Carson Newman Showcase Evaluations (Illinois)

One of our favorite events of the year took place again this year at picturesque Carson Newman University. The annual Tennessee Prep Hoops Rankings and Exposure Showcase tipped off a couple Saturdays ago and now its time to compute all the data and start releasing some evaluations on the attendees.

 

 

 

 

ILLINOIS

 

Isaiah Allen (Upperman)

Camp Number: 101

6'1 PG

2021

 

"Effective with the ball in his hands, finishes at the rim, has range out to the three point line. He runs the floor hard on both ends and show good athleticism". Good looking lead guard with a decent stroke, he likes to push tempo and is a sound passer in the half-court and especially adept in transition. He is a very good help defender, opportunistic, making steals and deflections, he can defend on the ball as well and has a quick first step. "One of the better guards here today, he can do a great deal of things well and he isn't a liability on defense, once he adds some strength and continues to add confidence in all these areas, he could be a solid player on the appropriate level in college".

 

 

Nick Liakonis (Hardin Valley)

Camp Number: 103

6'2 SG

2022

 

"Good size, great stroke from anywhere along the deep line, he has a natural feel for the flow of the game. He will push tempo, he goes after rebounds and he has adequate handles at this juncture of his development". The consensus from the evaluation lot is this kid has a next level stroke, he has good size for a guard or wing and he seems to have a great feel for the game. He has a tendency to dribble the ball to excess at times and he can have periods of the game when his contributions are minimal. "I like this kid a great deal, he can stroke the ball, he has length and size but he needs to be more consistent, 85% will not get you to the next level, you have the skill level, do it 100% of the time".

 

 

Nick Roberts (Alcoa)

Camp Number: 104

6'4 W/PF

2020

 

"Multi-use player has an amazing stroke, he sees the floor well, he can post up and he will finish at the rim, he lacks overt athleticism but he understands how to play and he is very effective". Production speaks for itself. He has an excellent face up game, he can use the 1 or 2 dribble move to score and he uses the glass well. He can score over smaller players in the post and he can shoot over them on the wing. He is at his best facing the cup and hitting cutters for easy scores or knocking down shots himself. "This kid plays hard, he will need to work on his body for the next level, work on his quickness and explosion but his production and skill level are top notch. He can score on every level, he passes as well as any lead guard and he has a winners mentality, enough with the things he cant do and lets focus on what he can do and that is help some next level squad win games".  

 

 

Jackson Inman (Cumberland County)

Camp Number: 106

6'1 PG

2022

 

"Young guard attacks off the dribble, he shows a nice pull up jumper going to his left, he has a floater and he gets involved on both ends of the floor". Rising sophomore lead guard who runs the floor, he has a nice stroke and will attack the cup off the dribble if disrespected. He can catch and finish, has a variety of spin moves in the paint and can use both hands at the rim. He will need to work on his body and get stronger for the rigors of high school basketball. He has a solid feel for what is happening, he needs to continue to engage on both ends of the floor. His confidence level will rise as he gains strength and gets even more involved with the ball in his hands, work on your handles, keeping the ball closer to the body and keeping the head up at all times. He has moments of clarity but consistency is one of the toughest traits to teach a young guard. I like his potential and attitude to make himself a great player.

 

 

Tanner Brush (J. Frank White)

Camp Number: 107

6'4 PF

2021

 

"Runs the floor to score, goes hard to the rim, not afraid to attack bigs, solid face up and plays with effort". Undersized post who has some game, not super skilled or strong, he can finish with either hand and is a tempo player who has some range but doesn't yet have the confidence in his shot to simply just pull the trigger. "Kid is pretty solid in the half court, he goes to the middle of the lane to score, he has enough ball skills and enough to length to score on the block or in the lane". He needs to work on his body, which in turn should allow him to be a better, more attentive defender. Continue to work on your handles as you can project to the wing with a more compete skill set.

 

 

Andrew Knittel (Volunteer)

Camp Number: 109

6'0 P/SG

2023

 

"Smart young guard who will push the pace in transition, he sees the floor and can make the correct assist to the proper cutter". Slight build youngster who seemingly understands the game but doesn't have the physicality to finish plays. He has a decent lefty stroke and he shows some change of speed moves to the basket. He tends to let his emotions get the better of him, especially on defense, where he lets this effect the rest of his production. His maturity level will be fine as he moves up the ranks, he's a competitor and he wants to be good. As he adds strength and confidence, his game will grow exponentially as he has a natural skill level just waiting to burst out.

 

Colt Clark (Carter)

Camp Number: 110

5'6 PG

2022

 

"Tough but small. Diminutive guard who shows some grit and toughness but just doesn't have the strength or size to compete plays at this point of his development". Rising sophomore guard shows some toughness, he isn't afraid to stick his nose in there and he doesn't back down, ever. He can shoot the ball with time and proper footwork and he sees the floor. He likes to push tempo and he has a nice floater, which was noted by three separate evaluations,  a must have for any small guard. This kid loves this game, he goes hard and he will work his best to overcome his lack of size and strength. The more he works on his body and becomes that spark plug who creates tempo and makes plays on both ends of the floor the better his confidence and production will become.