With the beginning of the 2014-2015 junior college basketball season upon us, we will be looking at the players to watch for this up-and-coming season, as well as each of the teams in the conference as well.
Here are my top sophomore prospects in the ACCAC this season to watch for . . .
Brandon Brown 6-0 SOPH PG Phoenix College
- This season, Brown returns as a heralded sophomore prospect in the country – ranking among the top prospects nationally in the junior college ranks. Brown is a very skilled and jet-like quick point man with a variety of offensive moves and an ability to make plays for himself and others at any time in the Bears’ offense. Brown is the most difficult player to defend with the basketball in his hands in the conference – possibly in the West. He has an exceptional handle of the basketball and can get anywhere he wants to on the floor. He can finish with either hand in traffic and also over bigger defenders. He also is a very good shooter of the basketball that has developed his shot into becoming a dead-eye shooter with range, especially off the dribble while trying to create for himself against defenders – a nice attribute. What makes Brown so valuable is that he is also a floor general and makes his team go. He plays with superior confidence, and puts his teammates in excellent offensive position to score the basketball. When Brown has the basketball in his hands, simply get open and he will find you. Brown will be the conference’s top performer this season.
Brandon Rosser 6-8 SOPH PF Central Arizona JC
- Rosser is back this season and looks bigger and much better - prepared to have a big sophomore season. Rosser is a superb talent and a very nice overall prospect. He may be the best overall prospect in the conference this season, that is not named Brandon Brown. Rosser has very good size and length and a strong overall skill level. He has an ability to score inside and out, but is at his best 15 feet-and-in, where he uses his good footwork and body control to finish plays. A very good offensive rebounder and finisher. Good shotblocker. Runs the floor well. Will have a big season this year. An excellent prospect that could play at a high-major division-I program, but will have his best success for a mid-major plus program.
Jordan Martin 5-11 SOPH PG/SG Cochise College
- Martin is an electric guard prospect with maybe the best motor I have ever seen. He runs continuously throughout the game and never seems to tire out - making him very difficult to defend for opposing guards. Martin is excellent in transition and looks to push the basketball every chance he gets, and applies consistent pressure on transition defenses. He is an excellent shooter with unlimited range on his shot and has a very quick release. He is also capable of making shots from the standstill position on the floor or while on the move. He is very crafty and has a nice overall skill level that makes him enjoyable to watch play. Plays with an amazing attitude on the floor, and is a joy off the floor as well. An excellent on-the-ball defender that also plays passing lanes consistently. A very good ball handler and passer that is capable of playing both guard positions on the floor. An excellent guard prospect that will have a big sophomore season for head coach Jerry Carrillo. A strong mid-major division-I prospect.
Ben Gershman 6-6 SOPH SF/PF Pima JC
- Gershman is a solid combo-forward prospect that has a very good skill level and a nice-sized physical frame, which allows him to play inside and out. He is left-handed, making it difficult to defend him inside the painted area of the floor. He gets a lot done inside the paint, as a result of his left-handed prowess and does not mind physical contact. Gershman has a nice shooting stroke from mid-range, and is also capable of stepping outside to the perimeter and making shots out to 22 feet - a nice attribute. He is a crafty performer that has a knack for the basketball and always seems to be aroudn the ball. A very good offensive rebounder and finisher inside. Good low post defender. Capable defender on the perimeter. OK athlete. Runs the floor. Had a strong freshman campaign for head coach Brian Peabody. Will have a big sophomore season. One of the better overall prospects in the conference.
Ali Faruqbey 6-1 SOPH PG Arizona Western JC
- Faruqbey is an explosive scorer with an excellent knack for putting the basketball in the hole. He is capable of playing both guard positions on the floor, but is at his best with the basketball in his hands where he is able to make plays off the dribble or shoot the basketball with range. Very few players are as effective as Faruqbey is with defenders either in his face or with defenders draped all over him. He may be at his best as an off-guard though as a result of his scoring prowess. A very good ball handler. Solid passer. Very good defender with quick hands and feet. Has a high motor. Capable of putting up points in a hurry. Good mid-major prospect.
Deshawn Jones 6-6 SOPH SF Central Arizona JC (Minnesota-Duluth signee)
- Deshawn Jones is a man-child with a pro body and NBA athleticism and strength. He is a small forward that is capable of playing both forward spots on the floor. He plays well above the rim and is an excellent slasher and finisher in traffic. He is really good in the open floor where he thrives. He has a very good mid-range game and is difficult to keep off the glass, especially after missed shots by himself or his teammates. He has also improved his ability to make shots from three-point distance and shoots a good percentage from the floor. An excellent rebounder, Jones pushes the ball ahead to the guard and gets out on the break where he finishes in transition with thunderous dunks. Jones is also a good passer and a good teammate that plays hard and with a good attitude on the floor. Also a good defender that takes pride on the defensive end. He should have a big sophomore season for new head coach Tramaine Aaron. Jones elected to sign this fall during the early signing period with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Deijon Spillers 6-5 SOPH SG/SF Tohono O'Odham JC
Spillers is a skilled wing prospect that is capable of playing both the 2 and 3 positions on the floor. He has a nice, athletic frame with good overall length of body. A very good shooter with range on his shot, and he also possesses a nice mid-range game that allows him to make plays off the dribble and finish plays inside the lane or at the basket. Very good in transition as well and a strong finisher. Very good athlete. Very good defender that plays passing lanes and has excellent court anticipation. Solid ball handler and passer. A nice looking prospect.
Steven Green 6-5 SOPH SF Phoenix College
- Green is an athletic wing prospect that is cvapable of playing both, the 2 or 3 positions on the floor. He is a left-hander and has a nice shooting stroke with range on his shot. A very good scorer with excellent length of body and a nice motor. Is able to catch and shoot or also create for himself off the dribble, where he is a good finisher in traffic. He is a very good athlete and is able to play above the rim as well. A good ball handler and passer. An excellent slasher and open court player. Good defender that plays with good intensity.
Matt O'Boyle 6-4 SOPH SG/SF Pima JC
- O'Boyle (pictured) is a terrific shooting guard prospect that has developed a great deal since high school, and now is a serious mid-major division-I prospect that has a consistent ability to make shots from anywhere on the floor. He has very good size for the guard position, and is capable of playing either the 2 or 3 positions on the floor. His ability to make shots and catch and shoot are glaring attributes that most players do not possesses - making him very valuable to his team and as a college prospect. O'Boyle also has a strong body with good physical strength, that allows him to make plays off the dribble and also finish plays in traffic, even after seeing some physical contact. He is a good ball handler that is capable of also bringing the ball up the floor under pressure. A good passer with good court vision. Solid team defender. Had a very good freshman season and will rank among the top individual scorers inthe conference this season.
David Everage 6-6 SOPH PF Tohono O'Odham JC
- Everage has a nice, well-built physical frame that suggests that he has spent a lot of time in the weight room - a division-I ready body. Everage is a strong four man prospect with excellent toughness and very good athleticism. A native of Las Vegas where he attended Shadow Ridge HS, Everage is an active rebounder and a strong finsher at the rim. A capable shooter from mid-range, he primarily scores his baskets off of jump hooks and strong finishes at the basket. Runs the floor hard. A very good low post defender. A solid mid-major prospect.
Marquez Jackson 6-6 SOPH SF/PF South Mountain JC
- Marquez is as explosive an athletic talent as there is in the conference, and maybe in the West. He has superb length and NBA athleticism. Jackson is capable of posterizing someone in every game he participates in, and is difficult to keep off the offensive glass after a missed shot attempt. He is an excellent slasher and finisher in traffic and in the open floor, where he absolutely thrives. An active rebounder and a nice shotblocker. An OK shooter. OK ball handler and passer. Big-time athlete.
Malik Thames 6-2 SOPH PG Central Arizona JC
- Thames is a very quick point man with an excellent handle of the basketball. He pushes the ball up the floor and is always looking to attack. A floor general. Sees the floor very well and finds the open man. A very good athlete. Very good defender with excellent lateral quickness - quick hands and feet. Verballed to San Diego State in high school, before not making it academically. One of the top point guard prospects in the conference.
Kevin Kelly 5-9 SOPH PG South Mountain JC
- Kelly is a strong, well-built but smaller point man with a nice knack for scoring the basketball and stuffing the stat sheet. A physical guard prospect that enjoys physical contact and is a a good penetrator and finsher in traffic. A good scorer with good range on his shot and a good mid-range game. A good ball handler and passer. Good in transition. Pushes the ball up the floor. A very good on-the-ball defender. A very tough guard prospect that applies pressure on opposing guards and is a good leader. Will put up big numbers for South Mountain this season and will rank among the top scorers in the conference.
Andres Marquez 6-1 SOPH PG Pima JC
- Marquez will come into his own this season for head coach Brian Peabody. A very quick and efficient point man that plays like a floor general for this Pima ballclub - a nice change from last season for the Aztecs. Marquez was already quick last season, but he has gotten quicker and more explosicve off the dribble, which allows him to make plays for himself and others - putting his teammates in excellent position on the floor to score off his nice passes for assists. Marquez is also a good scorer that is a very good finisher inside the painted area. He also possesses a very good mid-range game, which allows him to set up his teammates nicely. A pass first, shoot second point man that enjoys running a team and winning at a high level. A very good ball handler and passer. Very good defender with good lateral quickness. A very good athlete. Has a great attitude on and off the floor. A leader.
Nahjee Matlock 5-11 SOPH PG Tohono O'Odham JC
- Matlock is a strong point man with an athletic build and a nice overall physical frame. He has very good lateral quickness and athleticism and pushes the basketball up the floor. A very good scorer of the basketball that can get into the lane and finish against bigger defenders. A good penetrator. A good shooter with range on his shot. A very good ball handler and passer. Good on-the-ball defender. A good leader for head coach Matt Vargas this season. Will lead a very talented group. A nice point guard prospect for the low to mid-major level.
Khari Holloway 6-3 SOPH PG Mesa JC
- Holloway will be the catalyst this season for the Jackrabbits, as he will be the point man, and also required to score points to help this team win. Holloway has developed nicely over the past year into a true point guard prospect with hard work and focus, and is also a capable lock-down defender with a nice wingspan and quick hands and feet. He keeps his man in front of him and stays low to the ground defensively. Holloway has always been a strong scorer of the basketball, but he has also improved his consistency on his jump shot as well. A good penetrator and finisher in the lane. Pushes the ball up the floor. Will have a very good sophomore season for head coach Sam Ballard and his staff.
Javion Watson 6-2 SOPH SG Central Arizona JC
- Watson is a big-time shooter with unlimited range on his shot. He has never seen a shot that he doesn't like, but he is also able to make shots with consistency. He also moves very well without the basketball and gets open, making himself available to score. A tweener of sorts, but he scores it so well that is not an issue. A good ball handler and passer. Solid defender. Has a nice division-I ready body. A division-I transfer from Long Beach State.
Travis Meeker 6-5 SOPH SG/SF Phoenix College
- Meeker is a division-I transfer from Northern Arizona, and while he was a stretch to play there last season, he has now developed nicely into a serious division-I prospect. He has added some size and has grew some - making him a much more attractive prospect for a college program looking for an athletic shooting guard. Meeker has a live body and excellent athleticism for his size - capable of catching lobs and alley-oop dunks in the halfcourt set, while also being very effective in the open floor. He has improved his ability to shoot the basketball consistently from three-point distance and has nice range on his shot, combined with excellent lift off the ground. Meeker has a nice frame physically and has the potential to make a return to the division-I level.
Greg Carter 5-11 SOPH PG Scottsdale JC
- Carter will be Scottsdale's top overall performer this season, after a solid freshman season for himself. A squat point guard prospect that plays very low to the ground and causes havoc for opposing guards. Has a very strong body, especially in his lower body where he uses his superior physical strength to push off and explode to the basket and finish against bigger defenders. A left-hander, Carter attacks the basket strong and is a very good finisher. Has improved his ability to shoot the basketball with range consistently. An OK shooter from longer distances. Is at his best from mid-range, out to 20 feet. A terrific on-the-ball defender. An exceptional ball handler and passer, that sees the floro and pushes the basketball. Has really improved over time. Will be the catalyst for any success that Scottsdale has this season.
Jeremy Harris 6-8 SOPH PF Eastern Arizona JC
- Harris is a wide-body post prospect with a large body and broad shoulders. He takes up good space inside the paint and is difficult to keep off the offensive glass. He is a good offensive rebounder that keeps the ball up high for put-backs. Harris has a good jump hook and is able to step outside and make shots from the perimeter - out to 15 feet, although he is not yet consistent. More consistency is this area will maximize his potential as a player. Capable shotblocker. Not overly athletic, but runs the floor well. Foul prone. Good passer out of the post. A solid prospect for a low to mid-major program.
Arsenio Morales 6-6 SOPH PF South Mountain JC
- Arsenio has improved a great deal since high school. He is what he is - a strong, wide bodied post player that enjoys physical contact and plays with his back to the basket - a lost art for today's post players. Morales is a nice find for a low to mid-major division-I program looking for immediate inside help and toughness. He runs the floor well. An OK athlete. Good finisher inside. Has solid footwork. A capable shooter out to 15 feet, although everything for him comes from jump hooks and strong finishes at the rim. Strong rebounder. Capable shotblocker. Sleeper prospect.
More Top-Rated ACCAC Sophomore Prospects:
Tanner Waldrip 5-10 SOPH PG Glendale JC
Daniel Hernandez 5-10 SOPH PG Cochise JC
Domineik Banks 6-0 SOPH PG South Mountain JC
Michael Carter Jr. 6-1 SOPH PG Chandler-Gilbert JC
Alex Solarez 6-1 SOPH SG Glendale JC
Devin White 6-3 SOPH Tohono O'Odham JC
Conner Helvig 6-3 SOPH SG Scottsdale JC
Derrick Bowers 6-4 SOPH SG Mesa JC
Torrian Epps 6-4 SOPH SG Central Arizona JC
Brandon Lovings 6-4 SOPH SF/PF Arizona Western JC
Bryan Cervantes 6-4 SOPH SF Pima JC
Monnard Brown 6-5 SOPH PF South Mountain JC
Emery Range 6-5 SOPH SF Glendale JC
Noah King 6-5 SOPH SF Phoenix College
Vamba Donzo 6-6 SOPH SF Glendale JC
Kyle Rowles 6-6 SOPH PF Chandler-Gilbert JC
Garrett Hacker 6-7 SOPH SF/PF Tohono O'Odham JC
Latrell Spivey 6-8 SOPH PF Glendale JC
Ingrid Sewa 6-8 SOPH PF Arizona Western JC
Rayvaughn Gayle 6-8 SOPH PF Central Arizona JC
Mahktar Fall 6-8 SOPH PF Chandler-Gilbert JC
Jack Ocwieja 6-10 SOPH C Central Arizona JC
Stephen Hadley 6-10 SOPH C Pima JC
