Thanks to everyone who attended the Tennessee Prep Hoops Rankings and Exposure Showcase at Carson Newman last week. I have compiled the information from several former coaches in attendance and will prepare an evaluation for each player who attended. I will stress positive points and make suggestions on things that could help you improve your game as you move towards your dream of playing at the next level. I wish everyone luck and look forward to seeing you this year with your respective high schools.
Alabama (11-20)
11. Darius Filer (Fulton) 2014 (5'11 PG)
Much improved offensive threat who understands the game and is a good leader from the leadership position on the basketball floor. Filer has a strong body which allows him to penetrate and is very good at making tough passes in traffic to thankful offensive teammates. His shooting has improved and he has shown the ability to finish at the rim making him a viable offensive threat. He needs to work on his explosion and quickness. He is a tough kid but will need to work on his first step to get by defenders on a higher level.
12. Brady Nease (Union County) 2015 (6'3 SG)
One of the best pure shooters on this side of the state. Nease has a textbook form and release and when his footwork is true he knocks them down with ease and extended range. He needs to work on scoring off the dribble using his outside shot to draw defenders then blast by them for easy mid-range shots. He is a good athlete and will find his output to his liking as he adds for weapons to his offensive repertoire. Brady also needs to get his shot off quicker. He has a tendency to wait too long to shot which forces him to fade. This in turn messes with his fundamentals and shots don't go in. He has good size and will certainly be a player coveted for the next level after his senior season.
13. Isaiah Keene (Ohio) 2014 (6'4 SG/WF)
Physically and athletically one of the better players in the camp. He drove to the bucket and finished with a flush several times and showed he could knock down the outside shot as well. He seemed very disinterested in the half-court set, dribbling excessively and launching bad shots when our focus was post entry and passing. Keene is a much better athlete than his defensive effort afforded as well, he seemed to be going through the motions till the ball was back in his hands on the other end of the floor.
15. Trevor Jain (Pigeon Forge) 2014 (6'5 WF)
Fabulous athlete who can run and jump all day, Jain has improved his skill level tremendously over the past season and is a player that will make some noise in his senior campaign at Pigeon Forge. He has gained confidence in his shooting which has improved but will still be an area he needs to refine. As a projected wing he needs to work on his ball handling and ability to score off the bounce. His size will allow him to get easy buckets in high school and his athleticism will make him a terror on the offensive boards but he will needs to refine certain skills to translate into a player that emerges on the next level. He has the length and athleticism to make this happen.
16. Bradley McCurdy (Bradley Central) 2016 (6'0 PG)
McCurdy has made major improvement in his ability to run a team from the lead guard position. A very good shooter when his confidence is under control, Bradley has shown a penchant for making big passes in traffic and looking to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. He needs to come to grips with the fact that with the ball in his hands an excessive amount he will make mistakes, it is his ability to move forward from those mistakes that he needs to execute better. As he matures as a player he will need to continue to add his shooting stroke into his offensive skill set and make himself a player who is hard to guard as a scorer and as a point guard. Adding strength will also be a must as he will certainly be getting varsity minutes this season.
17. Bailey Lamb (Grainger) 2015 (6'2 SG)
Young man has made some significant improvements in his overall game since last season, he is a very good shooter and a steadying force on the floor as he doesn't turn the ball over using a high basketball IQ to be ahead of the action. Adding strength and lateral quickness are areas of the game which will benefit him greatly and help increase his shooting range and ability to add some off the dribble action to his game. He will also need to get his shot off quicker against more athletic defenders, thus the ability to add a one dribble move to his offensive package could benefit his scoring and success a great deal.
18. Keith Moody (Lancaster Christian) 2014 (6'2 SG)
Athletic young man played with a very nice tempo and never seemed to let the game go to fast for himself. He embraced the half-court concept we were attempting to employ and hit open shots when they presented themselves and made crisp entry passes and vacated to keep the flow of the offense intact. He ran the floor in transition and finished at the rim on several occasions. He didn't seem to have a lot of confidence in shooting stroke which was not that bad but his comfort level took him to the basket off the dribble. He played good defense, gambling some but moving his feet and understanding the concept of switching and such. A very intriguing prospect who should be someone that draws some attention for the next level.
19. Darius Mathes (Morristown West) 2014 (6'4 WF/PF)
Another big and strong athlete who surprised us with his quickness and ability to go after rebounds not in his area; as well as, playing solid post defense against some bigger players in the paint. Mathes was not afraid to shoot the outside shot which varied from decent to needs work. His form just needs some tweaking and repetition will be his best friend as he works on making that a consistent weapon. His size makes him a scoring threat with his back to the basket but his projected spot for the next level would be on the wing where he will need to work on his handles and passing. Kid loves to play and wants to get better. I look forward to observing his progress.
20. Ryan Beal (Pigeon Forge) 2015 (6'4 WF)
This young man played with effort and was a surprise with his athleticism and length on both ends of the floor. Beal proved to be very good in transition finishing several plays at the rim and using his quickness and leaping ability to get some interior buckets. His shooting stroke will need some work as he gains confidence in using it as a weapon. Once he does this makes his quickness and solid first step more of a threat. He will also need to seriously work on his strength. He needs to rebound better at his size and having that additional bulk will be a major factor in accomplishing that goal.
