Category: PLAYER FOCUS

by Mike Enright

Trae Swartz is buzzing

Trae Swartz from Ottumwa High School in Iowa is having a terrific junior season. The 2021 small forward is averaging 22.4ppg on 52% shooting from the field and 46% from 3-point range. Trae’s had scoring games of 42, 36 and 33 points this season.

He has played a lot of post, but at 6-4 he isn’t considered a true post for the next level. However, this post work is creating new elements to his game as he develops more of a scoring prowess. His ability to score inside and out is a true mismatch for defense — smaller guards can’t defend him in the post or mid-range, and bigger forwards can’t stay with him on the outside.

Trae’s shooting and overall scoring abilities are getting a lot of attention right now, but he’s contributing to his team all over the court. He’s currently the team’s leading rebounder at 6.5 per game.

Trae will be an interesting prospect to monitor this spring and summer on the travel scene. He’s been hearing from several division two programs across the midwest with a few low-to-mid majors checking in on him too.

by Mike Enright

Cole Farrell continues his ascend

Cole Farrell (2021) is one player we’ve seen numerous times this year, dating back to April for the RecruitLook Hoops League. One thing we’ve learned… you don’t want to stop watching him — he’s that electrifying.

Farrell, the 6’4 wing from Hazelwood Central (Mo), continues to build off a successful summer. Farrell started to gain the attention of division one coaches as his name was buzzing in the coaches pit. SEMO and SIUE jumped in early and offered him after the RecruitLook Hoops event in Atlanta.

Teams see the extreme potential that Farrell possess. He’s kinda a tweener on the offensive end because of how athletic and fast he plays. He isn’t a true point guard, but he has great handles and is super fast with the ball. He isn’t a true stand on the perimeter wing and shoot the three, but he can stroke from deep when he needs to.

We’re excited to continue watching Farrell’s development. He is going to make a college coach extremely happy with his high flying, rim running, elite defense and athletic abilities. An offense that will allow him to just be himself and play loose is going to be perfect for him.

Farrell is going to see his stock soar this spring and summer, especially when he’s making plays like this…

by Mike Enright

Trevion Labeaux 2022 Wing

Trevion Labeaux is enjoying a nice sophomore season for Waterloo East. The 6-5 wing can play multiple positions on the court — he’s versatile with his size and athleticism, and he’s built for an underclassmen.

You might see his highlight dunks on YouTube, but it’s his all around game on the offensive end that is impressive. He knows how to get to his spots on the court to score, and he’s exceptional in the mid-range game. He’s got good elevation and form on his jumper…coupled with his height/length…it’s tough for defenders to contest him.

He’s currently averaging 15ppg and 7rpg while shooting 58% from the field.

His stock this spring and summer should continue to improve. If he can continue to develop his perimeter shot and creativity on his scoring, he’ll be one of the more sought after 2022s in the area.

by Mike Enright

Josiah Mobley : Scouting Report

Josiah Mobley is a 2021 point guard that we’ve seen recently and he should be a name that college coaches track this spring and summer.

Name: Josiah Mobley
Height: 6’1
Grad: 2021
High School: Whitehall-Yearling
State: Ohio
Position: Point Guard
Josiah on Instagram: Click Here

Strengths: Mobley is a shifty player with a lot of spring in his step. He’s high energy and works extremely hard on both ends of the floor. We were really impressed with his lateral quickness and ability to turn ball-handlers and make them uncomfortable with his quick hands and in-your-face defense. He’s the type you can let loose on picking up full court.

Mobley has a nice offensive game to him. He’s an efficient player on the offensive end. Makes minimal mistakes and can do a little bit of everything…. he can handle the ball, he can score it, he can distribute it, he can play off the ball…

We think he’s best when creating off the dribble and getting his teammates involved. Once he gets that going and defenses start to anticipate it, then it opens up his perimeter shooting and mid-range jumper. We’d like to see him be more aggressive attacking the rim at times but we feel that will be the next progression of his offensive game as he’s showed the ability to do it.

by Tyler Simpson, RLH Scout

Tayven Glasgow’s Strong Start

Tayven Glasgow has had a strong start to his final season of high school basketball, a start that has surprised some people, but certainly not him. As he continued to work under the radar and improve his weaknesses, other people flew higher than him but that didn’t stop him during his final AAU season either. Glasgow’s final AAU season was something he could look back on and be proud about, he continued to work on his game and show potential college coaches what type of player he is. A winner, playmaker, and a team-first guy. He displays an unselfishness ability about him, that certainly goes overlooked when looking for the right player to fill a hole in some college coaches roster next year. 

“I put in a lot of work to get my body right, and worked on my game all summer. That allowed me to regain my confidence, and in basketball confidence is everything.”

Glasgow is right, confidence in basketball is everything. But he’s glad to have found that confidence again, knowing he can play with the best of them. A big proponent to Glasgow losing his confidence was a lot of missed opportunities. Something he wishes he had back, but he’s focused on looking ahead and moving forward. “The culture in the area isn’t very good,” added Glasgow. “There’s a lot that can bring you down if you let it.”

When culture comes to mind in basketball and surrounding cities, it’s all about being happy for someone’s success. You’ve got the DMV area, probably one of the most rich basketball talent areas in the nation, an area that has produced such superstars like Kevin Durant, Elgin Baylor, Johnny Dawkins, Adrian Dantley, and so forth. When those players made it big, who hail from the DMV, everyone cheers for their success. That’s what good culture is about, and that’s what Glasgow eventually wants to see from the Kansas City area. 

“Just wanting to see other people win, that’s what it’s really about. Be happy with other’s success.”

Glasgow’s doing all he can to improve the culture, but also with the strong start to his senior season of high school, that’s already improving it enough. 

When asked about what he did to gain his confidence back, Glasgow attributed his desire to win and his strong play so far this season. “I hate losing, so last year was tough for me. I just don’t want that to happen again,” added Glasgow. 

Glasgow’s game has improved ten folds since the summer, he’s becoming a more polished all-around basketball player and he’s taken a sense of pride in that as well. 

“I’ve always tried to be the best all-around basketball player I can be,” said Glasgow. “If I was only showing up in one to two categories I’d be doing a disservice to myself and my team.”

This season has seen Glasgow fall a bit under the radar in terms of recognition from media across the metro. He’s held two of the top scorers in the metro area to their worst shooting nights of the season, showing how relentless of an on-ball defender he is. Most kids would use that as fuel, having a chip on their shoulder, but that’s not Glasgow. “I feel like if it was meant for me to get recognition then I would get recognition,” said Glasgow. 

“I’m not really seeking validation, I just want to win games and hopefully a state championship.”

With that potential goal inching closer, the mindset and the message is clear. “Our record might not say it, but we’re a really good team. I think once we get a full head of steam, we’re going to be a real problem.”

There’s always something that can be improved, and right now for Glasgow that’s trying not to be too passive at times. Being a team first player like him, that could come quite a lot, but there also needs to be times when he needs to be aggressive, and he knows that. He wants to be the spark his team needs at crucial points during games. 

While he has no offers, coaches have been reaching out to him and showing interest. It’s only a matter of time before that first offer comes in, and when it does, a coach is going to be getting an absolute steal.