Another great turn-out for the Tennessee Prep Hoops Rankings and Exposure Showcase held annually at Carson Newman University. This year we featured over 100 players and 15+ college coaches in the house. An extra-special in speaker in Hollywood actor and basketball savant Cylk Cozart plus instruction from local college coaches.
Here I will sift through the evaluations turned by myself and several colleagues who helped me at the event. I will attempt to do a team a day until completion.
Tennessee (1-10)
1
Beyuan Hendricks (Baylor) 2019
The adjectives are plentiful. Strong, creative, slick, patient, great passer, quick release and exceptional basketball IQ are some distinctly positive reviews for this rising sophomore guard. Hendricks is an above average talent, he does so many things well and is a pass first lead guard with the ability to score when called upon. He sees the floor and has an exceptional motor. He needs to work on using his left hand better, especially when driving to the bucket. He finishes with a gusto on the right side but when forced left his percentages go down. I love his basketball knowledge and truly enjoy watching this young guy play.
2
Omar Lyons (Siegel) 2017
Unselfish lead guard who has the ability to control tempo and bring the game to his speed when he is under control. His outside shot is not exceptional but it is functional and he tends to make better shooting decisions when he is in rhythm. His quickness will be something that he needs to continue to work on, he has strength to finish plays and is a kid who truly loves to play. Defensively he uses his body to get into his man but quicker, lighter guards can give him trouble in the open floor. Omar is the type of player who understands how to play and as he improves his decision making he is a kid who will get an opportunity to play somewhere at the next level.
3
Kenny Kincaid (Asheville Christian) 2017
Not a big guard but an active player who knows how to run the offense. His size can be a liability on defense but his effort will never be in question. He is an aggressive offensive player who has a tendency to get out of control when he gets going too fast. He doesn't force the issue which can be to his advantage but will also find himself making bad decisions with the ball. Consistency is the word that Kincaid must embrace as a lead guard and the guy with the ball in his hands, those decisions are vital to the success of the team.
4
Jonathan Pelleaux (Stewarts Creek) 2017
Small two guard will need to expand his backcourt horizons and incorporate some lead guard into his repertoire. He has a decent build for his size, he runs the floor well and plays hard on both ends of the floor. His outside shooting form needs some tweaking as he must get his shot off quicker, especially against these much quicker guards who are able to close out and disrupt his shooting from the perimeter. His footwork and lateral movement is another area for improvement.
5
Patrick Urey (Baylor) 2018
Skilled wing with a much improved outside shooting touch, Urey is a bouncy kid who has returned from some nagging injuries to continue his path to being a very successful prep player and readying himself for action at the next level when he is done. He runs the floor, is active off the ball, he crashes the boards for caroms and second chance buckets while still transitioning from a post player to a wing. Patrick needs to assert himself even more and bring that passion on every possession. Work on his ball-handling as he makes the move to the wing is imperative along with getting in the gym and putting up thousands of shots. His future is bright. I have no doubt.
7
Gavin Silk (Clay County) 2019
Youngster came to the clinic ready to compete. He was diving on the floor for loose balls, he competed hard to say the least. Without fail every evaluation mentioned the fact that he needs to get in better basketball shape to be a contributor this season in Class A. Taking that next step to being a player who logs minutes will require better lateral skills and foot work. His offensive game will need an upgrade but a kid who plays with this emotion and effort will not have a hard time getting in the gym, fixing his conditioning and working on his skills.
8
Jake Ashlock (Clay County) 2020
Reading over some of the points of this evaluation I come to the realization this kid has never even played in a high school basketball yet, anyway the young man has good size for an incoming freshman which should get him some minutes for his high school team. He battled defensively and went after the glass despite at times looking overwhelmed by the speed of the game in front of him. He didn't play scared which is always something we acknowledge for incoming freshman. Offensively he has a ways to go, confidence wise and skill wise but another kid who has a motor and an obvious desire to get better. Look forward to seeing his progress as he grows into his body.
9
Lorenz Sagebeil (Knoxville Christian) 2018
Good length and did very well in the drills according to numerous instructors. As a European kid who just recently got to the area I think the atmosphere may have been a bit overwhelming. He showed a nice outside shooting touch from a sinewy 6'5 frame. He struggled physically on defense as he spent majority of his offensive workload relegated to the perimeter. Defensively is where he will need to make his biggest strides as a player; as well as, getting his body stronger for the American high school game.
10
Paul Arrowood (David Crockett) 2018
Catches your eye immediately as an aggressive player with good size, Arrowood hit the glass hard on both ends of the floor. He played with his back to the basket in the post and seemed to understand his role. He will need to work on his footwork and lateral quickness when guarding in the post. He needs to strengthen his hands so he can cleanly catch the entry pass and finish easy scoring chances. All coaches love kids who play with effort and are willing to do what it takes to get better and be a contributor on their squad. This young man is everything we just said.
