Observing Dan Skillings Jr., Jizzle James, and Nate Santos in the Cincinnati-Dayton Game

December 21st, 2024

Yesterday, I decided to take the time to watch Dillon Mitchell and Cincinnati square off against Dayton in a highly competitive college basketball game. It was a defensive struggle for most of the game, but Dan Skillings Jr. was the standout performer in the first half, and Jizzle James and Nate Santos played well down the stretch. Dillon Mitchell didn’t really stand out on offense, but he made a couple of big, impact plays on the defensive end to help Cincinnati get the win. Here are my thoughts on how they and other various prospects fared in this game, as well as where they may currently stack up as prospects for the NBA.

Cincinnati’s 6-6 junior, Dan Skillings Jr. scored 17 points, and had 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 assist, and 1 block in his team’s 66-59 win over Dayton. (Photo: Jeff Dean/Associated Press, via Montana Standard)

Dan Skillings Jr. played very well in his team’s win over Dayton. He was terrific in the first half of this game, and Skillings is a high-motor, skilled swingman that played the game like a seasoned pro to help his team get the victory.

Skillings showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays. He particularly excelled at scoring off of offensive rebound to provide his team with second chance points. He ran in to score on a tip-in, leapt up high to score on a quick put back, and he also drove in and used a pump fake to score on another put back while getting fouled. Plus, he also was able to score on a drive in transition.

He also showed the ability to score off the dribble as well as out of the post, and Skillings has both a crafty pump fake, and has the strength, body control, and finishing ability to consistently score in traffic. On the downside, Skillings missed all of the threes he took from beyond the arc, but he was able to rebound a missed three-pointer to quickly score off of a put back once.

Skillings also displayed adequate playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that can make passes off the dribble as well as find teammates on the move to set up scoring chances for his teammates. On the other hand, there was one pass that he threw inaccurately that ended up getting intercepted.

He also rebounded the ball well. Skillings especially thrived at grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring off of them. He was able to hustle to chase down his own missed corner three to grab an offensive board, and he also chased down a defensive rebound due to possessing good length.

He also defended well. Skillings did a great job of getting his hands on passes and jumping on loose balls to get steals, and he would both be in good position and have quick hands to force turnovers. On one play though, he didn’t move his feet very well, which led hm to foul an opposing ball handler once.

In general, Dan Skillings Jr. played well to help his team get the win. He made winning plays, which proved to be crucial in this game. He’ll still need to improve his jump shot, but Skillings may have the basketball IQ, versatility, and skill set to make it to the NBA the future.

Cincinnati’s 6-1 sophomore point guard, Jizzle James scored 14 points, made 4 threes, and had 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks in his team’s 66-59 win over Dayton.
(Photo: Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer, via Cincinnati Enquirer)

Jizzle James also had a solid showing to help Cincinnati get a win over Dayton. He is an athletic, skilled combo guard that excelled at making outside shots and blocking shots to help his team get the victory.

James showed the knack for making outside shots, particularly open threes off the catch. He really excelled at making open corner threes, and he also was able to pull up to make a mid-range jumper. He was a bit streaky with his shot, especially early on, but James was really able to get into a rhythm as the game progressed. On one play though, he tried to go all the way to the hoop, but he ended up getting his shot blocked.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. James was able to find shooters to notch some assists, but he also was fairly turnover prone. He also did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball. James also defended well. He did a great job of covering ground and staying in front of his man to block shots off the dribble due to possessing solid athleticism, timing, and instincts. On one play though, he sagged a bit too far off his man, which led his team to give up a corner three basket.

In summary, Jizzle James played well on both ends of the floor to help Cincinnati get the victory. He is an underrated prospect that could rise up draft boards in 2025, and he may have the skills to be able to develop into a solid role player in the NBA.

Dayton’s 6-7 senior forward, Nate Santos also played fairly well in his team’s tough loss to Cincinnati. He is an athletic, skilled player that showed off versatile scoring skills, and he also drove in to throw down a high-flying dunk late in the game. He primarily excelled at scoring on hustle plays. He was able to score on a tough, flip layup off of an offensive rebound, and he also scored on a quick cut. While he struggled to make outside shots consistently, he was able to show that he can knock down outside shots off the dribble. While he had a really nice dunk late in the game by driving hard to the hoop, he struggled to make shots off the dribble consistently, and he would sometimes miss due to rushing.

Santos also showcased adequate playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that can find the open man. On one play though, he looked to handle the ball, but stumbled and was called for traveling. Also, Santos was able to get his fair share of boards in this game. Defensively, he was able to deflect a pass out of bounds once.

Overall, Santos is an athletic swingman that has the potential to develop into a 3 and D role player at the NBA level. He’ll still need to improve his consistency and shot making skills, but if he can continue to hone and improve his game, he could end up making it to the NBA someday.

Cincinnati’s 6-8 junior forward, Dillon Mitchell had a decent showing in his team’s win over Dayton. He didn’t take many shots and was fairly turnover prone in this game, but he was efficient in making shots within the limited touches he had on offense, he played unselfishly, and he also defended very well when he was on the court.

Mitchell primarily excelled as a defender in this game. He is a very athletic, rangy defender that can cover a lot of ground. He would hustle and fly in to block shots to help his team protect the paint, and he did a great job of swatting shots to his teammates. He also jumped a pass to get a steal. Plus, he also showed a knack for contesting threes to force misses. On the downside, he didn’t always defend opponents off the dribble as well as he should have. On one play, he didn’t actively contest a drive around the basket, which led his team to give up a basket. Late in the game, he got beat off the dribble, as his team gave up a dunk late in the second half.

Also, he showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball. He did a great job of crashing the glass to get boards, especially on the offensive end. Mitchell also looked to be fairly average as a playmaker. He showed more of a willingness to handle the ball, and was able to make some good reads to find teammates on the move. He also would set screens to help his teammates get open looks on offense. He also threw a nice touch pass to a cutter to notch an assist. On the downside, he would sometimes tend to be inaccurate with his passes, despite making good reads, which would lead to turnovers. Another time, he tried to handle the ball up court amidst pressure, but the ball ended up being stolen away from him.

Mitchell didn’t look to score very often, but he was effective in the few times he elected to do so. He was able to leap up to score on a tip-in after grabbing an offensive rebound. Mitchell also drove hard to the hoop to score while getting fouled. He also tried to post up once, but after using a drop step move, he ended up missing that time.

Overall, Dillon Mitchell played fairly well in his team’s win over Dayton. Right now, his defense is ahead of his offense, and he will still need to refine his skill set offensively, but his athleticism, motor, and defensive prowess could enable him to end up making his way to the association, and in a favorable scenario, he could end up being similar to Detroit Pistons’ forward, Paul Reed in the NBA.

Cincinnati’s 6-8 senior forward, Simas Lukosius had his ups and downs in his team’s win over Dayton. He was very streaky with his jump shot, especially from downtown. He showed that he can make threes both off the catch and dribble, and he has a lot of range on his shot, but he also missed a lot of three-pointers in this game, as he tended to take a lot of difficult pull-up and step-back threes. He was able to use a crafty Euro-step move to score on an aggressive drive in transition. He was able to get the ball on a cut, but after taking on contact, he ended p missing that time.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. Lukosius was able to find the open man to notch an assist once. However, another time, he over-dribbled and got the ball ripped away from him by a help defender to commit a turnover once. He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball, and Lukosius was able to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor. He also was able to defend an opponent off of a drive and helped indirectly force a ball-handling turnover that time.

Overall, Lukosius didn’t have his best game, but at times, he looked to be a crafty offensive player that can create shots for himself and others. He’s only an average athlete, and he was too streaky with his jump shot, but he will probably improve over time. At the next level, he projects to be a shooting specialist if he ends up making his way to the NBA.

Cincinnati’s 6-11 sophomore big man, Arrinten Page quietly had a decent showing in his team’s win over Dayton. He is an agile, skilled big man that showed off some solid offensive skills. He can score on the move, handles the ball well for a big man, and he also passed the ball well. Page especially did a good job of finding cutters and passing out of the post. He also rebounded the ball well. On the downside, he struggled to defend in the post, as he would get overpowered, which would lead him to commit touch fouls.

Overall, Page is a promising, skilled big man that may be one year away from having a breakout season in college basketball. He has an emerging set of offensive skills, and he could be an intriguing option for NBA teams to consider in the second round range of the 2026 draft.

Zed Key is a strong, mobile forward that played well for Dayton in his team’s tough loss to Cincinnati. He excelled at scoring on hustle plays, and he also did a decent job of scoring out of the post. He would score on powerful dunks off of rolls to the rim, and he also scored on a tip-in. Plus, he also managed to draw free throws on a strong drive to the hoop. On the downside, he struggled to make jump hooks consistently on post-up plays.

As a playmaker, he looked to be about average. On one play though, after making a quick move out of the post, he ended up traveling to commit a turnover. Plus, he also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. Key also was able to intercept an errant pass to get a steal defensively.

Overall, Key had a solid game. However, it remains to be seen as to how well he could transition his game to the next level, as he is undersized to play the four, but lacks the necessary perimeter skills to be a small forward in the NBA. He’ll need to improve his jump shot and playmaking skills, but even if he doesn’t make it to the NBA, Key has been a solidly productive player in college, and that could enable him to have a long and prosperous career in professional basketball.

Posh Alexander had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Cincinnati. He is a strong, mobile combo guard that showed off versatile scoring skills in this game. He was able to showcase a solid outside shot, as well as a strong driving game to the hoop. He also managed to deflect a pass out of bounds.

Overall, though he is undersized to play the point, Alexander has the strength and the athleticism to be a difference maker on offense at the next level. He will need to be a more consistent shooter, and he will need to show teams that he can guard upper-echelon opponents at higher levels, but he could end up making an NBA team’s summer league roster sometime down the road.

Tyler Betsey is a 6-8 freshman forward that played for Cincinnati. He was a bit inconsistent with his three-point shooting today, but he also was able to make an open corner three in this game. He’s shot the three-ball well on the season, and he is a fairly athletic, tall forward that could project into a 3 and D role at the NBA level.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Skillings, James, Santos, Mitchell, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.