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.
Indiana (81-90)
- Isaiah Eguaedor (Providence Christian)
5'10 PG 2016
Nice active guard who really plays hard at all times. He has a strong body and uses his strength on defense, taking away positioning and making things difficult for his opponents. On the offensive end Isaiah does some things very well. He has a nice pull-up shot from 10 feet in, he can drive to the bucket and finish, his lefty stroke is decent and his aforementioned strength gives some advantages finishing in traffic. He has a tendency to dribble way to much and he likes to leave his feet when making passes, he should stop this immediately.
- Easton Upchurch (Maryville)
5'11 SG 2017
Hard nosed competitor who really gets after it on defense. Not a big guy but a tough, relentless defender who causes havoc with his ability to body up and move his feet well. He is a very good shooter, despite a bit of an unorthodox form and release. He shoots on the move but you cant argue with his results. He can handle the ball, he is very good at changing speeds and getting past bigger defenders and is not afraid to go hard to the rim and finish with contact. A knock down foul shooter. He has good vision and is a solid passer but at times likes to make the difficult pass when the easy one would work just as well. He likes to push the pass with one hand which can be trouble against more athletic defenders.
- Nick Ammons (Gibbs)
5'11 SG 2016
"Good shooter" was a consistent praise from every evaluation from the camp. Ammons is a really good shooter when his feet are set and his rhythm is part of the offensive flow of the possession. He moves well without the ball and seems to find space to get off his shot. None of the evaluations mentioned much else from an offensive standpoint so increasing his ability to put the ball on the floor, drive and dish or even finish at the rim will only increase his value to his team this season. Defensively he likes to gamble for the steal off the ball. He definitely has the athleticism and footwork to be a more dedicated on-ball defender.
- Seth Clark (McCallie)
6'6 PF 2017
Impressive youngster who seems to improve every time he steps on the floor. Clark is strong, has long arms, fights for positioning on both ends of the floor and rebounds with effort and desire. He likes to block shots from the help side and will go for boards not in his area. His motor is consistent and he understands angles and how to establish himself in the post. He can finish strong at the rim, he will flush if angered and really has a grasp of the way an offense should flow. He is a perfect system kid. I love his motor, his strength and his motor, oh wait I already said that. Kid is a winner and will be one to watch in 2017.
- Jason Jitobah (Hamilton Heights)
6'8 C 2018
Massive young individual who is simply a basketball work in progress. Jason comes to Tennessee from out of the country and has not played a great deal of basketball. He showed some emerging skills, good hands and is figuring out how to make his bulk an advantage for himself. His footwork will be the major area of improvement; as well as, his conditioning and ability to run up and down the floor. He is finding the transition from offense to defense to be something he really needs to work on. To his credit he played hard, he listened to instruction in drill work and made strides when told to do something correctly. He gave effort and despite being raw looks to be the type of player who will leaps and bounds of improvement in a short time.
- Garrett Wilson (Maryville)
6'3 SG 2017
Lanky guard who did a lot of things well but didn't excel at any of them. He showed a decent range on his shot and his release, despite being a little slow, resulted in solid fundamentals and follow through. He could put the ball on the floor, he passed the ball well and he seemed to grasp the way the offense was supposed to flow. He gave effort on defense and puts me in mind of the type of kid who will not be in your leading scorers or top defenders but he will make winning plays, he is a kid who will be a most valuable asset to a team that is going to advance a long way in the playoffs. Team oriented and tough, he knows his role and does it to the best of his ability.
- Chase Ridenour (Knoxville Webb)
6'0 PG 2018
"Smart, tough, aggressive and skilled" were all adjectives used by the various evaluations to describe young Ridenour. Chase is a tough kid who is really starting to come into his own as a player. He has a terrific shooting touch and he can make plays off the dribble for himself and others. He plays unselfish but knows when he needs to make a bucket. His ball-handling has improved but will need more work as he goes up against quicker and more athletic guards. His body is becoming an asset as he has gained strength throughout the year. He gives effort on defense, using his body to man up and is a good rebounder from the guard position. Once he realizes how good he can be and gets that confidence flowing through his veins I think his sky is the limit. He is a winner, a playmaker and a great teammate, basically a coaches dream.
- Joseph Bunton (Walker Valley)
5'3 PG 2019
Ultra small guard who showed some savvy not backing down when he obviously was always the smallest guy in the pile. He showed some quickness, made some smart plays and could see things develop but didn't have the mass to make the play he saw developing. He gave effort on defense but was often overmatched in the strength and athleticism categories. He showed no fear and as we mention for every kid in this class needs to get bigger and stronger. His contributions will come as he learns the game, gets strong enough to finish plays and can contribute more minutes on the defensive end of the floor.
- Anthony Watkins (McCallie)
6'1 SG 2019
Youngster with decent size for an incoming freshman, Watkins plays with effort and was solid on defense playing aggressive and proving he belonged with the upperclassmen. He will need to clearly define what position suits him best. He has some offense skills and lists himself as a two guard. His decision making with the ball left a lot to be desired. If the off guard is his future he will need to work on developing and gaining confidence in his outside shooting. He showed no confidence in his stroke and preferred to take everything to the cup. That was probably an easy proposition in middle school but will not fly on the prep level.
- Justin Dozier (East Hamilton)
6'0 SG 2018
I am a big fan of this kid. The other evaluations agreed with my assessment of young Dozier as well. Slick ball-handler, volume scorer off the dribble or with the short jumper. He has range out to the three-point line but seems more comfortable knocking down the mid-range stroke. He is a solid defender using his quickness to make his opposition uncomfortable while getting steals and deflections on the press. Id like to see him become more of a point guard with his passing and decision making skills. A point guard who can score if needed. Justin likes to shine in the big game and is a winner who will help any team he is a part of a successful one.
