Finally we get started on the evaluations from the Carson Newman showcase. The evals will be done daily by team and posted on the website www.tnprephoops.com.
Syracuse (41-50)
- Brad McCurdy (Bradley Central)
6'0 PG 2016
Fundamentally sound lead guard who has a true understanding of how to play. Brad is a really good shooter when he follows his footwork and form regimen but he will be the first to tell you he has a bad habit of getting really down on himself when he misses shots and lets it affect the remainder of his game. He is not a great athlete but he loves the game and makes game winning plays when his focus is on the task at hand. He is competitive, he is a gym rat and with his constant effort on the floor he will find a place to play next year at the collegiate level.
- KeJaun Hale (Austin East)
5'9 PG 2018
Exciting youngster came straight from the gridiron to participate in the clinic. One of the quickest, toughest and smoothest players in the area, Hale is a pleasure to watch. He is exceptional on the defensive side of the ball, disruptive to the point of making his opposition not wish to handle the ball. A really solid passer who sees the floor despite a rather willowy frame, he is stronger than he looks and is not afraid to get his socks dirty in the paint. He will need to develop a floater, a must for every small guard and work on the consistency of his outside stroke. He needs to fight harder through screens which will be used by well scouted opponents to get him off their primary ball handler.
- Taylor Murray (Oliver Springs)
6'3 WF/PF 2016
Upon first glance what catches your eye about young Taylor is his motor. He always plays hard on both ends of the floor and gives maximum effort. He is not afraid to push the ball in transition, make the right pass or take it to the basket and score. He will at times get going a little to fast and create turnovers or make poor decisions with the ball or just attempt to overpower as he heads to the rim and gets a little out of control. He has shown he can rise and fire from the mid-range arena and with his strength he can score over smaller defenders in the post. He likes to bring the ball down when he has the advantage on the block, don't negate your advantage. He is a great young man and with his effort should get the opportunity to compete somewhere on the next level. He needs to continue to work on his footwork and explosion, making himself quicker off the dorst step and consistently knock down easy shots in the half court.
- Ryan Rhodes (Chattanooga Christian)
6'1 SG 2017
Good looking shooting guard who has some scoring ability from the perimeter. Ryan needs to learn to work better off the ball, finding scoring spots and using his quickness to create areas to score. He has a tendency to play with the ball entirely too much, he dribbles excessively at times and even when the situation does not dictate drive he forces himself to the bucket. His outside shooting is solid enough to where he should be using this as a weapon to create the space for his drives. Playing smarter with the ball will increase his productivity exponentially. Ryan is a very good defender in the half court, he is solid in the post defensively despite being undersized. Decision making and adding some lead guard skills into his catalog will only increase his value moving along. I have no doubt he will make this transition.
- Peyton Parker (Bradley Central)
6'6 PF 2016
Big bodied young post player, Parker is a good athlete who runs the floor, fights for loose balls and rebounds. He can give you some buckets from the mid-range and the block. A lefty who when his game rhythm is correct can knock down the short jumper with ease, he often gets going a bit too fast and gets lost in the flow of the game thus lessening his scoring chances. He is a good post defender when his opponent wishes to stay in the lane, when he is matched against a better athlete he tends to get away from his fundamentals. He will need to work on his footwork and spacing. He is a good athlete and these improvements should not be a big issue for him. When this kid finally gets it then someone is getting a player with a very solid upside. Keep fighting Peyton you will get there.
- Jacob Skidmore (North Carolina)
6'8 PF 2016
Excellent athlete who showed out in the drill portion of the camp. Each evaluation brought several adjectives on his overt athleticism, his ability to shoot the ball and his willingness to follow direction and instructions from those on hand. He will need to add strength and upper body power to his frame but I can see him playing next season as a freshman if he chooses the proper level of college. He ran the floor in transition and often times filled the lane for a powerful flush. His bouncy demeanor is what makes him such an intriguing prospect. Reeling in those skills, adding more fundamentals and increasing his productivity through repetition and strength makes this young man a very intriguing prospect on the next level.
- Desmond Simpson (Cleveland)
5'10 PG 2018
One thing about any type of camp setting is that the majority of the players in attendance will be guards. Guards from 5'8 to 6'0 that must do something to stand out amongst their peers. Simpson had a solid showing from the lead guard spot, he plays in constant motion, he gets back on defense and he seemed to embrace the rules we set forth on post entry and slowing down the tempo of the half-court possessions. He will need to command the ball more and as the point man get his team into their designed offense. He didn't shoot the ball from the perimeter so my assumption is making that this is an area he needs to work on. I like his demeanor and he is a kid who will fight for his playing time and will get his fair share with his commitment to the defense end of the floor.
- Daraon Jones (Clinton)
5'11 PG 2018
Skilled young lefty guard who showed good handles and a very good outside stroke. Offensively he seems very comfortable, especially without the ball, he has a nice release and follow through on his stroke, he finds open spots in the defense to make his move and he has the ability to put the ball on the floor and get into the lane. As a point guard he will need to work on getting his teammates involved in the game, making basketball decisions and becoming as good making plays with the ball as he is making them without the ball. On the defensive side of the ball is where he will need to make his biggest strides. His body needs work, as does most players in his age range. His lack of strength makes it tough to guard stronger players and get in position to make plays that will be part of his game package as he grows and works into his body. He has the athleticism to be a good defender but lacks the size and strength to keep his man from getting to his scoring spots. He is more strength away from being a major contributor down the road for his high school team.
- David Archer (Chattanooga Christian)
6'8 C 2018
"At the end of the game this kid is still 6'8" was one of the evaluations of the rising sophomore. Very raw young player who seems to be moving in the right direction from a skill standpoint. He started slow in the drill work but seemed to pick up the concepts and did much better as the work went along. He has some good fundamental skill areas which obviously come from some good coaching thus far. He keeps the ball high, he understands where the block is located and he can make the pass back out to the perimeter. His biggest area of improvement will be his footwork. He needs to slow his role and make his size an advantage in the half-court. His work after practice and with individual coaches will be the key to his growth. Lateral movement, proper footwork techniques, drills to improve his coordination will pay dividends come the next few seasons. He seems to like the game and is willing to put in the work to make himself better.
