This weekend, the ACCAC JUCO Jamboree took place at Chandler-Gilbert Junior College, as each of the conference's junior college programs took the floor - kicking off the junior college season. As a result, our Arizona Preps' staff was able to view the conference's top players/teams before the start to the season - my favorite event of the year each season.
This event gives us a great idea of which teams we will need to watch during the year, and this weekend did a good job of creating a good idea of which teams to look for at the end of the season. Arizona Western Junior College is the favorite to win the conference this season for division-I schools, based on the ACCAC Men's Basketball Pre-Season Coaches Poll, and they will have their work cut out for them this junior college season for sure. Phoenix College has been selected by the coaches in the league to win the conference among division-II programs in the ACCAC.
There will be a lot of competition this junior college season, so it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious in the league, but I really like Cochise JC this season to compete hard for the league title. This year's Cochise team is Jerry Carrillo's best team he has had in years.
Here are the top individual performers for the sophomore class from last weekend's ACCAC JUCO Jamboree. These are among the top overall prospects to watch for this junior college season in the conference . . .
Top Sophomore Prospects To Watch
Andre Jones 6-5 SOPH Arizona Western JC - 2018 Class
Jones is the conference's top returning prospect this season, as he had a very strong freshman season for himself. As a result, Jones is a nice talent that has several offers for himself and has the potential to add many more this junior college season. Jones is a superb athletic talent with a nice physical frame for himself, and an ability to play very strong in the open floor. Jones is rated by our staff as the top returning sophomore prospect in the conference. Jones is a superb offensive talent that will also need to develop his ability to play on the defensive end of the floor as well. Either way, he will receive loads of college interest this junior college season.
Jacob Inclan 6-4 SOPH South Mountain JC - 2018 Class
Inclan is a big-time scorer that returns after a strong freshman season where he ranked among the league leaders in scoring in the conference. Inclan is a strong performer that is able to score inside and out, and does not back down from anyone. As a result, Inclan is able to play multiple positions on the floor and is also able to make plays for himself and others as a result of his sheer toughness as a player. It will very interesting to see what level this young man eventually lands at, because of lack of a true position on the floor. Either way, he is a tremendous talent that has an ability to make shots and make plays for his team at a high rate. A strong producer.
Austin Denham 6-3 SOPH Scottsdale JC - 2018 Class
Denham is a big-time shooter of the basketball with a quick release from anywhere on the floor. This young man has excellent potential for the future as a shooting guard prospect at a mid-major program. He transferred from Mesa JC last season. A shooting-guard prospect that is at his best catching and shooting the basketball, which he can do from almost anywhere on the floor. Denham has good range on his shot and a quick release. He shoots a good percentage from either the field or three-point distance. A good finisher when he decides to get to the basket. A solid ball handler and passer. Should have a big season for Scottsdale JC. A good sleeper prospect and the best shooter in the conference.
Adonis Arms 6-6 SOPH Mesa JC - 2018 Class
Arms is a long, rangy wing prospect with a nice feel for the game and an ability to make plays for himself and others off the dribble. An excellent finisher in the open floor and a great slasher. Made some very good plays on Saturday and impressed many college coaches in attendance with his ability to play in the open floor - showing very good versatility for himself. Arms is a nice talent that should be able to draw a lot of college recruiting interest this junior college season. I have been very impressed with this young man's development over the past couple years, as he has worked very hard on his game - developing now into a serious college recruit. He is very long and rangy and is a two-way player that plays both sides of the court. An intriguing prospect that will receive loads of interest this season.
Rashaad Goolsby 6-7 SOPH Phoenix College - 2018 Class
Goolsby looks prepared now to come into his own as a college player. After a good freshman season where he contributed, this season Goolsby will be asked to do much more as a player. A left-handed prospect, Goolsby is a nice wing prospect with a lot of potential and a nice overall motor. He is an active rebounder and also a good overall defender. I like this young man's potential for the future and his ability to defend several positions on the floor is attractive. Another sleeper prospect that should help himself a great deal this junior college season.
Matt Morgan 6-8 SOPH South Mountain JC - 2018 Class
Morgan is a big-time low post prospect with excellent potential for the future. Watching Morgan this weekend, I was very impressed with this young man's ability to run the floor and finish strong at the rim. Morgan is an athletic 4-man post talent that has the potential to develop this season into a mid-major prospect. A nice recruiting target for a low to mid-major division-I program. Where he ultimately lands will be determined by how much he progresses this season and how good his work ethic is. He has improved such a great deal that it will be very interesting to see just how good he can become.
Danny Garrick 6-6 SOPH Central Arizona JC - 2018 Class
Garrick is a nice athletic wing prospect with an excellent shooting stroke and a nice body for a big-time shooter. Garrick has excellent size and a quick release on his shot that allows him to get his shot off quite nicely and from anywhere on the floor. While Garrick's team got blown out on Saturday, he was impressive in his ability to make shots from deep. A specialist, Garrick will definitely be one to watch this junior college season, as he should be able to fill a need for a college program late. His size and ability to shoot the basketball are glaring attributes that should allow him to get recruited at a high level. He is also able to make plays off the dribble, but he is a specialist.
Lavette Parker 6-1 SOPH Phoenix College - 2018 Class
Parker is a big-time shooting guard prospect with a nice overall feel for the game and an ability to make plays for himself and others off the dribble, but he is at his best when shooting the basketball. One of the best overall shooters in the conference, Parker is a superb talent that has a very quick release on his shot and likes to get shots up quickly in the offense. Parker is a combo-guard prospect but is at his best from the shooting guard position on the floor, which will inhibit his overall recruitment over time, since he is not taller in size. Parker is a solid defender though, which will help him in his overall college recruitment.
Zach Motley 6-7 SOPH Tohono O'Odham JC - 2018 Class
Motely is a very skilled wing prospect with a nice overall feel for the game and an advanced offensive skillset for himself. Motley is a sure-fire skilled athletic talent that has the potential to play the game at a high level. His older brother, Terrance Motley, played professionally and he is a skilled player himself with excellent potential. Motley is able to score inside and out and also should be able to make plays for himself and others off the dribble. An athletic wing prospect that plays very well in the open floor and is a good finisher. I like this young man's potential as a player and believe that he will have a big year for a team that will need him to.
Kendrick Williams 6-1 SOPH Chandler-Gilbert JC - 2018 Class
Williams is the conference's top point guard prospect returning this season. I was very impressed with Williams in his freshman season last year, and this season he will look to return to have an even better season. This year's team is much more loaded for Williams, so he should be much more productive with better pieces around him, and he won't be relied on as much to score in Chandler-Gilbert's very well balanced attack. Williams will need to improve in the classroom to help himself overall, but he is a superb talent for sure. He has a nice shooting stroke and an excellent handle of the basketball. He also has really improved his body a great deal, so I look for him to attract the interest of many college programs this junior college season. He should have a really good season and will ultimately make a college program very happy.
Davon Bolton 6-1 SOPH Eastern Arizona JC - 2018 Class
Bolton is a sharp-shooting guard prospect with a pure shooting stroke and unlimited range on his shot. He has a very quick release on his shot and is able to make plays for himself and others off the dribble. Had an excellent freshman season, even though his team did not play well. Has the skillset and ability to have an excellent season for himself. Very few guards in the conference have his ability to create for himself off the dribble and make plays for others. Bolton is a nice talent that has the potential to become a very good prospect over time. One of the better guard prospects in the conference.
Bryan Urrutia 6-1 SOPH Cochise JC - 2018 Class
Urrutia is a very skilled shooting guard prospect with a pure shooting stroke and a nice overall feel for the game. A very good looking kid and prospect. I really like Urrutia's ability to shoot the basketball with unlimited range on his shot and an ability to make plays off the dribble. Urrutia has a very strong physical frame and an ability to also get to the basket and finish strong at the rim. I like this young man's potential for the future, and also his ability to play both guard positions on the floor. He should have a big season for head coach Jerry Carrillo, and could get a lot of attention for himself this junior college season.
Jessie Frost-Dixon 6-5 SOPH Scottsdale JC - 2018 Class
Dixon is a strong, well-built physical specimen with an ability to play well above the rim. He is a strong finisher in the open floor and while slashing to the basket. A very active rebounder. A solid shooter with a left-handed shooting stroke, but lacks true range and consistency on his shot. A solid mid-range shooter, but at his best when attacking the basket and making plays at the rim. Plays with very good intensity and has excellent overall work ethic. A very good team player.
Derek Dantzler-Fulner 6-5 SOPH Chandler-Gilbert JC - 2018 Class
Fulner did not do a lot on Saturday, but he did not need to, as his team exploded on Saturday for more than 100+ points in their win over Central Arizona JC. Fulner had a very good freshman season for himself, so he also returns this season to have a very big sophomore season. A very good mid-major prospect, Fulner is a complete player with a nice overall skillset for himself. He will be one of the conference's most consistent players this junior college season, and should help lead Chandler-Gilbert to the top of the conference standings for division-II programs. A very solid all-around prospect that will receive a lot of college recruitment this season from smaller college programs.
Chaz Mack 6-6 SOPH Cochise JC - 2018 Class
Mack is a hard-hat that has very good work ethic and competes hard on both ends of the floor. As a result, he gets the most out of his ability and is a nice addition to any team that he plays for. Mack has improved his ability to make shots from the perimeter with range, which now makes him difficult to defend for opposing teams. A mis-match for opposing defenders on the floor, Mack is an effective rebounder that plays much bigger than his size suggests. A good low post defender and also able to defend smaller perimeter players on the court. A solid prospect for a smaller college program. A winner.
Maurice Walton 6-9 SOPH Chandler-Gilbert JC - 2018 Class
Walton is a true big post player that plays very big and turned in his best performance to date this weekend. Walton has lost 70+ pounds since high school and now he is actually considered as a true college prospect. Walton runs the floor hard and makes plays on both ends of the floor. He has excellent size and strength, and has a nice overall skillset. I really like this young man's potential for the future, and feel like he has what it takes to develop nicely into a serious college prospect. An intriguing prospect that should only continue to get better this junior college season. Has excellent potential and the more he loses weight, the higher his ceiling becomes.
Isaiah Murphy 6-4 SOPH Pima JC - 2018 Class
Murphy is one of the conference's top returning players this junior college season. After a strong freshman season last year, Murphy returns this season to help lead Pima JC back to the top of the conference standings. An athletic wing prospect with a good overall feel for the game, Murphy is a nice talent that plays very well in the open floor and attacks the basket hard consistently. He is also an excellent defender that guards the opposing team's best player each game, and enjoys doing it. A good wing prospect that should compete for All-Conference honors this junior college season.
Ludovic Kader 6-0 SOPH Cochise College - 2018 Class
A skilled point guard prospect that has a nice shooting stroke to go with an athletic frame and a nice overall skillset. Kader will be the catalyst for the Cochise team this season, as he will have the basketball in his hands a great deal. He is a good ball handler and passer, and pushes the basketball up the floor to the open man. A nice overall guard prospect with nice potential for the future.
Trevan Newman 6-4 SOPH Glendale JC - 2018 Class
Newman is a big-time athlete with close to a 50-inch vertical leap. He displayed his superior athleticism on Saturday, as he dunked over and through a defender in his game - bringing the entire crowd to their feet. Newman is a shooting guard prospect, but he has excellent versatility and is able to play several positions on the floor. An active rebounder and also a good defender that is willing to guard the opposing teams best player. An excellent slasher and open court player. His athleticism alone will make him a nice recruiting target for smaller college programs.
Kevin Biggs 6-4 SOPH Pima JC - 2018 Class
A very athletic shooting guard prospect with a high motor and nice bounce off the floor. A very good slasher and finisher in the open floor. A very good athlete. Has a pure shooting stroke with excellent range on his shot. A good ball handler and passer. Plays with good overall intensity. An active rebounder. A solid all-around prospect that is worthy of Division-I consideration.
Dane Maggi 6-4 FR Phoenix College - 2018 Class
Maggi is a tough, hardnosed athlete with a nice ability to make perimeter shots and also finish strong in traffic. His ability to stretch the defenses with his perimeter shooting also creates problems for opposing teams. A specialist of sorts as a shooter, Maggi will always have a home because of his shooting prowess. Will provide just that for head coach Matt Gordon this junior college season. Has a quick release and a sharp-shooting stroke. A capable ball handler and passer. A good rebounder for his size. A good teammate that provides excellent toughness and leadership.
Jose Alfredo Rodriguez 7-2 SOPH Cochise JC - 2018 Class
Rodriguez is a big post player with loads of size and a nice ability to run the floor - especially for his size. This young man has the potential to develop this season, especially after being coached by Jerry Carrillo and developing into a serious college prospect. He is a very large post player that runs the floor hard for his size and rebounds well. He uses his immense size to get things done - making it difficult for smaller opposition to compete, since he gets excellent low-post position on the court. He is still a project but he has the potential to become a very good prospect by the spring.
Joran Ticeson 6-8 SOPH Eastern Arizona JC - 2018 Class
Has very good size on his large frame and a nice overall skillset. Ticeson is a bigger post player that also runs the floor and is capable of making plays from the perimeter or inside the paint. He is a good finisher inside the paint and I really like this young man's potential for the future.
Caleb Highley 6-8 SOPH Cochise JC - 2018 Class
Highley is a bigger post player that plays hard and competes on both ends of the court. He is an active 4-man that rebounds outside of his area and also runs the floor hard. Highley is tough and mirrors that of a Jerry Carrillo player, as he will give up his body for the good of his team. A solid 4-man prospect that will provide good production for Cochise this season, and will be a good sleeper prospect late.
DJ Lujan 6-4 SOPH Glendale JC - 2018 Class
Lujan is a hard-working guard prospect with excellent toughness and potential for the future. He is a left hander and has an ability to make plays off the dribble and finish strong at the rim. He is an excellent defender and accepts challenges on both ends of the floor. A combo-guard prospect with an ability to make shots and also finish strong at the basket.
Rees Plummer 6-5 SOPH Phoenix College - 2018 Class
Plummer is a nice left-handed shooting small forward prospect with a nice overall feel for the game and a pure shooting stroke. He is capable of playing inside and out, so his value is glaring to college programs as a result. Plummer is a skilled combo-forward prospect that runs the floor hard and also is able to defend several positions on the floor. A good overall sleeper prospect.