American Prep Schools and Post-Graduate Sports Academies have long been hotly pursued destinations for European and other internationals looking to attain athletic scholarships and ply their trade in the exposure-heavy, hothouse high school and post-graduate basketball landscape of the United States.
Scotland Campus, which now boasts the No.1 Prep basketball team in Pennsylvania and no.5 team in the country (after being No.1 in the country for back to back years), now has plenty of international flavor across all teams throughout the program.
There is representation from countries such as Australia, Dominican Republic, Estonia, the country of Georgia, Macedonia, and several others. Scotland Campus has rapidly evolved into the herb that plants the basketball seed in the football hotbed of Pennsylvania. In reviving the program and turning Scotland Campus into an international brand, the program has churned out intriguing and high-end talent such as Karim Coulibaly (Mali, Africa/Pittsburgh), Clarence Nadolny (France/Texas Tech), Sam Chaput (Canada/Monmouth), Ari Boya (Cameroon/Bradley University), Lawrence Slim (Amsterdam, Holland/Flagler College) and 6-foot-4 wing German Kasanzi (Spain/Navarro College).
China, known for its ever evolving basketball culture and the favorite national pastime the sport has emerged into over there, is steadily developing a presence within the program. Back for his second season, 6-foot-8 Class of 2022 forward/center Yiming Cheng has shown upside and drastic improvement. The hulking behemoth, who is from China, has a tremendous advantage in the post with his sculpted 6-foot-8, 220-pound frame. Yiming said he grew up watching the likes of Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi and other Chinese-born basketball players to author illustrious, prosperous careers in America.
While this beyond his years build enables Cheng to protect the rim, change the trajectory of shots, and rebound on both sides of the floor effectively, he’s steadily bought into the player development concepts ingrained in him by Scotland Campus assistant coach and Director of Player of Development Sullivan Brown.
Working at a tireless pace, Cheng has invested himself in the workload while incorporating some ball skills and developing a better overall feel for the game. He’s got the potential to be a multi-positional threat because of his deep jumper and he’s improved incrementally in his finishing around the rim and finishing through contact.
“Yimeng is an absolute sponge, learning and incorporating new concepts everyday,” said Sullivan Brown, Scotland Campus Sports’ Director of Player Development.
“Since arriving at Scotland, he’s improved at all levels. He came in very raw and wanting to learn and get better. He’s coachable. Yimeng has enjoyed the process of grinding and sprucing up all facets of his game. With his 6-foot-8 frame and the combination of his post and perimeter game, he’s got the tool-set to eventually be a matchup nightmare.”
In just over two years, Cheng has learned the English language, assimilated to the rigorous American education system, and learned the nuances of the true big man position on the floor. It could be an arduous task for any young teenager adapting to the demands of a new environment.
How would you assess Cheng’s upside?
“He has the potential to be a mid major plus when all is said and done,” explained Brown. “He has a skill set behind him and he will continue to get better because of his want and desire as a player. You will see his stock heighten in 2022.”
