While the majority of Arizona club teams were in California this weekend, several Arizona club teams traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada to take part in the Pangos Spring Spectacular event. While participating in one of the top exposure events of the spring, many Arizona prospects from the 2014, 2015 and 2016 classes raised their overall recruiting stock this weekend. The Arizona Magic Elite 17U team and the Arizona Stars 17U teams would advance to the Elite 8 of the event, while the Arizona Magic Elite 16U squad would reach the tournament's semi-finals before being knocked out of the event.
While many Arizona prospects raised their recruiting stock this weekend, no player emerged this weekend more than Basha High School's 6-foot-9 sophomore post Devin Kirby. Kirby would turn in a monster performance this weekend while leading his team past several top-rated programs in the event.
Kirby, the younger brother of current college post Maurice Kirby (Virginia Tech transfer), has been regarded as one of the elite prospects in Arizona's 2016 class by our Arizona Preps' staff for some time. This weekend, Kirby would realize much of his potential as a college prospect - blocking shots, rebounding, running the floor hard and finishing strong at the rim over defenders. Kirby's performance was a nice preview to just how good this young man will become over time. Unfortunately for his opponents this weekend, Kirby seemed to realize his potential much sooner than expected.
With continued hard work and development as a player, Kirby should develop nicely into an elite high-major prospect, as a result of his size, length and overall skill level as a college prospect.
Recruiting Notes: Sunnyslope HS 6-foot-3 junior guard Sammy Thompkins and Westview HS top-rated unsigned 2014 prospect Andre Adams both led a very talented Arizona Magic Elite 17U team to the quarterfinals of this year's tournament. Thompkins put up big scoring numbers in the event and proved that he is among the elite guard in the West for the 2015 class, while Adams showed why he is regarded by national scouts and media as one of the premier unsigned post prospects in the country. Adams is currently working very hard in the classroom, and is hopeful to become a late academic qualifier.
Desert Mountain HS 6-foot unsigned senior guard prospect Gino Littles helped to lead the Arizona Stars 17U team to the quarterfinals of last weekend's event. Littles is a quick ball handler and passer with a nice overall feel for the game and good skills from the point guard position. Littles is currently considering a walk-on opportunity at the University of Texas San Antonio.
