The West Coast Elite Basketball organization had a big week and weekend in the state of Arizona. With the growing COVID pandemic shutting down any form of basketball in California, the organization decided to move each of their events to the state of Arizona. The busy week of events began with the West Coast Elite JUCO Unsigned event @ The PHHACILITY. I was on hand for some of the event, and here are my top individual JUCO and unsigned prospects that I witnessed . . .
2021 Class Top Prospects
Shemar Morrow 6-4 Post-Graduate SG/SF PHH Prep (AZ)
After deciding on a junior college after his (4) year stint at Shadow Mountain High School, Morrow decided to go the prep school route, and fell into the lap of PHH Prep. One of the elite prospects in Arizona's 2020 Class. A skilled and athletic guard prospect that has excellent versatility and can score at all (3) levels. Capable of playing several positions on the floor. A good shooter with nice range on his shot. Also has a very good mid-range performer. A strong driver and finisher. Excellent slasher and finisher in the open floor. Excellent defender that plays passing lanes and locks ups defensively. Most likely will need juco after a prep year, but is a serious talent.
Jackson Ruai 6-4 SOPH SG Central Arizona Junior College (AZ)
Ruai decided to leave College of Southern Idaho (ID) and now has landed at Central Arizona Junior College. Ruai will be among the elite prospects in the conference, whenever the season picks up - if there is a season. This young man is a big-time athletic talent with very long arms and explosive athleticism. He is versatile as a defender and offensive player - capable of playing several positions and also defending several positions on the floor. A good shooter with range but still needs to add consistency from longer ranges. A good ball handler and passer that likes to share the basketball, and finish plays while cutting and slashing to the basket. A very good open court player. A very good looking overall prospect.
Tanner Poeschl 6-6 Post-Graduate SF PHHoenix Prep (AZ)
Poeschl is a nice looking talent with excellent length and versatility. He is an excellent shot-blocker and has a good overall skill level to go with his defensive prowess. Can guard multiple positions on the floor, even though he is rather thin physically. Can score from all (3) levels now, as he has really developed as an offensive player over the past couple years. Capable of scoring inside and out. An active rebounder that needs to focus more on this area of his game to maximize his potential as a player. Runs the floor well and is a good finisher in transition. Has a lot of upside still and good potential for the future.
Anthony Garza 6-7 Post-Graduate PF PHHoenix Prep (AZ)
Garza is a thin and very long and rangy stretch post prospect that competes hard and runs the floor hard. A strong finisher around the basket and in traffic. Very athletic with a long wingspan. Plays bigger than his size suggests. An active rebounder and shotblocker. A good shooter out to 15 - 18 feet with a soft touch. Has good low post skills and a good looking jump hook. A great teammate and has a good personality. A good looking post prospect for a high Division-II program.
Derrien Carter-Hollinger 6-5 SR SF/PF Foothills Christian High School (CA)
A strong and athletic combo-forward prospect that is a good finisher. A left-hander. A good slasher in the half-court set, and also in the open floor. A strong rebounder. A good ball handler for his size, and can create his own shot. A good passer that plays unselfish.
Nolan Naess 6-8 SR PF Laguna Beach High School (CA)
A tall and thin stretch 4-man prospect with a good looking perimeter shooting stroke with range, and an ability to score inside and out. A good low post player with a good jump hook. Has good footwork. Good rebounder. Good passer out of the post and on the perimeter. Runs the floor well. Good finisher. Good looking prospect.
Caleb Geisendorfer 6-9 SR C (Unsigned - No School)
A taller post player with good size and length. Runs the floor hard. A solid shooter from mid-range. A good rebounder. Solid finisher. Left hander. Still raw offensively. Has upside.
DJ Hawkins 6-5 SOPH SF Central Arizona Junior College (AZ)
Hawkins (pictured) is a skilled wing prospect that has a very good feel and understanding for the game. Capable of playing as a guard or as a forward, Hawkins is a very good ball handler and passer with a good perimeter shooting stroke with range on his shot. He has a good mid-range game and is also able to make plays off the dribble for himself and get to the basket, where he is a good finisher. A good rebounder for his size. Competes hard. An excellent team player. Hawkins has excellent work ethic, one of his best attributes as a player. Hawkins is also the son of Dana Hawkins, a former accomplished pro and college basketball player and the brother of Arnecia (Arizona State University) and Armani Hawkins (North Carolina State).
Jalani Horn 6-7 PF Sophomore Santa Ana College (CA)
Horn is a very thin and long stretch 4-man that competes hard and plays with good intensity. He is very athletic and works hard to make up for his lack of true physical size on his thin frame. An active rebounder that rebounds outside of his area. A good shotblocker. A good mid-range shooter and has good low-post footwork. Runs the floor hard.
Shakir Galab 6-1 SR PG PHHoenix Prep (AZ)
Galab is a thin point guard prospect with a nice overall feel for the game and a pure shooting stroke with range. He has a consistent jump shot and made numerous shots in the event. A very good ball handler that pushes the ball up the floor. Good passer. Good defender. A good looking guard prospect for a smaller college program.
2022 Class Top Prospects
Noel Scott 6-4 FR PG/SG East Los Angeles College (CA)
An athletic guard prospect with good size, capable of playing both guard positions. A strong finisher. A good shooter with range. A good creator off the dribble and in the lane. A good ball handler. Good passer that is unselfish. Good in the open floor. A very good looking guard prospect.
Joshua Williams 6-2 FR PG San Diego City College (CA)
A very quick and electric guard prospect with a high motor. Pushes the ball up the floor in an intense fashion, and is a big-time scorer that scores from anywhere on the floor. Can shoot the ball with range and good consistency, while also being able to get to the basket and finish strong. A very good ball handler and creator. A facilitator. Good passer that sees the floor. Very good defender that competes and plays hard. Has excellent athleticism for his size. Good looking guard prospect.
Anthony Tello 6-1 FR PG Citrus College (CA)
A very strong and well-built guard prospect with very good athleticism and quickness. Has a strong, compact frame and a nice left-handed shooting stroke. A nice jump shooter with range. Has a good mid-range shot off the dribble. Can get to the basket and finish. Good in the open floor - pushes the basketball. Excellent defender. Good rebounder. Good looking guard prospect.
Jamil Safieddine 6-6 FR SF West LA Junior College (CA)
A very skilled bigger guard prospect with an excellent feel for the game and an unselfish playing spirit and style. Sees the floor extremely well and sees plays before they happen. A very good shooter with excellent range and a quick release. A very good ball handler and passer. Capable of playing either guard position on the floor. Has upside. An intriguing prospect.
