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St. Charles 55, Thomas Worthington 51 - Prospect Scouting Report

By Greg Glasser, 12/28/21, 9:15PM EST

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Chase Walker, Isaac Searls and Zach Auletta spark second-half comeback

WORTHINGTON, Ohio -- In the final game of the two day Stephen Gussler Invitational, St. Charles overcame a halftime deficit and a stellar 27-point outing from Joey Zalewski to defeat host Thomas Worthington 55-51 on Tuesday night.

After a relatively bland first half in which St. Charles junior Chase Walker and his 11 points was the only consistent source of offense, coach Mike Ryan's team found themselves trailing 24-19 into half. St. Charles looked relatively lost on offense, with too tight of spacing and inability to convert much beyond Walker's post touches. 

Defensively, St. Charles seemed to not have an answer for Zalewski, as the junior appeared still hot off his 23 point performance from the day before, as he already had 15 points after two quarters. 

Thomas Worthington extended their lead to eight halfway through the third when momentum took a turn sparked by the effort of St. Charles senior Isaac Searls. After Searls recorded a clean block on a Zalewski drive, the wing drove and finished a tough lay-up of his own. St. Charles would then go on to hit a trio of three pointers, two from junior John Levy, to cut the Thomas lead to one as the Cardinals entered the fourth.

Zalewski continued to deliver and scored on three consecutive possessions throughout the final period. Yet St. Charles would punch back with blows of their own, mainly from the duo of Walker and Searls who had a combined 16 points in the fourth.

St. Charles would extend their lead to two possessions in the final minute, but Worthington missed a loose ball opportunity and a failed defensive rebound attempt that ultimately eliminated a final comeback chance. Despite five late points from Worthington senior Mike Sekyere, St. Charles was able to hold firm in victory.

Walker lead St. Charles in scoring with 24 points and was a consistent threat from start to finish. Yet, he alone could not have defeated Worthington without the major second-half contributions of Searls, who finished with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two blocks, along with junior Zach Auletta who had eight of his 10 points in the final two periods.

Even in defeat, Zalewski was marvelous with his game-high 27 points and nine rebounds. Beyond Sekyere's 15 points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter, Zalewski was the only true consistent offensive threat for Worthington.

This is the first loss in five games for Thomas Worthington (4-3), who outside of Zalewski, is still adjusting with many new players on the varsity roster. They have an opportunity to get back on the winning track when they host Hilliard Darby on January 7.

St. Charles (5-5) looks to go beyond .500 when they host nearby neighbor Bexley on Monday.

For more on Tuesday night's top performers, check out the Prospect Scouting Report below.

Chase Walker (6'8 C / St. Charles / 2023) - Less than two weeks after he received his first Division I offer from Stony Brook, the 6-foot-8 big man was once again a nightmare matchup that very few high school players can come close to contain. Walker was nearly automatic in the post, fighting through constant double teams and scoring through hard fouls. While Walker's size and strength give him enough of an advantage, it's his soft left-handed touch that separates him from being more than a physical presence and instead makes him a consistent threat every time he touches the ball. Although he didn't record any assists tonight, Walker has good vision and does a good job of reading the double teams and finding an open teammate. Walker is one of the more unique, fun players to watch in the area and we're excited to see his recruitment as a Division I prospect continue to gain traction.

Isaac Searls (6'2 WG / St. Charles / 2022) The more Searls got himself involved, the better St. Charles looked. The senior delivered perhaps the most complete performance for his team on Tuesday, as he scored 10 points and led his team in blocks and assists. While perhaps not possessing the most elite overall skillset, Searls was certainly the most versatile player for St. Charles and created momentum with major physical plays on both ends of the floor. The younger brother of Victor Searls, a sophomore at Ashland, Isaac showed a competitive gamesmanship. Perhaps like his brother who had a breakthrough senior year, Isaac has the ability to make an impactful senior season of his own and help the Cardinals compete for a CCL title.

Joey Zalewski (6'3 SF / Thomas Worthington / 2023) In back-to-back days, Zalewski went for 60 points in two games. He did so in an impressive and versatile fashion. On Tuesday, we saw the junior hit two three's, multiple put-backs at the rim and the most lethal of all, a surplus of moves towards a near flawless midrange game. Now in his third year on the varsity roster, Zalewski has evolved his game from scrappy grinder to a certified bucket getter. That doesn't mean he's lost any grit, as we see him take multiple dives on the floor and can only imagine the series of bruises and cuts his body endures after each game. We're not going to attempt to project Zalewski's collegiate level ceiling at this moment because the 6-foot-3 forward continues to add and polish his game at an impressive pace. All we're saying is college coaches need to keep tabs on the do-it-all forward. Zalewski has been an impact player already for Thomas Worthington for two years and the last two days have signaled he has the potential to be one of the program's all-time greats over the next year and a half.

Mike Sekyere (6'0 PG / Thomas Worthington / 2022) Beyond Zalewski, Sekyere was the next best offensive threat for the Cardinals. The senior guard was excellent off the dribble, as he consistently was able to get in the paint and made several strong finishes off the glass. Sekyere is fast, strong and athletic. He also showed an ability to find an open man once he got past his defender in the paint. While consistency with his shot should be an area of improvement, Sekyere's aggression and athleticism is worth monitoring as he continues to have a solid senior season and could be worth a look for NAIA-type programs.

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