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Crossover | Notable Transfers in NEO

By T.J. Peatross, 10/10/16, 8:45PM EDT

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Same Places, New Faces

The amount of athletes opting to switch districts has seen a drastic climb in recent years, and the "epidemic", as some like to call it, doesn't seem to be fixing itself anytime soon. Some blame AAU while others blame parenting, but similar to basketball, there are two sides of the ball so to speak in regards to the topic of transferring. Playing time, coaching changes, personal finances, and an increase of exposure are all factors that go into a family's decision to pack it up and look elsewhere. With a handful of student-athletes in the area preparing to suit up for different schools, let's take a look at some of the more notable transfers in the area. 


Malique Burton

Malique Burton (Holy Name) '17

After making the move to Holy Name from St. Ignatius last season, Burton is preparing for his final season of high school basketball and his first under head coach Jeff Huber. At 6'9, Burton will provide an inside-presence for a Green Wave group who returns a solid core of guards, including top-ranked junior Dwayne Cohill and senior sharpshooter Sean Hickey.

 

Mike Hughes (Warren Harding) '17

Right away, Michael Hughes will begin the season at the top of the PG depth chart for Coach V. Hughes, formerly at Youngstown Ursuline, makes the jump to Harding and fills the gaping void left by the graduation of Gabe Simpson, the Raiders leading scorer last season. Hughes is a savvy, confident guard who has a knack of getting into the lane and finishing at the rim.  


Armon Nasseri

Armon Nasseri (Spire Institute) '17

In what turned out to be one of the more unexpected moves of the offseason, Armon Nasseri is one of a number of athletes from the area in recent years to go the prep route. Quite possibly the best low-post threat in the area, Armon Nasseri joins Spire Institute located in Geneva, Ohio. Like Hughes, Nasseri was also at Ursuline last season. 

 

Isaiah Washington (East Tech) '17

After a big-time performance at the Super 60 Combine, Isaiah Washington has seen his stock rise this Fall. Despite averaging over 20 points per contest last season for Rhodes, Washington has somehow managed to slip under the radar throughout his high school career. With the departure of both his head coach and two former teammates, the 5'10 guard decided to stay in the Senate League and join the Scarabs.


Jordan Burge

Jordan Burge '18/Maurico Tate '17 (Lutheran East)

With the loss of Donald McCain (graduation) and Alex Heath to CCC, Coach Jones will not be losing any sleep knowing that his backcourt will be in good hands. After playing with Shaker Heights throughout the first half of the summer, Burge and Tate both made the jump to the Division  4 powerhouse. The two guards both had solid summers in their own right and immediately put Lutheran East in the conversation among the favorites to punch their tickets to Columbus. 


Brison Waller

Brison Waller  (Garfield Heights) '19

It's hard to think of another athlete in Northeast Ohio with a higher ceiling than Brison Waller. After spending last season primarily as a power forward at Rhodes, the 6'8 wing will be able to stretch out the floor and show off his versatility in the Bulldog offense. If he can consistently play at a high-level, Waller completely changes the dynamic for Garfield Heights, a squad that features two Division One runningmates in the backcourt.


Alex Heath

Alex Heath (Cleveland Central Catholic) '18

In what might end up being the top pickup of the summer, Alex Heath joins a CCC squad that features a plethora of long and athletic prospects.  Don't be fooled by his size. At 5'8, Heath brings an added sense of toughness and scoring ability to the Ironmen. The trio of Heath, Delshawn Jackson, and Tyler Golphin gives Coach Duke a ton of opportunity to wreak some havoc on the defensive end.

 

Andrew Ziegler (Warren Harding) '17

No one has made a further trip to NEO than Andrew Ziegler. He hails from Charlotte, North Carolina and attended Olympic High School last season. The 6'3 guard had a solid summer with the Raiders and was one of the top performers at the annual Eastern Ohio team camp, earning himself a spot on the camp's all-star team. Ziegler is garnering some Division One interest and he joins nationally ranked Derek Culver and a slew of talented guards under Coach V. 

Omari Peek (Strongsville) '18

Northeast Ohio will get the chance to meet 6'6 Omari Peek this season as he will be playing for the Strongsville Mustangs. Peek, who played last season at Walnut Hills in Cincinnati, is one of the top wings in the Class of 2018 and has  been receiving interest from a handful of in-state low major programs. He has great size and a budding skillset that makes him a promising prospect moving forward. 


Christian Gues

Christian Guess (Shaker Heights) '18

After a breakout summer with OBC, Christian Guess is looking to carry over some of this summer's success to Shaker Heights where he and fellow OBC guard Dale Bonner will be looking to be one of Cleveland's best this season. At 6'5, Guess is capable of impacting the game in a lot of different ways. An already proven athlete and spot up shooter, Guess proved this offseason that when locked in, he can be one of the top defenders and passers in the area. If everything goes according to plan, Guess may end his junior season as one of the elite wings in the country. 

Other Notable Moves

  • Leonard Cottrell (Garfield Heights) '17 - Formerly at John Hay
  • Quinton Farren (Normandy) '17 - Formerly at St. Ignatius
  • Donovan Forte (Garfield Heights) '18 - Formerly at Rhodes
  • Jordan Greynolds (Barberton) '18 - Formerly at GlenOak
  • Chris Hughes (Warren Harding) '18 - Formerly at Youngstown Ursuline
  • Justin Motley (Lutheran East) '17 - Formerly at Glenville
  • Aaron Pate Jr. (East Tech) '17 - Formerly at John Hay
  • Trever Smith (Wooster) '17 - Formerly at Salem Northwestern
  • Trajen Wood (GlenOak) '17 - Formerly at Canton McKinley