The Buckeye Prep Elite 60 Showcase pitted top players from
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Chicago, and various other surrounding areas to
compete for Midwest bragging rights, respect, and to impact the local and
national ranking board. The standard in
the Midwest unlike many other areas where events of this nature are held; is
the innate nature of the players to play the game the right way – you may not
see the flashy handles as ball skills are looked at differently in the part of
the country. What you will see is
passing, cutting, and some of the most consistent and best shooting than in any
other part of the country. The players
are naturally unselfish and the game even in an All-Star environment looked
organic. Nevertheless the stars still
shined as they always do in a Rob Taylor ran event and the Buckeye Prep
Showcase has been getting it done for decades.
If you consider yourself a top seasoned national player and haven’t ever
stepped foot in a Buckeye Prep event than you are not who you say you are. These players below are such and caught our
attention with their performance this weekend.
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| J.Pugh C.Mayfield I.Kennedy G.Huffman |
Isaiah Kennedy is a skilled scoring guard who is very
talented with the ball in his hands. He's a very good shooter with range well
beyond the arc and the ability to make shots in bunches with the ball in his
hands. We rarely saw a shot go array as
a matter of fact we rarely saw the ball touch the rim; as he swished every shot
we saw him take from all three levels.
Bigtime talent, floor general, and is improving by large strides in
recent month – had a phenomenal showing.
Grant Huffman is a big
combo-guard with long arms, a smooth floor game and clear upside. He handles
the ball well to both sides and has definite playmaking instincts and is especially
good in the open floor or off a ball-screen. He uses his size well in the
backcourt, both to see and pass over opposing defenders (especially against
pressure) as well as to score over smaller defenders with pull-ups and
floaters.
Chris Mayfield tough wing who can put the ball in the basket
in a variety of ways. Has long limbs and versatile offensive repertoire with
lots of untapped potential. Can make the three, has some quickness and
playmaking ability off the bounce, efficient going through the lane with long
strides, willing to use his body to shield off defenders and has full gamut of
pull-ups, runners and floaters in his arsenal in the mid-range area. Could actually gain value from being more
selfish due to extremely high efficiency level on the offensive; has the
ability to take over game for stretches without question.
Jack Pugh is long-armed combo forward who is looking more
and more comfortable on the perimeter. His ball skills are quite good as is his
IQ. Showed ability to snatch a rebound,
lead the break, and his savvy is exhibited through his decision making – next level
vision and passer. He plays with a lot of moxie and the way he
affects the game at both ends equals winner in our mind works the glass effectively,
especially on the offensive end. He can knock down the 3-point shot and his
release is smooth. Does what he does so
well that he looked like one of the most ready and compete players at the
event.
Justus Salaam lead guard keeps his handle low and tight when
he attacks defenders and his burst is deceptive. He can knock in jump shots as
well and create plays for his teammates. He has the ability to create space
with the dribble and the allusiveness to maneuver his way to the rim for the
finish.
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| Marcus Johnson Von Cameron Davis |
Freak athlete who not only jumps he glides - tremendous
upside and potential; has the ability and tools to be special clearly one of
the top prospects at the event and in the state. Marcus Johnson has a terrific
pull-up game with a smooth shooting stroke. He can slash his way to the rim for
the finish or nail the mid-range pull-up jump shot. He handles the ball well in
transition and he generally makes good decisions. Must develop a non-stop motor
and play the game in attack mode the entire time to realize his potential. Defensively, he is an excellent weak-side
defender as demonstrated by his shot blocking ability. Make this a name to watch and track.
Von Cameron Davis future wing with long arms and a frame
that is far from filling out. He runs effortlessly in transition and can finish
plays in transition over the rim. Has very impressive feet that allow him to make quick moves in the paint
area as well as when he is facing up his opponent. He gets most of his scoring
opportunities in the paint area right
now where he shows explosive bounce and quickness, but can put the ball on the
floor and pull up and shoot over his defender – plays within himself but a blind
man can see he is was one of the top prospects long term in the gym. He has
nice timing as a rebounder getting numerous tip-in opportunities. Defensively,
due to his length and timing he has the potential to be a high-level shot
blocker as well as a potent rebounder in and out of his area.
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| Matt Allocco |
Matt Allocco is a deceptively quick attacking point guard who
is fearless. He excels in the open court where he is a crafty scorer, excellent
passer who showed great court vision. Allocco has a tight handle, can hit the
rhythm 3 and has a floater that is money in the bank all the while displaying great
touch and body control. He applies constant pressure on both ends of the floor
and has active hands when defending the ball.
Collin Crothers stands 6’7, has good size on the parental
side and is an old school highly skilled 5-man that can score inside and out.
He uses his strong wide base and lower body to create space and he can spin
both ways with the drop step to convert with either hand; was very impressed with
touch around the basket. Rebounds at a very high rate. He has decent length with fairly long arms
and his hands are soft, he is physical and seems to enjoy the contact – bigtime
shot blocker with excellent timing getting the ball once its released he doesn’t
pick up fouls. He isn't blessed with quickness or great bounce, but he more
than makes up for it with savvy and skill.
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| Jahquez Williams |
Bigtime prospect out of Indiana, Jahquez Williams has a
terrific frame with super long arms and prototype length for the two guard
position. He has impressive ball skills, projects well , and puts constant
pressure on the defense when he has the pill in his hands – he is creative in
his movements but there are purposeful, his finishes are explosive and he is a
talent that you can expect to hear from as he develops. Like what he does in
the open court and is ability to locate open teammates due to his vision.
Defensively, he slides his feet well and he has the long arms to make him a
lock-down defender at the next level; if handled correctly has a chance to be a
high major prospect before its said and done.
Jeremy Baker is a scoring guard prospect who possesses a
very interesting upside. Broad shouldered, strong and athletic Baker is a
terrific two-way player who impacts the game in multiple ways. In transition he
can slash his way to the rim for the score or pull-up was solid within 12-15
feet. In the half-court set he has a solid 1st step to get to the basket and
the explosion to finish over defenders. Defensively, he has the length, active
hands, and lateral quickness to be a lock-down defender at the next level. Not
to mention he has a non-stop motor that allow him to make plays consistently at
both ends. The development of his range
will be essential to take his game where he wants it to go; but the passion
with which he competes leave little doubt that he can achieve success at the highest
level. |
| Jack Townsend |
Jack Townsend is a scoring point guard who can facilitate as
well--especially off penetration. One of the best pure shooters in the class
and country he has a prolific shooting touch, quick release, confidence, and
range out to 25-feet and his mid-range pull-up is also deadly. In addition to
his shooting ability, he'll also elevate in traffic for rebounds and he has an
uncanny ability to find open teammates while penetrating the paint area. Can operate as a shooting specialist, a
primary scorer, or a court spacing zone busting floor general with equal
effectiveness.
Devonta Blanton l has a strong solid frame with good length
and athleticism for his size. He can break down the defense, carry defenders on
his hip, and make plays in the paint area. He attacks the rim well, has a solid
crossover and burst off the dribble as well. In addition, he can work off the block
in the half court set knowing when to
pick his spots for scoring. When his
motor is turned all the way up he has active hands and can impact on defense as
well.
Tyler Brelsford has a slight frame, but he has very long
arms and plays much bigger than 5’10. He is a cerebral floor general but has
the potential for stretches to take on the role of scoring point guard. A confident seasoned PG with a slick handle
and a quick release on his jump shot that extends well beyond the stripe. He
can get his own shot off the dribble and he possesses a nice runner in the
lane. We saw him dropped off more than a
few nice assists as well which frankly is the strength of his game running the
team leading transition and making the players around him better.
Zeb Jackson is tough, competitive lead guard that is more
athletic and stronger than he appears. He finishes well on the break for his
size with either hand and does a great job attacking through contact where he
draws fouls. His calling card is that of a knock down shooter off the catch or
dribble with range to the arc. He hits step back jumpers as well and has some
very nice footwork. He handles pressure and makes good decisions. He can get
teammates the ball as he attacks and he can slow down and run the halfcourt
offense once his strength and size catch up with elite level skillset you will
see the development of a high major player.
CHECK BACK ALL WEEK AS WE RELEASE THE P2BBALL.COM PLAYER ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS & TOP 25 PLAYER RANKINGS FROM THE BUCKEYE PREP ELITE 60 MIDWEST CHALLENGE
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