Tyler Mitchell
With college coaches visiting high school players daily at their homes and/or their schools, commitment season in full swing for followers of college basketball. While the senior class of 2017 isn’t going to break any records for most NCAA D1 commitments, we’re still seeing more Buckeye State prospects make their decisions public each week this fall. Here’s the latest series of commitments, as three players have all accepted in-state scholarship offers, while a late bloomer has chosen to cross the Indiana border to play his college ball….
Evan Kuhlman – ’17 Lakota East PF: One of the most talked about players of this past spring and summer among college coaches, Kuhlman saw a huge spike in his recruitment, as the 6’7 pick and pop forward landed several NCAA D1 scholarship offers. Kuhlman ended his recruitment in mid-September when the senior forward from the Cincinnati area announced his verbal commitment to Evansville. Committing to play in the Missouri Valley Conference, which features mid-major powerhouses like Wichita State and Northern Iowa, means that Kuhlman will be exposed to some of the top competition that college basketball has to offer, as the Evansville staff will be counting on the power forward to be able to stretch the floor with his three-point shooting touch.
Tyler Mitchell – ’17 Kings PG: Another Cincinnati area senior making a commitment to an NCAA D1 school, Mitchell ended his recruitment on September 25th, as he pledged to in-state Wright State University and their new head coach Scott Nagy. A quick playmaking point guard with flair to his game, Mitchell, like Kuhlman, became the target of several mid-major programs in the July evaluation period; however, it was the proximity to home that drew him towards Wright State. As the first in-state commit for Nagy, Mitchell commitment could have a domino effect among Ohio prospects with a WSU offer, as the 5’11 point guard chose the Raiders over UNC Asheville and Oral Roberts after taking his official visits.
Derek Koch – ’17 Salem Northwestern PF: Always considered a favorite to stay on the eastern side of Ohio, or to go to West Virginia even, Koch surprised us (and several others) last week when he verbally committed to Bowling Green; spurning the advances of other in-state MAC programs. With strength and toughness around the rim, Koch could be an early contributor inside for Coach Huger’s Falcons team, as already has a grown man’s frame as a high school senior. At 6’7 expect for Koch to play both power forward and center at BGSU, and while he is skilled enough to step out and make jumpers, we love him when he attacks the paint and rebounds with energy on both ends.
Harrison Riggs – ’17 Toledo St. John’s PG: One of the top point guards in an Ohio 2017 class full of small but tough and cerebral lead guards, Riggs made a verbal pledge to in-state NCAA D2 program Lake Erie last week, choosing to cross over from Northwest Ohio to Northeast Ohio to play his college basketball in the Cleveland area for Coach Kyle Conley. The target of several regional D2 programs, Riggs should bring an ability to guard the ball and manage the offense to the Lake Erie program.
You must be logged in to post a comment.