This weekend I ran the Southwest All-American Camp at the Kroc Center in Phoenix.
Anthony Ray (Arizona Preps) and I put together this event strictly for exposure purposes. We had almost 110 players attend the camp with 7 college coaches on hand plus some of the top West Coast scouts.
We had Gerry Frietas (Hoopreview.net), Roy White (West Coast Hoops), Josh Gershon (National recruiting analyst for Scout.com) and Chris Karpman (Sun Devils Source/Scout.com) on hand. Those four communicate weekly to over 200 college coaches which should bring some more exposure to the players.
Here is a rundown of almost every player that made the Top-20/40 or underclassman all-star games with some video with the help of AZ Finest Mixtape and some others:
2018
Jalen Townsell W/SG 6’6” 194 Spanish Springs HS-NV
-Townsell is an athletic marvel. He was the CO-MVP of the camp and stole the show. He had those special dunks that very few players can pull off plus hit many deep balls in the weekend. He has a decent handle to get by his man off the dribble and flush it down high above the rim. One thing he can work on is a pull-up off the bounce. He did rebound the ball well and defended his position well. He has also plays with a high IQ and moves without the ball the whole game. A player I believe will blow up in July.
Jared Martin CG 6’5” 195 Saguaro HS
-Martin showed that he is a rare true combo-guard. He shot it well from deep in the first games and hit one in the top-20 game but also became the PG in the all-star game and had 9 assists. He has good length and outsmarted all his opponents throughout the weekend. His confidence is through the roof right now and just seems to keep adding to his game. His defense is good not great and will need to keep improving that. He has good athleticism and his body is shaping up for the next level.
Zeke Quinlan SF 6’6 1/2” 208 Hillcrest Prep
-Quinlan is a strong driver and has toughness with a high motor. He has a college ready body and he can pull-up off the dribble plus shoot the 3pt shot off the catch. He may need to improve his shooting consistency from deep but hit some in each game. He also just got back from a broken wrist, so he will only get better. He is an outstanding rebounder using his body and he is a plus athlete. He was a 2017 player and he is re-classing and attending Hillcrest. The family is from Oregon and he attended Life Christian HS-OR last year.
Nikc Jackson PF 6’8” 195 Rancho Solano Prep
-Jackson showed off his mobility and high skill level as a forward. He was arguably the top PF of the entire event. He hit from deep plus ran the floor and threw down on the break. The most impressive thing he did was handle the ball and take it all the way. He can create a shot for himself with his handle and uses his length well on the defensive end to protect the paint. He plays with good energy and he should be a player to watch in July.
Trey Wood PF 6’9” 185 Anthem Prep
-Wood had somewhat of a breakout weekend for himself. He showed he can score the ball inside with his left or right hand and has a quick burst off the floor. He likes the baby hooks and once he gains position, he is very efficient. He can face up to the elbow and he has grown an inch in the last few months. Despite his thin frame, he rebounds the ball at a high level and blocks shots in his area. He will need to put on a ton of weight moving forward but he has good skill level and plays with a high motor.
Christian Anigwe PF 6’8” 190 Desert Vista HS
-Anigwe had a big game on Saturday and showed he can face up from 15-feet. He is very quick for his position and can put it on the deck a little. He had a big dunk in traffic, but like Wood, he will need to thicken up. He struggled a little in the Top-20 game but all in all, he had a good weekend. Davidson is currently hot on his heels for his services along with a few others.
Koby Jones W 6’3” 190 Centennial HS
-Jones was another player who had a breakout weekend. He was dominate in one of the games with 16 points at the half. He scored from the 3pt line, which isn’t currently his strong suit and attacked the basket high above the rim, which he does well. He has a strong build to defend and he rebounds the ball at a good rate for his position. He will make his money with his defense and become a possible 3 and D player in college. Once he gains more confidence and plays in rhythm, he looks very good.
Jarrod Burks SG 6’2” 185 Arbor View HS-NV
-Burks is a strong driver and has a nice handle. He gets into the lane easily with his long arms and good build. He can bounce off his defenders and score it. He has a streaky 3pt shot and will need to improve with this. He is a physical defender and he shows a high IQ for the game.
Jared Perry PF/C 6’7 1/2” 190 Paradise Honors
-Perry may have some more strides to make but the things he does well, he can dominate games with. He runs the floor with the best of them and has quick bounce to dunk the ball easily. He has a good build to take the contact and finish it off. He is super active on the glass with a huge motor. He blocked six shots in the Top-20 all star game and he was relentless. He does need to extend his shooting range beyond the paint and improve his left hand but he made huge strides since getting cut his freshman year. Perry is the poster boy for hard work and dedication to the game.
Jaden Lee CG 6'2" 180 Mesquite HS
-Lee had a great outing this weekend. He walked into HS as one of the best prospects locally and fell off a little while transferring two times and never finding that groove again. He now looks comfortable and seems to be back with extreme confidence. He shot the ball better than I’ve seen him shoot in a long time and was outstanding on the break as always. He has good length and has an explosive first step. He can create his own offense and score from all three levels. He defends his position and looked like one of the better guards at the camp. If he can keep hitting deep shots, his stock will go up quickly.
Rashad Smith SG/CG 6’5” 186 Hamilton HS
-Smith had a decent showing over the weekend. He has slashed to the hole well and has great body control to score through contact. He normally has the ball in his hands a little more and creates his own shot better than off the catch. He uses his length and toughness defending on the perimeter and is one of the better rebounding guards in state. He also is a smart passer. He may not be a PG, but makes plays for others. His 3pt stroke still needs work but he has improved. He is best taking the ball to the basket.
Lunden Taylor CG/PG 6’2” 175 San Joaquin HS-CA
-Taylor is a crafty scorer and a better playmaker than I realized. He didn’t have the ball in his hands very often besides looking to score, but showed that he may become a PG at the next level. He is a smart player off the pick and roll and can score off of it from all levels. He isn’t the high riser but he uses his mind and skill to his advantage.
Grant Greabell CG 6’3” 175 Estrella Foothills HS
-Greabell is a lights out shooter. He is one of the better senior shooters in state off the catch and proved it in the top-40 game with five 3s in a row. He has a quick release and moxy that every shot is going in. He was another that didn’t have the ball in his hands a lot this weekend but proved he can play off the ball just as well. He moves well without the ball and has a high court IQ. He will need to get stronger moving forward, which will help him absorb the pounding inside the paint and help him versus ball pressure. Greabell is receiving interest from many schools around the West Coast.
Ajang Aguek F 6’7” 165 Ironwood HS
-Aguek proved to everyone that he belonged at this level. This was only the second time I’ve seen him play and I was fully impressed. In the new age NBA game of the Draymond Green types, Aguek fits the bill. He can guard almost every position on the floor with amazing lateral quickness and balance. He has good length and he is athletic enough to stay with his opponent. He gobbles up rebounds and blocks shots. He doesn’t give his man much space to operate and has an endless motor. Offensively he is a little behind. He can hit shots from the perimeter with unorthodox mechanics and has a very high arc on the ball. But he makes more shots than he misses. At only 165 pounds he will obviously have to put a ton of weight on, but he could be a major sleeper after a year or two of prep/juco.
Morgan Brown SF 6’4” 185 Eagle Crest HS-CO
-Brown is another player I really liked this weekend. The Colorado player had one of the longest wingspans in the building. He had some special moments dunking the ball and blocking shots. He met a couple players at the rim with impeccable timing, length and quicks. He gets out on the break and gets to the basket in very few strides using all his tools. He hit multiple deep balls in every game and despite him being undersized for position, you would never know it since his motor is nonstop. He competes on every possession and makes winning plays. He will need to improve his handle somewhat and shooting consistency, but Brown is a nice sleeper.
Jaylin Fleming CG/PG 6’2” 185 Arcadia HS
-Fleming is a classic downhill attacker. He plays the game with a huge motor and he is always working hard on every possession. He had good length with a sturdy frame to take the pounding inside and bounce off of defenders to score the basket. He has solid court vision and although he may over dribble at times, he gets the job done. He defends his position at a high level using his physicality, length, strength and quicks. He will need to extend his range beyond the FT line but he has a lot of tools to offer.
Donnie Reagan CF 6’4” 210 Fairfax HS
-Reagan is another long forward who makes plays. He has become a consistent perimeter shooter and a rim protector. He also is extremely athletic and had a few eye-popping dunks throughout the weekend. He has a decent handle to maneuver in traffic but is more of a deeper defender than a space defender. If he can keep making strides on the perimeter, he could switch over to the three and be a bigger threat.
Tyrese Eugene PG 5’10” 175 Ironwood HS
-Eugene is another Ironwood player that turned some heads this weekend. He made the top-20 all-star game and maybe two people in the building have ever seen him play or even heard of him. He has a strong upper body and shoots it with consistency. He earned the top game with having a 20+ point game and scored from every level. He has the floater plus he can pull-up from mid-range and hit the 3. He uses his strength to get into the lane and muscle his way in. He also showed he can control a game with his mind and plays the game with a good IQ. He made one incredible step back with a defender draped all over him and he faded away to show how highly skilled he is.
Meekness Payne PF 6’6” 195 AZ Compass Prep
-Payne is a physical rebounder who plays with great energy. He is very productive in every game with nice activity. He is mobile and can hedge on a p/r and gets up the court in a hurry which usually results in a slam since he beats his defenders down the court. He has a few post moves inside and can carve out space to score in the half court set and he has improved a little every year.
Amarion Cash SG 6’2” 165 Mountain Pointe HS
-Cash is a long and wiry athlete with a pull-up. He loves the mid-range game and he is one of the more consistent seniors with that weapon. He can make shots beyond the arc but prefers to step inside. He gets out on the break in a hurry and can flush it down with his length and bounce. He takes long strides to get to the basket and has good potential defensively long term.
Addison Mort CG/PG 6’3” 175 The Gregory School
-Mort is another rising player in the class. He is a long and good with the ball in his hands. He is a smart playmaker and on-ball defender using his quicks and length. He has developed a nice pull-up off the bounce and he can hit from deep as well. He has a good build and natural instincts to succeed.
Tashon Brown PG 5’10” 165 Paradise Valley HS
-Brown has great speed with the ball and has the ability to turn the corner on his defenders with no wasted movement. He has a quick pull-up from mid to the 3pt line. He isn’t the biggest player but gets the job done with his speed, IQ and skill.
Isaac Williams PF/C 6’6” 230 Chavez HS
-Williams is a physical paint player that has leaned out a little. He runs the floor well and likes contact. His post footwork has improved and he can face up from elbow and in. He can improve his handle and extend his range moving forward.
Braxton Baum F 6’6” 180 Columbine HS-CO
-Baum is a highly skilled forward. He had one game where he went 7-7 from the field and 6 of the 7 were from the perimeter. He was arguably the best shooting forward at the camp and plays a smart floor game. He doesn’t attempt any bad shots and he is a good rebounder in his area. He isn’t the vertical athlete of some of the others but his skill and mind will win games.
Duron “DJ” McNeal PG 5’11” 170 Agua Fria HS
-McNeal is a player that keeps getting better. He was always a tough kid who is extremely competitive, but now his skill is improving. He has a nice pull-up off the dribble and he can hit a catch 3pt shot. He also uses his length to finish inside the paint through contact. He is becoming a scoring lead guard who can direct traffic but his first instinct is to score.
Joe Heath SG 6’3” 170 Mohave HS
-Heath is another tough player who is competitive. He has a consistent deep stroke and strength to get to the basket. He isn’t an explosive player but plays the game hard with a good motor. He can put the ball on the deck and get to the cup and handle contact to score. His shooting and competitiveness will separate him from some others.
Sindou Cisse SF 6’2” 180 Far Northeast HS-CO
-Cisse is a good athlete who can fly up the court. He is another very long wing player who is a defensive minded player first. He had an incredible block at the rim using his length and athleticism. He can defend out on the perimeter and likes to slash to the basket. He can shoot it from mid-range and in but he will need to extend his range out to the 3pt line. He has a good burst to get to the basket and the strength to finish.
Liam MacDonald C 6’9” 180 Littleton HS-CO
-MacDonald is a skilled five-man. He is mobile and despite his lack of weight/strength, he rebounds well in his area. He can shoot it to 15-feet and in and he can make his FT shots. He uses his length to contest shots and once he puts on more weight, he will be even more effective.
Conner Verdugo PG 5’11” 170 Walden Grove HS
-Verdugo is another tough player that doesn’t back down. He is a physical player on both ends of the court. He will guard his man on the ball all the way up the court and uses his strength to get by his man. He has become a good knockdown shooter from deep and plays the role of a true PG setting up his teammates any chance he gets. He’s one of the better real PGs in Tucson from his class.
Breven Burnett CF 6’5” 200 Cienega HS
-Burnett is an unique player. He can be physical inside with good post footwork and score it plus take his man outside and shoot it from deep. He has a stronger frame and uses his girth to rebound the ball at a good rate and he is very productive.
Bryce Meadows PG 6’2” 190 AZ Compass Prep
-Meadows is a physical ball handler who has a nice pull-up from 15-feet and in. He is a good on-ball defender using his strength and lateral quickness and he is a true PG. He is always trying to make his teammates better and if he can extend his shooting range and become a more consistent perimeter shooter, his stock will rise.