SoutheasternOhioPreps.com

We've seen a lot of hoops through the first month and a half of the 2024-25 regular season ... every year we have quality "newcomers" to the varsity basketball scene Below the Lancaster-Dixon Line some 1st year freshmen, other players coming off of the JV to play varsity ... since we have Mother Nature deciding that games should be put on hold for awhile this week - my question for the masses : Who are the BEST "newcomers" to the VARSITY rosters/getting playing time that have made positive impact on their respective teams ? (I suppose we can look at transfer portal impact players, freshmen, jv now varsity players, players who are now getting increased playing time, etc.)

Western Pike : We all know Drew Haggy/Kam Janes ... the Indians are much improved on both ends of the court as a TEAM this season ... the play of freshman Landon Owens ... 5-10ish ... plays with maturity, scores the ball at all of the levels ... has become the 3rd scorer to compliment Haggy and Janes ... sr. foreign exchange student , 5-8 ish - Samuele Cattaneo ... came into the season with skills , has learned to play D - man to man, on ball pressure, physical D .. he's soaked up the teachings of Coach Williams' and his staff ... you can see it every game where he improves from "over-trying"/ forcing passes/ seeing & thinking before reacting NOW he is reacting to play on the court, making much better decisions with the ball ... he's a scorer of the ball (doesn't hesitate) - another player that adds to the scoring stats for Western ... Foster Davis 6-0, jr. ... has lost weight, gotten into physical condition where he CAN/DOES play the man to man pressure D that Coach Williams' demands ... he too is a threat to score the ball down low off of boards at the offensive end - he can drain the 3 ball if left open - kudos to the young man for making himself, making TEAM better ... the entire team could be named in this section - Alex Siliven, Ayden Riggs, Tyler Kerns - they have all stepped up their game to make Western Pike an excellent D7 basketball TEAM ...

Portsmouth ... Connie Thomas jr. 5-9 PG transfer from Notre Dame ... the Trojans have started playing better basketball of late , winning 4 of their last 7 games with Thomas being the offensive leader averaging at close to the 20 ppg mark in this stretch ... Connie Thomas is putting himself right the middle of any conversation of who are the best PGs in Southern Ohio hoops ...

Logan ... the Chiefs are playing in their first OCC season ... learning how OCC basketball is played, learning what they have to do to play IN the OCC ... a big learning curve for the team - one of the big surprises has been the play of freshman, scoring guard 6-1 fr. Hudson Edwards ... the young manis learning how to play the physical, man to man D demanded in OCC play, Edwards knocked down 19 points recently at Alexander High School's Spartan Classic vs Waverly ... included in the total a pair of 3's ... quickness, length, smooth elevating jumper from both behind the arc but also shoots the midranger jumper ... anytime a player is a perimeter threat, if he has the ability he can get to the rim, Edwards can get to the rim and finish ...

... just wanted to give some examples ... Who have you seen who are "newcomers" that are making an impact so far this season?

Kage Alexander (Fr) at Waverly is an easy choice. Easily one of the more exciting players around the SE district -- and part of an extremely talented young core at Waverly that should - SHOULD - be league contenders in the SOC III over the next 2-3 years.

Brody Smith (So) at Fairfield has been a big part of their hot start. Averaging 17ppg through his first nine varsity starts.

Griffin Friend (So) has also been good for Coach Williams at Fairfield, averaging 12.3ppg through nine games. Friend played a bit down the stretch as a freshman last season, but only logged minutes in 10/25 games -- averaging 2ppg.

Grady Stewart (Jr) at Zane Trace is averaging 12.5ppg in his first year as a full-time varsity player -- and has been a big reason why ZT is 9-2 despite being without their best player until their most recent game.

Josh McClary (So) from Peebles is averaging 12.1 PPG after only playing sparingly as a freshman last year

Jaxon Zickafoose (Jr) from Unioto is averaging 8.6 PPG, but has been their leading scoring on multiple occasions, while being tasked with hounding the point guard for the opponents

unclequis wrote: Wed Jan 08, 2025 4:17 pm Kage Alexander (Fr) at Waverly is an easy choice. Easily one of the more exciting players around the SE district -- and part of an extremely talented young core at Waverly that should - SHOULD - be league contenders in the SOC III over the next 2-3 years.

Brody Smith (So) at Fairfield has been a big part of their hot start. Averaging 17ppg through his first nine varsity starts.

Larkin Friend (So) has also been good for Coach Williams at Fairfield, averaging 12.3ppg through nine games. Friend played a bit down the stretch as a freshman last season, but only logged minutes in 10/25 games -- averaging 2ppg.

Grady Stewart (Jr) at Zane Trace is averaging 12.5ppg in his first year as a full-time varsity player -- and has been a big reason why ZT is 9-2 despite being without their best player until their most recent game.

... ALL good ones !!! I'm a big fan of Grady Stewart, with ZT not having Landon Jarrell & Coen Larson to start the season having Stewart and Gunnar McCullough BOTH step up and BE "major players" in the ZT team - makes them STILL alive in the SVC chase with the U ... I know you meant Griffin Friend at Fairfield Leesburg - he IS and PLAYS like a cloned version of his brother Larkin Friend "the older" ... same solid games - shooting, handling the ball, demeanor on the floor - going to be fun to watch his career at FHS ...

Chase Pinkerton 6-1, so. PG for Eastern Brown ... transferred in from Warren where he was next in line as being major cog in the Coach Maddox Warren Warrior machine ... his mom took the job at EB as the principal, Chase is continuing to learn the game under yet another HOF coach in Coach Rob Beucler ... it's working, as Pinkerton has moved into a starting position for the Warriors ... I believed he was just named the MVP of the Game at the Brown County Holiday get together as the sophomore PG knocked down 17 pts vs Fayetteville ...

As soon as they learn better box out skills: Peebles has a few sophomore and juniors who get alot of minutes at the varsity level. Josh McCleary, Conner Gross both Sophomores along with Chase Shoemaker who is injured. Juniors:Collen Sims ,Wyatt Smart, and Paxton Ryan. Give needed minutes and Freshman Beau Johnson starts at varsity and is getting stronger. McCleary and Johnson will be the leaders for a few years for the Indians. A very good Jr high group along with the good freshman class is coming up.

Oak Hill's Colben Beucler 6-3 fr. ... started the season coming off the bench, now moved into a starting role where he will stay for his 4 years with Oak Hill ... at 6-3 he is solidly put together with length already picking up multiple double double as a starter , one being vs Green in a 59-43 win for the Oaks where Beucler racked up 17 points and 16 rebounds on the game ... knowing that Colben will be a napkin stat stuffer for the next 4 years it makes sure that I SPELL the Beucler last name correctly !!! (yes Colben is the grandson of Coach Rob Beucler and son of Brett Beucler both of Eastern Brown fame) ...the Oaks are off to a fast start sitting at 7-4 going into this weeks action or non-action , 2 games over the win total for all of last season ...

Meigs's Carson Davis a 6-8 jr. transfer portal product from Bloom Carroll ... the big man for the Marauders joins one of the most talented teams in the Southeast District at Meigs ...Davis has the size to play in the paint, the ability to get low on the floor where he shots a soft fade away midrange jumper and has unlimited range from beyond the arc... Carson was All Ohio Honorable Mention as a sophomore at Bloom Carrol brings his size and talent Below the Lancaster-Dixon Line joining 6-4 Cayden Gheen, 6-5 Dustin Vance, 6-5 Reed Brinager, 6-6 Aaron Tobin along with Landen Dewees @ 6-2 and pg soph Owen Tracy all outstanding athletes ... Davis in transferring in to MHS brought his dad Coach Ryan Davis to the party as part of the deal, Coach Davis with outstanding success as the head coach at Chesapeake and then 2 years at Bloom Carroll before this move to Meigs ... look for big things in lots of ways to happen off of Rte 33/Rte 7 in Meigs County ...