high school basketball

AAU basketballbasketball gamesbasketball newsbasketball recruitbasketball recruitingbasketball scoutbasketball scouting reportscollege basketball recruitingcollegebasketballrecrutinghigh school basketballUncategorized

By Marcus Shockley & James Blackburn

The ScoutsFocus Elite 80 Spring Showcase was held in Greensboro, NC over the weekend and there was quite a bit of talent to take note of. The event featured players from 2013 and older with a notable exception, which we will get to. The event ran long in scheduling and there was not an all-star game at the end. However, we attempted to watch as many games as possible and have come up with a Basketball Elite list of the top players that we were able to see through several games.

Apologies to a few players who arrived late and were not listed on the roster sheet, and we did not get a chance to talk to. This is our overall and class ranking for this specific event, and these are also the players we will continue to scout heavily in the coming months. There was a lot of speed on display at the camp, and the style of play was extremely loose. We intend to scout all of the players who attended again as much as possible in the future.

Top Players By Class

Class of 2014

Sadeeq Bello, 5’7″, PG (Westchester Country Day)

Saseeq is undersized at this point but extremely quick and looks to get the pass off with a flair. The younger brother of Duece Bello, Sadeeq was one of the few 2014 players attending but showed flashes of style and promise even against older players. Pushes the ball effectively up the floor and gets the ball to his teammates. He is working on become a serious playmaker and is a player to keep an eye on.

—

Class of 2013

Christian Hairston, 6’7″, SF (Greensboro Day)

Hairston has an exceptionally fluid game and runs both ends of the floor. Both James and Marcus independently chose Hairston as the best player in this event. At least a solid mid major prospect, he has the length and athletic ability to play either the 2 or the 3 in college. Needs to add some weight but plays hard and puts out effort at all times. Plays defense and is effective even without the ball. Will become more of a name over the next two years and looks like he’s willing to put in the work to elevate his game.

Was listed at 6’6″ but is actually 6’7″.

John Egbunu, 6’10”, PF/C (Mt. Zion)

Egbunu is raw but has a lot of potential. When he gets the ball around the rim he can throw down two-handed dunks, even on the run. Needs to work on his footwork some in the post, and was caught out of position on lateral defense at times, but is long and athletic with size. Really good prospect.

Sharwyn McGee, 6’5″, SF (Ragsdale)

Athletic and strong, with a great ability for rebounding. A solid prospect that works well in the post but has the ability and potential to play the 3 in college.

Reed Lucas, 6’4″, SG (Greensboro Day)

Great outside set shooter and extremely athletic; broke away for dunks, including a reverse. Really understands how to play without the ball and has good court awareness. Plays hard at all times, works and moves his feet on defense. Working on his ballhandling to be able to play PG more in the future.

—

Class of 2012

Chase Ward-McEwen, 6’2″, PG/SG (Parrot Academy)

Big time guard with explosive elite guard athleticism. Strong, smart player with crazy hops and knows how to play with or without the ball. Can play the 1 or the 2 with ease. Really understands how to play the game and looks like he could play in both the half court or the full court up tempo game. One the best pure athletes at the guard position we’ve seen this year, but it cannot be emphasized enough his court awareness and heady play. Defends, plays all out and is obviously a mature player. Quick hands on defense.

Keerthi Boru, 6’6″, SG (Grace of Raleigh)

Explosive slasher, very fast and smooth up and down the court. Moves well without the ball and can score with the ball in his hands. Needs to work on ballhandling, but is dangerous in transition and knows how to find spacing on the break. Competes on every play. Was listed at 6’6″ on the roster but is listed shorter in other places, so we’ll find out the accurate measurements.

Sheck Sero, 6’9″, PF/C (Mt. Zion)

The other tower in Mt. Zion’s frontcourt, Sero is also long and athletic, but needs to work on running the floor and his hands, handling the ball on the pass into the post.

Mike Dimitropolous 6’6″ SG/SF (Veritas Christian Academy)

A player hails from Greece and who looks more like a college 3 but also plays the 2, an active and fundamental player. Works hard even in drills but sometimes had trouble in the fast pace of the open court games. Decent shooter and does not make many mistakes. Has gotten interest from Elon and Arizona State.

Michael Blum, 6’2″ SG (Veritas Christian Academy)

Solid guard who can shoot and works the offense effectively. Great outside shooter.

Basil Deveaux, 6’6″, SF (Veritas Christian Academy)

Ahtletic and long, promising prospect and big time slasher who plays well in the open court and transition. Can get out of control with the ball in his hands going full speed, but also can explode to the rim just as easily. An exciting player to keep an eye on.

—

Class of 2011

Lindsey Johnson, 6’1″, PG/SG (Cary Christian School)

Also one of both of our favorites of the event. Smart, really understands the game and what’s happening around him, he’s athletic and defends well. Works hard the entire game. Not going to wow you with highlights but impresses with his ability to score the ball in a myriad of ways. Was player of the year in his conference and an All-State performer. He averaged 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist a game this past season. Definitely has the ability to play at the next level and has the maturity to get it done.

Denzell Hosch, 5’10” PG/SG (Charis Prep)

Good scorer who can shoot and get to the rim. Good team player. Vocal, and obviously a leader. A dynamite scorer who cannot be left open and will burn the defense, but also knows how to run the offense. Solid in many areas. NC A&T and Winston-Salem State have offered him. Appalachian State and UNCG have expressed interest. His team today gelled together very well – they filled the lanes on the break and shared the ball well.

Lacurtis Latimore, 6’1″, SG (Trinity Christian School)

Strong and active scoring guard who is hard to stop when he has the ball in his hands. Can score on the break or from the half court set. Can finish in traffic, even with contact. Dangerous when he’s got the ball, but needs to work on making an impact when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands.

Aaron Smith, 5’9″, PG (Mt. Zion)

Solid, strong guard who can create his own offense. Mature enough and good enough passer to play the PG spot, but also a solid scorer who can play off the ball effectively as well. Very disciplined guard who understands the game and plays with poise and strength. A winner, talks on the floor and competes. Has a nice pull up jumper and his scoring ability keeps the defense from collapsing on the big men.

—

Top Overall Players (All Star Team)

Christian Hairston, 6’7″, SF (Greensboro Day)

Chase Ward-McEwen, 6’2″, PG/SG (Parrot Academy)

Lindsey Johnson, 6’1″, PG/SG (Cary Christian School)

Denzell Hosch, 5’10” PG/SG (Charis Prep)

Lacurtis Latimore, 6’1″, SG (Trinity Christian School)

Aaron Smith, 5’9″, PG (Mt. Zion)

John Egbunu, 6’10”, PF/C (Mt. Zion)

—

Most Outstanding Player

Both James and Marcus independently decided on the same player as the top player at this event, Christian Hairston (6’6″, SF, 2013).

There were three players who were not listed on the roster sheet, but would have made this list. We are still working to track them down.

****
Hey, if you like this kind of basketball coverage, do yourself a favor and sign up for the BasketballElite.com newsletter, which is free for basketball lovers.

basketball newsbasketball recruitbasketball recruitinghigh school basketball

East Team
Name Pos Hgt Wgt High School (School Location) College
Khem Birch C 6-9 210 Notre Dame Prep (Fitchburg, MA) Pittsburgh
Michael Carter-Williams SG 6-5 175 St. Andrew’s School (Providence, RI) Syracuse
Rakeem Christmas C 6-9 222 Academy of New Church (Bryn Athyn, PA) Syracuse
Mike Gbinije SF 6-6 194 Benedictine High School (Richmond, VA) Duke
Michael Gilchrist SF 6-7 210 St. Patrick High School (Elizabeth, NJ) Kentucky
P.J. Hairston SG 6-6 220 Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, VA) North Carolina
James McAdoo PF 6-8 216 Norfolk Christian School (Norfolk, VA)

North Carolina
Quincy Miller PF 6-9 210 Westchester Country Day (High Point, NC) Baylor
Austin Rivers SG 6-4 189 Winter Park High School (Winter Park, FL)

Duke
Shannon Scott PG 6-2 170 Milton High School (Alpharetta, GA) Ohio State
Marquis Teague PG 6-2 175 Pike High School (Indianapolis, IN) Kentucky
West Team
Name Pos Hgt Wgt High School (School Location) College
Bradley Beal SG 6-4 177 Chaminade College Prep (St. Louis, MO) Florida
Jabari Brown SG 6-3 200 Oakland High School (Oakland, CA) Oregon
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope SG 6-4 190 Greenville High School (Greenville, GA) Georgia
Anthony Davis PF 6-10 200 Perspectives Charter School (Chicago, IL) Kentucky
Myck Kabongo PG 6-2 170 Findlay College Prep (Henderson, NV) Texas
Johnny O’Bryant PF 6-10 245 East Side High School (Cleveland, MS) LSU
Sir’Dominic Pointer SF 6-6 195 Quality Education Acad. (Winston-Salem, NC) St. John’s
Otto Porter, Jr. SF 6-9 200 Scott County Central (Sikeston, MO) Undecided
Adonis Thomas SF 6-6 210 Melrose High School (Memphis, TN) Memphis
Kyle Wiltjer PF 6-9 221 Jesuit High School (Portland, OR) Kentucky
Tony Wroten, Jr. SG 6-4 206 Garfield High School (Seattle, WA) Washington

For the full rosters and bio, click here.

****
Hey, if you like this kind of basketball coverage, do yourself a favor and sign up for the BasketballElite.com newsletter, which is free for basketball lovers.

AAU basketballbasketball newsbasketball recruitbasketball recruitingcollege basketballcollege basketball recruitingcollegebasketballrecrutinghigh school basketballmixtape

By Marcus Shockley


Dave Telep said something a few days ago that echoes my own thoughts regarding some high school basketball stars. There is a lot of talk among high school players as to ‘who’s number 1’ and it culminates in rankings, lists and mix tapes which feature the next superstar. Telep said that the players who were the most concerned last year with their rankings and mixtape highlights are the very players struggling in college this year.

Hey, there isn’t anything wrong with highlight tapes or mixtapes. But it needs to be said, many times, that high school ranking doesn’t mean a thing in the long run.

Nothing.

Jonathan Bender
Flikr/TruthAboutIt

When I spoke with Ryan Blake a few days ago, the NBA Director of Scouting, he said that if you watch high school players’ highlight tapes, everyone looks like an NBA All-Star. Then you see the player on the college court and they start looking very, very human.

The worst thing that can happen to anyone, not just basketball players, is to peak in high school. If you are playing in all-star games, getting listed in basketball magazines and have 3,000 Twitter followers as a high school senior, it’s all too easy to think you’ve made it. Got people hanging on your every word and college fans repeatedly clamoring to know where you are going to college?

That doesn’t mean anything. Yet.

Sure, you’ve got potential. But too many players think that a top high school ranking is going to guarantee them a lottery pick and a 15 year NBA career. All a top ranking guarantees you is that college fans are going to expect you to be amazing. They are going to expect to see what they saw in highlight films. They aren’t going to be happy if you can’t dribble to the left or can’t do the footwork in the paint. Suddenly, you’ll be just another college project, not a future NBA All-Star.

People can be very fickle. No, check that, they are fickle. They will love you as a high school player until you commit to their rival school. Then the fans of your school will love you until you step on the out of bounds line at a crucial moment in a game and they’ll call you a bust. Are you ready for that? You’ll have to have the focus and toughness to remember that even though the fans come and go, you are the same player and same person you always were. You need to be your own biggest fan and harshest critic.

To be fair, today’s top basketball high school players have more knowledge and experience against college and pro players than in the past. But playing high school and AAU doesn’t make you a pro, or even college ready. There’s a big difference in playing against high schoolers and playing against guys your own size, who are more than likely stronger and more experienced. It takes a lot of work and mental toughness to succeed, which too many players take for granted.

I’ve said it before, high school player rankings serve more for entertainment than real meaning. People love mock drafts and rankings, but in the end, none of it will matter if you get to college and never play defense or can’t hit a hook shot. Most players need a few years of work in college before they even make an impact, and the vast majority of players in the top 100 high schoolers never even sniff the NBA.

Don’t peak in high school. There are a lot players in college right now who aren’t any better than they were their junior year of prep varsity. They haven’t put in much work and they aren’t listening to their coach. Don’t be another ‘sob story’.

****
Hey, if you like this kind of basketball coverage, do yourself a favor and sign up for the BasketballElite.com newsletter, which is free for basketball lovers.

AAU basketballbasketball newsbasketball recruitbasketball recruitingcollege basketball recruitingcollegebasketballrecrutinghigh school basketball

By Laurie Richter

high school basketball recruiting
Flikr/Jamie L. Williams Photography

While many athletes wait until junior year to start their college search in earnest, sophomore year is the ideal time to start because an athlete who wants to be recruited for college sports has a much more complicated search than the non-athlete.

A handful of high school athletes will be playing at the varsity level in their sophomore year, but most won’t, especially if they attend large high schools. If you’re not playing varsity yet, don’t let that deter you from researching which colleges are the right fit for you as an athlete. Sending college coaches your stats and videotape from varsity competitions will be important next year, but that’s getting ahead of the game. At this point, you should be doing preliminary research so you can figure out which schools you want to target.

Here are five things you should start doing as a sophomore:

1. Get an accurate assessment of your skill level.

You will save a tremendous amount of time and preserve your self-esteem if you aim yourself correctly when you start to contact college coaches. Too often, kids aim too high and are disappointed when coaches pass them over. Worse, if they wait too long to figure out that they are aiming too high, they may end up with nothing.

Talk to your high school coach, club team coach, and other kids or parents of kids who have been through the recruiting process. They can give you a better idea of where you might fit. It’s also helpful to look at the track record of athletes from your high school who have gone on to play in college. What level are they playing at? How many have gone on? How would you compare your skills to their skills?

2. Research colleges and athletic programs online.

There are 1700 colleges between the NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA (junior colleges). Use some of the college search programs such as www.Petersons.com or www.collegeboard.com to start narrowing down to a list of 30-50 that you want to research further. Start your search by putting athletics aside for a moment. Consider the academic requirements, if they have your intended major, the size and location, the type of campus atmosphere, and the cost.

When you find a school you like, go to their website, link to your sport, and take a look around. You can learn a lot by looking at the characteristics of the other players on the roster. Look at their size. For many sports, your ability to participate at a given level will be dependent on your size. Look at their high school history. You’ll know if you’re in the same league. If you’re looking at a team with kids who were all-state and you’re not playing varsity as a sophomore, keep looking. Blue chip, elite athletes are typically playing varsity at least three and possibly all four years of high school.

Make sure you consider schools that you might not be familiar with, especially if they have good programs for your academic area of interest, and good athletic programs for your sport. Student athletes often limit themselves to schools they are familiar with and their list gets very small, very quickly.

3. Continue competing on club, travel, or AAU teams.

Hopefully you are already doing this. If not, now is definitely the time to start. You will get the majority of your exposure to college coaches through these kinds of teams. If you are already playing on one of these teams as a sophomore , you will be a known quantity. You will probably have an easier time getting one of the coveted spots on this team for the all-important season between junior and senior year, than the kid who is showing up for the first time.

Football is a different animal because it doesn’t have these kinds of off-season teams. With football, you will have to pursue combines. Choose them carefully. Some will be beneficial to the recruiting process and others will only be beneficial to the wallets of the people who put them on.

Regardless of sport, try to participate in showcase events and summer camps. Again, the more important year is the following year, but by participating now, you will know what to expect, and you may catch the eye of coaches who will follow your development and look a lot more closely the following year.

4. Visit some colleges if the opportunity presents itself.

Before you start choosing specific schools to evaluate, you need to know some basics about the kind of college campus and experience you will be most comfortable with.

Big or small?

Urban, suburban, or rural?

What kind of campus atmosphere?

What are the students like?

Even if they are not schools you would necessarily be interested in, wander onto college campuses near your home or when you’re on family vacations. You will learn a lot about what you do and don’t like and that will make the process of developing your initial list that much easier.

5 And if you do nothing else, keep up your grades.

There are lots of talented athletes that don’t have the grades to gain admissions into the more selective colleges. If you keep your grades up, you will have access to sports programs that more talented athletes won’t have the grades for. If your freshman grades weren’t great, now is the time to bring up your grade point average. It’s almost impossible to improve your gpa as a junior if you have two years of bad grades in high school.

***

Put Me In, Coach

Laurie Richter is the author of the book ‘Put Me In Coach, A Parent’s Guide to Winning the Game of College Recruiting’, a resource that helps parents and student athletes understand the recruiting process and work towards their dream of a college sports scholarship. Her invaluable book is available now from Amazon.

basketball newsbasketball scoutbasketball scouting reportscollege basketball recruiting

By Justin Shockley

On Friday night in Lenoir, NC two greater Hickory area teams from the Northwestern 3A-4A Conference faced off in a low scoring affair that saw Hibriten edge out previously undefeated St. Stephens 53-47. The Hibriten Panthers were able to secure their first win of the season with a second half rally comprised of stout defense and outstanding ball control. St. Stephens seemed out of synch most the night and had trouble scoring the ball in the second half. The third quarter was especially dreadful for the Indians who only scored five points in eight minutes of play. Players from both teams showed some promise and their skills could translate to playing at the college level.

Player Notes & Scouting Reports

St. Stephens Indians

Harrison Bowne, SF-PF, 6’5” (Senior)

The left handed senior, who was returning to action after missing time with a mild concussion, seemed sluggish at times throughout the game especially in the second half. Bowne has a tendency to trail during fast break opportunities, and even brings the ball up at times. Bowne has good ball handling skills for his size as well as good perimeter footwork and a nice first step to beat slower post players to the basket. Bowne finished the game with only ten points but showed some good vision when passing despite several close range misses by his teammates.

Bowne is bulky and has a strong lower body but has a tendency to pull up for short jumpers rather than beat and bang down low. Bowne’s intensity on defense needs improvement as he often seems nonchalant. When playing zone defense his block outs were questionable at best and he too often relied simply on his size to get rebounds. At the college level his defensive fundamentals will need to be better because his size will be less significant.

Andrew Zachrich, PG, 6’0” (Senior)

The Indians’ point guard is deceptively quick with great vision in transition. His ball handling skills were showcased throughout the night as he often dribbled easily around multiple defenders. An unselfish point guard is harder to come by in today’s game than one might think but Zachrich is a generous passer and facilitator of the offense. Zachrich has solid on ball defense skills and quick hands, stealing the ball several times from his opponent. The thin point guard needs to bulk up to be successful at the college level as well as work on his long range shooting consistency. Zachrich did show great consistency from mid-range and finished with 13 points.

Aaron Grier, SG, 6’3’’ (Senior)

Athletic, long, and very defensively active describe this shooting guard. Showed great intensity on defense and was especially effective in full court press defense as well as the 1-3-1 zone. Grier has a soft shooting touch and enough range to hit the three and was able to finish with 10 points. A quick first step helped him beat his defender to the basket several times. Grier needs to work on his ball handling and passing to be successful collegiately.

Hibriten Panthers

Michael Burgess, PG, 6’1” (Junior)

A shoot first point guard, Burgess had a weak first half but came on strong in the second half to lead all scorers with 19 points. Burgess has a quick first step but had several close range misses and needs to work on finishing in traffic. Burgess missed several opportunities to pass to open teammates in favor of creating his own shot, something that won’t fly at the next level. Burgess has the ability to hit the three point shot but needs to work on his off the ball movement to get open as well as on his overall consistency. While Burgess showed some flashes of excellence on defense, he was lazy at other times on defense so his intensity must improve.