Mt. Tabor and Dudley HS square off in the Western Regional 4-A playoffs.
By Marcus Shockley
Scouting notes from the North Carolina High School basketball 4-A regional matchups, March 7, 2013:
Mt. Tabor HS
Nate Long (SF, 6’5″, 2013) Long has become a very explosive player – his ability to elevate on the move has improved vastly over the past year. Because he plays with such a talented roster, and he really didn’t hit his stride until his senior season, he’s probably one of the more overlooked players in the state. Good length, athletic and active in the passing lanes, he’s got a full speed explosive ability that has become a consistent trademark of his games. In this game he had two dunks, one of which was a breakaway windmill slam. Has been getting more college interest as the season is progressing. Scored 14 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. I am upgrading my rating for Long to a LM Division I prospect, although now he’d be a rock solid Division II or NAIA-Division I player.
Matt Madigan (G, 6’3″, 2013) Madigan’s best weapons are size, ability to play on or off the ball, a deep shot and elite quickness. His signature move is a spin around the defender to create an open shot or find a teammate. Handles most of the PG duties and does not turn the ball over. Has become a major engine for Tabor as they continue their run in the playoffs. Tracking as a Division I LM/MM. Committed to Brown.
Ty’Quan Bitting (C, 6’8″, 2013) Bitting has continued to improve throughout the last two seasons where he has become a solid post presence. His best assets are shot blocking – had 5 in this game, which is not unusual – and length around the basket. Will need to continue to get stronger in order to handle the physical post play in college, but has shown an increasing nimbleness with his back-to-the-basket game. Primarily a half court center, but he does front and seal. Wants the ball and will post players up. With more strength, he’ll be able to use his hook shot very effectively. Bitting’s scoring is limited to post play, and he’s an undersized center at the collegiate level. However his shotblocking and overall potential are what I like about his game. Tracking as a Division I LM with multiple offers.
Lepreece Lynch (SG, 6’4″, 2013) Lynch is a prolific scorer, with a quick release. He can put up points in a hurry, has good size for the shooting guard spot and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time to grab a loose ball and score before the defense can react. His offensive footwork is naturally better than most players, and it gives him a half step on the defender. He can be streaky from deep but overall, he’s a bucket machine. Scored 17 points and dished 3 assists in this game. Issues with Lynch are his build – he will need to add much more strength for the college game, and his overall defense. However, his defense has improved since last season. He does need to close out much quicker on shooters. That being said, the focus of his defense in this game was to help in stopping Dudley’s star Sam Hunt – Lynch was a major factor in trapping and limiting Hunt to only 3 points. I have been tracking Lynch as a Division I shooting guard at the LM level since last season and I think he’d be a bit of a steal at the Division II/NAIA-Division I level. He’s also a vocal leader, pumping up his teammates and being a solid team player. Holds several Division I and Division II offers.
Deion Robinson (PF, 6’4″, 2013) All you need to know about Deion Robinson is that he’s rock-solid consistent all the time, and has been for the four years he’s been at Mt. Tabor. He’s an undersized PF but now his mid range shot from the elbow is also falling, giving him more options when playing bigger defenders. He is strong and has great hands, and he has a knack for just making the smart, safe play. Committed to Northwestern Ohio.
Dudley HS
Sam Hunt (G, 6’1″, 2013) The focus of the entire Mt. Tabor defense coming into the game was on slowing down Hunt – Tabor Head Coach Andy Muse thought if they could hold Hunt to 15 it would be a solid defensive effort. Their plan was effective – Hunt went 1-15 in this game and only finished with 3 points after dealing with the multiple traps and defensive focus of Tabor. However, this game is not a reflection on how dynamic a player Hunt is – fluid and strong, I’ve seen Hunt score against nationally ranked teams, both at the high school level and last summer playing in the EYBL with his CP3 All-Stars AAU team. I’ve tracked Hunt as a LM/MM player throughout his career at Dudley. Committed to Jacksonville.
Devan Gregory (SG, 6’4″, 2013) With the defensive focus on Hunt, Gregory took advantage and showed an ability to consistently knock down the 3, leading all scorers in the game with 21 points, including 4-7 from the perimeter. Gregory has good size and is a true guard, and can shoot. Biggest issue for Gregory is his release speed; it needs to be much faster. When the defender closed on him on the perimeter, his shooting percentage dropped to 0%, and that’s because he needs to be able to get the shot up before the defender closes. That being said, his size, overall agility and shooting touch make him a player colleges should be tracking.
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