skip navigation

Africentric 85, Columbus West 54 - Prospect Scouting Report

By Greg Glasser, 01/25/21, 11:00PM EST

Share

Nubians too big, too strong and too fast against West in season debut

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Before the ball was even tipped, Monday night was already a win for Columbus City League athletes and Central Ohio hoops fans, as conference participants played their season debut.

Once the ball was tipped, it was all Africentric as the Nubians provided a sound 85-54 defeat of the West Cowboys.

However, it didn’t appear to be a blowout initially, as the Cowboys played their most competitive period of the game in the first quarter.  The Nubians started with a 8-0 run, but after an early West timeout, the Cowboys fought back.

Led by West senior guard Tayshawn Ivery, who scored eight of his game-high 23 points in the first quarter, the Cowboys started to find success offensively and ended the first quarter down 22-14.

Yet a quick 7-0 Africentric run to start the second quarter created a lead that only continued to grow, as the Nubians combination of size, athleticism and depth were too much for the Cowboys.

The power trio of senior Eli Burke, junior Dan Wagner and sophomore Dailyn Swain all delivered tonight.   Swain especially, as he led the Nubians in every statistical category, which included 19 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals. Burke and Wagner combined for 25 points.

While Africentric converted on four overall three-pointers, the Nubians scored a majority of their points in the paint, as they wisely took advantage of the notable size difference against the much smaller Cowboys.    The Cowboys did not have a player over 6-foot-1 receive significant minutes. 

Africentric coach Michael Bates also received an encouraging performance from his bench on Monday.   Ten overall players recorded points, including contributions from Dyson Bibins (9), Ernest Johnson (8) and Antoine Moss (7).  The Nubians have a nice mix of size and also received impressive play from back-up freshman guard Laron Fuller.

The Cowboys saw encouraging efforts from a few of their players as well.  Ivery, the returning lead scorer, connected on five triples and added two assists.

Despite being listed at just six-foot-one, senior Abdi Salim Liban played a fantastic game on the boards and in the paint.  He led the Cowboys in rebounds (8), assists (5) and blocks (3).

Fellow senior Sidi Aden was the next lead scorer for West, as he added 13 points with four rebounds. 

Too often did the Cowboys shoot themselves in the foot, with unnecessary turnovers and missed open looks around the rim, that prevented them from making a serious comeback.

The Cowboys (0-1) will look to quickly bounce back when they host Eastmoor Academy on Wednesday.

Africentric (1-0) returns to action on Wednesday as well, when they travel to Marion-Franklin.

Dailyn Swain  (6'6 WG / Africentric  / 2023): Swain was by far the most talented player on the court Monday and at times seemed to be in a league of his own.  As mentioned above, Swain led the Nubians in every major statistical category.   While he struggled to convert on any shots from range, Swain got whatever he wanted off the dribble and was excellent finishing in the paint.  Even on a team filled with strong guard play, Swain at six-foot-six can handle lead guard duties just fine himself.  On Monday, Swain was able to effortlessly dribble the entire length of the court and showed next-level vision with his passes that led to six assists.  Currently holding an offer from Ohio University, we fully expect Swain to have a breakout sophomore season. 

Eli Burke (6'1 PG / Africentric  / 2021): The senior may be one of the area’s most athletic lead guards.  Burke showed off his bounce Monday and put on a show.  Included in his 13 points were three dunks, most notably a breakaway reverse slam.  Burke also showed some range, as he hit a three-pointer early in the first quarter.   We love Burke’s aggression, which led to five rebounds and two steals, and think he is one of the more competitive guards in the City League.  He currently holds three offers from Wilberforce, Central State and Concord.

Tayshaun Ivery (6'1 PG / West / 2021): Ivery was the lone true scoring threat for the Cowboys on Monday, as he knocked down five three-pointers to lead all scorers with 23 points. What made Ivery’s scoring output even more impressive is that Africentric knew he was their primary scorer, threw their athletic guards on him and Ivery still found a way to convert. Ivery had two assists, but could have recorded a few more had his open teammate finished at the hoop. We think Ivery has a really nice natural ability to score and could lead the Cowboys to a few upset wins this season.

Abdi Salim Liban (6'1 WG / West / 2021): The senior wing guard played the best all-around game for the Cowboys on Monday.  Listed at six-foot-one, Liban plays much bigger than his size thanks to a long wingspan that he used to his advantage.  Grabbing eight rebounds and recording three blocks on Monday, Liban was the lone vertical threat to a tall and athletic Africentric team.  Liban also displayed really impressive vision, as he recorded five assists, through a combination of open floor passes and high-IQ dishes inside the paint.  While Liban didn’t show off a natural ability to score, he certainly stood out as one of the best athletes from either team.  If you are a JUCO program that can help develop some offensive talent, but also value a hard working and unique athlete, take a look at Abdi Salim Liban. With the right development, he can be a sleeper prospect.

Recent News


Order the 270 Hoops 2021 Preview Magazine today!

Subscribe to 270 Hoops Mailing List!

Email Address:
Favorite High School:
First Name:
Last Name:
Subscribe