Prospect Alert- Azeem Williams-2017

Azeem Willimas-2017 5'11 PG San Antonio, TX

As most of our followers know, we try our best to provide exposure to young aspiring basketball players from everywhere.  Hailing from San Antonio, TX, Azeem Williams (5'11/PG/2017) is a diamond in the rough. Having transferred into his current school, Williams was subject to Texas’ 365 rule and had to sit out his junior season. Already this season, Williams is the leading scorer in the district and for Fox Tech Law and Health Science Magnet School, where he’s averaging 26 points per game. For his efforts, Williams has received multiple Player of the Game honors by Max Prep.

As the highlight video below reflects, Williams is a dynamic floor general who can get to the spots he wants to and either score or dish.  He has deep range on his jump shot and can also get his shot off the bounce and in the mid range.  He’s an excellent defender both on ball and in the passing lanes.  He’s athletic and is able to get to and finish at the cup though contact.  Also, Williams works well in transition and has great court vision and passing skills.  Williams handles the ball well and is very efficient with his dribble.

He’s not just an athlete, but also a student athlete as evidenced by his gaudy 4.0 GPA.  Williams is also well rounded, as he is taking AP and Dual Credit classes.  In addition, Williams is class president and is involved in several school programs such as the Student Athletic Leadership Council, the school’s Mentoring Program and the National Honor Society.  For programs looking to recruit a dynamic PG, you might want to give Williams a look!

Highlight Video

Elite Showcase Coming Soon

Now that the March 4th Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase is only 4 weeks away, it's time for all interested players to get registered.  Below is an email that was sent out this morning detailing the need to get registered.  It also provides some basic information about the event. Please keep a track with the event Information Page.

Information Page

Parents/Coaches,

We are now just about 4 weeks away from the spring session of Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase, and I’m currently putting the finishing touches on the event format and schedule. As a reminder, the event is scheduled for March 4th at Otterbein University located at 1 South Grove St. Westerville, Ohio 43081.  On that Saturday, registration will open by 7:30am and run through about 9:00am. We will open with opening remarks and the showcase games are scheduled to begin around 9:00-9:30am (tentative).

I plan to have an initial draft of the rosters, team assignments and schedule posted on our website (www.buckeyeprep.blogspot.com) at least 1 week prior to the event.  The only names that will appear on the rosters will be those players who have submitted the registration forms and fee. Although I will post a tentative participant list on the website, that list will not be official, so if your son/player’s name is listed there but you have not sent in the forms and/or fee, they will not have a spot in the event.  For those coaches who are bringing multiple players, we need registration forms from each of them as soon as possible. In addition, I have to place the jersey order at least 2 weeks prior to the event and I cannot order a jersey if we have not received the registration fee and forms. Therefore, you must act quickly if you want to get your son/player registered. Additionally, it’s very important that you continue to visit our website on a regular basis so you can follow any updates that may be posted.  There will be slight changes up until the day of the event so please follow the website for updates!

Also, I know a number of you have paid the registration fee via Pay Pal, but have not yet sent in your registration forms.  If that’s the case, I need you to do so as soon as possible so we can match the forms I received with your son/player’s name and get them on my official participant list. If you have/or will pay your fee via Pay Pal, please make sure you bring the receipt with you when you register your son/player. In case you have misplaced the invitation and registration forms, I have attached another copy to this email.

Finally, I’m still in need of a few more coaches for this session.  In addition to the satisfaction of working with young people, coaches receive free admission to the event ($20 value), a t-shirt and access to the media/coaches lounge where they can relax and enjoy complimentary food and drink the entire day.  Also, as a reminder, any player who has participated in past events, have been featured on our website or is ranked nationally on statewide is invited to all Buckeye Prep events.  If you know of any player(s) who meets these criteria, please have them contact me at taylorobe@aol.com or 614-203-2929 for an invitation.

If you have any questions or concerns about the event, please feel free to email or call me at the number listed above.

Showcase Information Page

Sincerely,

Rob Taylor

Royals Poised for a Big 2017 Season

2021 Cincinnati Royals

With a roster loaded with talent, Coach Gregory Johnson’s 2021 Cincinnati Royals White squad has the potential to make a big impact during the 2017 AAU season.  Although the Royals finished in 7^th place at the AAU Nationals last year, we had them ranked just outside of the top 10 in our 2016 Power Rankings; however,  after watching them play late last season where we had the opportunity to evaluate their core group of players, it’s clear that we under appreciated just how good this team was.  Although we are well aware of Skyler Schmidt, who has excelled at out elite showcase and is currently ranked among the top 10 players in the state, we have not seen much of studs like Gregory Johnson Jr, Aiden Turner and Zyon Tull.

In fact, when we caught the Royals in action at Paul McMilliam’s End of Summer Showdown in late July of last year, we had this to say about the team and its key players, “We also liked what we saw with the 2021 Cincinnati Royals.  The Royals team is well built, with solid guard play, scoring and athletic wings, size in the post, a deep bench and team-oriented play. The Royals are anchored in the post by Skyler Schmidt (6’5/C/2021/Goshan), who is one of the best big men in the state. Although Schmidt is a big, he moves well, has good footwork, is deceptively athletic, and his soft touch around the rim allows him to finish at a high rate. We think Schmidt projects well going forward. Some of the other studs on that loaded team include Zyon Tulls (6’2/WF/2021/Cincinnati), Kelvin Turner (5’7/P/SG/2021/Cincinnati) and Aiden Turner (5’7/PG/2021/Springboro). We were intrigued with Tulls’ length and ability to score the ball.  We had not seen him prior to Saturday, but plan to track his progress over the next couple of years."

Skyler Schmidt & Gregory Johnson

Johnson is a key piece to the team and has primary PG duties. Last season, Johnson averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists and 5 steals for his father’s team. Johnson is a pass first PG with good court vision.  He also has good length, is athletic, and can score when the situation dictates.  Skyler Schmidt holds it down in the post where he rebounds at a high rate, protects the rim, and provides scoring. We also really like Zyon Tull, who has good length, surprising athleticism and a non-stop motor.  Aiden Turner, Tyler Montague and Kris McClure are all very talented and add to the Royals over all depth. 

The Royals’ complete roster includes Gregory Johnson (6’0/PG/Cincinnati), Aiden Turner (6’0/SG/Springboro), Skyler Schmidt (6’6/C/PF/Goshen), Tyler Montague (5’10/SG/WF/Vandalia), Kris McClure (6’3/W/PF/Cincinnati), Zyon Tull (6’2/SG/WF/Mt. Orb), Michael Ragio (5’5/CG/Cincinnati), Devin McKinnon (5’9/PF/C/Cincinnati), Oliver Wittenbaum (5’8/SG/Cincinnati), Robert Jordan (6’0/SG/Clayton), Jackson Wassler (6’4/C/Cincinnati), and Elise’e Grandison (5’6/SG/Cincinnati).  You can catch the Royals in action at the March 31^st-April 2^nd Buckeye Prep Invitational Tournament.

Hale-Frater Joins All-Ohio

Jordan Hale-Frater-2022 Cincinnati

You know the old adage, “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer,” Exhibit one, when the 2017 season gets under way later next month, Coach Paul McMillian’s 2022 All-Ohio Red roster will include Jordan Hale-Frater (6’3/C/2022/Cincinnati), one of the best players in Ohio in his class.  Many of you may remember him from All-Ohio Purple last year when he was beasting guys in the class of 2021.  At the 7^th grade level, Hale-Frater should be a monster! 

We last saw Hale-Frater at the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase last September when he participated in the Ohio North vs South all-star game.  In addition, Hale-Frater also punched his ticket to the final all-star game on Sunday, and then went on to grab Top 5 honors. We did not see much of him on the summer circuit, but we knew he was good enough playing up with Purple that he deserved his selection as Third Team All-State.  Finally, we currently have Hale-Frater ranked among our top 10 players in the state.

We had this to say about Hale-Frater when saw him and his All-Ohio Purple squad in Cincinnati late last season, “Probably the best prospect on the team is one of the youngest players on the team in Jordan Hale-Frater (6’0/C/2022/Cincinnati).  Hale-Frater has a massive frame for his age, and can both score the ball in the low post as well as protect the rim; much like Adolphis Washington did for Berry a few years ago.  He’s a force playing up with Berry’s 2021 team, but when he suits up for a 2022 team watch out!  We can’t wait to see what Hale-Frater does when he laces them up for the South squad in the Ohio North vs South All-Star Game next month.”

In terms of All-Ohio’s upgraded roster, from our earlier reporting, McMillian has also added Adam Duvall (6’4/PF/C/Beavercreek), giving All-Ohio possibly the biggest frontcourt in the state.  They have also added Bowen Hardman (6’2/WF/Cincinnati), and Ja’Viontae Ruffin (6’0/WF/Cincinnati).  It’s important to remember, All-Ohio Red’s roster already included Paul McMillian IV (top 5), Kahlil Luster (top 10), Cameron Myles (top 10), Josiah Harris (top 20), Jerry Saunders Jr. (top 30), and Kollin Tolbert.  With their roster upgrades and returning players, All-Ohio will have significant depth and versatility. “Adding Jordan will give us a big bruising tough guy who is hard to get around, scores near the rim and will allow Adam [Duvall] and Josiah [Harris] to step out and stretch the floor,” McMillian said.

According to McMillian, there should be no doubt that his team should get the No. 1 spot when we release our pre-season rankings next month. “It ain’t going to be anybody in the state who can beat us.  I will play anybody,” said McMillian. “It will take a well oiled machine to beat us,” continued McMillian.  You will be able to catch many of the All-Ohio players in action at our March 4^th elite showcase as well as the entire team at our March 31^st-April 2^nd Buckeye Prep Invitational tournament.  We can’t wait to get our first look at this team!

Shooting Stars Ready for Nike Circuit

With the 2017 AAU season fast approaching, the Drew Joyce Shooting Stars (DJSS) are excited to be participating in Nike’s EYBL circuit.  According to the newly released 2017 schedule, when the season tips off in the spring, the DJSS will have their U16 and U15 teams competing in the very competitive EYBL  [U16] and EYBL “Challenge” circuits.  Presently, only U17 and U16 teams actually participate in the EYBL, while U15 teams compete in a separate "Challenge" circuit. As the link below reflects, in addition to the 26 "Nike-Friendly"teams that will be participating in the EYBL circuits, another 40 teams each in the U15 and U-16 divisions will also be playing in the ultra competitive circuits; this includes Jerry Watson's  All-Ohio program.  Congratulations to the DJSS and All-Ohio for representing Ohio in this prestigious circuit!

EYBL Circuit Teams

Grace Christian Heads to Playoff

Grace Christian Middle School-COAL Champs

Packing an impressive 10-1 regular season record and a Central Ohio Athletic League regular season championship, Grace Christian Middle School will enter the league playoffs as the No. 1 seed.  A 44-29 win over Sypris Christian Middle School has Grace Christian players and fans confident they can collect another championship in the post season tournament. 

Grace Christian’s lone loss came at the hands of Gahanna Christian, and according to assistant coach Antown Turner, a possible rematch with Gahanna could come in the semi-finals. Grace Christian was down 12 -14 at half time of the championship game, but after making several adjustments at half time, they were able to pull ahead and get the win. Playing big for Grace Christian were Deijon Jennings (5’7/PG/2022/Reynoldsburg), who dropped a game-high 16 points and Nico Thomas (6’1/PF/2021/Reynoldsburg), who added another 8 points.  Good luck to Grace Christian as they head into postseason play.