The 3rd annual Basketball Elite Southeast Summer Showcase is coming, June 2, 2013. This is one of the premier individual showcases on the East coast, and last year we were at full capacity – I love the success rate we’ve had at finding players who will play at the college level, but it’s a lot of planning and preparation in order to make it happen. We have to coordinate our coaches (several have won state basketball titles), and the overall schedule to make sure that players get a full day of solid instruction and play. Our goal for the showcase is the same every year:
“Walk out of the gym a better player.”
Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to see some of the best basketball coaches, players and world class instructors on the planet. I love the fact that our staff is able to bring those same drills, experience and knowledge to players at all levels.
The results have been phenomenal. We’ve had a huge percentage of alumni who have gone on to play in college – just yesterday, TyQuan Bitting, an alumni from last summer, committed to play for Charleston Southern. On Saturday, our reigning dunk champion Craig Hinton competed on CBS for the National High School Dunk championship. Craig’s committed to VMI, by the way.
This year, I wanted to expand on the overall experience for players and parents who attend – so we’ll be adding new content and information before the event even happens. Registration for the event is not yet available – it will be soon – but if you want the free info we’ll be giving out beforehand, be sure to sign up on the events email list at this link.
It’s also the best way to keep up with what’s going on with registration.
So stay tuned, and sign up for the mailing list, because if the event sells out, the people on the list will be the first who have the opportunity to get a spot.
At showcase events, it’s not easy to make a full assessment of a player. The Phenom 150, organized by Rick Lewis of the Phenom Hoop Report, is one of the best organized individual showcase events in the country. Here are some of our notes from the Spring event.
Most notable players
Ricky Council (SG, 6’4″, 2014). Dynamic guard who can make a lot of good things happen in transition, Council has great court awareness and uses spacing to create mismatches on the break. Can score from outside or in the paint, plays hard and full speed. Agile. Quick hands. Has offers from Gardner-Webb and Radford.
Curtis Jones (SG, 6’3″, 2016) Surprise player of the camp. Best freshman of the camp. Excellent athlete who tremendous bounce. Has a low release on shot. High ceiling as player. Attacks the basket well. Already has several D1 schools in VA interested. High motor, explosive. Elite speed end-to-end.
Luke Maye (PF, 6’7″, 2015) Maye suffered a bruised knee in the previous day’s Carolina Challenge and wasn’t able to go for long at this event. In his few minutes he showed exactly why people are keeping an eye on him; he can score from anywhere with his shot – not just a deep range but mid range as well; and he’s not shy about using it. Can’t really complain about a great shooting big man who likes to get buckets. Also very strong already.
Greg Williams (PG, 6’4″, 2016) Solid prospect w/ length. Plays under control and can handle the ball. Has great size for a point guard but looks like he could become a wing with more size. Already has athleticism needed to be a college prospect.
Gabe Devoe (PG, 6’4″, 2014) Great size and a dynamic, stong guard, Devoe continues to show why he’s a player with Division I offers and a rising profile. Aggressive in transition, he also is effective in the half court and looks to score or find the right teammate with the pass. Always looking to attack and is a solid athlete. Plays solid defense and takes it seriously. Can defend smaller guards and shut them down.
Other standouts
Ashton Brown (SG, 6’3″, 2014) Great body control, crafty and slick, he finds ways to get off clean shots or pass to others for a better look. Great looking deep shot.
Zach Bruns (CG, 6’1″, 2013) Bruns is a pure deep shooter who will get buckets from the perimeter; can pull up on the move, in transition, or in the half court and his shot is always bottom-of-the-net pure. Showed and ability to find breaking players with the deep look ahead pass. More scoring guard than point at this point, but active, aware and high basketball IQ.
Daryl Myers (PG, 5’8″, 2016) Myers is a highlight-reel ballhandler who plays with a flash that is uncommon; coached in this event by NC State point guard Tyler Lewis, who was a flashy point guard in his own right, Myers is crafty and is a wizard with no-look passes. His size is what colleges are no doubt paying attention to, but he’s a lot of fun to watch and has a swagger to his game that frankly reminds of Brandon Jennings.
Taylor Hatfield & Austin Hatfield (G, 6′, 2014) – We always try to scout the Hatfields independently, but the positives in their games are consistent with both guys; Fundamentally sound, they are more combo guards than pure points. Both are excellent deep shooters and passers. Austin tends to play more PG, while Taylor often plays from the SG or SF spot effectively. Both players looked like they have improved and are used to playing against high level competition; both have learned to score inside against bigger players with acrobatic finishes.
Zane Waterman (PF, 6’7″, 2014) Waterman is a player who has improved across the board over the past year – tracking higher across all scouting reports, he’s arrived as a solid post prospect with a great first step from the four and a bit of a nasty streak; in other words, he can beat big men off of the dribble and likes to dunk on you. Strong and bangs in the paint, he has a high motor and plays hard.
Tyler Creammer (C, 6’10″, 2015) Creammer is a testament to how fast a post player can rise with hard work. The first thing about Creammer’s game is that he works hard on the court, every play, from the first tip to the final buzzer. Considering that Creammer had played six games in two days, including three at the Dave Telep Carolina Challenge, the fact that he never slowed down shows how much he wants to compete. Creammer is a back-to-the-basket pure post player who fights in the paint and will be a force as he continues to add muscle and refine his offensive post moves.
Cory Hanes (SF, 6’5″, 2015) Hanes is a very strong small forward who plays above the rim and likes to get out and run in transition. He’s completed the transition from an undersized post player to a true wing and Division I colleges should definitely be looking at him.
Colton Bishop (PG, 6’2″, 2014) Forsyth Country Day (NC) Lock-down defender who is a smooth and crafty/ scorer. Being a scoring PG who is unselfish and makes the other players better by giving them open shots. Excellent 3-point shooter. Holds Division I offers and gym rat mentality has produced results.
Larry Curry III (PG, 6’3″, 2014) – strong PG with good speed and athleticism. Showed an improved ability to hit the 3 today as well.
Will Tibbs (SF, 6’5″, 2014) Has good length and has become a solid wing with a good looking deep shot. Great form and high release.
Austin Collins (G, 6’2″, 2014) Solid all around guard with good awareness and good vision, knows how to find teammates and also knows where he is supposed to be on the floor.
Hakeem Coney (PG, 6’2″, 2014) True point guard with solid physique- already has the build of a college guard. Directs the offense- throws excellent wrap around passes. Leader on the floor. Tough nosed defender. Solid scorer. Competes on both ends. Low release on his jumper and he tends to reach a little too much.
Benjamin Bennett (SF, 6’4″, 2015) Solid athlete who has a lot of the basic tools needed, still a little raw offensively. Has good elevation on jump shot and needs to work on overall consistency, but overall one to keep an eye on. Runs floor really well and looks to get involved.
Ibrahima Diallo (C, 6’10″, 2014) Much stronger showing from the big man this time around, finishing inside consistently and really showing his mobility. Legitimate big man that colleges should be checking out.
Jaron Withers (G, 6’3″, 2014) Attacks the basket hard every time. Very aggressive lefty who is a big time athlete.
Chris Freeman (SG, 6’3″ 2016) Fluid player who can shoot from deep, passes very well and makes an impact in a lot of ways. Has a good handle at the off guard spot and good size/length. High release on his jump shot and can hit the 3 consistently.
Nathan Williams Jr (PF/C, 6’8″, 2015) – Good length- solid offensive rebounder- needs to improve defensive rebounding. Shot needs to get better- no rotation. Has good second bounce and definitely a player who colleges should be monitoring.
JuWuan Wright (SF, 6’4″, 2015) Good length- stood out on several plays and showed good activity. Good athlete.
Final notepad
DeSean Murray (G, 6’3″, 2014) Solid athleticism
Stephen Misenheimer (SG/SF, 6’4″, 2016) A player w/ length who has a nice shooting stroke.
Jeffrey McIlwain (C, 6’8″, 2015) Strong shouldered big who should be able to continue to become a serious post presence. Good rebounder with good hands.
Brandon Gulley (C, 6’7″, 2015) Has good size and plays back-to-the-basket, decent hands and rebounding timing – needs to be more aggressive and polish post game.
Johnathon Pickler (PG, 5’10″, 2015) Can hit the deep shot, knows where to be on the floor, finds teammates consistently with wrap around passes. Release is consistent but low.
Tristan Reese (PG, 5’11″, 2016) Fluid, good change of speed, has grown two inches since last seen and runs the offense eyes-ahead.
James Chavis (SF, 6’5″, 2013) Very good offensive rebounder. High motor- always cleaning up plays.
James Scott (PF, 6’6″, 2014) Finishes well inside.
Kwinton Hinton (SG/SF, 6’5″, 2015 ) Good explosiveness – gets in on a lot of plays on both ends.
Vaughn Johnson (CG, 6′, 2015) Good scorer, deep shooter, can hit mid range.
Ashley Williams (SF, 2014, 6’5″) long player w/ solid athleticism.
Hunter Seacat (PF/C, 6’8″, 2015) Good hands, size, most effective in halfcourt at this time. Needs to increase explosiveness and be more aggressive finishing over other post players. Can get shot off against other bigs but still working on finishing.
Camryn Fort (SG/SF, 6’4″, 2014) Good athlete, can get above the rim, showed a lot of different things worth taking notice of.
RJ Hunt (G, 6′, 2015) Good looking deep shot, consistent, high release.
Douglas Elks (SG, 6′, 2017) Although a middle schooler, showed ability to get to the bucket and good slashing ability against high school players.
The Basketball Elite scouting staff made its way out to Forsyth Country Day School on Monday night to check out the opening night of the Triad Fall League. There were two games played with plenty of talent in both. The games are played without coaches and it is interesting to see what players step up and lead both vocally and by example. The league also gives us a great chance to watch and scout some local players from the Winston-Salem area before the actual season begins and after the AAU season has ended. It is also interesting to see how much some players have improved from the short time between the end of July to September.
Game 1 was played between the Wolfpack and the Deacons. The Wolfpack jumped out to an early lead and held on to defeat the Deacons 66-53 behind the strong play of Cory Hanes (2015, 6’5”, Forsyth Country Day) and Sam Buckner (2013, 6’0”, West Forsyth HS).
Hanes is a strong wing who looked more comfortable playing on the perimeter this game. He rebounds the ball well and runs the floor which led to easy buckets. Already being recruited by colleges at every level, look for Hanes to have a big impact this HS season.
Buckner scored and reached the paint practically at will this game. He can finish with either hand at the rim and is a solid ball handler and athlete.
Game two was loaded with talent as the Tarheels beat the Bulldogs 80-65. The Tarheels were led by a pair of teammates in Christian Adams (PG, 2015, 6’3”), Darin Ketner (SG, 2014, 6’3”) of Calvary Baptist Day School, Cecil Moore (PG, 2014, 5’9”) and Lapreece Lynch (SG, 2013, 6’4”) of Mt. Tabor HS.
Christian Adams looked stronger and showcased his athleticism since the last time we have seen him. He is extremely versatile, can guard 4 positions, and can score both off the dribble and off the catch. Adams has a lot of upside and schools should start to take notice now.
Ketner played well and continued to rebound the ball on both ends as an undersized PF. He moves well with out the ball and can knock down the open 3 with consistency.
Lapreece Lynch was on a mission Monday night to prove that he was the best scorer in the gym. Lynch is a constant threat to score the ball and is always looking to attack the defense. He has the ability to change directions going full speed and keeps a high motor throughout. Look for Lynch to have a solid senior campaign after a big summer.
The Bulldogs were lead by a trio of talented players in Ty’Quan Bitting (C, 2013, 6’7”, Mt. Tabor HS), Colton Bishop (PG, 2014, 6’3”, Forsyth Country Day), and Riley Larue (SG, 2014, 6’2”, East Forsyth HS).
Bitting was a presence in the pain on both ends blocking shots and being efficient scoring the ball inside. He displayed a constant improving back to the basket game with a nice spin move into a hook shot that he deployed several times. With a D1 offer already under his belt, schools that are looking for a 2013 big man should watch him this year.
Colton Bishop was all over the floor in this game. He can finish at the rim with contact and shoot the ball with range beyond all the 3 point line. He has the ability to play either guard position with his tremendous passing and playmaking ability.
Larue is know as big time 3 point shooter, and backed it up by knocking down a pair of them tonight. He also used his strength to power his way to the painted area where he kicked out to open teammates.
No one was surprised when CIA Bounce advanced to the championship game; all week long the talk had been about how loaded the Canadian team was, led by Andrew Wiggins (SF, 6’7″, 2014), considered by most to be the best high school player on the continent. Wiggins is a player who we’ve been watching long before he was labeled as such; however, as I’ve said in the past, he has a pro first step that is deadly. A fluid superstar who has great length and agility, Wiggins already has tools that some professional basketball players lack. He still needs to work on his consistency with his shot, and he will need to add strength, but his quickness is incredible and he loves to use the spin move, in either direction, to free up a shot. He’s explosive and dynamic on the court and tracking as a NBA lottery pick, if not #1 overall.
The powerhouse player for the Oakland Soldiers was the versatile Aaron Gordon (PF, 6’9″, 2013) who was playing injured but continued to show that he might still lay claim to the top player in the 2013 class. Gordon has a balanced approach to the game, and is the kind of player that teams like to run the offense through, with the ball getting in his hands at least once during a possession; even if he’s not scoring, he can often find another player who might.
Kendall Smith (PG, 6’2″, 2013) ran the show for the Soldiers once again; Smith is a true point guard with a good first step and he has the ability to get to the bucket and score in traffic. CIA Bounce once again employed the talents of combo guard Tyler Ennis (PG/SG, 6’3″, 2013) a player who can run the team effectively but also plays very well off of the ball.
Other notable players included Jaylen Canty (PF, 6’8″, 2013) a post player for Oakland who has a light touch and showed a really good drop step. Jabari Bird (SG/SF, 6’6″, 2013) was active at all times and had some nice passes and deep shots to help build the Oakland early lead.
For much of the game it was a contest of wills between Wiggins and Gordon, who each wanted the ball in their hands to try and score or facilitate. At times they were directly matched up against each other. Oakland quickly ran out to decent lead, 27-15 with 1:33 remaining in the first half. After a three by Bird put the Soldiers up 32-26 in the second half, it was obvious that Wiggins became very focused on getting his team back in the game. Suddenly he became even more active, scoring multiple times down the floor or finding teammates, include one deft pass to Ennis for a dunk. Ennis’s transition slam tied the game 34-34.
With the game in contention, several players were instrumental in the battle for the title Xavier Rathan-Mayes (SG, 6’4″, 2013) of CIA Bounce was a stable player on the wing, handling the ball against pressure and hitting several big shots down the stretch. Stanley Johnson (SF, 6’7″, 2014) continued to be the emerging star who supported Gordon effectively, and working hard on the defense, often matched up with Wiggins.
As with most of the games of the EYBL Final Four, the game came down to the wire. Both teams traded the lead and CIA Bounce led 50-49 with 8 seconds remaining on the clock. After back-to-back timeouts, Oakland took possession of the ball, ran a screen for Bird, who launched a long two-pointer with 1.3 on the clock, and a foul was called. The fans and media erupted in the building, depending on which allegience they might have, as the contact seemed minimal.
Bird headed to the line and calmly hit his first free throw, tying the game, 50-50, then after a time out, sank the second shot to put Oakland up 51-50. Forced to heave a last second shot, Rathan-Mayes raced almost to half court and launched a good looking, but unfortunately errant, shot. Oakland players celebrated on the court while CIA quickly left the floor in obvious dejection, but both teams showed that they belonged in the title game.
Solomon Mangham is a 6’6″ SF from Georgia in the class of 2013 who has a long list of colleges that are in contact with him, and more are added to the list every day. We caught up with Solomon for this edition of 7 Questions.
You have a long list of interested colleges and an offer from Houston Baptist. How often do you get some contact from college coaches?
I’d say I’ve been getting a new school’s interest every day for a while and now after the new ruling changes, I have about 5 coaches text me a day.
What do you think are the strongest parts of your game right now?
I am a very good mid-range scorer and I also have good court vision which allows me to make plays. I also take advantage of my defender and get a lot of rebounds.
What areas of your game are you working on, or want to work on?
I’ve become a much better three point shooter recently but I continue to work on that…and I could be a better on-ball defender with smaller guards.
Do you have a player (at any level, college or pro) that you admire?
I like Rudy Gay, Carmelo and Royce White a lot. I respect their games a lot.
What do you think of the new NCAA rules allowing coaches unlimited texting to recruits?
I think it’s a good rule, you can see what schools are most interested by how much they communicate with you…but I won’t like the rule once school starts and I have lots of tests and stuff.
Do you have any visits planned, or have you already taken any?
Yes I have visited Mercer, Holy Cross, Boston U, Boston College, Harvard, Yale , Northeastern and Fairfield. I will visit Kennesaw State this weekend.. I will take more visits as the summer goes on.
If you could tell people one thing about you that you wish they knew, what would it be?
I want to be a lawyer, everytime I tell a school that, they get surprised.. It’s funny.
So with the Class of 2012 moving on to their next phases of life and basketball, the world of basketball scouting and recruiting pushes relentlessly on, and that means the Class of 2013 is now front and center, the class of 2014 is moving into the prime time on deck and the classes of 2015 and 2016 are being scoured for the next wave of recruits.
Here’s our first ever Summer Short List, some of the players who are poised to become well known recruits over the next couple of years. While this is by no means all of the players colleges will want to track, these are just a few names that people should write down and pay attention to.
Isaac Copeland (PF, 6’9″, 2014) – Miller School, VA. Copeland reclassed this year to 2014 but is young and the reclassing, in his case, will probably serve him well. He needs to get stronger but Copeland has big bounce, elite length and will be a big time prospect.
Shelton Mitchell (PG, 6’3″, 2014) – Cuthbertson HS (Waxhaw, NC) Mitchell already has a ton of offers, and it’s warranted. Mitchell’s poise and ability to score the ball led his high school team all the way to the NC state championship game. While he team came up short, it cannot be overlooked that he was the primary force behind his team’s run while only a sophomore. In other words, don’t be surprised to see Mitchell end up in an all-star game on national television by the time he’s a senior.
Malik Massey (PG, 6’1″, 2015) – Vance HS (Charlotte, NC) Massey has the athleticism and smooth game that shows he has a high ceiling. Massey is currently one of the top players in his class for the state of NC and may end up being the top ranked guard.
Trevor Anderson (PG, 6’1″, 2015) – Kennedy Charter HS (Charlotte, NC) – Anderson holds an offer from Cal-Poly and is a point guard with a very high ceiling. Extremely good in a high octane transition game, he is fast enough to play at the elite level, has a great handle in traffic and is deadly with the look-ahead pass. A true point.
Marcus Derrickson (PF, 6’7″, 2015) – Paul VI HS (Frederickson, VA) Derrickson already holds a bevy of offers, including Georgetown, Indiana and NC State, and no doubt is a prospect poised to be one of the top players in his class and a candidate for the top accolades and all-star games. An agile, big bodied big forward, he already has better footwork than some collegiate players.
Diamond Stone (C, 6’10″, 2015) Dominican HS (Whitefish Bay, WI) Long and solidly built, Stone has great hands and body control to play in the post. A big time shot blocker, he will no doubt continue to add muscle, but with his deft hands and timing he will be a force on both ends of the floor in the paint.
V.J. King (SG, 6’5″, 2016) – undecided HS (Cleveland, OH) – King relocated to Ohio and will play there next season. He has a fluid game and is a prospect who should be able to find himself the target of several high major colleges and with continued work, may be able to play beyond college.
Darryck Thornton, Jr. (PG, 5’11″, 2016) Sierra Canyon HS (Chatsworth, CA) Thornton is a quick dribbling guard with an elite quickness and a solid ability to score the ball. Despite being undersized, he already has offers from New Mexico and USC.
Daryl Myers (PG, 5’7″, 2016) Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, VA) Myers will be returning to Oak Hill this season and brings with him a flashy, shifty game that reminds of Brandon Jennings. Myers is undersized but his talent is evident and he is poised to be one of the top guards in the class.
Harry Giles (SF, 6’7″, 2016) Wesleyan (High Point, NC) Giles already has high major interest and a mixtape following. While Giles will need to get stronger, the reality is that he has a fundamental understanding of the game that mixtapes won’t capture. He does things well that high school seniors haven’t learned, like entering the ball to the post.
A quick couple of notes about these rankings: First, these are my rankings, not a cumulative ranking of our scouts – each scout generally keeps his own personal rankings about players and we don’t always agree. Secondly, these rankings are based entirely on having seen these players in person multiple times. Third, players who are native to NC but are leaving next season to play out of state, aren’t on this list. Fourth, this is by no means our entire list of players – even though each of these players is indeed in the Basketball Elite Player Database, these are just my rankings for the shooting guards in the state heading into the summer evaluation period. Finally, I am aware of several players who are coming into NC and will play in the state next season, but since they haven’t yet played a game where I could see them, they aren’t yet in the rankings.
1. Patrick Rooks 6’3″ Charlotte Christian (Charlotte, NC)
2. Trey Mitchell 6’5″ Olympic HS (Charlotte, NC)
3. Lapreece Lynch 6’4″ Mt. Tabor HS (Winston-Salem, NC)
4. Jaquon Brownridge 6’4″ Word of God (Raleigh, NC)
5. Gian-karlo Molina 6’5″ Thomasville Prep (Thomasville, NC)
6. Reggie Dillard 6’3″ Greensboro Day School (Greensboro, NC)
7. Oshon West 6’3″ North Rowan HS (Spencer, NC)
8. Michael Chambers 6’1″ North Forsyth HS (Winston-Salem, NC)
9. D’Reice Parks 6’5″ Olympic HS (Charlotte, NC)
10. Jalen Jones 6’4″ Nuese Christian Academy (Raleigh, NC)
11. Reed Lucas 6’4″ Greensboro Day School (Greensboro, NC)
12. James Hemphill 6’3″ Broughton HS (Raleigh, NC)
13. Josh Dominguez 6’4″ Metrolina Christian Academy (Charlotte, NC)
14. Rodney Moore 6’0″ Clayton HS (Clayton, NC)
15. Jordan Hanner 5’10″ Thomasville Prep (Thomasville, NC)
16. Carl McCray 6’1″ Plymouth HS (Plymouth, NC)
17. Larry Richardson 6’3″ Garner HS (Raleigh, NC)
18. David Robertson 6’2″ Panther Creek HS (Cary, NC)
19. Isaiah Cureton 6’3″ Cuthbertson HS (Waxhaw, NC)
20. Chris Funderburk 6’3″ West Mecklenburg HS (Charlotte, NC)
21. Anthanee Doyle 6’5″ Holly Spring HS (Holly Springs, NC)
22. Jeremy Wallace 6’3″ Walnut Grove Christian School (Charlotte, NC)
23. Kevin Weckworth 6’1″ Bishop McGuinness (Kernersville, NC)
24. Tyshun Flowers 6’0″ Hickory Christian Academy (Hickory, NC)
25. Alston Furr 6’4″ West Stokes HS (King, NC)
26. William Ramsey 6’2″ Central Davidson HS (Lexington, NC)
27. Raheim Connelly 5’10″ Hickory HS (Hickory, NC)
28. TJ Watkins 6’0″ East Rutherford HS (Bostic, NC)
29. Darius Malbon 6’3″ Hickory HS (Hickory, NC)
30. Asante Mondjemi 6’5″ Carolina Friends (Durham, NC)
Raekwon Harney, 6’0”, PG, 2013 (Winston-Salem Prep, Winston-Salem, NC)
Very tight dribble- had very few mistakes from what we saw at beginning of dribbling drills. Has an above average right handed floater but he needs to improve left handed floater. Did a good job of communicating in 3 on 3 drill. Must continue to work on his shooting. One of the quickest guards in attendance.
Giovanni Mack, 5’10”, PG, 2014 ( Providence Senior High, Charlotte, NC)
Impressive in dribbling contact drills- very good right handed ball handler- needs to improve left to a degree. Plays tight defense.
Alec Wintering, 5’10”, PG, 2013 (United Faith, Charlotte, NC)
Excelled through the ball handling drills-especially contact drills. Extremely quick in general even compared to other PG’s present. Shot is effortless motion. Best looking floater in group. Showed a very nice euro-step. Really extends and sells fake. Went through drills at game speed. Hustled and was one of the first guys in when the camp instructor called for players to come in to middle. One of the top guards in the state and he continued to prove it this weekend. One of the best ballhandlers in the nation. Issue is height, but already has several Division I offers.
Clay Byrd, 6’1”, G, 2013 (East Burke HS, Connelly Springs, NC)
Needs to get lower when dribbling- too tall and not low enough of dribble. Impressed with his defense in one on one drills- hustles. Good lefty shooter. Boxes out and rebounds.
Wayne Selden Jr, 6’5”, SG, 2013 (Tilton School, Roxbury, MA)
Looked out of his comfort zone amongst other smaller PG’s in day 1, but really picked it up in day 2 and 3. Great size/frame. Needs to improve lateral quickness. Consistent midrange shooter- great rotation- high release- can hit the 3 as well- one of the better shooters in his group. Looked better in drills in Day 2- looked more comfortable- moved better. Floater was better then I expected. Did well in one on one drills.
Diante Baldwin, 6’0”, PG,2013 (High Point Christian, Greensboro, NC)
Very strong upper body- showed ability to finish with contact- got to rim practically at will with good jab/shoulder/ and ball fakes- over powered all defenders in his group. . Good/aggressive defender- one of the best in his group on both ends of the one on one drills. Needs to stay on balance when shooting- twist his body to his right in air- inconsistent misses. Quick first step.
Anton Beard, 6’0”, G, 2014 (Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High, AR)
Came out from the beginning and made an impression and was making a name for himself for those who hadn’t seen him play. Very tough nosed in the one on one drills. Scored at will- didn’t hardly miss a shot. Good shooter- can shoot with a hand in face. Strong with the ball- can finish with contact. Can beat you off the bounce and with feet set. Solid on the defensive end as well- quick hands. Can take the bumps and finish. Competitive- plays with an edge/chip on shoulder- like he had something to prove. Great rotation when shooting- good elevation as well. Beat everyone in one in one and almost beat Chris Paul losing 3-2. Committed to Missouri.
Zachary Coleman, 6’8”, F, 2013 (Woodrow Wilson HS, Cedar Hill, TX)
Looked impressive tonight overall- did well in one on one drills. Athletic. Injured his ankle in day 2 and was limited thereafter- but had an impressive day 1 of camp. Was able to post up smaller guards, then when pushed outside by bigger guards, was shooting over them. Will probably need to get stronger but has an overall solid balance to his game. Has committed to Missouri.
Sam Hunt, 6’0”, G, 2013 (Dudley HS, Greensboro, NC)
Lefty who can finish with his right hand as well- did not miss a single right hand lay-up or reverse lay-up in drills. Looked consistent in drills shooting/lay-up drills. Struggled to a degree with 2-ball dribbling drills – had to look down quite a bit. Even keeled. quick crossover move. Shooting looked inconsistent. Good/aggressive defender- not afraid to get dirty. Has a variety of scoring moves at rim. Has several offers from LM schools.
Parker Cartwright, 5’10”, PG, 2014 (Loyola HS, Van Nuys, CA)
Looked really good in 2-ball dribbling drills- kept head and eyes up the entire time- one of the few who did- very fluid. Very quick- low dribble. Undersized but still has a couple of years to grow and get stronger. Coachable. Good shooter from deep- best shooter in group- even misses miss off back of rim. Had a nice pump fake and shot without dribbling in 3 on 3 games. Very smooth.
Malik Massey 6’1″, PG/SG, 2015 (Vance HS, Charlotte, NC)
Extremely athletic and smooth combo guard who has a very high upside. Seems destined to be a MM/HM and looks like a lock at high major. Only a rising sophomore, has a strong ability going at the rim and plays bigger than 6’1. More shooting guard than point at the moment but one colleges should be tracking as of now.
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