The 19th annual Arizona Preps Fall Showcase took place recently 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 the top overall performers that I witnessed from this year's recent event, from the 2021, 2022 & 2023 classes (In no particular order) . . .
Top Fall Showcase Performers - 2021 Class
Ricardo Sarmiento 5-10 FR PG Cesar Chavez HS
Sarmiento has played very well each time I have seen him play over the past 6 months. A big time young prospect that has a very advanced understanding and feel for the game very early in his career. Has been around the game all of his life, which has helped him develop a great deal. A very good shooter of the basketball with range on his shot and a quick release. He looks to find the open man on the floor at all times, and is an excellent floor general that makes players around him better. A leader. Competes hard and plays fast. Pushes the basketball up the floor. Has a very bright future ahead of him.
Raishun Wilson 5-10 FR PG Vista Grande HS
Will compete as the state's top incoming freshman this high school season. Each time I have seen this young man perform, I have walked away very impressed. A tough and well-built physical guard prospect with a nice motor and work ethic. Accepts challenges on every play and guards the opposing team's best player - enjoys it. Has an excellent physical frame for his size. An excellent defender that is capable of being a lock-down defender. A good shooter that has some range, but will need to add more range over time to stay effective. A good creator off the dribble and an excellent finisher at the rim. An excellent athlete that has high-major athleticism and leaping ability. A strong rebounder for his size. Has a bright future ahead as a result of his overall toughness and athleticism as a player.
Kevin Kobara 6-3 FR SG Peoria HS
A skilled and athletic guard prospect with a good shooting stroke with range on his shot. A capable combo-guard prospect that competes on both ends of the floor, and plays with good overall intensity. A good ball handler. A solid passer. A good on-the-ball defender that also plays passing lanes. Has a good future ahead of him.
Damaryea Gadson 5-4 FR PG Desert Vista HS
Gadson is a very skilled point guard prospect with an excellent handle of the basketball and an ability to make plays off the dribble almost at will is very difficult to defend one-on-one. He can get by his defender and create in the lane effectively at a high rate, and is a very good scorer of the basketball as well. A very good finisher in the lane. A good shooter with range on his shot, but at his best off the dribble creating for himself and others. A very good passer that pushes the ball and sees the floor. An excellent defender with very quick hands and feet. Has a very bright future that will not be determined by his size.
Top Fall Showcase Performers - 2022 Class
Deotis Nunn 5-6 8th Grader PG Vista Del Sur Middle School
Nunn is a superb middle-school prospect with a strong, advanced offensive skillset that allows him to score the basketball almost at will - either while catching and shooting the basketball or creating for himself off the dribble. He scores at a high rate and is an effective scorer against bigger guards. Plays much bigger offensively than his smaller size suggests. A very crafty ball handler and passer with a high basketball IQ. Has poor shot selection at times, and can play selfishly, as a result of his pure knack for scoring the basketball, so he will need to learn to make players around him better. If he can do so, then he will become a serious college prospect over time.
Bryson McLemore 6-1 8th Grader SG/SF Vista Del Sur Middle School
A long, rangy wing prospect with long arms and a lengthy body. Has excellent upside. A good shooter with some range on his shot, but is at his best from mid-range and off the dribble. A good finisher. An active rebounder. A good passer. A capable ball handler. A good shotblocker. Should grow a great deal over time. Has the potential to become something special over his young career.
Jordan Galan 6-7 8th Grader PF/C Loma Linda Middle School
A very tall post player for his age that possesses short arms for his size. Not overly athletic but has a good overall skill level. Runs the floor well and is a solid finisher. An active rebounder. A capable shotblocker. Has good potential over time with upside.
Elijah Cunningham 5-0 8th grader Kyrene Middle School
A point guard prospect that is a duo sports star. A quick ball handler and passer with quick hands and feet. An excellent defender. An excellent ball handler and passer. A very good finisher.
Michael Keelen 5-5 8th Grader PG Horizon Honors HS
A skilled guard prospect with a very good handle of the basketball. Pushes the ball up the floor. A good passer that sees the floor. A good penetrator and a solid finisher in the lane. A solid defender.
Christian Escobar 5-6 8th Grader PG/SG Desert Spirit Middle School
A skilled combo-guard prospect with a good overall feel for the game. A good finisher in the lane. A good passer that sees the floor. Has good overall toughness. A good defender.
Chris Bullock 5-10 8th Grader SF/PF Centennial Middle School
Bullock is a skilled combo-forward prospect with a good overall feel for the game. He is a good shooter with range on his shot, but is currently at his best from mid-range, and off the dribble where he is a playmaker for himself and others. A good offensive rebounder. A solid defender that needs to focus more defensively. Needs to get quicker and more explosive over time to reach his potential as a player.
Moses Miller 6-4 8th Grader PF Home School
A post player with a solid overall skill level. A solid low post scorer. Has good size early and should continue to grow a great deal. Not overly athletic, so will need to improve his explosiveness over time. A solid rebounder. Has good potential.
Maxsamus Armstrong 5-9 8th Grader SF Apprende Middle School
A long, rangy prospect with tremendous upside for the future and excellent potential as a player. Just starting to grow into his body. Has a solid skill level at this point, but should develop nicely over time. A solid rebounder. Good defender.
Tyler Bales 5-5 8th Grader SG Greenfield Middle School
A guard prospect with an excellent shooting stroke and a quick release, with unlimited range on his shot. Has a very good overall skill level, and can score with either hand. A good ball handler and passer. Will attend Gilbert HS.
Top Fall Showcase Performers - 2023 Class
Zevin Gadson 5-2 7th Grader PG Centennial Middle School
Gadson is an electric young point guard prospect with excellent quickness and explosiveness off the dribble. He has a very quick first step, which allows him to blow past defenders almost at will. A skilled guard prospect with a nice overall feel for the game and a knack for scoring the basketball. An excellent defender with very quick hands and feet. Will grow into an elite guard prospect over time. A native of Ohio.
Isaiah Barnes 4-10 7th Grader Home School
While being small in size, Barnes is an excellent shooter of the basketball with range. He has a pure shooting stroke and can get his shot off. Fundamentally sound. A good ball handler and passer. Has a high basketball IQ. A good finisher for his size.
