One of our top overall prospects in Arizona's 2022 Class of prospects is Mesquite High School's gifted 6-foot-3, 165-pound rising senior guard Nate Calmese. Calmese is already rated among our top overall prospects in the class, but is one prospect that will be on the rise in our next player rankings, as he is coming off a terrific individual performance in last weekend's Section 7 Event in Glendale, and will look to have a tremendous summer campaign for hismelf, and should look to garner much more recruiting attention.
Calmese has had a strong high school career for himself, but since Division-I college coaches have not been on the road and able to see him in person for almost (2) years, it has definitely stunted his college recruitment. The last time many college coaches saw Calmese perform before last weekend's Section 7 Event, was almost (2) years ago when he was entering his sophomore season. Last weekend, Calmese definitely raised his recruiting stock with a consistently strong performance in each of his games, where he ranked among the top overall individual performers in the event last weekend.
Currently, Calmese possesses offers from Nevada, UC-Santa Barbara and Portland State, although he has had each of those offers for some time. I expect many more college programs to now look to put their eyes on Calmese, which should result in many more offers for the talented and skilled guard prospect. Calmese should become one of the hottest prospects in the West this exciting July NCAA Evaluation Period.
Calmese is a unique guard prospect, as he is a terrific combo-guard prospect that enjoys having the basketball in his hands and making plays from either guard position. He has an excellent feel for the game and can make plays at ease, as a scorer or as a facilitator. His natural position though is as a point guard, so don't let his unique scoring prowess fool you. He is at his best as a point guard, where he is a handful for opposing guards to defend. Calmese has a pure shooting stroke with range, but is at his best hen scoring off the dribble, where he has a strong handle of the basketball and is able to create off the dribble at a high level. He is always looking to make a play, which often times leads to scoring opportunities for his teammates. A very unselfish performer, Calmese makes players around him much better, and is a winner.
He is an excellent defender with quick hands and feet, and has excellent anticipation on the floor, which allows him to play passing lanes and put pressure on opposing guards. He is also a very good rebounder from the guard position, as a result of his good size as a guard, and competitiveness. He is a winner and is willing to do whatever it takes to win.
Last weekend's performance at the Section 7 proved just how unselfish a player and a good teammate Calmese is, as he played all over the floor - regardless of the position he played or whether he had the basketball in his hands or not. He moves without the basketball when he doesn't have the ball, and is not afraid to mix it up from anywhere on the floor. A true baller that loves the game and just plays.
Calmese comes from a very athletic family, as his father Greg Calmese was a standout football and basketball prospect at Moon Valley High School in the late 1980's, and his uncle Mike Calmese was also a star football and basketball performer at Moon Valley in the mid-1980's. Both family members continue to support this young man a great deal, which has also given him the fuel to develop over time and become a leader on and off the basketball court.
One of my favorite overall prospects in Arizona's 2022 Class, look for Calmese to generate much more recruiting attention for himself over the next couple months. I will continue to follow him and his recruitment closely this month and during the busy recruiting month of July, and will bring you any recruiting updates as they continue to develop.
