The West Coast Elite Showcase took place this weekend at Rancho Solano Prep. Organized by West Coast scout and club organizer Ryan Silver, this event was awesome - filled with loads of basketball talent from the state and many people from the Arizona basketball community. The event was electric. The day was filled with positivity and a nice environment - making for an exciting day of basketball. A great day to observe basketball talent.
Much of the Arizona Preps' staff was in attendance on the day to catch the exciting action. There were a large number of Arizona prospects in participation on the day, so it will be difficult to catch everyone in this write up, almost impossible, but here are the prospects that caught my attention on the day (in no particular order) . . .
West Coast Elite Showcase Top 2018 Prospects
Both Gach 6-6 SR AZ Compass Prep
Our runner-up for MVP of the event. Played very well and showcased why he is considered by our staff as the new top overall prospect in Arizona's 2018 class. A highly skilled performer with a nice feel for the game and an ability to score inside and out. An excellent slasher and finisher. A big time athlete. Plays well above the rim and has pro-like potential long-term, and with continued hard work on his body. Runs the floor like a smaller guard. Has a good shooting stroke with excellent range. Very unselfish with the ball in his hands. Tougher than he looks. Has a very bright future and look for him to garner many offers soon.
Dwayne Walker 6-4 SR AZ Compass Prep
Walker recently moved to the state from Milwaukee, WI. A left-handed shooting guard prospect with combo-guard capabilities. He has a nice shooting stroke with a quick release that allows him to get his shot off quite well, while also being able to put the ball on the deck and make plays at a high level for himself towards the basket. He is a strong finisher at the rim and has very good athleticism for himself - a very good attribute for a combo-guard prospect. A good ball handler and passer, but he is at his best scoring the basketball, which he does at a high rate.
Lahad Adeim 6-6 SR Peoria HS
Adeim was one of the top standouts on the day as a result of his serious motor and work ethic on both ends of the floor. He competes at a high level and looks to make plays for his team, and is always in the play. Plays inspired basketball which I love. He creates opportunities on both ends of the court, as a result of his tenacity. He plays passing lanes and creates steals and deflections that lead to offensive scoring opportunities for his team. He also rebounds outside of his area, which makes him very valuable for his team. He has a solid left-handed shooting stroke and is a solid mid-range shooter. An excellent slasher and big-time finisher. Plays well above the rim in the open floor. A terrific sleeper prospect.
Meekness Payne 6-7 SR AZ Compass Prep
Payne is a versatile forward prospect that is able to play much bigger than his size suggests. His athletic 6-7 frame allows him to play as stretch-4 man, and also defend all three frontcourt positions on the floor. Payne rebounds outside of his area, as a result of his extreme activity on the floor. He has the potential to develop into a combo-forward over time. He is a good shooter from mid-range and can step out to three-point distance as needed. As he continues to add consistency from longer ranges, he will see his game progress nicely. Payne's best aspect of his game though is that he is an excellent defender that accepts challenges on the defensive end of the floor.
Jared Perry 6-8 SR Paradise Honors HS
Perry has improved a great deal over the past year, and has developed himself nicely into a serious college prospect. He has really improved his body and has gotten much stronger physically, which has benefited him a great deal. Very athletic with good length and broad shoulders. A solid shooter from mid-range and a very improved and good overall low-post scorer. Has good low post moves and a nice jump hook. An excellent finisher that plays above the rim. Runs the floor hard and is an excellent finisher while slashing or in the open floor. Has quick lift off the floor. An active rebounder and shotblocker. Has excellent work ethic. Has developed as much as anyone in the state and is now a nice sleeper prospect.
Carrington Wiggins 6-0 SR AZ Compass Prep
Wiggins recently moved to the state as well from Detroit, MI. An excellent scorer and shooter of the basketball with range on his shot and a quick release. Played the point guard position a lot and made plays for his teammates off the dribble, while also being able to get into the lane and finish. A very good scorer. A very good defender with quick hands and feet. Pushes the basketball up the floor. An intriguing prospect that could see division-I level recruitment late.
West Coast Elite Showcase Top 2019 Prospects
Tyrek Chambers 6-2 JR Desert Vista HS
Our MVP of the event on the day. A budding star prospect that had his coming-out-party this weekend - doing it all and proving why he may be considered as the top overall player this season in the AIA ranks. A big-time scorer of the basketball from all 3 levels, and also an excellent ball handler and passer. A complete performer that is fundamentally sound and makes the game look easy. Makes players around him much better - an amazing attribute. A big time player that currently has numerous offers already, and earned another offer from UNLV during the event. Has a superb future ahead of him and will immediately impact a college program and help team's win games.
Bruce Guy 6-6 JR Shadow Mountain HS
Guy is a recent transfer to Shadow Mountain HS from Memphis, TN. He had a coming-out-party this weekend - displaying a very versatile performance that allowed him to score inside and out. A left hander, Guy has a college-ready body already. While he is considered as a small forward (3), he is very strong and also gets a lot done inside the paint, while possessing excellent footwork and body control. A very good finisher that runs the floor very well. Has a soft touch out to three-point distance, but can score from anywhere on the floor. An active rebounder. A very good shotblocker for his size. An excellent addition to the state's already loaded 2019 class.
Majok Denk 6-5 JR Salpointe Catholic HS
Deng has really grown physically over the past 6 months, and now has added more size to his once thin frame. Not as freakishly athletic as he looked as a much younger prospect, but still is an athletic finisher with a knack for the basketball and a high motor. A versatile prospect that looks much more like a 3 offensively/defensively. A solid shooter with range, but has a very good mid-range game and likes to operate around the paint. A solid ball handler. A good passer that is very unselfish. A very active rebounder. An excellent finisher. Very good in the open floor.
Jaelen House 6-0 JR Shadow Mountain HS
House continues to do what he does - play at a high level against any level of competition he faces. Almost looks bored at times, so facing challenges is what he loks for and desires to bring out his best. Gets a lot done on both ends of the floor and is a ballhawk. Impressive ball handler and passer, and showed some very good athleticism on the day, even though he missed a couple dunks. Plays reckless at times, but he converts many of the plays, so you have to live with it. A big time player though that should have more offers.
Javon Blacksher 5-10 JR Shadow Mountain
Blacksher continues to impress after a spring and summer where he earned numerous scholarship offers. He makes the game look easy, as he plays with a steady, controlled style of play that allows him to get things done almost effortlessly, and at a high rate. An excellent point guard prospect that is a floor general and makes players around him better. Able to make plays without the basketball in his hands, which is rare for a player with his size. Should start to begin to attract even higher recruitment soon, but will not need serious high major recruitment to define his overall recruitment. Just needs the right program. A future immediate impact college guard.
Jackson Ruai 6-4 JR Amphitheater HS
Ruai is an electric guard prospect with a long, rangy body and excellent quickness and athleticism. He plays much bigger than his size suggests as a result of his length and bounciness off the floor. He is a good shooter of the basketball with range on his shot, and can create his own shot effectively off the dribble. He is an excellent finisher in traffic and in the open floor, an area of his game which will really develop over time as he matures physically. He is an excellent defender with good court anticipation and is able to play passing lanes effectively for steals and transition baskets. He has the ability to become a lock-defender over time.
Jeron Artest 6-2 JR Hillcrest Prep Academy
Artest has already grown physically since the last time I saw him - adding some good size to his frame and looking much more cut and athletic. A very intriguing prospect that has an excellent feel for the game and an advanced overall skillet, that allows him to make plays for himself and others off the dribble. Sees the floor very well and sees plays before they happen. Has a high basketball IQ. The son of former NBA player Ron Artest. An excellent defender that plays passing lanes. Has an excellent handle of the basketball. A very good shooter with range on his shot. A player/prospect on the rise.
John Price 6-8 JR Peoria HS
First time I have seen him in awhile, and he has added some serious size to his once thin frame. Price is a good-sized, stretch 4-man prospect that competes on both ends of the floor. Very active around the paint. An excellent rebounder and a strong finisher. Runs the floor hard. A very good low post defender. A good scorer inside the paint - plays like a post player. A capable shotblocker. A very good sleeper prospect.
Jalen Williams 6-3 JR Shadow Mountain HS
Williams is another welcome addition to the state, as he recently moved to from California. He has loads of athleticism and physical talent and a high motor. He is a big-time dunker in traffic or in the half-court set, which is very impressive for his size. Williams is a highly competitive and focused individual that wears his game face the entire game. He is a good shooter with a nice left-handed shooting stroke. He has some range on his shot as well, and is a very good mid-range player. A good ball handler. OK passer. Active rebounder. Excellent finisher. An intriguing prospect.
Jordan Mains 6-5 JR Pinnacle HS
Mains has grown a great deal over the past year, and is still growing a lot with a nice upside. Mains is a very skilled and sharp-shooting guard prospect that is fundamentally sound. He has a nice ability to catch-and-shoot the basketball with unlimited range. He is a good ball handler and passer, and has very good versatility as a player - capable of playing several positions on the floor. A good defender that plays passing lanes and also plays with excellent energy on the court. An active rebounder that competes on both ends of the floor. An excellent shooting guard prospect with excellent potential for the future.
Evan Nelson 6-1 JR Salpointe Catholic HS
Nelson is a very good looking guard prospect with good size for the point guard position. He is a nice scorer but also knows how to run a team effectively. A good shooter with range, and can stop on a dime and make shots from mid-range with defenders draped all over him. A good penetrator and finisher in traffic. Has quick hands and feet defensively, and applies strong defensive pressure on opposing guards. Plays bigger than his size. An active rebounder. A very good passer that sees the floor and pushes the basketball. Good in the open floor.
Lucas Elliott 6-10 JR Pusch Ridge Christian Academy
Lucas Elliott has grown a lot over the past year physically, and he has really improved a great deal, as a result. Still raw offensively, but he is getting a lot more done in the paint, benefited by his size and length. He runs the floor very well, and has excellent energy on both ends of the floor. He gets good position on the low block, where he is able to now complete solid low post moves with developed low-post footwork, but still needs a lot of work to become a true low-post threat offensively. A solid finisher now. An active rebounder on both ends of the floor. A solid shotblocker. By the time he enters college he will be much better and ready to help a team.
Alec Bryan 6-6 JR CGM Prep Academy
Bryan is a skilled and mobile wing prospect with excellent size. He is a very good shooter with nice range on his shot, and has a quick release. Can catch and shoot. Solid ball handler and passer. Fundamentally sound and has a good overall feel for the game. Runs the floor hard. Loves the game and has excellent work ethic. A prospect on the rise with a bright future.
Adam Hamilton 6-6 JR Buckeye HS
A long, athletic and skilled wing prospect with a solid motor and a knack for scoring the basketball. A solid shooter with range. A good ball handler for his size. A solid passer. An active rebounder. A good defender with good lateral quickness, capable of defending several positions. A very good sleeper prospect that I want to see more of.
Blaise Threatt 6-3 JR Chaparral HS
Threatt is a big physical guard prospect with exceptional physical strength and thickness to his frame. He is a skilled ball handler and passer and able to make plays off the dribble. A solid finisher. Has good versatility. Good shooter with range. Needs to get quicker but has good explosion to get past defenders. A very good rebounder when he focuses on it. With hard work, he will become a good sleeper prospect.
Carter Murphy 6-4 JR Arcadia HS
A skilled guard prospect with good size and length. Has a strong frame for his size. A very good shooter with range. A good ball handler and passer. An active defender. Fundamentally sound. A good sleeper prospect for a smaller college program.
West Coast Elite Showcase Top 2020 Prospects
Niko Mannion 6-3 SOPH Pinnacle HS
Mannion is a high-powered guard talent that plays inspired basketball, pushing the basketball every chance he gets and looking to make plays for himself and his team. It was nice to see him against the state's top talent - proving just how good he is and why he is considered to be such a top-rated national talent in the 2020 class. A very shifty guard prospect with excellent explosion and a second gear that allows him to burst past defenders in the open floor or half-court set. An excellent finisher that can score with either hand and has excellent body control and nice pace. An excellent shooter with range, and a very good ball handler and passer that sees the floor and always pushes the ball. Will have a huge sophomore season, after a huge spring and summer for himself.
Shamar Morrow 6-4 SOPH Shadow Mountain HS
Morrow is another glaring reason that Shadow Mountain will continue to be absolutely dominant in the state, and will battle for a national championship this season. Well beyond his years physically and has a nice skill level that allows him to make plays from anywhere on the floor. A left hander that can score inside and out. Plays with an excellent level of confidence and a high motor. Excellent in the open floor and while slashing to the basket. An excellent finisher and a strong dunker in traffic. A very good defender that plays passing lanes. An excellent young prospect.
Hunter Ruck 6-8 SOPH Rancho Solano Prep
Ruck is a superb young talent with nice size and a mobile ability to run the floor - a strong finisher in the open floor. Also a strong finisher at the rim for his age. A good mid-range shooter with a soft touch as well. A good low post player with good footwork and an ability to pass very well out of the post to the open man or cutter. An active rebounder and a capable shotblocker. A good low post defender. Has a very bright future ahead of him and the potential to become a high-major division-I prospect over time with continued hard work.
Kimani Holt 6-3 SOPH Rancho Solano Prep
A high-energy guard prospect with an advanced offensive skillset that allows him to make plays for himself and others off the dribble. He has a good shooting stroke with range and can make shots off the dribble or from the stand-still position on the floor. He is an elite finisher at the rim for his size and strong slasher in the open floor, where he thrives. A very good ball handler that can create. A good passer, although he needs to continue to develop this area of his game to make players around him better. An active rebounder. Pushes the ball up the floor. A good defender with very good lateral quickness and quick hands. A capable lock-down defender over time, if he continues to focus on this area of his game.
Dalen Terry 6-5 SOPH Corona Del Sol HS
Continues to play well and show that he is a serious recruiting target for the future. A long, rangy guard prospect with a nice overall feel and an ability to play multiple positions on the floor - a glaring attribute for the future. Very skilled with amazing upside for the future. Once his body physically matures, watch out. Has a nice smile and is an excellent young man with a great personality. The sky is the limit with him.
Anthony Garza 6-7 SOPH Shadow Ridge HS
Garza has a unique combination of size, length and a nice overall skillset. He also has a unique ability to block and change shots, rebound outside of his area and finish plays at the rim. He is very mobile and possesses a long, rangy body, which allows him to make plays at a high level. He still needs to develop physically, but the upside is glaring. A good shooter with range. A good ball handler and passer - fundamentally sound. Runs the floor well. Has excellent potential for the future.
Kendyl Watson 6-6 SOPH Paradise Valley HS
Watson is a versatile wing prospect, much like his older brother Paul Watson, and has long arms and broad shoulders, also just like his older brother. He is a skilled wing prospect with a good mid-range game. He is capable of making perimeter shots, but still lacks true range and consistency on his shot at this point in his young career. Able to score inside and out, but likes to gravitate toward the perimeter. He is a solid ball handler and passer, but needs to get physically stronger to develop in both areas. A solid rebounder. A solid defender.
Alem Huseinovic 6-3 SOPH Chaparral HS
A very aggressive guard prospect with a strong handle of the basketball and a sharp-shooting stroke with a quick release. Looks to make plays at a high rate. Every time he has the ball he looks to make a play. Play with a high level of confidence. Has a bright future.
West Coast Elite Showcase Top 2021 Prospects
Daron Holmes 6-6 FR Millennium HS
Holmes is a big-time young talent with a very bright future ahead of him. While he is still very young and growing a great deal, Holmes is a very long and rangy post prospect with excellent mobility. Runs the floor like a guard, and enjoys getting out into the open floor where he is a good finisher. He is an athletic post performer that is still raw overall offensively, but he has excellent potential and upside for the future. A good shooter with some range on his shot - and able to score effectively inside and out. A good post player with good low-post footwork and very good versatility. He has excellent feet and hands. An active rebounder and shotblocker that rebounds outside of his area. Will grow much more and should blossom into a high major prospect over time.
Tyrone Washington 6-0 FR Cesar Chavez HS
Known as "Ty Ty," Washington is a highly confident guard prospect that can play with anyone on the court already, and does not seem to miss a beat. A very skilled point guard prospect that makes the game look easy. Gets a lot done on both ends of the floor and does not get rattled. A very good shooter with range on his shot. Has a very good mid-range game, which allows him to operate inside the three-point line. A very good finisher. An excellent ball handler and passer that sees the floor. Very good defender with quick hands. Will have an immediate impact at the varsity level.
Carter Van Hammond 6-8 FR Perry HS
A big-time prospect for the future, as he already has excellent length on his long but thin, rangy frame. Has a very good skill level already that should develop a great deal over time with natural maturity and physical strength. A good scorer around the paint and has good activity on the floor. An active rebounder and shotblocker. Solid finisher. Runs the floor well. Has a bright future.
Ricardo Sarmiento 5-11 FR Cesar Chavez HS
Sarmiento continues to play very well in every event I see him perform. Loves the game and it shows. A baller. A heady point guard prospect with a strong handle and good quickness and explosion to the basket. A very good finisher. Plays with poise and is well beyond his years in his understanding of the game. Sees the floor and gets the ball to the open man on the floor. Will make an immediate impact this high school season.
