appears raw at first glance, but Malonga used his exceptional length and athleticism to finish a two-hand tip dunk way above the rim and even showed some flair with a fancy behind-the-back pass assist in traffic as well. His best basketball is still yet to be played, making Malonga one of the best young big men prospects in this part of the country.

Honorable Mention: Tom House (’22 Centerville), Amani Lyles (’22 Columbus Beechcroft), Kebba Njie (’22 La Lumiere/IN), Shawn Phillips (’22), Paul McMillan IV (’22 Hillcrest Prep/AZ), Devin Royal (’23 Pickerington Central), Lawrent Rice (’23 Huber Heights Wayne), Rayvon Griffith (’23 Cincinnati Taft), Tyler Williams (’23 Cleveland Brush), Chase Walker (’23 Columbus St. Charles)