Scotland Campus Class of 2019 forward Chris Maidoh will visit St. John’s tomorrow, as Mike Anderson ushers in the new era with the first campus visit. A late-blossoming 6-foot-10 prospect who brings defensive versatility and a consistent outside shot and rim protection, Maidoh was a role player for the 36-2 Knights this season.
“It’s going to be a great experience to get a feel of how it is at that level,” said Maidoh.
“Playing in the Big East. Playing in New York and Madison Square Garden, it’s a big opportunity. They made the tournament this past year. I know that was the previous staff and everything, but it’s always good to see a winning program and for my first visit I’m looking forward to it.”
Maidoh has the unique ability to steer bigs away from the rim with a smooth mid-range game. He also flashed sneaky athleticism while at Scotland, dunking the ball from two to three feet away from the rim. With his length on the defensive end, he’s surfaced as a reliable off the ball defender who can block and manipulate and alter the trajectory of shots.
A raw supplementary piece to Pitt-bound Karim Coulibaly in the post, Maidoh’s blend of upside and versatility have contributed to his late rise in Division-I stock. He currently holds offers from Georgia, UMass, Towson, St. Bonaventure, St. Louis, Stetson, North Alabama, Charlotte, and others. Scotland Campus head coach Chris Chaney cited coach-ability and just how well he takes to new concepts as transferable components of Maidoh’s game.
“Chris was a sponge and with his 7-foot-4 wingspan and his shot blocking and shooting ability, he will continue to blossom at the next level,” said Chaney, whose team earned a no.1 national ranking for the second consecutive season.
“Like most players at Scotland Campus, Chris enjoys the everyday grind to get better. He proved that this season, as he got better with us each week. Right now, he is in the process of setting up visits with UMass, Georgia, Towson, and Stetson.”
Maidoh had a fight on his hands in practice nearly every day. Beyond going up against the 6-foot-9 and 220-pound Coulibaly, he frequently battled bullish 6-foot-7 forward Jordon Jones and rugged 6-foot-9 Blake Owens. He showed flashes during the Military Challenge at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia back in January, swatting and altering shots and showing his scoring aptitude on all three levels against Beckley Prep (W.V.).
Packing muscle onto a once spindly frame and developing a work ethic have helped Maidoh emerge from obscurity. Now, he’ll have a chance to gauge his progress against a team looking to reload.
“I’m looking forward to getting on the floor and playing against some of their guys and seeing what the experience brings,” said Maidoh. “It is definitely a high level of basketball. It will definitely give me a real idea of what the next level is like. It will probably give me a taste of what it is like and just how hard you have to play.”
