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Pickerington Central 72, Akron Buchtel 44 - Prospect Scouting Report

By Jake Spegal, 12/14/19, 6:30PM EST

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Garner Wallace and Pickerington Central raced right past Akron Buchtel on Saturday

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Business as usual. Pickerington Central is built for the bright lights as that truth served evident on Saturday at the Scholastic Play By Play Classic at Nationwide Arena. The Tigers used a 29-9 third quarter to blow the doors off Akron Buchtel in the second game of the sold out event, 72-44.

Jumping out to a quick 7-2 lead after creating some open looks on the offensive glass, Buchtel grabbed the momentum early before a quick 6-0 run from Pickerington Central capped off by a tough finish from Garner Wallace gave the Tigers an 8-7 advantage with 2:25 left in the first quarter.

With the teams trading buckets for the rest of the quarter, they were knotted up at 12-12 after the end of the quarter.

After Buchtel claimed an 18-17 lead late in the second following a triple from Tae Perie, Pickerington Central ended the half on a 9-2 run as they got a few tough buckets from Wallace in transition and from sophomore Josh Harlan. 

Carrying this momentum into the locker room, the Tigers claimed a 26-20 lead at the break.

Coming out with a vengeance to begin the second half, Pickerington Central dominated the Griffins to the tune of a 29-9 third quarter. Getting out in transition, knocking down shots and converting on second chance opportunities, the Tigers got contributions from their entire rotation in the quarter.

Behind the great play of Wallace, Tahleik WalkerConner Maciag, and Josh Harlan, Pickerington Central generated a lead in the fourth that was simply too much for Buchtel to overcome in the final quarter.

They move to 3-1 after the win and have a tough test looming next Tuesday as they host arch-rival Pickerington North in a big OCC-Ohio showdown.


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Garner Wallace  (6'5 WF / Pickerington Central / 2021): Just eight days removed from winning a football state championship, Wallace showed that he's just as prepared to use his tools in order to dominate on the basketball court as he did on the gridiron for Pickerington Central. The 6-foot-5 wing has a lanky build that allows him to finish around length as he navigated through the teeth of the Buchtel defense throughout the entire contest and got some really clean looks and tough finishes around the rim. He is a terror in transition as he's one of the fastest players in the area and is nightmare to be in front of as his speed and size make him a freight train coming down the lane. Wallace is a very good defender as well as he can defend 1-5 at the high school level with his combination of length, lateral quickness and motor. With an offer from Western Carolina on the table, MAC programs and similar squads are keeping a keen eye on Wallace already.

Tahleik Walker (6'2 G / Pickerington Central / 2020): The unsigned senior Walker was terrific on Saturday, leading all scorers with 17 points. Walker scored it in a variety of ways, impressive as a finisher, using a multitude of finishes and even knocking down a catch and shoot three from the corner. While Walker made his mark in the Tiger program with his perimeter defense for the last two years, the senior is now getting the chance to show off his offensive wherewithal, which will only lead to more recruiting activity for the 6-foot-2 senior. We really love what he brings on the defensive end of the floor, as he's a physical and athletic point of attack defender that can erase even the best scorers in the area. 

Elhadji Thiam (6'7 PF / Pickerington Central / 2021): Stringing together some tough finishes on the interior and grabbing a ton of offensive rebounds, Thiam used his lanky 6-foot-7 frame to create a lot of easy buckets for Pickerington Central in the halfcourt on Saturday. He also ran the floor for a tough transition finish early in the first, blocked some shots on defense and altered many others throughout the rest of the contest. Thiam has all the tools to become an elite big for Pickerington Central in the next two years and if he continues to play like he has been recently and starts to hit the defensive glass a little harder, we expect his recruitment to heat up very soon.

Devin Royal (6'4 WF / Pickerington Central / 2023): Royal continues to impress us in every viewing we have as the freshman knows his role and does an excellent job in it. He simply does things the right way as he crashed the boards hard, boxing guys out and creating space, defended very well in the post and made some excellent outlet passes to start the break. The 6-foot-4 wing is a very efficient finisher around the rim as he has a soft touch, absorbs contact and uses his body to create space around the rim. If you don't already, keep an eye on Royal as he is an excellent interior defender who defends physically, has great discipline and makes good choices. We expect him to be the next star in line for a Pickerington Central program who breeds them like no other in the area.

Josh Harlan (5'10 PG / Pickerington Central / 2022): Seeing his first couple of starts recently, Harlan has made the most of his of his opportunities. The sophomore guard has an elite feel as he is an advanced passer and a very composed ball handler in the open floor and in the halfcourt. He had some tough finishes on Saturday, hit a few mid-range shots off the dribble and defended very hard throughout the contest. As he stood out playing in the 270 Hoops Fall League, we've became huge fans of Harlan's game as he will continue to develop into an extremely good lead guard with his skill and IQ. Harlan will only continue to see more time for the Tigers, as he makes the guys around him better, communicates at a high level on the defensive end of the floor and really can defend the ball thanks to his quickness and instincts. 

Derek Grimes III (6'1 G / Pickerington Central / 2023): An alum of The Intro, Grimes served in mop up duty in the Tigers' blowout win. While he only had a few minutes of game time, Grimes made his impact felt, as the athletic and play-making guard scored a very impressive bucket at the rim. At The Intro, Grimes impressed with his motor, toughness and finishing ability at the rim, as that was the case in his limited time on the floor. Keep an eye on the freshman as he has a chance to be the next great guard in the Pickerington Central program. 

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