One of the top point guards prospects in the West will now pick up his game at local Hillcrest Prep Academy, after 5-foot-10, 155-pound rising junior Pierre Crockrell recently decided to leave Prolific Prep (CA) and transfer programs for his final two seasons of high school. The addition of Crockrell to an already very loaded Hillcrest roster will be significant for a program that lacked many guard prospects last season.
Last season's Hillcrest roster was primarily led at the point position by then senior point guard Virshon Cotton (Akron signee), with very few qualified guard prospects to replace him at the point position. This year's team will not have that problem at all, as Crockrell will team up with a loaded cast in the backcourt, which will include several top-rated national prospects such as rising junior Josh Green, rising junior guard Markese Jacobs (University of Kansas commit) and recent Arizona State commit and Top-5 national prospect Kyree Walker.
The Hillcrest Prep team will be absolutely loaded this season, and Crockrell will be the floor general expected to help lead the way.
I caught up with Crockrell last week in Las Vegas while he was playing with his Dream Vision Adidas-sponsored program in the Adidas Summer Championships, and he advised me that he decided to make the move to have an opportunity to play with such top-rated talents on the Hillcrest Prep roster.
"Hillcrest, I felt like it would be a good place for me, family wise," said Crockrell. "It would be better for me and my family to relocate to Arizona. Playing with two good guards, Josh Green and Kyree Walker, we will have a really good backcourt for the next two years. I think we will be a top five program in the country this year."
Crockrell also advised me that he is receiving a lot of recruiting attention currently, and that he is currently hearing from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Washington, Virginia, Oregon State, Houston, PENN, Montana and Pacific. Look for him to begin to reel in numerous offers for himself this high school season as many college programs begin to travel to the state to watch him perform with his new Hillcrest program.
Crockrell is what any team needs, as he is a pass-first point guard floor general that surveys the floor, and makes plays for himself and others. He is an excellent ball handler and passer that can create off the dribble. He is also a very good shooter of the basketball with range on his shot, which keeps defenses honest and opens up the floor for his teammates to get off. Crockrell likes to push the ball up the floor also, which he will need to do to maximize the talent he will have on the floor this high school season.
This is a nice talent and a fine young man with a very good personality and a great smile. He will ultimately make any program proud to have him, and I look forward to covering this high school season.
Arizona Hoop Review Scouting Report: Crockrell is what any team needs, as he is a pass-first point guard floor general that surveys the floor, and makes plays for himself and others. He is an excellent ball handler and passer that can create off the dribble, and likes to get into the teeth of the opposing defense where he can make plays. Crockrell likes to push the ball up the floor also, and he enjoys getting the basketball to the open man on the floor - in a position where they can make plays. He also plays low to the ground, making it difficult for opposing teams to defend him. He is also a very good shooter of the basketball with range on his shot, which keeps defenses honest and opens up the floor for his teammates to get off. He is a very good defender with excellent lateral quickness and quick hands and feet. He competes at a high level and loves the game. A very good, fundamentally sound guard prospect that plays to win.
