The NCAA Evaluation period is now over and has come to an end, as each of Arizona's top-rated prospects hit the road this summer - in an attempt to improve their overall college recruitment. Many prospects helped themselves a great deal this club season, and raised their overall level of college recruitment. Here are my top performers from the summer's NCAA Eval period, first starting with the 2019 class (in no particular order). This is not every top prospect in the class, but rather the top performers from this summer that I observed . . .
Arizona Top Summer Performers - 2019 Class
Terry Armstrong 6-7 SR SF Bella Vista Prep - 2019 Class
Bella Vista Prep's ultra-talented 6-foot-7, 175-pound senior wing Terry Armstrong is our top true 2019 prospect in the class, and the athletic wing has generated loads of division-I interest for himself over the past year. Armstrong is among the top prospects in the country's 2019 class, and after a terrific junior season for the Bella Vista Prep program, he continued his strong play this spring and summer on the Nike EYBL circuit. Armstrong is a sure-fire high level talent for the future, and was one of the top overall prospects featured on the EYBL circuit while playing for his native club program from Detroit, Michigan - The Family. Armstrong's play was terrific and as exciting as ever, as he displayed his serious skill level, NBA level athleticism and a true knack for scoring the basketball.
Rick Issanza 7-1 SR C Bella Vista Prep - 2019 Class
It has taken awhile for Bella Vista Prep 7-foot-1, 220-pound senior post prospect Rick Issanza to see his college recruitment take off to the level I had expected when I first saw him perform three years ago, but it has now picked up a great deal and seems to be making up for lost time. Issanza is a rare find as a result of his tremendous size and length. He is a long and strong basketball post prospect that runs the floor and has a variety of offensive skills. He has unique size and agility, which allows him to make plays around the basket with a soft touch and with advanced footwork. He runs the floor extremely well, and is an excellent finisher in transition, where he gets to the rim and finishes above it. It will be very interesting to see whether Issanza decides to pop this fall or in the spring - making his college decision.
Javon Blacksher 6-0 SR PG Shadow Mountain HS - 2019 Class
One of the elite overall prospects in Arizona's talented 2019 Class is Shadow Mountain High School's gifted and skilled 5-foot-10, 165-pound rising senior point guard Jovan Blacksher. Blacksher is a unique guard talent that has had a superb high school career and is coming off another terrific season for himself. After recently leading the Nike-sponsored Team Why Not to the finals of this year's Nike Peach Jam on ESPN, Blacksher should see a nice improvement in his overall college recruitment. While he already has numerous scholarship offers for himself, Blacksher received his biggest offer to date this week after his performance this summer - reeling in a PAC-12 offer from Washington State University. Blacksher has a nice list of suitors now for hismelf, so it will be very interesting to see where he lands.
Jalen Graham 6-9 SR PF/C Mountain Pointe HS - 2019 Class
No prospect in Arizona's talented 2019 class of rising senior prospects saw his college recruitment begin to soar more this summer than Mountain Pointe High School's 6-foot-9 senior post Jalen Graham. Graham went into the summer with no offers, and now he has quickly become a hot commodity for many college programs in the West. Graham recently received his first offer from Grand Canyon University, and now many more schools are looking to be in hot pursuit of the talented rising senior post prospect. Graham is a top-rated prospect that many had yet to see play, until recently when Graham helped lead his club program, Team Why Not, to a runner-up finish at this year's Nike Peach Jame on national television - catching the attention of many college coaches in attendance and watching on television. Graham also received honors as the Nike Peach Jam Defensive Player of the Tournament - an amazing honor for Graham. As a result, Graham has become one of the hottest sleeper prospects in America. Recently, Graham has received offers from numerous schools as Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Nevada, Kansas State, Fresno State, Boise State and Weber State have each also offered the very gifted prospect - a long list of suitors for Graham.
Majok Deng 6-5 SR SG/SF Salpointe Catholic HS - 2019 Class
Salpointe Catholic High School's talented 6-foot-5 rising junior wing prospect Majok Deng is among the top prospects in America's 2019 class, and is an elite prospect in the West. Deng has generated loads of recruiting interest for himself early in the recruiting process. I caught up with Deng this week and went over his list of schools. Deng is a sure-fire talent for the future with an amazing motor. Deng has a bright future ahead of himself. I will continue to follow his recruitment closely, and bring you any recruiting updates as they continue to develop. He has narrowed down his list of school for the fall, and it will be a tough decision for Deng, who has a nice list of college programs for himself to choose from.
Jackson Ruai 6-3 SR SG Amphitheater HS - 2019 Class
Tucson's Amphitheater High School's 6-foot-3 talented senior guard prospect Jackson Ruai is one of the state's most athletically gifted talents in the 2019 class, and is coming off a strong showing for himself this summer. After an MVP performance in this summer's Southwest All-American Camp, and a superb performance during the NCAA's evaluation period, Ruai is preparing himself for a college commitment this fall. Late last week, Ruai decided to narrow his list of college suitors to (3) schools, as he trimmed his list of schools he is considering to UC-Davis, Portland State and Utah Valley. Ruai will make his college decision now between these three schools this fall, and will schedule official recruiting visits to each program. It is currently unclear as to which direction Ruai is leaning, but either of these (3) programs will be absolutely getting a steal in Ruai - an electric guard prospect with a long, rangy body and excellent quickness and athleticism.
Andre Harris 6-6 SR SF Bella Vista Prep - 2019 Class
Harris made a big move for himself during the summer, as he decided to transfer schools - leaving Red Mountain High School and transferring to Bella Vista Prep. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound senior forward Andre Harris has also decided that he will reclassify, and will become a member of the state's 2020 class, but we are listing him in this group since he began the summer as a 2019 prospect. Harris is a nice talent with a bright future ahead of him, with continued hard work, and he has received numerous offers to date. This summer, Harris received his biggest offer of all when he received a nice offer from Texas Christian University (TCU) - a member of the Big-12 Conference. Harris also currently has offers on the table for himself from Duquesne, UC-Irvine, Grand Canyon, Oakland, Central Arkansas and Houston Baptist. There are very few, if any, other players in the state like Harris. This young man possesses excellent physical size and athleticism, which makes him a very difficult guard for opposing teams and players. He is a mis-match consistently for teams, as he is physically bigger and stronger than most post opposition in the state in the low post, and has the athleticism and agility to also play on the perimeter, although he is at his best around the paint.
Emmanuel Taban 6-7 SR SF Apollo HS - 2019 Class
Apollo High School's 6-foot-5 long and rangy senior wing Emmanuel Taban. Taban emerged last club season as a talented and budding prospect for the future. This young man has tremendous potential for the future, as he has exceptional upside as a basketball prospect. Possessing a long but very thin frame physically, Taban is the kind of young prospect scouts and media enjoy seeing - long wing prospect with very good overall versatility and a slashing mindset. While a very athletic wing performer with a nice ability to slash and finish plays at the rim and in the painted area, Taban has also really developed his ability to shoot the basketball as of late. He has improved his ability to shoot the basketball with range on his shot, which has really opened up his game as of late - allowing him to now set up his defender with a pump fake or jab step, and make plays off the dribble. Taban reeled some big offers from Texas Tech, Kansas State and Nevada this summer.
Jalen Williams 6-4 SR SG Perry HS - 2019 Class
Another prospect that has made a nice jump in our recent player rankings for Arizona's 2019 class is Perry High School's talented 6-foot-4 rising senior guard Jalen Williams. Williams has consistently made a jump in each of our player rankings since his sophomore season, and now he has seen his performance reach new heights and so has his college recruitment. Williams is coming off an excellent showing this spring for himself. As a result of the extreme promise that Williams has shown over the past two years, the gifted guard prospect has reeled in numerous scholarship offers for himself already, and will look to garner much more recruiting interest this summer. Currently, Williams is among the hottest prospects in the West. The talented and silky-smooth guard prospect has consistently had strong performances each club season, and always seems to rise to the occasion. Williams is regarded by our staff as one of the best overall prospects in Arizona's 2019 class - a nice guard prospect with a high skill level and tremendous upside for the future. While he is a nice looking prospect now, he is still growing a great deal and could get to 6-5 or 6-6 in height when it is all said and done.
Jimmy Bell 6-foot-11 SR PF/C Bella Vista Prep - 2019 Class
Bell is an absolute force in the paint and around the basket. After losing loads of weight for himself and refining his approach to the game, Bell had a very strong summer performance for himself this summer, and, as a result, he earned a few offers for himself, led by a big offer from UNLV. Bell is a true wide-body post prospect with amazing size already for the collegiate level. He has a nice overall skillset and knows how to play the game. His added fitness to his once large frame, has improved his ability to play the game a great deal. A nice sleeper prospect that will only gain much more recruiting interest as time develops.
Carter Murphy 6-4 SR SG Arcadia HS - 2019 Class
Very few prospects in the state, at any class, have seen their recruiting stock take off more this summer than Arcadia High School's 6-foot-4 sharp-shooting guard prospect Carter Murphy. Murphy is one of the best shooters of the basketball around, and, as a result, has seen his recruiting interest pick up at a rate seldom seen for a rising senior prospect. Murphy earned several division-I offers this summer, as a result of his terrific play and ability to make shots from anywhere on the floor. Murphy has received offers from South Dakota, Hartford, Northern Arizona, Army West Point and Air Force. He will be an excellent fit for any college program in the country, as a result of his academic performance and his ability to flat out shoot the basketball with precision. Murphy is a specialist as a shooter, and, because of his size at 6-foot-4 and his ability to shoot the basketball with a high, quick release, he can play anywhere that needs shooting. As a result, he has seen his college recruitment skyrocket.
Otis Frazier 6-5 SR SF Buckeye HS - 2019 Class
Buckeye High School's 6-foot-5 rising senior wing Otis Frazier was on a tear this summer and recently he led his Buckeye team to the championship of the recent and very highly competitive ASU Team Camp. In the camp Frazier was dominant in his play and was regarded as the top overall performer from this year's camp. Frazier received an offer from Drexel University. Frazier also currently has an offer already from Northern Colorado University. Frazier played very well this summer and raised his overall recruiting stock as a result.
Josh Ursery 6-0 SR PG Liberty HS - 2019 Class
Ursery was one of the surprises from this year's event, and one of the elite overall sleeper prospects I saw. He has NBA athleticism for his size that allows him to finish plays well above the rim and over defenders. A big-time dunker. A serious scorer with the ball in his hands, although he is the size of a point guard. Will need to embrace the point guard position to maximize his potential as a college prospect. A solid shooter that will need to add range on his shot. An excellent slasher and finisher. Great in the open floor. A very good defender. A good rebounder for his size. An excellent sleeper prospect in the class. Ursery still has some work to do in the classroom, so it will be a long road for him still before he will actually begin receiving scholarship offers for himself.
Trent Brown 6-1 SR PG Pinnacle HS - 2019 Class
Pinnacle High School's sharp-shooting 6-foot-1 senior guard Trent Brown had a very strong performance this spring and summer on the club circuit. Brown would receive scholarship offers very early in the process from the University of Illinois-Chicago and also Northern Colorado - his first two scholarship offers in the recruiting process. Brown received offers this summer also from Northern Arizona and Houston Baptist. Brown has developed nicely over the past year as a college prospect, after starting consistently at the varsity level as a freshman. He played very strong this summer on the club circuit - shooting the basketball as well as anyone on the circuit. Brown is a nice recruiting target now, and will team up one final time with superstar guard Nico Mannion this high school season.
Jordan Mains 6-5 SR SF Pinnacle HS - 2019 Class
Pinnacle High School's skilled 6-foot-5 senior wing Jordan Mains had a big summer performance for himself, and, as a result, he received numerous offers for himself, from such programs as Air Force, Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado. College programs are smart to get involved with Mains, as he is a very skilled and sharp-shooting guard prospect that still has a lot of upside as a player and has the potential to become an excellent basketball player over time. Mains shot the basketball extremely well this spring and summer, and, as a result, has seen his college recruitment begin to soar. A good overall prospect for a smaller college program.
Lucas Elliott 6-9 SR PF/C Pusch Ridge HS - 2019 Class
6-foot-10 rising senior post Lucas Elliott has developed at his own rate. With serious hard work and natural maturity, Elliott has developed nicely into a serious college prospect these days. As a result, Elliott had a strong performance for himself this July. Elliott played very well this summer and showed a nice ability to make plays in the post and finish strong over and around defenders. Elliott runs the floor hard and is a very active rebounder and shotblocker. His activity is infectious and raises the overall level of play of his team. Elliott previously received division-I offers for himself from Portland State and Northern Arizona, although it is currently unclear as to how serious both programs currently are about Elliott. His recent performances have proven that he is definitely worthy of that level of college recruitment, and maybe even higher.
Jaret Allen 6-6 SR SF Deer Valley HS - 2019 Class
Deer Valley High School's talented 6-foot-5 senior wing Jaret Allen was a major standout this summer, but he has yet to garner the recruiting interest that he deserves. This young man is a big-time sleeper prospect with loads of potential and promise for the future. Jaret Allen is the twin brother of Jalen Allen, who is also 6-foot-5 in height and looks and plays similar to his brother. Jaret Allen is the better college prospect of the two brothers. Jaret is a very skilled and athletic wing prospect that is capable of playing several positions on the floor. He is an excellent shooter of the basketball with a superb release which looks effortless, and, as a result, has unlimited range on his shot. He also has a very good mid-range game, which makes it very difficult for him to be guarded on the perimeter. His athleticism also allows him to play above the rim and finish strong at the basket over defenders. The sky is the limit for this young talent who has serious upside physically. While he is still very thin physically, over time, as he matures physically and gets stronger, he will see his game progress a great deal.
John Olmstead 6-9 SR PF/C Morenci High School - 2019 Class
Morenci High School's promising 6-foot-9, 185-pound senior post John Olmstead played very well throughout the month of July - catching my attention with his ability to play the post position, and also his serious potential for the future. Olmstead is a rare find in our state, as he possesses excellent size and length early in the recruiting process. He is also very skilled and is a good overall athlete, which caught my attention quickly in July. This young man has the potential to become a very serious recruiting target over the next year of development. A good overall sleeper prospect for a smaller college program.
Brandon Savage 6-7 SR PF Deer Valley HS - 2019 Class
Deer Valley High School's 6-foot-7 rising junior post Brandon Savage. Still a developing post prospect, Savage turned in a very good spring performance for himself and now is rated by our staff as one of the better rising prospects in a very loaded 2019 class of players. I came away very impressed with this young man's potential as a college prospect after observing him in several events this spring, and came away intrigued by his potential for the future. Savage's high motor and ability to defend the post, block/change shots and rebound outside of his area are glaring attributes that make him an attractive prospect for the future.
Ethan Spry 6-8 SR PF Scottsdale Christian HS - 2019 Class
One prospect that took full advantage of the summer NCAA evaluation period was Scottsdale Christian Academy 6-foot-7, 215-pound senior post Ethan Spry. Spry is a talented post prospect with excellent versatility and a nice overall skill level. As a result of his play this spring and summer, Spry has generated numerous suitors for himself. Spry's development as a player and as a college prospect is a testament to his consistency and hard work as a player. Recently, as a result of his steady and consistent performance throughout the spring and summer, as well as his strong play throughout the high school season, Spry recently received offers from Colorado Christian, Fresno Pacific, Dallas Baptist and Army West Point. It is still unclear as to which school is currently a leader in Spry's recruitment, but he will have some very good options for himself.
CJ Nnorum 6-0 SR PG/SG Cactus SHadows HS - 2019 Class
Nnorum is a big-time shooter with an excellent feel for the game and a nice, college-ready body. The 5-foot-11 senior guard CJ Nnorum had a serious performance this summer, especially in this summer's Southwest All-American Camp where he earned himself an all-star performance. I have been very impressed with his ability to play the game, as well as his physical frame. Nnroum is a serious sleeper prospect and very unheralded at this point in his young career. He is well built for the future and ready to make an immediate impact physic, over time, at the collegiate level. Nnorum has the ability and the physical size to become a nice recruiting target for a smaller college program in the future, and is a definite sleeper prospect for a smaller college program.
Miles Houston 6-9 SR PF Hamilton HS - 2019 Class
Houston is a nice talent with a good overall skill level and an ability to make shots inside and out - a nice attribute for him as a college prospect. Houston is a good-looking, skilled stretch 4-man prospect with good potential for the future. He has a nice looking frame and is has good overall size, but may be a bit of a tweener, depending on the level he plays at in the future. A solid shooter of the basketball from mid-range, and he has solid low-post moves around the basket - an area of his game that he is best at. A solid athlete. An active rebounder. Runs the floor well and is a solid finisher in the open floor. With serious hard work, this young man could develop a great deal over time. A good looking young man with some upside.
Alec Bryan 6-6 SR SF Chaparral HS - 2019 Class
Bryan shot the basketball as well as I have seen him this summer, which resulted in numerous top performances. Unfortunately for Bryan, he is still soaring well below the recruiting radar, although several schools have now began to show interest in him. Chaparral High School's sharp-shooting 6-foot-6 rising senior wing Alec Bryan had a strong performance for himself on the club circuit, despite overcoming serious recent adversity for himself. Bryan shot the covering off the ball and with serious range, as his Powerhouse Hoops Schumaker team cruised to numerous victories this summer. Standing 6-foot-6 in height, Bryan possesses excellent size and shoots the basketball with unlimited range and a quick release. He shot a high percentage this weekend and stretched the defense a great deal once he got going. Bryan also handles the basketball well and has good versatility as a result. He can shoot over defenders on the wing and also has a good ability to post up smaller defenders. Bryan should generate some serious interest in the spring, as he is a specialist and one of the best in the business. There are also very few players with his combination of size and shooting stroke.
