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Olentangy Orange 66, Linden-McKinley 56 - Prospect Scouting Report

By Zach Fleer, 12/28/21, 3:45PM EST

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Mike McCollum went for 26 points to power Olentangy Orange to a good win

WORTHINGTON, Ohio -- In the second day of the Stephen Gussler Invitational at Thomas Worthington, we were treated to an interesting matchup between Olentangy Orange and Linden-McKinley. 

Orange (4-3) closed on a 15-5 run to put away Linden (6-4), 66-56.

After LB Towns Jr. tied the game at 51 with 4:30 remaining, Orange turned up its defensive intensity and put the game away.

Orange junior Mike McCollum was a star in Tuesday’s game, finishing with 26 points on five three-point bombs. McCollum and fellow junior Elias Lewis were difficult to contain, combining for 42 points. Orange senior Aidan King had a strong all-around game, finishing with 10 points and four assists, as his 6-foot-6 size was imposing against a Linden team on the smaller side.

For Linden, the senior guard Towns Jr. led the way with 23 points. Towns scored 21 of those points after halftime, as he took the game over in spurts to keep the Panthers within striking distance. Fellow senior guards LA Walker and Malakhi Armistead combined for 29 points to round out the scoring for Linden. Walker had 14 first half points but was held to a single free throw in the second half, as Orange did a strong job shutting down the area’s top total point scorer.

Orange won’t play again until after the New Year when they host Hilliard Bradley on Jan. 6. Linden is in the same boat, as the Panthers will take on Northland on Jan. 4 to resume City League play.

Mike McCollum (6’3 SG / Olentangy Orange / 2023): Tuesday was a coming out party for McCollum, who showcased his next level shotmaking ability against Linden-McKinley. McCollum has grown 3-4 inches since last season, now offering great positional size and a skill set that will translate to the next level. McCollum started the game off very productive, grabbing rebounds, throwing assists and making an impact on defense. In the second quarter, he really caught fire, knocking down three triples and helping to extend the Orange lead. The second half was much of the same, as McCollum drained another triple but then started to really make his mark off the bounce. The 6-foot-3 junior is a creative finisher who is a difficult matchup on the perimeter due to his size and shooting ability. The junior is a player that the Orange staff has raved about for a few years now, as we are seeing what they’ve been talking about for awhile. 

Elias Lewis (6’3 SG / Olentangy Orange / 2023): Since his freshman year, Lewis has been one of the better guard prospects in his class. That hasn’t changed, as the 6-foot-3 junior is a marksman on the perimeter who has takeover type scoring ability. He was very streaky on Tuesday, as he scored seven points straight out of the gate and then went on a scoring run once again in the second half. Lewis can play either guard spot, can knock down jumpers, is a talented passer and plays with good pace. We’d like to see Lewis take the next step and improve as a perimeter defender, as he has the tools to be a shutdown wing.

LA Walker (6’5 SG / Linden-McKinley / 2022): It’s time we start talking about LA Walker for Division II district player of the year. It’s early, but the senior guard has been that good, as he has literally and figuratively carried Linden all season long. The 6-foot-5 senior is an extremely talented scorer who looks like he was born to put the basketball in the bucket. Walker has great wiggle on the dribble and the size and physicality to score against the defense. He has been one of the best rebounders at the guard spot and has the capability to defend bigger players thanks to his size, strength and toughness. It’s very surprising that Walker has yet to have a scholarship offer, as this young man is one of the best seniors in the area.

LB Towns Jr. (5’9 PG / Linden-McKinley / 2022): As our staff writer Mark Francis Jr. said on Twitter last night, Towns Jr. is tougher than your grandmother’s leather couch. That endorsement rang true on Tuesday, as the senior scored 21 of his team-high 23 points in the second half. The senior is lightning quick, can really score it off the bounce and is pound for pound, one of the best players in the area with his overall impact on the game. Towns got Linden within striking distance in the second half, as his pull up jumper was really working. It’s hard to stay in front of Towns, as he can blow by most high school defenders and has a change of direction ability that is unique.

Malakhi Armistead (6’0 SG / Linden-McKinley / 2022): Armistead has been a welcomed addition to the Linden program. The senior guard is a talented offensive weapon that we have enjoyed watching this season. Armistead can make shots and is a dynamic handler that showed the ability to score it off the bounce on Tuesday. You know what you’re going to get from Towns Jr. and Walker on any given night. It may be a guy like Armistead who helps take this team over the top, as he has the ability to do what he did on Tuesday on a consistent basis.

Aidan King (6’6 stretch forward / Olentangy Orange / 2022): King has a unique blend of size and skill at 6-foot-6. The senior is a finesse big that can make shots from the perimeter, but did most of his damage with his ball skills on Tuesday. King had 10 points and four assists, showing the ability to make passes that you rarely see from players his size at the high school level. Added physicality to King’s game could take him to the next level, as he can do things at 6-foot-6 that you can’t find in most high school bigs.

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