Although Clay Dade’s vision
of a national camp full of elite rising freshmen was very ambitious,
especially since the idea had already been successfully developed and
implemented, the general consensus from everybody I talked to was that the
Inaugural Fab Frosh All-American Camp was an outstanding success!
The first
year event was held at the beautiful and state of the art Hoop Magic
facility located in Chantilly, Virginia. The facility had six high school
regulation sized courts and a NBA sized main court, all of which were very
well maintained.
The format of the camp offered
several novel ideas including a panel discussion between college coaches,
players and parents, which resulted in some very good dialogue. Also, Clay
Dade gave a seminar about the NCAA First Team program for prospective
college student athletes. During the seminar, the importance of education
and the dos and don’ts of recruiting were discussed. Also, NC State’s
Pete Strickland did a phenomenal job as camp director. Not only did
Coach Strickland keep the camp flowing and on time, he offered great
instruction and words of wisdom through out the camp.
Each day of the camp began with a
dynamic stretching program that flowed right into station work with the
college and high school coaches. Each camper played three games on each of
the first two days and one game on the last day of the event. The camp
culminated with Top 40 All-American and Top 20 All-American Games, with the
Top 20 game being the more prestigious of the two games.
In terms of media coverage, in
addition to the Buckeye Prep Report, Hoop Scoop’s Clark Francis
and Generation Next’s Spencer Pulliam were on hand to cover the
event.
One of
the unique features of the Fab Frosh camp was the presence of the twenty D-I
college coaches who were on hand to coach and instruct the players. Not
only did the coach’s presences represent an excellent developmental
opportunity, but the exposure aspects were significant as well. Add the
fact that Clay Dade assembled an impressive list of high school coaches and
it is easy to see why this camp was special.
In
watching the college coaches during the instructional drills, it was clear
that they were working on various fundamental aspects of the game. It was
equally clear that although most of these players were elite players, not
all of them have been exposed to some of the basic fundamentals of the game.
But of course, that’s part of what this camp was all about.
The following is a list of college
coaches who attended the event: Pete Strickland (NC State), Bill
Courtney, (Virginia), Matt McCall & Rob Lanier (Florida),
George White (Stanford), Andy Enfield (Florida State), Chris
Pompey (N.M. State), David Cox (Georgetown), Chris Caputo
(George Mason), Chris Cheeks (Charlotte), Stacey Palmore
(Virginia Tech), Shaka Smart (Clemson), Steve Forbes
(Tennessee), Dalonta Hill (Kansas State), Larry Harrison (West
Virginia), Paul Mills & Jerome Tang (Baylor), Antown
Jackson (William & Mary), Roshown Mcleod (Kentucky), Shake
Smart (Clemson), Brian Merritt (Texas A & M Corpus Christi)
and Sam Brand (Morgan State).
In terms of talent, many of the
roughly 120 campers arrived at the event with a national reputation and
ranking. In fact, the following players were nationally ranked by the Hoop
Scoop going into the camp: Ramon Eaton (#2), Michael Gilchrist
(#12), Stevie Taylor (#20), Sterling Gibbs (#24), Julian
Royal (#27), Eric Moody (#35), Corey Blackwell (#38),
Christopher Martin (#43), Shaquille Stokes (#47), Myles Mack
(#53), Tyrone Johnson (#71), Thomas Gipson III (#84),
Quinn Cook (#104), Shai Fields (#108), Shannon Scott
(#112), Algee Key (#117), Takwail Bailey (#145), Scott
Wilkeben (#168), Quayshad Williams (#177), Ricky Johnson
(#181), Frankie Smalls (# 182 ), Rodney Hood (#189), Darius
Nelson (#190), Tyler Hubbard (#198), Brandon Ford (#224),
Juwan Moody (#231), Peter Alexis (#238), Daniel
Greives (#263), DeVante Moore (#279) and Tracy Abrams
(#334).
Two of
the top day one performances was turned by former Team Phenom
teammates, Stevie Taylor and Michael Gilchrist. In the first
game of the session on the number 1 court, Taylor and Gilchrist put on a
dunking and 3 point shooting clinic accounting for 34 total points. In the
game, Taylor went off from beyond the arch, hitting 7 treys for a total of
25 points, while Gilchrist went to work in the paint where he was seen
dunking on people and in traffic. That game clearly set the tone for the
remainder of the camp. In addition, Canadian Grandy Glaze a 6'5, 185
pound forward from Brampton, Ontario, logged in a solid performance as
well. Glaze was active both offensively and defensively and was a
rebounding machine. Glaze also has a nice little mid range game to kind of
complement what he can do in the paint. He also plays with a great deal of
energy and runs the floor well while finishing in transition.
One of
the best games on day two pitted the Tar Heels and Wildcats
who were both 3-0 at the end of Day One. This game featured a lot of
talented players on the same court at the same time including Shaquille
Stokes, Brandon Ford, Quinn Cook, Ricky Johnson Jr. and
Cory Blackwell, all nationally ranked players. In that game you had
very competitive match ups against Shaquille Stokes and Quinn
Cook, both highly respected point guards. It was clear from the way the
two went at each other that they understood the significance of the
match-up. By the time the clock showed zeros, the Tar Heels pulled out
101-95 victory.
Possibly
the best game of Day Two pitted the Michael Gilchrist led Terps
against an Eric Moody led Jay Hawks team. Although the Terps
trailed by double figures late in the contest, the Terps dug down deep,
turned up the heat, and ended up pulling out a close victory. In that game,
Michael Gilchrist flipped the switch on his game and instead of
putting on a dunk fest, he showed that he could shoot from the perimeter.
Crucial in that turn around was Illinois Kwai Pearson who turned up
the defensive intensity, and Ohio’s Stevie Taylor who scored 3
straight crucial buckets to help close the gap. Leading scorers in the game
for the Terps were Michael Gilchrist with 13 points, Kwai Pearson
with 13 points and DeVante Moore with 17 points. For the Jay Hawks,
Tyler Adams gave his team the early lead and was virtually
un-guardable in the post. It was a very impressive showing for Adams who
finished with 15 points. Frankie Smalls was also a big time
contributor in that game and he finished with 17 points.
First day scoring leaders were:
Grandy Glaze - 69 points; Stevie Taylor - 56 points; Will Bond
- 56 points; Frankie Smalls - 49 points; Cory Blackwell - 49
points; Juwan Moody - 49 points; Sterling Gibbs - 49 points;
Shaquille Stokes - 49 points; Miles Mack - 46 points; Tracy
Abraham - 40 points; Rayshawn Rasheed - 40 points; Kevin
Thomas - 39 points; Kyle Wiltjer - 38 points; Jordan Shanklin
- 38 points; Anthony Anderson - 39 points; Quinn Cook - 37
points; Kentrell Brothers - 37 points; Quayshawn Williams - 36
points; Tyler Adams - 36 points; Julian Royal - 35 points;
Brandon Ford -33 points and Darius Singleton - 33 points. As
you can see from the above day one scoring leaders, the camp was full with
kids who could put the ball in the basket.
Top 20 All-American
Teams Top 40 All-American Teams
(Game
Scores) (Game
Scores)
Blue
White Blue
White
Stevie Taylor (10) Quinn Cook
(10) Anthony Penny (7) Sterling Gibbs (10)
Shaquille Stokes (11) Tyrone
Johnson (15) Deante Sanders (14) Ricky Johnson (5)
Juwan Moody (0) Myles Mack
(10) Desmond Hubert (4) Jordan Shaklin (15)
Julian Royal (5) Matej
Delinac (11) Chris Martin (7) Michael Ammons (4)
Deng Leek (1) Lavon
Harper (5) Anthony Anderson
(12) Timmy Knipp (11)
Johnny O’Bryant (5) Frankie Smalls
(12) Damien Leonard (2) Tracy Abrams (0)
Kyle Wiltjer (13) Kevin
Thomas (2) Darius Singleton (2)
Dominique Williams 11
Ramon Eaton (6) Grandy Glaze
(4) Anthony Williams (4) Quayshad
Williams (7)
Darius Nelson (10) Cory
Blackwell (6) DeVante Moore (9)
Darious Washington (8)
Rodney
Hood (3) Tyler Adams (6) Marvin Singleton (2) Peter Alexis
(11)
Note: There were several
players who were selected for one of the two All-American Games but were
unable to participate due to injury. Those players included Michael
Gilchrist (Top 20 Game), Kwai Pearson, Tracy Abrams and
Derrick Gordon (Top 40 Game). Also, for the record, the White team won
the Top 20 Game while the Blue team won the Top 40 Game.
All-Defensive Team
|
RANK |
NAME |
HT. |
POS. |
HOMETOWN (ST)
SCHOOL |
|
NR |
Tyrell Corbin |
5’9 |
PG |
Salt Lake City (UT)
Hammond School |
|
NR |
Shannon Scott |
6’1 |
PG |
Norcross (GA)
Lovett |
|
NR |
Justin Anderson |
6’5 |
WF |
Spotsylvania (VA)
Spotslvania |
|
NR |
David
Rucker |
6’1 |
WG |
Atlantic City (NJ)
Undecided |
|
NR |
Marcus Hutchins |
6’5 |
C |
De Soto (TX)
De Soto |
Top Twenty Five
Performers
|
RANK |
NAME |
HT. |
POS. |
HOMETOWN (ST)
SCHOOL |
|
NR |
Tyler
Adams |
6’9 |
C |
Brandon (MS)
Brandon |
|
NR |
Anthony Anderson |
6’4 |
WG |
Baca Raton (FL)
Boca |
|
NR |
Cory
Blackwell |
6’3 |
WF |
Duluth (GA)
Peachtree Ridge |
|
NR |
Quinn
Cook |
5’10 |
PG |
Bowie (MD)
Dematha |
|
NR |
Ramon
Eaton |
6’8 |
WF |
Sacramento (CA)
Sheldon |
|
NR |
Grandy Glaze |
6’5 |
WF |
Brampton (ON)
Campion |
|
MVP |
Michael Gilchrist |
6’7 |
WF |
Somerdale (NJ)
St. Patrick |
|
NR |
Lavon
Harper |
6’8 |
PF |
Danville (VA)
George Washington |
|
NR |
Rodney Hood |
6’5 |
WG |
Meridian (MS)
Kate Griffin JHS |
|
NR |
Desmond Hubert |
6’8 |
PF |
New Egypt (NJ)
New Egypt |
|
NR |
Ricky
Johnson Jr. |
5’7 |
PG |
Akron (OH)
St Vincent St. Mary |
|
NR |
Tyrone Johnson |
6’1 |
PG |
Plainfield (NJ)
Plainfield |
|
NR |
Deng
Leek |
6’11 |
C |
Laurel (MD)
Undecided |
|
NR |
Damien Leonard |
6’3 |
WF |
Greenville (SC)
JL Mann |
|
NR |
Myles
Mack |
5’7 |
PG |
Paterson (NJ)
Paterson Catholic |
|
NR |
Juwan
Moody |
5’7 |
PG |
Auburn Hills (MI)
St. Mary’s |
|
NR |
Darius Nelson |
6’3 |
WG |
Sacramento (CA)
Sheldon |
|
NR |
Johnny O’ Bryant |
6’8 |
PF |
Cleveland (MS)
Eastside |
|
NR |
Julian Royal |
6’8 |
C |
Alpharbetta (GA)
Milton |
|
NR |
Jordan Shanklin |
5’11 |
PG |
Bowling Green (KY)
Warren Central |
|
NR |
Frankie Smalls |
6’3 |
WF |
Pennsauken (NJ)
Paul VI |
|
NR |
Shaquille Stokes |
6’0 |
PG |
New York (NY)
St. Patrick |
|
NR |
Stevie Taylor |
5’8 |
PG |
Gahanna (OH)
Lincoln |
|
NR |
Kevin
Thomas |
6’7 |
PF |
Brampton (ON)
Henry Carr |
|
NR |
Kyle
Wiltjer |
6’7 |
WF |
Portland (OR)
Jesuit |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Performer Notes
Michael Gilchrist, a 6'7 wing
forward, Somerdale, NJ (St. Patrick HS), was simply amazing. On day one of
the camp, Gilchrist quickly established himself as one of the top players in
the building. Gilchrist has good bounce in his game and he can dunk in
traffic. Gilchrist also handles the ball well for his size and possesses
the ability to shoot the 3 ball. Also Gilchrist has the ability to guard
smaller quicker players on the perimeter. One of the most impressive things
about Gilchrist during the camp was his ability to beat his man off the
dribble and to finish with a dunk.
Grandy Glaze, a 6'5 wing
forward from Brampton, Ontario (Campion HS), proved that Canadians can
produce top talent as well. Glaze showed good athleticism, was very active
both offensively and defensively, and rebounded the ball well. He flashed a
nice mid range shot and the ability to finish with his left hand. I plan to
keep an eye on this player. Glaze is a major D-I prospect.
Stevie Taylor, a 5'8 point
guard from Gahanna, Ohio (Gahanna Lincoln HS), was arguably the top point
guard at the camp. Taylor was without a doubt the quickest guard in the
camp. Not only does Taylor get easy separation from his defender, he’s a
deadly scorer and was one of the camp’s top shooters. In the first game of
the camp, Taylor exploded for 25 points, which included seven treys. Taylor
shoots with range and he has both a midrange shot and a floater. With his
sold handle and quickness, Taylor can create his own shot. Although many
want to peg him as a shooting guard, Taylor does a good job of leading his
team and distributing the rock with precision. Taylor has a high basketball
IQ as well as an infectious personality. If he continues to grow and
develop, Taylor has high major potential.
Johnny O’Bryant, a 6'8 power
forward from Cleveland, MS (Eastside HS), was one of the most impressive big
men at the camp. Although I didn’t pay much attention to him early, by the
time the camp was over, O’Bryant had played his way not only into the top 20
All-American Game, but a high national ranking as well. This kid has a nice
body, he is extremely strong, super athletic, he rebounds the ball
aggressively and he is very active in the paint. I am telling you now,
O’Bryant is a sure fire high major college prospect if he continues to
develop.
Ramon Eaton, a 6'8 wing
forward from Sacramento, CA (Sheldon HS), logged in an impressive
performance as well. Eaton is bouncy with good size, he is super smooth and
appears to be comfortable both in the post and on the perimeter. During the
3-day event, Eaton showed his athleticism as well as his ability to step
outside and knock down the 3 ball. Once he tightens up his handle a little
bit, look for Eaton to remain a legitimate high major D-I prospect going
forward.
Prior to the camp there were a
couple of players who I intended to take a close look at. One of those
players was 6'1 wing guard Tyrone Johnson from Plainfield, NJ
(Plainfield HS). I had heard that Johnson was extremely talented but I did
not appreciate just how talented he was until I had a chance to watch him
play for several days. The first thing that strikes you about Johnson is
the fact that he is super smooth, super skilled and has a real good feel for
the game. Johnson has the ability to beat his man one-on- one with a solid
handle, and he can also knock down the trey if left open. As I stated,
Johnson has a real good feel for the game and does a good job in getting out
in transition and scoring. Johnson is one of the best guard prospects at
the camp and has definite high major potential.
Miles Mack, a 5'7 point guard
from Patterson, NJ (Catholic School), is a scoring point guard who excels
with dribble penetration and finishing at the bucket. He’s got a nice
little pull up J and he does a lot of his scoring in transition. In the Top
20 All-American Game, Mack proved he could also run a team as well as
score. From what I hear, there were several college coaches at the camp who
were very impressed with Mack’s game and almost ready to make him a
scholarship offer. Mack is a likely high major prospect.
Shaquille Stokes, a 5’9 point
guard from New York, NY (St. Patrick HS), has long been considered one of
the elite point guards in the nation in his class, and his performance this
weekend did nothing to change that perception. Stokes is a scoring guard
who uses dribble penetration as his primary weapon. Although he can get to
the cup as well as anyone in this class, he’ll also show signs that he can
hit the perimeter shot. Stokes is strong, aggressive to the bucket,
finishes well in traffic and has a nice transition game to boot. When
Stokes develops a consistent perimeter game watch out. I expect to see
Stokes playing in the Big East or ACC in a few years.
Tyler Adams, a 6'9 center
from Brandon, MS (Brandon HS), was dominant in one of the games I watched.
Adams is a big body who works hard to establish position in the low post.
One of the best match ups in the camp was Adams vs. Julian Royal, where
Adams was virtually unstoppable. Adams should be a good-looking post
prospect going forward.
Julian Royal, a 6'6 center
from Alpharetta, GA (Milton HS), put up big numbers during the camp.
Despite his size, Royal was more effective from the perimeter, and showed
that he can consistently knock down shots from the elbow out to the 3-point
line. However, Royal’s future is in the paint where he will need to
concentrate a little more on his lost post game. As Royal gets stronger and
more aggressive down low, his stock will continue to rise. Looking at
Royal’s body, he still appears very young with plenty of room for at least a
few more inches of growth. Look for Royal to be a good-looking long-term
post prospect.
Frankie Smalls, a 6'3 wing
foward from Pennsauken, NJ (Paul VI), was quietly one of the top players on
his team. Frankie Smalls is strong with a sold frame which he uses to go
hard to the bucket where he finishes more times than not. Not only can he
get to the rack, Smalls appears to have developed a perimeter game as well.
He appears comfortable putting the ball on the floor as well as getting it
done in the low post. Smalls is a bit undersized for his position so he
will need to continue working on his perimeter game.
Juwan Moody, a 5'8 wing guard
from Auburn Hills, MI (St. Mary’s HS), re-established himself as an elite
player on the national scene. Over the course of the 3 days, Moody was one
of the best 3-point shooters in the camp. In several games I watched Moody
got hot and hit multiple 3 pointers. As Moody gets stronger and develops
the ability to get to the rack, look for his stock to rise.
One of the best things about these
types of exposure camps is the opportunity they provide for un-discovered
players to gain recognition. Kyle Wiltjer, a 6'7 center from West
Linn, Oregon (Jesuit HS), made a statement during the week with his ability
to shoot from the perimeter. What’s most impressive about Wiltjer is the
fact that he already has good size at 6'7 but he still appears to be a baby
with significant room to grow. In talking with his mother, his father is
about 6’11 and was an athlete at a young age. What does this mean you ask,
it means that Kyle Wiltjer may get to seven feet and is likely to be a high
major prospect if he continues to grow and develop.
Sterling Gibbs, a 5'7 point
guard from Scotch Plains, NJ (HS undecided), logged in a respectable camp
and played his way into the top 40 All-American Game. Like most New York
City guards, Gibbs’ game centers around dribble penetration. Gibbs is
crafty with the ball, he has a solid handle but he does not appear to take a
lot of perimeter shots. As Gibbs concentrates a little bit more on play
making, his game will become more complete. Gibbs performed well in the
All-American Game finishing with 10 points.
One of the best players in the camp
without a national reputation was 6'3 wing forward Damien Leonard
from Greenville, SC. It was clear very early that Leonard has been logging
major time in the gym with his fundamental play. Leonard appears to have an
advanced skill set including the ability to shoot off the pass or bounce.
Leonard’s game is silky smooth and polished and ready for the high school
level. Another D-I prospect if he stays on track.
Deng Leek, a 6'11 center
from Laurel, MD (HS undecided), has as much upside as any player in this
camp. He possesses great hands, he rebounds well and he has nice
athleticism for his size. He also exhibited some quality post moves in the
paint and he showed an impressive ability to catch and finish and to block
shots. Leek plays hard and aggressive and could be one of the top post
players in this class by the end of the day. In addition to his stellar
post play, I actually saw Leek pull up for a 3 pointer and knock it down.
Leek is a good-looking prospect with loads of talent.
Darius Nelson, a 6'5 wing
guard from Sacramento, CA (Sheldon HS), logged in an impressive camp.
Despite his size and football build, Nelson is quite nimble. Nelson is
aggressive to the bucket and finishes well in traffic. In the Top 20
All-American Game, Nelson was impressive and finished with a respectable 10
points. Look for Nelson to follow in his brother’s footsteps at the major
D-I level.
Elite Fifty Performers
|
RANK |
NAME |
HT. |
POS. |
HOMETOWN (ST)
SCHOOL |
|
NR |
Tracy
Abrams |
6’1 |
WG |
Chicago (IL)
Mt. Carmel |
|
NR |
Jordan Akwerake |
6’4 |
WG |
Portland (OR)
Unknown |
|
NR |
Peter
Alexis |
6’11 |
C |
Hanover Twp (PA)
Hanover |
|
NR |
Mychal Ammons |
6’4 |
WF |
Vicksburg (MI)
Vicksburg |
|
NR |
Justin Anderson
(2012) |
6’5 |
WF |
Spotsylvania (VA)
Spotslvania |
|
NR |
Jaquan Bray
Sportsmanship Award |
6’0 |
PG |
La Grange (GA)
Calloway |
|
NR |
Brandon Ford |
6’0 |
WF |
Clinton (MD)
Undecided |
|
NR |
Sterling Gibbs |
5’7 |
PG |
Scotch (NJ)
Undecided |
|
NR |
Derrick Gordon |
6’3 |
WG |
Plainfield (NJ)
Plainfield |
|
NR |
Tyler
Hubbard |
6’0 |
PG |
Rockville (MD)
Montrose Christian |
|
NR |
Timmy
Knipp |
6’6 |
PF |
Sandy Hook (KY)
Elliott County |
|
NR |
Anthony Penny |
5’10 |
PG |
Portland (OR)
Undecided |
|
NR |
Kwai
Pearson |
5’11 |
PG |
Chicago (IL)
Whitney Young |
|
NR |
Matej
Delinac |
6’0 |
WG |
Brampton (ON)
HS Unknown |
|
NR |
DeVante Moore |
6’1 |
WG |
El Reno (OK)
Etta Dale |
|
NR |
Deante Sanders |
6’0 |
WG |
Deland (FL)
Deland |
|
NR |
Darius Singleton |
6’5 |
WG |
Garland (TX)
Sachse |
|
NR |
Marvin Singleton |
6’3 |
WF |
Minneapolis (MN)
Hopkins |
|
NR |
Kevin
Smith |
5’11 |
PG |
Baltimore (MD)
Calvert Hall |
|
NR |
Ladarious White |
6’3 |
WG |
McCombs (MS)
Denman MS |
|
NR |
Scottie Wilbekin |
5’11 |
WG |
Gainesville (FL)
The Rock School |
|
NR |
Quayshad Williams |
6’7 |
C |
Gibsonville (NC)
Dudley |
Top Performer Notes
I can’t forget about Matej
Delinac, a Steve Nash look alike and play alike. Delinac drew a lot of
attention with his play though out the event and he closed the deal with a
solid All-American Game performance. Delinac is a throwback player who can
shoot, dribble and pass.
Jordan Shanklin, a 5'11 wing
guard from Bowling Green, KY (Warren Central HS), was a virtual unknown
before arriving at the camp and he got better and better as the week
progressed. Shanklin is a super skilled and poised player who has a high
basketball IQ and always plays under control. In the All-American Game
Shaklin put up a game- high 15 points.
Although I missed him on day one,
Derrick Gordon, a 6'3 wing guard from Plainfield, NJ (Plainfield HS),
stood out in the first game on Day Two. What was clear about Gordon’s game
is the fact that he scores well in transition, has good vision and does a
good job of finding his teammates. I loved how Gordon pushed the rock
during the game I watched, and looking at his body, it looks like he’s going
to get a couple more inches before it is all over.
Chris Martin, a 6'0 point
guard from Washington, DC (St. John’s HS), was one of the top players on his
team. Martin’s main weapon at this point is dribble penetration, which
along with his ability to draw contact and finish makes him an effective
scorer. Martin does a good job of hanging in the air and getting his shot
off. He also shows the ability to hit the perimeter shot if left unguarded.
DaVante Moore, a 6'1 wing
guard from Elrino, OK (Etta Dale HS), despite being on a loaded camp squad,
put up impressive numbers throughout the event. Moore had good size
strength and excels at attacking the cup. This kid plays hard, shows a nice
attitude and was comfortable with his role on a very talented squad. Moore
capped off a good camp with a solid All-American Game performance.
Kevin Smith, a 5'11 point
guard from Baltimore, MD (Calvert Hall, HS), has a nice body, which he uses
to get to the rack. Smith is a good defender, plays hard and when he
develops his jumper, he will be a more complete player.
Tracy Abrams, a 6'1 wing
guard from Chicago, IL (Mt. Carmel HS), put on an eye-popping performance at
the camp. Prior to this camp a friend had characterized Tracy Abrams as the
strongest 8th grader in the State of Illinois. Needless to say,
he was right on the money. I had the opportunity to watch Abrams on a
number of occasions and he was almost unstoppable when he made up his mind
to get to the bucket. Despite his size, his strength allowed him to get to
the bucket on a consistent basis and to finish over much taller players in
traffic and after taking the bump. As Abrams rounds out his game with a
perimeter shot and some play making, his potential will increase.
Kwai Pearson, a 5'11 point
guard from Chicago, Ill. (Whitney Young HS), re-established himself as an
elite player in this class. Because Pearson had not been out on the major
tournament and camp circuit for the last couple of years, I had forgotten
about how talented he was. During the camp, Pearson showed solid guard
play, solid defense and a will to win. Although he can shoot it, Pearson
loves to drive to the bucket where he can use his speed and strength to get
buckets. I was really impressed with Pearson’s strength and how hard he
plays the game.
Justin Anderson, a 6'5 wing
forward from Sportsvania, VA, was one of the more athletic players in the
camp. He has a nice body, which he uses to get to the cup. The fact that
this player is only a rising 8th grader makes his talent even
more impressive. Anderson is very bouncy, aggressive to the bucket, and
tries to dunk everything in sight. If he continues to develop his overall
game, this kid could be special.
Probably one of the most
under-appreciated players in the camp was Deante Saunders, a 6'0
guard from Deland, Fl. (Deland HS), who opened some eyes initially with very
solid defense. As the camp progressed, Saunders showed, despite his
football prowess, that he can play some basketball. Saunders had a breakout
performance in the top 40 All-American Game where he scored consistently in
transition and finished with a team high of 14 points. From my
understanding, Saunders is a big time football player in his home state of
Florida, but it is clear from his performance at the Fab Frosh All
American Camp that basketball maybe an option as well. The kid is
extremely strong, aggressive and plays hard the entire game.
Jaquan Bray, a 6'0 point
guard from LaGrange, GA (Galloway HS), was active defensively. He has a
strong body and does a good job of pushing the rock. Look for Bray to add
real backcourt help to his travel team at the AAU Nationals in August.
Torre Sommerville, a 5'6
point guard from Hyattsville, MD (Northwestern HS), caught my eye during the
event. Sommerville is a smaller guard with quickness, the ability to pass
and he is an impressive floor leader
Although he did not get a lot of fan
fair, Shai Fields, a 5’7 WG from Pearland, TX (Pearland HS), came on
late in the camp and was seen doing some nice things.
Twenty More Players To Watch
|
RANK |
NAME |
HT. |
POS. |
HOMETOWN (ST)
SCHOOL |
|
NR |
Takwail Bailey |
5’8 |
PG |
Camden (NJ)
Camden |
|
NR |
Ander
Boone-Hollins |
6’1 |
WG |
Memphis (TN) White Station |
|
NR |
Will
Bond |
6’4 |
WF |
Portland (OR)
Unknown |
|
NR |
Malcolm Brogdon |
6’2 |
WG |
Atlanta (GA)
Woodward Academy |
|
NR |
Tyrell Corbin |
5’9 |
PG |
Salt Lake City (UT)
Hammond School |
|
NR |
Shai
Fields |
5’6 |
WG |
Pearland (TX)
Pearland |
|
NR |
LaMichael Fanning |
6’8
|
C |
La Grange (GA)
La Grange |
|
NR |
Thomas Gipson III |
6’5 |
C |
Cedar Hill (TX)
Cedar Hill |
|
NR |
Daniel Grieves |
6’5 |
WF |
Klin (MS)
St. Stanislaus |
|
NR |
Benjamin Harvey |
5’9 |
PG |
Columbia (MD)
Good Counsel |
|
NR |
Ahmad
Ibrahim |
6’5 |
WG |
Houston (TX)
Undecided |
|
NR |
Kelby
Johnson |
6’7 |
C |
Davidsonville (MD)
Dematha |
|
NR |
Algee
Key |
6’2 |
WF |
Decatur (GA)
Lakeside |
|
NR |
LaAntwan Luckett |
6’3 |
WG/WF |
Canton (MS)
Undecided |
|
NR |
DJ
Mcintyre |
5’7 |
PG |
Brampton (ON)
Wings Academy |
|
NR |
Wayne
Martin |
6’5 |
WF |
Cherry Valley (AR)
Undecided |
|
NR |
Eric
Moody |
6’1 |
PG |
Richmond (VA)
Evangel Christian |
|
NR |
Shannon Scott |
6’1 |
WG |
Norcross (GA)
Lovett |
|
NR |
Kyle
Simmons |
5’10 |
PG |
Eustis (OH)
Mt Dora Bible |
|
NR |
Torre
Summerville
Most Improved Award |
5’6 |
PG |
Hyattsville (MD)
Northwestern |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Misc Notes
One of
the things that was clear early in the camp were the number of big kids that
seemed to come out of the wood-work. Everywhere I looked there were long,
lean, legitimate post players that I had not seen in previous camps. The
presence of legitimate post players allowed wing players to be wings players
instead of playing out of position. There were fourteen players 6’7 and
above including players as tall as 6’11. In fact, for you college coaches,
here is a list of the bigs at the camp: Deng Leek (6’11), Peter
Alexis (6’11), Tyler Adams (6’9), Ramon Eaton (6’8),
Desmond Hubert (6’8), Johnny O’Bryant (6’8), LaMichael Fanning
(6’8), Lavon Harper (6’8), Keith Lumpkin (6’8), Kevin
Thomas (6’7), Michael Gilchrist (6’7), Kelby Johnson
(6’7), Marqueest Gentry (6’7) and Quayshad Williams (6’7).
The top team in the camp was the
Terps (5-1), coached by Texas A & M Corpus Christie’s Brian Merritt.
The Terps were undefeated going into the last day before being upset by a
Corey Blackwell led Wildcats team. Had it not been for the fact the
Michael Gilchrist was sidelined with an injury, the Terps might have
gone undefeated. The Terps’ roster included: Michael Gilchrist (New
Jersey), Stevie Taylor (Ohio), Julian Royal (Georgia),
Juwan Moody (Michigan), Tracy Abrams (Illinois), Kwai Pearson
(Illinois), DeVante Moore (Oklahoma), Ben Harvey (Maryland),
Thomas Gipson III (Texas) and Daniel Grieves (Mississippi).
There were two other teams that
finished with 5-1 records including the Wildcats and the Tar Hills. The Tar
Hills’ roster included: Shaquille Stokes, Will Bailey,
Brandon Ford, Roderick Days, Kelby Johnson, Camerone
Lenzy, Takwail Bailey, David Rucker, Derrick Gordon
and Ahmad Ibrahim. The Wildcats roster included: Ricky Johnson Jr,
Tyler Hubbard, Darius Washington, Cory Blackwell,
Anthony Williams, Ronnie Calloway, Kentrell Brothers,
Malcom Brogdon, George Fant III, and Quinn Cook.
Of course I have to talk about the
individual match ups at the camp. One of the features of any elite camp are
the individual match ups which are created. Four of the top match ups I saw
included Michael Gilchrist versus Ramon Eaton, Stevie
Taylor versus Miles Mack, Shaquille Stokes versus Quinn
Cook and Tyler Adams versus Julian Royal. In the
Gilchrist/Eaton match up I would have to give the edge to Gilchrist who
was very successful in taking Eaton off the dribble and scoring.
By most accounts, the Taylor/Mack
match up was a draw, with both players having their moments and both scoring
10 points in the Top 20 All-American Game. I would have to give the nod to
Shaquille Stokes over Quinn Cook but not by very much. That
match up was late developing and was spurred own by Stokes’ scoring success.
I’m going with Adams over Royal based on Adam’s dominance in
the lost post early in the game. The only thing that stopped Adams from
having a career night was the Terps’ decision to double and triple team him.
The Fab Frosh All-American Camp
attracted some a lot of undiscovered talent to the event. The following
list of players maximized their time on the big stage and left the camp with
a national ranking: Grandy Glaze from Brampton, ON, Kyle Wiltjer
from Portland, OR, Johnny O’Bryant from Cleveland, MS, Jordan
Shanklin from Bowling Green, KY, Timmy Knipp from Sandy Hook, KY
and Matej Delinac from Brampton, ON.
You know
what they always say, “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” That
is clearly the case with Georgia’s King of Courts. After talking
with head coach John Cross, I learned that the team has picked up 3
key players since the beginning of the summer season. According to Cross,
Will Barley, a 6'3 ½ wing guard from Alabama, Jaquan Bray a
5'10 point guard from LaGrange, Georgia, and LaMichael Flanning, a
6'8 center from West Point, Georgia, have been key acquisitions to an
already talented team. Having watched Bray play on day one, I think the
King of Courts, with those pick ups, have a legitimate chance of not
only making it to the final 4 at the AAU Nationals, but could claim gold.
In addition to the All-American and
All-Defensive Team selections, there were a couple of players who won
special awards for distinguishing themselves at the camp with solid play,
hustle sportsmanship and improvement. Those players included: Jaquan
Bray (Sportsmanship Award), and Darien Atkins & Torre
Summerville (Most Improved Award).
For a first year event the
Inaugural Fab Frosh All-American Camp exceeded all of my expectations.
I have been to many camps over the last several years and I can honestly say
this camp ranks among the best. Also, I thought I heard rumors that Dade may
consider developing a super sophomore camp next summer. If he does,
Buckeye Prep will be in the house. You can catch many of the above
players at the 4th Annual Buckeye Prep Report Invitational
Tournament which is scheduled for July 4-6, 2008.
As always, if you have any comments
about or suggestions for future reports, or you would like the Buckeye
Prep Report to cover your event, please feel free to email me at
Taylorobe@aol.com. Don’t forget to visit our site @
www.BuckeyePrepReport.com for news and information about youth
basketball from around the nation.
