The Carolinas are blessed with an overabundance of talent. In the South Carolina 2018 class, over a dozen players signed with D1 schools and another 40 plus signed to play at the D2, D3, NAIA or Juco level. Quite impressive numbers, especially for what is considered a “football state” by many! This year, the 2019 class is on the same course to have 70 plus players continue to play at the collegiate level. In our unsigned senior spotlight, we want to take a closer look at 6'8 Akram Ben Salah of Comenius in Fort Mill, South Carolina who we strongly feel is a scholarship-worthy player.

 

There are various players that can be labeled as unknown commodities and one could certainly include Salah on that list. He's big, strong, and quite unique as a basketball player. Right now, Salah is typically slotted as a power forward, where it maximizes his blend of size and scoring ability. He's an excellent teammate that continues to show that he's willing to do whatever necessary to provide his team with an edge. When we saw Salah at our Summer Havoc this past summer, we stated, 'The face-up big was vital throughout the day for this ENC squad, knocking down shots from all three levels and showcasing his high motor on both sides of the ball. Ben Salah is somewhat undersized for his position, but his ability to stretch the floor will make him a very interesting prospect at the next level.'' He's continued to improve on both sides of the ball and still has remaining upside, especially if his body continues to develop. With how basketball is trending lately, folks would be smart to start laying the groundwork with Salah.

 

After working closely with Salah over the summer, Needham Cheely stated, 'Akram is a 6-foot-8 forward from Tunisia that is having a great season. He's not going to 'wow' you with his scoring or crazy athleticism, but he is capable of throwing it down. After having the chance to coach and work with him this past July at the Phenom events; I noticed he does a terrific job of moving without the ball effectively whenever he was on the floor. Whether by flashing to the ball or setting appropriate screens away from the action, he has really high IQ for the game that helps him finds ways you have to contribute. Akram does not mind getting his hands dirty; he took pride in doing the little things that were really the big things that help you win. He played and competed at 120% when he was on the floor.' He guards post players quite well, regardless of the size of his matchup, because of IQ and his underrated strength. He enjoyed playing physically and would dive for loose balls and overall is just a very aggressive player. Offensively, he can stretch the floor with his shot from the three-point line and then has soft hands/touch around the rim. He has been taught'how to post with purpose and scores or get fouled on 80% of his in the paint touches. He does most of his damage to opposing teams are with box outs and putbacks.' If you like a hard-nosed blue-collared glue-guy with high IQ that is skilled, coaches should take a look at Akram, especially at his size.'All that being said, anyone who has seen Salah in person should immediately be able to recognize his value. It'll be exciting to see what scholarship-holding coaches will get involved going forward, as he already holds an abundance of interest and offers.

 

Be sure to check out our entire list of unsigned seniors'https://www.phenomhoopreport.com/news-photos/unsigned-seniors