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.
I apologize for the lateness of the evaluations. The Fall League finals in Knoxville and Nashville kept me from working on them till after that season was complete. Then a major blow when one of my best friends lost his son in a car accident kept me from working on them as well. Thanks for your patience I hope to have them completed by Friday.
Indiana (81-90)
81. Birdman McKamey (Clinton) 2014 (5'10 PG/SG)
Diminutive guard with a passion to play, Birdman has an outstanding stroke which he can unleash from anywhere on the floor. Has made great strides in becoming more of a leader and embracing the role of point guard. He plays very unselfish and looks to get his teammates shots. He still has a scorers mentality and will knock down consecutive deep jumpers if left alone. He certainly needs to get stronger which will help him increase his range and also make him a better on ball defender.
82. Logan Parsons (Cumberland County) 2014 (6'2 SG)
Aggressive guard has good size and uses it well when driving to the bucket or being active on the glass. His strength allows him to carve out space while backing down smaller guards and as he works to improve his outside shot his overall game will see a significant spike. He has a great motor which serves him well. He will need to work on his explosion and foot speed as he tangles with more athletic players this season at the prep level.
83. Taylor Hawkins (Sequoyah) 2014 (6'3 SG/WF)
Solid athlete with quality basketball skills, Hawkins has good size and strength which allows him to score in the paint against overmatched guards and can knock down the outside shot. He plays at a good pace but will need to work on his explosion and foot speed. Work on adding some action off the dribble and scoring off the bounce will increase his value on the next level. Kid is skilled and should be on the radar right now.
84. Sam Martin (BGA) 2014 (6'8 PF/C)
Big back to the basket player with decent hands and does a few things really well. He can score on the baseline but tends to stray too long outside and negates his advantage on the interior. He has a decent stroke from the outside just needs to understand shot selection and when to take those shots in game situations. He will need to add strength which will help him finish easy buckets inside, he blocks shots and does an adequate job on the glass. He also needs to work on his quickness and foot work.
85. Tanner Spalding (Franklin) 2015 (6'6 PF)
Strong aggressive rising junior made quit the impression on folks with his effort and relentless pursuit of the basketball. He showed a decent mid-range shooting stroke, battled long and hard on the glass and just needs to show some refinement on his back to the basket moves to be a very effective scorer this season. He took the ball hard to the basket, one evaluation said "simply made a grown man move on this play", powering through his hapless defender and dropping the ball in the hoop. He will need to get his body in better shape and continue to work on his foot speed, quickness and coming up with a go to move on the interior.
86. Caleb Hayes (Anderson County) 2015 (5'9 PG/SG)
Intense little guy plays with passion and heart. He has an excellent basketball IQ, high fundamental skills, can shoot the ball when left open with time and is not afraid to take it hard to the rim against bigger and stronger players. He plays with a massive chip on his shoulder and is the kind of kid everyone roots for when they watch a game. He can play either guard spot but seems more comfortable on the wing, knocking down shots and making the offense move to his favor. His size says point guard but his game belies that stereotype.
87. Brandon Levier (Columbia Central) 2016 (5'10 PG)
Young lead guard is very quick and does a good job of getting his team into their offense, he seems to have a grasp of the position and should improve his decision making as he matures on the floor. He tries to make things happen that simply are not there, a hustle mistake that is easily corrected as he learns the game better. He has a nice pull-up jumper on offense and again needs to understand proper shot selection to be more effective. Kid plays hard and looks to be a player to keep an eye on down the road.
88. Tyler Steinmetz (Oakdale) 2016 (5'11 PG/SG)
Young guy plays hard, always gives effort and seems to be around the ball. Rebounds well for a guard and has some strength for his age group. His outside shot is unorthodox technique wise but he can knock them down. His shot selection is in question and his decision making from the lead guard spot will need to vastly improve as he moves along in the prep ranks. He seems to understand the game so his decision making will certainly improve as he matures.
89. Devin Harper (Karns) 2016 (6'2 WF)
Big strong kid with some athletic skills, built like a football kid but still learning how to use his gifts to his advantage. Was not afraid to mix it up against the older kids and showed some scoring punch in transition. His outside shot will need some tweaking and repetition in the gym but it could be a useful tool for his continued development. If we wishes to remain on the perimeter he will need to add some ball handling and short pull-up scoring action to his game as well.
90. Tristan Noe (Claiborne) 2014 (6'2 SG)
Active guard who when left open can knock down open shots. He seems to have a knack for slicing into the lane and scoring. He certainly needs to work on his lateral skills and quickness but should be a solid player in his league this season. Kid has some swagger to him and showed he could put the ball in the hole in a variety of ways. He will need to work on adding some game off the dribble and learning how to catch and shoot quicker in the half-court.
