Scotty Middleton Says “Family” Feel at Ohio State Stands Out As 2023 Small Forward Includes Buckeyes in Top Five

Between Ohio State, Kansas, Seton Corridor, Texas A&M and UConn, there are 5 completely different states represented, 4 completely different conferences and a variety of current success; a type of groups gained this previous season’s nationwide championship, one missed the NCAA Match altogether and the opposite three had been all eradicated on the opening weekend.

However for any of these 5 applications, touchdown the four-star small ahead and No. 52 general prospect within the class of 2023 can be a major increase within the coming recruiting cycle. For the Buckeyes, the 6-foot-7 wing would possibly simply be the exact piece they’re on the lookout for to put irrelevant guard and heart they have already got commitments from within the class.

“They only inform me they like my versatility and the way I can play the one by way of three,” Middleton advised Eleven Warriors Friday. “So I don’t actually have like a place (I’ve) to play at Ohio State if I’m going there, or any faculty I’m going to.”

That versatility was on clear show over the weekend on the second session of the Nike EYBL circuit in Indianapolis, the place Middleton – who performs highschool hoops for Dawn Christian in Wichita, Kansas – competed for the Brad Beal Elite AAU program.

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The group didn’t have a formidable exhibiting typically, going 0-4 throughout three days of competitors, however Middleton confirmed some flashes of brilliance. Regardless of scoring simply six mixed factors in two performances on Saturday, the rangy wing scored 16 factors on 50 % taking pictures in his group’s last contest on Sunday and additionally tallied double digits in his first look on Friday.

Ohio State assistant coach Jake Diebler was available to look at Middleton’s efficiency on Friday, and even when he noticed a shaky taking pictures evening from the ahead (4-for-16), there was a lot to be enthusiastic about as nicely. Middleton made performs defensively, blocking pictures on the inside and guarding all the best way out to the 3-point line towards smaller opposing guards. On offense, Middleton proved able to stretching the ground from three, cleansing up the offensive glass and even facilitating offense for others.

Ohio State’s penchant for lengthy wings that may play a number of positions hasn’t precisely been a secret below Chris Holtmann during the last a number of seasons.

Maybe no direct comparability to any of those gamers is kind of correct, however on the possible 2022-23 Buckeye roster alone, 6-foot-7 ahead Justice Sueing may play anyplace from level guard to energy ahead relying on the lineup. 6-foot-6 wing Tanner Holden may play anyplace from one by way of three, and Eugene Brown and Seth Cities possessing the flexibility to play anyplace from the 2 to the 4.

Middleton would have solely seen a type of gamers on the follow flooring when he visited Ohio State in early March, when Sueing and Cities had been injured and Holden was nonetheless at Wright State, however he seems to suit the same mould.

If Middleton returns for one more go to to Columbus, he mentioned it could in all probability be within the fall, though he mentioned he already has a superb sense for what makes the Buckeye program stand out when in comparison with others.

“Ohio State, my go to was actually good. Coach (Jake) Diebler, Coach Holtmann, they do an important job with their gamers development-wise, player-wise, too,” Middleton mentioned. “The campus is admittedly good, the actually factor I put them on the record for might be as a result of the household in between the gamers. The previous gamers that performed there, through the summer season the blokes come again, they will play runs with the gamers, educate the gamers, stuff like that.”

The camaraderie between Buckeyes previous and current has impressed Middleton, who figures to be a fan of Ohio State’s “professional week,” which started final yr and included former Buckeye stars and NBA gamers D’Angelo Russell, Keita Bates-Diop, Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger, amongst others, returning to Columbus to follow with the present group.

Nonetheless, Middleton mentioned all 5 of his high faculties are “fairly even” as issues stand. Middleton mentioned he doesn’t have a private relationship with both four-star guard George Washington III or three-star heart Austin Parks, the primary two commits in Ohio State’s 2023 class. Middleton and the pair of Buckeye commits do comply with one another on social media, although.

Middleton wasn’t glad together with his efficiency on the Nike EYBL occasion, at the very least not after his first recreation with Brad Beal Elite – a 15-point loss to Meanstreets – and mentioned bettering his ballhandling and growing his paint touches are each factors of emphasis for him this offseason.

“I feel I performed all proper (within the first EYBL recreation), gotta be extra dominant,” Middleton mentioned. “Gotta rebound extra, simply do extra for the group.”

Middleton managed to enhance all through the course of the match alone, saving his greatest efficiency for final on Sunday, and will the highschool junior proceed on that trajectory this spring and summer season, he’ll solely see his inventory rise forward of his senior yr – and can proceed to be one in every of Ohio State’s high recruiting targets.