The 19th annual Arizona Preps Fall Showcase took place this past weekend on the campus of AZ Compass Prep and was filled with many talented prospects for this year's event - of all ages (high school and middle school). The event was loaded with up-and-coming basketball talent for the state, and there were many top performers on the day.
Here are some of the top performers that I watched on the day, and left very impressed with (In no particular order) . . .
Ricardo Sarmiento 5-10 FR PG Cesar Chavez HS - 2021 Class
A young, shifty guard with good floor general qualities. He pushes the ball in transition, looks up for the outlet pass and makes on-target passes to his teammates. He has excellent energy to perform on both offense and defense. Ricardo shows a nice ability as a strong ball handler. It seems he looks to create more so than look to score, at this point. In the game I saw, he impressed me with his high basketball IQ. He has good ball placement on defense. He knows where to be a help his team. Offensively, he hit about 74% of his open shots. He can also get into the paint and finish.
Shareve Yarde 6-0 SOPH PG/SG Corona Del Sol HS - 2019 Class
Shareve showcased his ability to be able to do a little bit of everything. I'm not 100% sure is he's a specialist at any one specific area, at this point, but he showed me he can do many. He can handle the ball to play PG if he needs to. He has a nice handle of the basketball, with an ability to break down his defender. A couple plays in a row he came down and hit a step back three, after he broke his man down. Next play he came down and got in the paint, after breaking his man down. He finishes with a nice controlled spin with a finish. In the event, he showed an ability to create and finish. He has good court vision and is very poised.
Anthony Garza 6-7 SOPH PF Shadow Ridge HS - 2020 Class
A long post player that is extremely active. Garza seems to have a nose for the ball. Wherever the ball is, he manages to be there. On offense and defense he consistently gets his presence felt. Garza runs the floor well for his height. He can run like a wing. He hit some of his three-point attempts and showed he can finish around the rim. As he continues to develop, he will develop into a really good player. I can see him playing at a high level over time.
Eric Blackwell 5-10 SOPH PG Corona Del Sol HS - 2020 Class
A very skilled guard who utilizes his technique more than athletic ability. He uses the screen well. He comes off the ball-screens under control and then penetrates to the rim - making a nice simple pass for an assist. He plays really strong. Showed that he can come off a ball screen without dribbling to hit the three ball. He can also get into the paint effectively off the dribble and finish. He also plays good defense that transitions into fast break layups.
Griffin Lamb 6-7 SOPH PF Gilbert HS - 2020 Class
A lengthy post player who has some upside. He is an offensive rebounding machine. During this showcase he showed he can do what the coaches asks. He finishes well around the rim. He did not show a post move in the event, but what he catched around the rim, he finished.
Kevin Kobara 6-3 FR SG Peoria HS - 2021 Class
This kid has a lot of upside to me. He can do a little of everything already as a 6-3 freshman. He can play the point guard position or the wing. He can be a mis-match because of his body type and height. If he continues to grow he will become a huge force. He can take a player to the block to post up, or is also capable of hitting the three. He can pass and he has a good basketball IQ. With his body-type, he can guard the 1 through 3 positions in college.
Lahad Adeim 6-4 SR SF/PF Peoria HS - 2018 Class
A wirery lefty who is a tweener. He can take his man off the dribble and finish strong at the rim. I haven't seen him break anyone down using his handles, but I did see him use his speed and size to blow by his defender. He is very aggressive while attacking the basket. He will keep the defender on their toes, because of that. He's a decent shooter, not a knock-down shooter. Very athletic and can finish around the rim very well. He plays really strong and can bring the same energy onto the defensive end. He's a rim protector who can and will block shots.
Khot Anyieth 6-5 SR SF/PF Peoria HS - 2018 Class
A athletic tweener who is very active on offense and defense. He showed his ability to be a defensive presence - changing shots. He can attack the rim well without using any moves. He's a mis-match being at the wing - bringing the bigs out to guard him. He is a confident player who continues to develop. He will shoot the three-pointer, but will prefer to attack the rim.
Amari Hudson 6-1 SR PG Skyline Prep HS - 2018 Class
A very physical guard who is really aggressive. This kid is a scorer. He can get to the paint whenever he wants. There's times where he should have slowed down just a tad bit, but he consistently attacked the rim under control. He probably finished around 85% of his layups with contact. He's good on and off the ball on offense. He can break down his defenders, shoot the three and get his team involved. This kid has the ability to change a program. He seems to have good basketball IQ.
Xavier Dusell 6-4 SOPH PG/SG Chaparral HS - 2020 Class
A poised guard with a good jump shot. He can shoot off the dribble and spot up. Xavier (pictured) is a high IQ basketball player who has really good court vision. He is a good ball handler, not really a fancy ball handler, but picks his spots wisely. He can hit fade aways, one leg runners and floaters. He's a player that has a lot of upside because of his great techniques. He definitely put on a show at the event this Saturday. If he continues to grow, he will easily be a high level player.
Tay Bootheman 6-1 SOPH SG Buckeye HS - 2020 Class
A smooth guard that can get the team going. He had a good showcase that showed everyone what he can do. He was a solid guard who can hit his shots. He can also find players in the middle of traffic. He had a great attitude on the court, which speak volumes. He competes at a high level. He's a player that has potential to also play at a high level, if he continues to develop and grow. Had really good ball control and showed he can play the point as well. Unselfish with a good basketball IQ.
