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.
Louisville (51-60)
51. Cody Groomes (Polk County) 2014 (5'11 PG)
Steady senior lead guard plays with smarts and does a real good job of understanding his place on the floor. He handles the ball well and looks for open teammates in transition or the half-court setting. He uses his IQ to penetrate and dish. He understands angles and plays with effort which allows him to compete defensively against much better athletes. He will need to work on his quickness and lateral foot speed as the competition level gets better.
52. BabeAlex Murphy (Ohio) 2014 (6'4 SG)
Lean athletic body, able to play multiple positions and has a motor that keeps him coming towards you. Murphy goes hard to the rim and does not get discouraged, he just keeps on coming. His outside is very good and he has length which will allow him to play the two or the three equally effective. He pushes the ball hard in transition and will make the proper pass or take it hard himself and finish. Very nice prospect indeed.
53. Austin Harwood (Walker Valley) 2014 (6'2 SG/WF)
Hard working player who is in constant motion and understands how to play the game. He shoots the ball well with time and can score off the catch easier than off the dribble. He drives hard to the goal using his size and will dish to the appropriate scorer. He needs to work on his foot speed especially on the defensive end of the floor and adding a one or two dribble move to complement his outside shot should get him many more scoring opportunities.
54. Tre Tipton (Alabama) 2014 (6'6 WF/PF)
Good size wing/post showed a quality face up game with obvious athletic skills. Tre fights hard on defense, he protects the post and goes after boards not in his area keeping them high to start the break. He runs the floor and can finish in transition as well. He will need to work on his shot and develop a nice turn around along with adding some aggression to his repertoire.
55. Landon Baldwin (Clarkrange) 2014 (6'8 PC)
Big kid was quite effective in the half-court game showing a decent short hook shot and had a good face up game out to the three point range. He needs to work on his body and increase his foot speed which will help him defensively and especially on the glass. When the game got too fast he had trouble keeping up but showed he could be very useful scoring on the block or running the offense through him as he passed good out of the double team and used his size to carve out space when he moved to the middle of the lane to score.
56. Nathan Marine (Pigeon Forge) 2014 (5'9 PG)
Diminutive lead guard played hard and gave effort when on the floor. His outside shot is decent when he has time and is not rushed. He also needs to shoot on balance, the shots he missed he rushed but when his form was good and he had time he seemed to knock them down. He will obviously need to work on his strength especially against bigger guards who he will see this season at the high school level. He understands the game and can be an asset to a team.
57. DeQuan Summer (Hillwood) 2016 (6'1 SG)
Showed out on the defensive side of the floor. One of the better on ball defenders at the camp, Summer was also very vocal and did a great job of communicating to his teammates his whereabouts and what was happening all around them. He attacked the glass, especially on the offensive end and accumulated several easy put backs. His shooting was very good and he can break you down off the dribble. His energy and aggressiveness is what stood out to every one who completed an evaluation on this kid.
59. Taylor Murray (Oliver Springs) 2016 (6'2 SG/WF)
Tough , solid competitor who is absolutely not afraid to mix it up. He runs the floor hard and has improved his offensive skill set in the past year. He works hard on defense using his size to derail penetrating ball handlers. His outside shooting is adequate and will get better as the kid is a worker and understands his weaknesses. He also needs to work on adding some foot speed and lateral quickness which will allow him to guard a bigger variety of defenders. Only a rising sophomore, Murray is a competitor who loves to play.
60. Nick Roberts (Claiborne) 2014 (6'6 C)
Big kid was a pleasant surprise with his ability to slow things down and create good scoring opportunities for himself. He uses his size well carving out space and is more adept in the half-court than in transition which is the case with most big kids. He has a solid jump hook and can catch and finish off the entry pass. He has decent hands as well. At his size he needs to work on improving his rebounding, by working on his explosion and fundamentals on the interior. Boxing out better and using his girth should get him double digit boards every night. Foot work and getting in better shape will make him a worry for opposing coaches this season.
