The Tennessee Prep Hoops Rankings and Exposure Showcase at Carson Newman went off without a hitch as over 100 players from the vicinity showed up and played hard for the day. Here are the evaluations based on information ascertained from myself and three other competent sources I had making observations on that day.
Group D
Maryland (D1)
151) Alantez Johnson (Dobyns-Bennett) 2013
Solid guard who pushes the ball hard up the floor and knows how to make the correct pass in transition, Johnson has a decent outside shot that needs to speed up its delivery. He is a good athlete who can finish at the rim; he has good handles and is explosive. He tends to dribble excessively which forces him into bad situations on the floor.
152) Dylan McLellan (Cloudland) 2013
Quick first step, McLellan can take his defender off the dribble and is a competent passer from the lead guard position as well. He loves to use the spin move which proved effective about 20% of the time. He is a good defender who plays very hard and has a passion for playing the game, which is obvious in the way he competes.
153) Nick Scott (Georgia) 2012
Active player who has deep range when his fundamentals on the shot are followed he will drain the three from anywhere around the bent line. He is a system player who seems to function more comfortably when his role is defined and he knows where to be on offense. He has a high basketball IQ and was very good on the help side of the defense.
154) John Lavin (Seymour) 2013
Another smart player who scores in bunches from the perimeter, Lavin is a spot up shooter who will set his feet and knock down the shot from deep. He is a good defender when motivated and will need to improve his handles and lateral quickness as he moves along in the high school ranks.
155) Davor Saktovic (Bearden) 2012
Emerging big man has a sweet stroke from the mid-range and plays with a good deal of fundamental skills. Davor is still learning how to play the game and is very eager on both ends of the floor. He must learn to finish better at the rim as his offensive game comes around. He keeps the ball high on the boards and understands how to outlet the ball, then sprint to the offensive block.
157) Zeke Clark (Elizabethton) 2014
Young guard played well and showed a unique understanding of the game; Clark played very hard on both ends of the floor and was very good at distributing the ball in the half court settings. He showed he could score a little with a nice runner and got after it when guarding the opposing teams point guard. He needs to get stronger of course and continue to work on his outside stroke.
158) Dallas Fields (Powell) 2014
Young point guard who has a developing game but tends to over penetrate at times putting himself into bad situations with the basketball. Fields is quick and likes to initiate the contact and fade away into his shot, as he matures he will learn to go into the defender but his aggression is nice. He sees the floor well and is unselfish with the ball.
Duke (D2)
161) Justin Wandell (Elizabethton) 2012
Crafty guard who plays with emotion and passion, he is smart and tough. He needs to tighten his handles but is fearless when going to the hoop using a goods step through move to get buckets on his defender. He is an average shooter who will need to improve that aspect to make him more dangerous and tougher to guard. He makes good decisions but can be a bit unpredictable at times but that comes from being a competitor, we loved him.
162) Riley Rosenoff (KACHEA) 2013
Very solid shooter who has range well beyond the three-point line, he is fearless on the offensive side of the ball and not afraid to stroke it even when covered. He will need to get more lift on his shot and improve his foot speed, which in turn will allow him to put the ball on the deck on occasion. He has good size and is an efficient player.
163) Kaseem Davidson (Oak Ridge) 2012
Very impressed with the improved effort of this young man as he came to play on this day and stuck it out and played hard to the very end. He has a good outside shooting stroke but does needs to quicken his delivery against better athletes. He is running the floor better and is starting to attack the rim off the dribble a little better. He needs to embrace playing defense and use his athleticism to become a solid defender.
164) Brock Rowan (Stone Memorial) 2013
Arguably the best shooter in the state, Rowan has struggled a bit with his shot in recent weeks but he is a serious gym rat who won't let this be a problem for long. He plays very hard on both ends of the floor and is a good help defender, filling the passing lanes and harassing the penetration. He has improved off the dribble and can finish tough in the lane despite contact which always seems to come his way. I look for a breakout year for him as a rising junior this season.
166) Chris Reeves (Fulton) 2013
Small guard has some very nice intangibles but he has a tendency to not use all of his gifts when he is on the floor. He has moments of clarity where he knocks down shots, makes great decisions and defends like a demon but he tends to disappear during games. He is a strong kid who could score more off the dribble; he sees the floor well and has a knack for getting in the lane. It is all up to him as to how good he could become.
168) Burton Sampson (Knoxville Webb) 2013
Smart and efficient, Sampson has fully recovered from some nagging injuries and appears to be back into form as a player. He has a very nice stroke from outside and works his tail off inside, which allows him to get scores and rebounds because he outworks his opposition. He will need to work on his ball-handling skills from the guard position for the next level and improving his strength and athleticism to be able to guard the position as well. He has a mega bright future.
170) Josh Coleman (Cookeville) 2014
Big young player who has improving skills and works hard on the glass especially on the offensive end, he knows how to carve out space and is not afraid to mix it up with anyone on the interior. He runs the floor well and has long arms. He needs to improve his offensive arsenal and develop a go to move with the ball on the block, he has an average mid-range stroke but works hard at improving his game.
