James Blackburn

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By James Blackburn

James Blackburn was able to attend and scout Rabun Gap HS who made their way up from Georgia to take on Charlotte Christian on Friday night.

Game Notes

Both teams got off to a slow start early on, while Charlotte struggled to figure out Rabun Gap’s zone defense, and Rabun Gap struggling to hit outside shots. Charlotte led 7-4 after 1. The 2nd quarter was a little more up and down, as Charlotte was able to generate some offense behind senior PG Trey Phills (19 pts). Rabun Gap struggled to utilize their bigs and turned the ball over numerous times. Charlotte did a great job of staying patient until they could get the shot they wanted. At the half, Charlotte led 22-16.

Rabun Gap made adjustments at the half, and Senior F, Dusan Kovacevic (22 pts), took over. Rabun controlled the boards, hit FT’s, and defended the ball to pull away for the 51-37 lead.

I must say that both of these teams were well coached and there were numerous college prospects in this contest.

 

Scouting Reports

Charlotte Christian

Trey Phills, 6’2″, G, 2015

Trey is one of the best pure scorers I have seen this year. He came into the game averaging over 20 ppg. He can beat you with the jump shot and he can finish in traffic at the rim. He is quick and shifty and has a lethal first step. He can create his own shot, but showed unselfishness last night, getting his teammates involved and not forcing shots. He showed his athleticism in the first half with 3 dunks. He attacks the gaps and is a terrific ball handler. He needs to improve set shooting but is a D1 prospect.

Rabun Gap

Dusan Kovacevic, 6’10”, F, 2015

Dusan has a terrific feel for the game and did it all on the floor tonight. He can rebound the ball and push it ahead in transition. He plays at his pace and is never hurried or bothered by ball pressure. He struggled to his his jumper this game from the outside but was able to score with his back to the basket and off the dribble. He is a good FT shooter as well. He has solid court vision and is a good teammate. A player who HM schools need to be on.

Luka Majstorovic, 6’9″, F/C, 2015

Luka was hands down the best rebounder in this game. He controlled his area and did an excellent job of chinning and securing the ball after getting the board. He uses his big body well to score inside and showed nice touch from the FT line. He seals off inside the post and keeps the ball high. Fundamentally sound. Luka has already signed to play D2.

 

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Keon Moore basketball

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: Winthrop vs Mars Hill
Winthrop wins 96-51
Box Score

Keon Moore

(SG, 6’5″, SR)

Stats
24 min, 6-11 FG, 0-4 3 pt, 5-6 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 17 TP

Strengths
Is a legit 6’5″ with solid length and has good arm strength w/ wide shoulders.
Is a smooth scorer. Showed he could score off the dribble and in a variety of ways inside the paint with floaters, runners, etc. Is as smooth of scorer as they come. Excellent finisher in the open court. Had a play in the open court where he finished around 3 defenders by going around the back and finishing with a finger roll lay-up. Has a smooth crossover dribble.

Solid on the defensive end. Uses length to guard and shields the ball and gets into the passing lanes. Makes plays and has active hands. Was able to grab rebounds and push ball in transition- kept head up and looked up court for teammates. Solid rebounder on the defensive end, doesnt crash the offensive glass much, as he is the one back as the other guard.

Came out early in this one passing the ball and getting teammates involved. Is an unselfish player who wont force a lot of shots. Underrated playmaking ability. Willing to make the extra pass on perimeter to get better shot.

Tremendous shooter who can hit 3’s with his feet set and can hit shots coming off of screens. Has a soft touch and can create his own shot. Release is the same every time and he gets solid arc on his shot. Follows his shot and he knows when and where he is going to miss, which isn’t much. Good FT shooter.

Weaknesses
Is a good defender, but the has the ability to be great on this end. Got caught on a few staggered screens and was beat the spot a few times, but other then that was solid.

Athleticism is good but not great and doesnt have the quickest feet. Since he lacks first step quickness I would like to see him change speeds better off the dribble.
How well can he finish with his left hand and attack to his left?

Excellent shooter but he has a low release. Decent ball handler but could continue to improve in this area.

Overview
Entered contest averaging 17.3 ppg while shooting 51% from the 3 and 46% from the field. The reason his shooting percentages are so high, are 1, he is a great shooter, and 2, he doesnt shoot bad shots. Knows his spots on the floor and has a high IQ.
Is a SG and played this position solely the entire game. Is one of the smoothest and most fluid players I have seen in a while. Everything comes so naturally to him.
Communicates on the floor and was a good teammate and leader. Has a humble approach to the game.
I can see Moore as a possible player of the year candidate in the Big South this year and could have an outside chance of getting a Portsmouth Invite. The D-League would be a good option for a player of his skills. He could definitely become a 3 and D guy and could also find a niche overseas as a pro.

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James Blackburn has scouted all levels of basketball, including high school, college and the pros, as well as international competitions such as the FIBA World Cup. Want more scouting notes from James? Follow him on Twitter @jamesjunior21, right now!
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Mark Tollesfsen Basketball

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: San Francisco vs Evansville (Gulf Coast Showcase)
Evansville wins 79-72
Box Score

Mark Tollefsen (F, 6’9″, JR)

Stats
11-21 FG , 9 reb, 3 assist, 1 steal, 2 TO’s, 23 TP

Strengths
Tremendously skilled lefty with good length and athleticism. Versatile SF with a high motor. Is active around the rim and sticks with his own misses- has a quick 2nd jump. Can put the ball on floor and score off the dribble in a variety of ways. Underrated passer who sees the floor very well and delivers passes on time and on target. Above average shooter who gets great arc on his shots and has soft touch. Terrific face up shooter. Good athlete who finished multiple lob plays above the rim.
Was willing to do whatever the team needed him to do. Can play on the wing and he can pick and roll or pick and pop.
High IQ player who has a great feel for the game.

Weaknesses
Needs to get stronger in both upper and lower body so he can keep his lines on drives. San Fransisco played a mix of zone and man on defense. Mark was average on this end. Didnt stay in stance and I question if he can stay in front of good SF’s. Is a tweener on the defensive end.
While Mark is a good shooter, he needs to continue to improve his range and consistency shooting the 3- better midrange shooter.
Good offensive rebounder because of activity but needs to improve on the defensive glass- struggles to hold ground when boxing out.

Overview
Mark was his teams best and most consistent player throughout the three days of the Gulf Coast Showcase tournament I was able to watch him in. The more you watch him play, you realize how valuable he is to his team. It was hard to keep him off the floor.

He has a player who has a lot of potential and while he is an average defender at this point, I could see him becoming a great defender because of length and athleticism. Still has another year left to improve and get stronger. I can see him becoming a player that could garner a Portsmouth Invite and possibly a summer league spot. At the very least his skills would be highly coveted by a European club. He could play for a 1st division in a mid-tier country or a 2nd division team in a top tier country (Turkey, Spain, Israel, etc). The D-League would also be an option for him too, but I think his skills would be more utilized in Europe.

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NC Phenom 150 Basketball Showcase Session 2

By James Blackburn

I was able to scout session 2 of the NC Phenom Camp held once again at Proehlific Park in Greensboro, NC. Tons of talent was on display including numerous D1 prospects. Here are my scouting notes on some of the players who stood out today broken down by class.

2015

Aiden Richard Gaston Day NC

Aiden Richard
 Aidan Richard (Gaston Day, 6’10″, C) Long player who showed good patience in the post. Caught a big dunk off the backboard in the 2nd game of the day. Needs to get stronger with the ball, but has D1 potential.

Landon Yarbrough (North Lincoln, 6’3″, F) Strong undersized big who finishes in traffic. Willing to set screens and bang in the post. Physical and tough. More athletic than one would think. Solid rebounder who is a lefty. D3 schools should give him a look.

Cheikh Diallo (Cape Fear Christian, 6’4″, PG)
Quick guard who showcased an excellent handle. Terrific crossover move he used repeatedly to get into the paint. Excellent runner. Needs to improve shooting consistency but showed he could create his own shot.

Hunter Dotson (Trinity Academy, 6’1″, G)Aggressive player who is a good slasher. Good use of the glass on bank shots. Loves contact and is strong. High motor. Needs to improve left hand and take better angles on the defensive end. Schools at both the D2/D3 level should watch him this season.

Justin Reid (Cardinal Gibbons, 6’4″, F) Athletic wing who has a good basketball IQ. Really played well here today. Underrated passer who can shoot the ball from the perimeter with consistency. Definitely a college prospect.

2016

Emmanuel Ugboh ELite Prep NC

Emmanuel Ugboh
 Emmanuel Ugboh (Elite Prep, 6’10″, C) – Was one of the top players overall in attendance today and top big in my opinion. Solid big man who takes up space inside. Solid athlete who had numerous 2 hand rim-rattling finishes on the day.  Can score with his back to the basket but needs to continue to improve in this area. Footwork is a little raw but he does a good job of keeping the ball high. Strong and solid build. Good rebounder on both ends. Influences shots on defense.  Does a lot with 2 hands- finishes and rebounds w/ 2 hands. HM prospect who will only continue to improve.
Ray Kowalski (Northside Christian, 6’3″, G) – Underrated athlete who can hit the set 3. Solid scorer.  Needs to improve first step quickness and his left hand.

Quentin Jackson Jr (Carlisle School, 6’4″, G) Bouncy player who can catch and finish lobs. Can rebound the ball and push it transition. Good handle for size.

Malcolm Evans (Elite Prep, 6’7″, SF) Malcolm is an athletic player with a good wingspan. Is still raw in a few areas, but showed he can put the ball on floor for a dribble or two and finish above the rim. Needs to improve defensive intensity and shot selection. Showed good form on his jumper. Could develop into a MM+ prospect- has a high ceiling.

Josh Handy (North Rowan, 6’4″, G/F) Handy has a solid wingspan and is a good one on one scorer. One of the best looking one-dribble pull-ups I saw today.

Malcolm Evans Elite Prep NC

Malcolm Evans
Michael Melvin (Freedom Christian, 5’11″, PG) Unselfish player who runs the offense and controls tempo. True PG’s are tough to find, and Melvin is a PG who can play P/R and score the ball when needed as well. Did a good job of feeding the bigs on his team- unselfish. Schools at all three divisions should track.

Trejon Jacob (Millbrook HS, 6’4″, G) Long player who has the ability to handle the ball and made good decisions. Had a couple of nice bounce passes to the roll man coming off the ball screen. Has nice arc on his 3 ball and good footwork.  Plays hard and understands the game.

Thank God Msughter Freedom Christian NC

Thank God Msughter
 Thank God Msughter (Freedom Christian, 6’6″, F) Loved his game today. Explosive player who has a high motor and defends/blocks shots. Loves the spin move in the post. Rebounds and shows a ton of emotion on the court. D1 prospect.

Colin Molden (Apex, 6’0″, PG) Smart and poised player who is patient and waits for the ball screen before he puts the ball down. Excellent passer and ball handler. Best set 3 point shooter I saw today- great looking form. Does the little things- fundamental.

Eli Lake (Blythewood, 6’5″, F) Smooth and fluid. Good looking stroke from 3. Solid defender who uses his length.
David Caraher

David Caraher
 David Caraher (Chapel Hill, 6’6″, SF) (Chapel Hill, 6’6″, SF) David was a top 3 performer on the day, regardless of position or class. He is an extremely versatile player who scores the ball, defends, and can handle the ball. Defends the ball well by moving his feet and he also had numerous blocks inside. Runs the floor and finishes in traffic with either hand. Unselfish player who understands the game. High basketball IQ. Good ball handler. Is a MM+ prospect in my eyes.

Kristopher Monroe (South Granville, 6’5″, F) Provided the best dunk of the day- a big poster in the afternoon segment.

Rashad Dixon (Southern Durham, 6’3″, G) Athletic slasher who moves well with-out the ball. Scrappy. Great frame. Needs to improve jump shot, has a little hitch in it.

Franklin Ugochukwu (Cape Fear Christian, 6’10″, C) Talks on the floor- most vocal player I saw/heard today. Big bodied player who rebounds. Unselfish. Needs to improve mobility and offensive skills, but is a college prospect.

DeVontae Shuler (Irmo, 6’2″, PG) Shuler is excellent in transition thanks his explosion and quickness. Athletic guard who can finish above the rim and also had a huge block off the backboard. Needs to improve shot selection some.

Morgan McKay (Christ School, 6’8″, C) Big man who showed good touch from midrange with a high release. Solid defender who can guard other bigs 1 on 1 in the post without the need to have guards or anyone double.

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James Blackburn scouts players at the high school, college and pro level. For more scouting notes and insight, follow James on Twitter @jamesjunior21

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Triad Pro Am 2014
By James Blackburn

After being out of town for most of July, I was able to return to Winston in time to catch the last few nights of the Triad Pro Am league, held this year at the Gateway YWCA. The league features local college players and players from Wake Forest, Winston-Salem State, and Guilford College, as well as pros from the area. The notes below are some reports from the standouts during the playoffs.

Andre Washington (Wake Forest, 7’0″, C, JR)
Andre played as good as I have ever seen him play in any setting. Was matched up against pro player, Justin Manns and was able to more than hold his own. Looks better- new and improved- more confident- dunking hard and with authority. Playing w/ good energy. Protecting the rim and was getting solid post position. Washington was simply a beast in the paint all night. Needs to continue to improve balance but will have an impact this season at Wake playing like he did this week.

Lepreece Lynch (Lees-McRae, 6’4″, G, SO)
One of the better all around pure scores I saw. Not lacking any confidence when it comes to putting up shots. Rebounding well on both ends and follows his shot. Was able to get to middle of floor and making good kick outs to teammates.Takes some bad shots- but is always a threat to score.

Craig Hinton (VMI, 6’6″, F, SO)
Is stronger and playing with good energy on both ends. Very impressed with his improvement on the defensive end. Showed he could protect the paint and move his feet on the perimeter while staying in low defensive stance. Providing the highlights that he always does with his out of this world athleticism. Shot looked a bit flat early on- but hit a few outside jumpers and threes as well.

Justin Manns (Lebanon, 6’11”, C)
Upper body looks stronger then last year and is playing tough inside the paint. Showing some solid footwork and patience in the post. Had numerous blocks tonight from the weak side.

Codi Miller-McIntyre (Wake Forest, 6’3″, PG, JR)
Looked solid all night. Running the show- had numerous assists- sharing the ball and being unselfish. Was hitting his pull-up. Changing speeds better in the open floor. Just looked like he could do whatever he wanted on the floor at any point.

Robert Holcomb-Faye (Holland, 6’1″, PG)
Terrific lead guard. Plays the game as a pro should- is patient, takes care of the ball, and has terrific court vision. Is in good shape and can score when needed.

Trever Hyatt (Guilford, 6’3″, G, SO)
Possibly the best shooter in the league. Saw him back to back nights and was impressed both times. Great body language and doesn’t get rattled. Showed the ability to get to the rim and score as well over taller shot blockers.

WyKevin Bazemore (Winston-Salem State, 6’4″, G, SR)
One of the top 3 overall scores I saw. Terrific one on one player who can score from the perimeter and at the rim. Does a good job of drawing contact and getting to the line. Should have a huge season at Winston-Salem State this year.

Aaron Rountree III (Wake Forest, 6’8″, F, JR)
Love his motor and energy. Excellent in transition. Capable of leading the break. Has a quick 2nd jump which combined with his timing and athleticism, makes him one of the best shot blockers in the league. Needs to continue to improve ability to hit open shots. His team won the championship for the 2nd year in a row.

You can watch replays of the 2014 Triad Pro Am games here.

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Andell Cumberbatch St. Bonaventure basketball scouting

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: St. Bonaventure @ Wake Forest
Wake wins 77-62
Box Score

Andell Cumberbatch (G, 6’4”, JR)

Stats
36 min, 8-16 FG, 3-7 3pt FG, 0-3 FT, 7 reb, 2 assist, 3 TO’s, 6 steals, 19 TP

Strengths
Andell has many strengths and is a versatile player. One of the things about him that most impressed me this game was on the defensive end. Very good overall defender who is smart and anticipates the actions of the offensive player well. Good lateral quickness who makes the opponents shoot tough shots. Plays the passing lanes well and has quick hands. Hustles and is willing to dive on the floor for loose balls.

Offensively, he attacks the rim well going to his right and is smooth and under control. Can handle the ball well and is a good passer- better than his stats would indicate. Has sneaky athleticism and finds gaps in the defense. Is a good rebounder- especially on the offensive end. Showed he could hit the 3 ball. Could see him becoming more of a combo guard.

Weaknesses
Is not the quickest player on the floor or a big time above the rim athlete. Needs to get stronger- has a slight frame. Gets bumped off his driving path too easily. Can he use his left hand and how well can he finish with his left?

Can hit the 3- but is an inconsistent shooter from beyond the arc. Has a tendency to rush his 3 pt shot and drop his hands- not hold follow through- has a low release. Not a good FT shooter. Poor shooter off the dribble- better w/ feet set.

Overview
JUCO transfer from Barton CC in Kansas, where he averaged 14.2 ppg and 8.2 rpg last year. Not a lot to dislike about the way Andell played tonight. Lead his team in minutes, points, rebounds, and steals. Is the 3rd leading scorer for the year on the team. Looks a legit 6’4” and has good length. Handled the ball a good bit for the game and could see him playing some PG if he continues to tighten dribble and get comfortable playing in more P/R situations.

Definitely has a career in basketball in his future- doubt its going to be in America, unless he wants to go to the D-League where I think he could help a team and that might be a good fit for him. Is a 2 guard which is not great for his overseas prospects but he could definitely play there- would like to see him play the PG position more which could improve his stock. You will be hearing his name again as his team is poised to possibly break into the NCAA Tournament this year by winning its conference.

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Alvin Brown basketball USC Aiken Sleeper Report

By James Blackburn

Games Scouted:
USC Aiken @ Mt Olive
USC Aiken @ UNC-P

Alvin Brown (F/C, 6’10”, SR)

Strengths
Shot blocking machine- does a great job of blocking shots from the weakside and altering or blocking his own man’s shot- good timing and showed excellent anticipation. Good help defender. Good length. Communicates and talks on both ends. Shows good energy and motor. Boxes out and calls out screens. Has some decent back to basket moves- showed a spin move and a nice drop step move. Does a good job of selling the fact that he is going one way in post, then going opposite way- has a nice slide dribble. When he takes time in post- he is not bad. Good athlete- had several big time above rim finishes. Closes out on perimeter under control and showed he could defend decently on perimeter because of decent lateral quickness and excellent length. One of the best defenders I have seen this year- all around- does more on defense besides just block shots. Able to block shots and doesn’t get a lot of fouls- only fouls when he brings his arms down- but stays straight up most of the time. Doesn’t go for pump fakes.

High Ceiling- potential filled player.

Weaknesses
Needs to get stronger w/ the ball. Needs to add more weight to frame- shouldn’t be hard to do w/ his frame. Had a better attitude when things are going his way- needs to be like that all the time- good kid off the court. Does not run the floor very well- runs better on offensive end then defensive end- always trails in transition D. Needs to improve screening and overall passing as well.

Not  a good free throw shooter- not terrible- but could definitely improve. Not a bad back-to-basket player on the offensive end because he shows good aggression, but must slow down- out of control in post- makes moves way too quickly. Needs to improve as a rebounder- gets low and boxes out decently but is so light that he can be pushed out of position and he is not very strong w/ the ball. Falls down more than he should- needs to improve balance. Does not have a jump shot- everything is post offensively- wont even look to shoot open 10-15’. Seems to space sometimes- basketball IQ needs improvement.

Overview
Top shot blocker and interior defender I have seen this year in any division. In the 2 games I saw him play, he blocked over 10 shots and influenced countless others. Is averaging over 5 blocks per game on the season. Reminds me of Tyson Chandler in this aspect. Has great length and athleticism.
Is a D1 transfer from James Madison University. Is a great kid with a good personality. If he can add about 20 lbs to his frame, he would be a beast. Has a frame that he should be able to add weight too.

Has the potential to be an impact player on the defensive end at the next level in Europe. Would be a player that if he can add some muscle weight, would be a good candidate for D-League. At his height and ability to change the game on defense, he won’t be hard pressed to find a job in Europe when he finishes the season.

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Patrick Miller basketball

By: James Blackburn
Game Scouted: USC Upstate vs Tennessee State

Box Score

Patrick Miller (G, 6’1”, SR)

Stats
37 min, 4-13 FG, 0-4 3pt, 12-15 FT, 7 reb, 3 PF, 4 assist, 5 TO, 1 st, 20 TP

Strengths
Very strong build- huge upper and lower body. Could play running back w/ his build- very strong. Above average on-ball defender who keeps the ball in front of him.

Miller played both guard positions this game, but he has a PG mentality. Didn’t attempt his 1st shot until 5 minutes into the game. Sees the floor very well and is highly unselfish-almost to a fault at times. Turned down several open shots to create and play makes for teammates. Gets to the rim at will, where he does a tremendous job of drawing defenders and finding shooters. Can play either guard position effectively.

Good slasher- can take contact and finish- contact does not affect him. Can turn the corner and get to the paint off the screen. Gets to the FT line at a high rate where he is an above average FT shooter- but could be better. Much better mid-range shooter then 3 pt shooter.

Well conditioned player.

Weaknesses
Would have liked to see him be more aggressive offensively at times this game- didn’t get really aggressive until the past few minutes, where he made a couple of pull-ups and got to the FT line. Change of speed dribble could get better and has a tendency to drive to bad areas on the floor at times- resulting in TO’s.

At his height, he needs to improve 3 pt shooting as that will open up driving lanes for himself and teammates.

Body language was OK, but showed disagreement w/ the officials more then once this game.

Overview
Averaging over 20 ppg entering this game along with 4 assist and was able to keep up those averages after the game today. Does a tremendous job of attacking the rim, getting to the FT line, and playmaking for his teammates. Would have higher assist numbers if he had more shooters on his team. Although his team is still searching for its still win on the season, Miller has done what he can- scoring, passing, and rebounding the ball.

Miller has had a terrific overall career at Tenn. State scoring over 1000 points and is leading the team in several statistical categories this year, including points and minutes. Shouldn’t have a problem securing a PG job in Europe even at his size. He is explosive and is very strong and would be able to easily reach the painted area w/ his speed.

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De'Mon Brooks Davidson basketball scouting report

By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: UVA vs Davidson at the Time Warner Cable Arena (Charlotte)
Virginia Wins 70-57
Box Score

De’Mon Brooks (F, 6’7”, SR)

Stats
36 min, 4-15 FG, 2-3 3 pt, 3-4 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 TO, 1 blk, 1 steal, 13 TP

Strengths
High motor undersized PF who has a nose for the ball. Solid rebounder who is better then his final rebound total stated today in the box score. Solid post defender who has a good base and defends with out fouling. Quick hands defensively for a player his size. Tremendous help defender who drew several charges this game. Understands proper defensive positioning. Very impressed with his defense this game.
Offensively, Brooks struggled for most of the game, before finding some success late. His teammates didn’t do a great job of getting him the ball early on in the post. Solid agility and good strength inside on the block. Loves to go into the spin move- where he can spin either direction and finish w/ either hand. Drew the double team in the post most of this game, and did a solid job of not turning it over and getting it out early to the open perimeter player. Good ball handler with either hand, actually went right more times then he went left. Does a good job of finding the right angle and using creativity around rim to finish. Uses pump fakes and the glass to his advantage. Uses his body well to shield and create space to finish lay-ins. Draws contact well. Good footwork in the post.

Showed the ability to stretch the floor out to 3 point range. Can hit the open 3- lefty but has an unconventional stroke. Above average FT shooter – has improved in this area every year at Davidson. Good rotation on his shot. Has the ability to be a stretch 4 with his pick and pop ability
Weaknesses

His lack of athleticism and height hurts him the most and this hurt him on both ends today. I thought he could have demanded the ball more inside when he had post position. Struggled to finish in this game around the rim- couldn’t get anything going. Having a hard time finishing and scoring over the more athletic and taller Akil Mitchell and Mike Tobey.
I thought he could of run the floor better and he looked a little out of shape this game- could be an effect of him playing major minutes and having to battle bigger players on both ends. Although Brooks does an unbelievable job of being in the correct defensive position, his lack of height doesn’t allow him to adequately defend taller post players when they get position. “Tweener” – what position is he?

Overview
Brooks struggled this game scoring the basketball, but he continued to battle and play hard. Big issue is his lack of a true position. He is not quick enough to guard a SF, but is undersized to play the PF at next level, at least the NBA level. Not the best game Brooks has played as he struggled to score over taller defenders most of the game and battled repeated double teams, but he should dominate his conference this season and is poised for a breakout year. It would be nice to see Brooks at the PIT this season and see how he stacks up there- has a good chance in my opinion. Will definitely watch again this season. Will be a tremendous get for an overseas team as his rebounding and agility are covetable assets.

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By James Blackburn

Game Scouted: WSSU vs Concord

Winston-Salem wins 76-73

Preston Ross, III (F, 6’5”, SR)

Stats
37 min, 6-15 FG, 2-6 3pt, 5-6 FT, 5 reb, 1 assist, 3 TO, 1 blk, 1 steal, 19 TP

Preston Ross Winston-Salem State basketball

Strengths
Physical defender who bumps cutters. Closes out with high hands. Active and quick hands defensively-makes plays- got multiple deflections tonight and guards the inbounds. Made the proper defensive rotations and has good bball IQ. Looks to make contact and box out on all rebounds. Hustles and plays hard. Incredible offensive rebounder because of hustle, vertical leap, and timing. Relentless motor.
Secures rebounds strongly with 2 hands.

Excellent athlete who runs the floor well and has good hands. Quick jump. Excellent in transition, gets out quickly. Very good slasher who can finish with contact. Head hunts on screens. Strong frame. Shot has good rotation and he has solid mechanics with a nice follow through. Showed he was capable to knock down the open corner 3 off the pick and pop play- hit back to back 3’s at a critical point in this game with under 4 min to play. Has a smooth FT stroke. Team player who shares the ball and does not force shots. Is in great physical condition- played a game high 37 minutes in this contest. Good high-low passer and is an underrated passer in general- better then his assist numbers would indicate. Does a good job of sealing inside.

Weaknesses
Struggles to change directions with the ball off the dribble. Needs to improve ball handling overall, dribbles with head down. Inconsistent shooter from 3 and needs to speed up release. What position is he on the floor? Struggled to finish around the rim tonight but hustled and was able to board most of his own misses.

Went for too many ball fakes when defending the perimeter and needs to improve lateral quickness.

Overview
Another solid performance tonight from the senior forward. Had 20 pts and 10 rebounds in his 1st game and led his team in scoring tonight in another win. Transfer from D1 Western Carolina, where he started last season. Should have a big year on a young team that needs his toughness, leadership, and competitiveness.
Needs to improve body language when things are not going his way, showed visible frustration on missed shots and fouls. Is supportive of teammates on bench and in game and listens to his coaches.

Needs to communicate more on the floor. Calls out screens but would like to see him talk more in general, but is a winner and a competitor.
Ross shouldn’t have a problem finding a role to play at the next level, either in a 2nd division European country or in another country/continent. His athleticism, strength, and rebounding ability will be highly coveted by a pro team.

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