The Hoop Circuit organization is on another level, as they are coming off a very successful July Evaluation Period, where the organization hosted several attractive events, which were filled with club teams from all over the country. As a result, The Hoop Circuit has quickly become one of the top event organizers in the country behind the strong and experienced leadership of Northwest basketball aficionado James Johnson.
This weekend, The Hoop Circuit and Tournament Director James Johnson brought together a nice group of college coaches, scouts, and media to Portland, Oregon for their Prospect Camp. The camp featured (175) different individual campers from the Northwest Region of the country. Arizona Preps was proud and thankful to be in attendance for this weekend's exciting camp event, as the majority of these prospects are very well under recruited. Here are my top overall upperclassmen performers from the weekend (In no particular order) . . .
Blake Buchanan 6-10 PF/C JR Lake City High School (ID) - 2023 Class
A longer and taller post prospect with excellent activity and a strong motor. An active rebounder and shotblocker. A good finisher. Runs the floor well and is a good finisher in transition. Knows how to play and has very good upside. Has an athletic frame that could add some serious size over time. Has a bright future. The top overall prospect in the event and one of the top overall 2023 prospects in the country. On the rise. Excellent sleeper in the 2023 Class, for now, but will garner loads of recruiting interest over time.
Brooklyn Hicks 6-3 JR SG Timberline High School (OR) - 2023 Class
A strong and athletic guard prospect that has very good versatility as a scorer. An aggressive driver and finisher that goes hard to the basket. A very good ball handler and creator off the dribble, but a pure scorer that gets buckets. A good shooter, especially off the dribble when mixing up his defender. Plays with superior confidence. Scored at a high level in the camp. Has a true scorer's mentality. Has an excellent athletic frame with a college-ready body now. A good defender. Active rebounder. Plays with very good intensity.
Devon Malcolm 6-4 SR SF South Medford High School (OR) - 2022 Class
Malcolm is a strong, well-built and compact athletic talent. A Draymond Green-type (NBA). Had the dunk of the camp in workouts over a defender. An excellent athlete with tremendous bounce off the floor. Strong finisher. A versatile prospect that is a good ball handler and passer. A facilitator. Pushes the ball on the break. A solid shooter that needs to add more consistency from longer ranges. Has a good mid-range game. Excellent sleeper prospect.
Egan Shields 6-10 JR C Ashland High School (OR) - 2023 Class
A big body post player with broad shoulders and a strong physical frame. An excellent rebounder that competes hard on both ends of the floor inside the paint. A good finisher. Runs the floor. Solid athlete but has a good wingspan.Solid low post moves and footwork. Has very good work ethic and will improve a great deal over time. Mark Madsen-type. Another tremendous sleeper prospect.
Malek Gomma 6-8 SR PF Ingraham High School (WA)- 2022 Class
A big-body power forward with an athletic and strong physical frame. He has broad shoulders and length, which allows him to play bigger than his size suggests. Runs the floor hard and is a strong finisher. An active rebounder and shotblocker. A good low-post scorer with a good jump hook and developing low post footwork. Has a solid jump shot from the perimeter, and as he adds more consistency from longer ranges then it will open up his game. Has upside and a college-ready body. A very good looking prospect with very good potential.
Sherrell McCullum Jr. 6-7 JR PF Garfield High School (WA) - 2023 Class
Avery strong, well built physical presence that competes hard and bullies defenders around the paint. His sheer size create serious mismatch problems for opposing defenders. Relishes physical contact. A very strong finisher around the basket, and also has a soft touch from the perimeter with range. Runs the floor well. Fundamentally sound. An excellent rebounder and finisher inside. Gets to the free-throw line quite often. Strong driver and finisher with either hand. Will have a big junior season and spring and summer in 2022. One of the better sleeper prospects in the West for 2023, and will be a college-ready contributor over time.
Caden Harris 6-4 SR SG/SF Summit High School (OR) - 2022 Class
Harris is among the best pure shooters of the basketball I have seen over the past year. He is a specialist as a shooter, make no mistake about it. But he is not your typical shooter, as he has a big body with very good size and strength. A major sleeper prospect, as he has not gained the recruiting attention that he probably deserves yet, but could land something nice late as college programs look for shooting. A solid defender, but needs to focus much more on the defensive end to maximize his potential as a player. Good rebounder. OK ball handler. A good passer. Has offers from Fresno Pacific and Western Oregon.
Nathan Hocking 6-6 JR SF Lake City High School (OR) - 2023 Class
Hocking is very intriguing, as he has good size and a solid overall skill level. A good basketball player that is fundamentally sound and is a winner. Plays with a purpose. Takes offensive charges. An active rebounder on both ends. Pushes the basketball on the break. A good finisher in the open floor. A good mid-range shooter, but still needs to add more consistency from longer ranges to maximize his potential. Has excellent work ethic and a high basketball IQ.
Jaylin Stewart 6-6 JR SF Garfield High School (WA) - 2023 Class
Stewart is a very intriguing prospect with good physical size and an advanced overall skillset, which allows him to score inside and out. He plays aggressive and drives hard to the basket, and is a very good finisher. Runs the floor hard. Good open court player. Has very good body control. Is a good ball handler and passer that is able to facilitate for others. A strong rebounder from the wing position. A nice looking and underrated 2023 prospect.
Isaiah Watts 6-3 SR SG West Seattle High School (WA) - 2022 Class
A hgh-wire athletic talent with a very athletic frame. Very bouncy with good length of body. Good slasher and open court player. Strong finisher for his size. Has natural ability but his continued work ethic will develop it. Has excellent potential. A good ball handler, can facilitate. A solid shooter but needs to become more consistent from longer range. Needs a consistent motor to maximize his potential. Has serious upside.
Nathan Kindred 6-4 SR SF South Salem High School (OR) - 2022 Class
A skilled and mature prospect with a nice overall skillset. Has a good body with good physical strength. A good shooter with range. Can create his own shot. Has a good shooting stroke with range on his shot. Good finisher. Does not mind physical contact. Competes hard with good overall toughness. Active rebounder. A good finisher. A nice looking unsigned senior prospect.
Jamil Miller 6-5 JR SF Gonzaga Prep (WA) - 2023 Class
An athletic wing prospect with a nice motor and a good ability to finish in transition, or while slashing to the basket. An excellent slasher and finisher. An active rebounder. A good ball handler and facilitator from the wing position. OK shooter but needs work on his perimeter shooting to become more consistent. An active defender, plays passing lanes.
Lucas Meissner 6-7 SR SF Bellevue Christian School (NE) - 2022 Class
An intriguing prospect with good height and versatility. Has a good overall skill level - combined with a nice shooting stroke with range, and an ability to make plays off the dribble for himself and others. Has a long frame. A solid athlete. Runs the floor. A good rebounder. Good length allows him to block and change shots. Has upside.
Jacob Axmaker 6-foot SR PG Stayton High School (OR) - 2022 Class
Had the best individual performance in the camp scoring the basketball, when he exploded for a camp-high (31) points in his team's win on Saturday night. An excellent shooter with unlimited range on his shot and a very quick release. Able to catch and shoot or create for himself off the dribble. A good scorer and shooter of the basketball. Has a strong handle of the basketball. A very good passer that sees the floor. Fundamentally sound performer. Really helped himself in the event.
Logan Stempniak 6-7 SR SF/PF Kentwood High School (OR) - 2022 Class
A bigger 3/4 prospect with mobility. Runs the floor very well and is fluid. A lleft-hander, has a good shooting stroke with range, but still needs to add more consistency from longer ranges. A good mid-range shooter and a capable scorer around the basket. A good scorer in transition. Solid finisher. Has good versatility. Has some upside.
Nick Strecker 6-0 SR SG Manson High School (OR) - 2022 Class
A well-built put together smaller guard prospect with an excellent shooting stroke. Among the best pure shooters I have seen over the past year. Has a quick release and a fluid shot with unlimited range.Has a strong, compact frame. Fundamentally sound. A definite specialist as a shooter. Solid ball handler. OK passer. A nice small college prospect.
Sawyer Wolf 6-3 JR SG Tigard High School (OR) - 2023 Class
An excellent shooter with range. A specialist. Fundamentally sound with good size. A good ball handler and passer. Solid rebounder. OK defender. Has good work ethic. A nice smaller school prospect.
Rav Randhawa 6-3 JR PG Nathan Hale High School (OR) - 2023 Class
A flat out competitor that loves to compete. Has good size and a very good overall skill level. A good shooter with range. A good scorer. Has a good mid-range game. Questionable shot selection at times when he gets going, but produces. A good facilitator. A solid defender, plays passing lanes. A very good ball handler. Can create his own shot and capable of making players around him better.
Bryson Metz 5-10 SR PG Union High School (OR) - 2022 Class
A very tough and compact point guard prospect that sees the floor very well, and is a floor general. Has an excellent handle of the basketball and is able to get to anywhere he wants to on the floor. A strong driver and finisher that plays much bigger than his size suggests. Has an excellent shooting stroke with range and plays with superior confidence. Pushes the ball hard on the break. Sees the floor and makes players around him better. A strong defender that sits low defensively and plays passing lanes., A tough prospect that plays and competes hard on both ends of the floor. One of the top overall guard prospects in the event.
Christian Green 6-4 JR SG Cleveland High School (OR) - 2023 Class
A very long and athletic guard prospect with a lengthy frame. Still growing into his body a great deal. Plays with very good energy and runs the floor for easy scoring opportunities. Rangy frame with excellent upside for the future. A good shooter with range but needs to become more confident in his ability to score and shoot the basketball. A very good defender. Highlight reel dunker. Has excellent potential for the future.
Gabriel Wigginton 6-5 SR SF Stayton High School (OR) - 2022 Class
A solid all-around prospect for the wing position. Has good versatility. A good finisher and slasher to the basket. Good finisher in the open floor. A good shooter from mid-range, needs to be more consistent from longer ranges. A good passer. Solid ball handler. Very versatile. Competes hard. Active rebounder.
Langston Ford 6-5 JR SF/PF Tahoma High School (OR) - 2023 Class
A very energetic, athletic wing prospect with excellent versatility. Runs the floor hard and is a good finisher in the open court. A slasher and open court player. Has good versatility. Attacks the basket and finishes, but will finish stronger over time with maturity. An OK shooter, but has limited range on his shot and needs more consistency. Good ball handler. OK passer. Active rebounder. A very good scorer in the low post, where he is able to score with either hand. Just needs gym time to refine his offensive skillset, has very good potential.
Graham Eikenberry 6-9 JR C Lincoln HIgh School (OR) - 2023 Class
A large post prospect that still is growing into his body. Has very good size, but is still raw physically and in his overall approach to the game. Competes and has the potential to become a player over time with continued hard work. Sets screens and rolls to the basket. Has solid hands and feet. Runs the floor. OK finisher. Capable shotblocker.
Jordan Tate 6-6 Post-Graduate SF Juanita High School (WA) - 2021 Class
An unsigned senior wing prospect with good versatility and a good overall skill level. A good facilitator. Vocal on the floor, leader. Runs the floor. A good shooter with range. A good rebounder. Solid ball handler. Good passer that sees the floor. A nice find for a smaller college program.
Kamal Muhammad 6-8 SR PF Lakeside High School (OR) - 2022 Class
A big-body post player with very good physical size. Has good mobility for his size. Has a nice overall skillset that allows him to score around the basket and also from the perimeter. Has a solid shooting stroke from the perimeter. Runs the floor well. An active rebounder. A good passer out of the low post. A capable shotblocker. A solid finisher, but needs to improve in his ability to finish strong over bigger defenders. Has good potential. A good looking smaller school prospect.
Cameron Holliway 6-4 SR SG/SF Mount Si High School (WA) - 2022 Class
A good sized wing prospect with a strong and athletic body and a good shooting stroke with range. Can create his own shot off the dribble, and is a good finisher. Runs the floor hard. Gets out on the break and is a good finisher in the open floor. An active rebounder and good finisher around the basket. Good ball handler with good versatility. A solid passer. Has very good potential.
Levi Pepper 6-6 JR SF Selah High School (WA) - 2023 Class
A strong and athletic wing prospect with excellent toughness and versatility. Able to score inside and out, and is a playmaker with the ball in his hands. A good shooter with nice range on his shot. Can create for himself off the dribble and finish strong in the lane. Very good finisher in the open floor. Plays aggressive and with very good intensity. Strong rebounder. Has very good potential and is an excellent sleeper prospect in the 2023 Class.
Ethan Pearce 6-6 SR SF Meridian High School (WA) - 2023 Class
Pearce is a very thin but longer wing prospect that competes hard and plays bigger than his thin frame suggests. A skilled prospect with a good perimeter shooting stroke. Fundamentally sound. Able to defend bigger post players and also on the perimeter against smaller guards. Has good hands and feet. A good passer that sees the floor. Has alot of upside.
