Carson Newman Showcase Evaluations (Ohio State 111-120)

With the Fall Leagues behind me I can concentrate on getting to the evaluations from the Carson Newman Showcase from a weeks back. I had three other evaluators posted, all three were former college coaches and their input is very important to my final analysis. I will post a story for each team from the event.

 

 

 

 

Ohio State (111-120)

 

#111 Seth Shaffer (Sequoyah)

5-9 PG 2015

Small point guard who will look to shoot if left open, Seth runs the floor and will find open spots in the zone to launch. His shooting stroke is a bit flat, he will need to get more arch on his shot. Lateral quickness and footwork will be a major area of focus, Shaffer is a really good passer in transition, he leads the break with the pass not the dribble. He will need to increase his hand strength so he can catch the ball from the penetrate and dish scenario with better regularity.  

 

#112 Andrus Barys (Hamilton Heights)

6-0 PG 2015

Listed as a point guard yet all of his evaluations centered on interior play. The rising senior took advantage of a mismatch by posting smaller guard inside and scoring over them. He showed a nice turnaround jumper especially after backing his man into the paint and he was an exceptional interior passer in traffic. He rarely shot the ball from deep so his range remains in question and for as hard as he worked on the offensive end he should be a much better defender with the same amount of effort.

 

#113 Garry Russell (Hamilton Heights)

6-4 WF 2015

Adequate athlete was not much of a threat on the offensive side of the ball but had his most immediate impact on the boards. Russell rebounded his area very well yet with his length he should be more aggressive and extent his range to snatch some from the other side of the lane. When he did have scoring opportunities things were usually on the right side as he showed no left hand to speak of.

 

#116 Grant Holt (Anderson County)

6-3 SG 2016

Loves the game and does not need a reason to lace them up and play, Holt is an active player who plays with effort and understands the game. He needs to work on his footwork, he tends to get going to fast and gets off balance. He plays very deliberate and has a decent lefty stroke that certainly needs to be launched much quicker. He is a very good rebounding guard, using his size and length to carve out space and get rebounds that he should not be getting, valuable to keeping possessions alive for the offense. He has a true understanding of the game and once his skill level catches up with his basketball mind he will be a very functional prep player.

 

#117 Mike Parker (Maplewood)

5-9 PG 2017

Lightning quick yet diminutive lead guard pushes the ball in transition, he has quick hands and plays relentless on defense. He is very good at the post entry and is real strength and confidence away from being a super productive young playmaker. Parker has exceptionally quick hands, disrupts on defense and possesses very good vision. Offensively he has a good floater, a must for small guards and his outside shot is improving. His obviously lack of size and strength make it difficult at times to finish plays in traffic against bigger kids but he understands the game and is a pure point guard which are an endangered species these days.

 

#118 Austin Harmon (Sequoyah)

6-0 SG 2017

Young player who was not afraid to mix it up with the upperclassmen, Harmon gave effort and it was noted on every evaluation. He runs the floor and looks to score but lacks the offensive repertoire at this stage of the development to be an effective offensive threat. He will need to just get in the gym and work on his ball-handling and off the dribble game; as well as, his outside shooting. Young players have a tendency in camps to hold back on offense wanting to fit in with the older players. With his obvious passion for the game and his work ethic his offense will come around as he matures as a high school player.

 

#119 Kentrell Evans (Brainerd)

5-11 PG 2017

Active lefty is tough and strong and plays with a chip on his shoulder, Evans has a decent lefty stroke and is at his best in transition where he can use his quickness and attack the rim. He is a very good defender and uses his feet to anticipate very well, he plays the passing lanes and is aggressive going for the loose ball. He will need to get his game under control a bit in the half court as his decision making can be tricky, with errant shots and unnecessary behind the back or "fancy" passes that create turnovers. Thinking the game better will move him up the prep ladder quickly.

 

#120 Demba Sow (Brainerd)

5-11 SG 2017

Very smart player who despite his lack of actual size is not afraid to fight for the ball and is a capable defender. Sow is a solid outside threat when his fundamentals are correct, he shows no fear when launching but must work on making his release much quicker. Listed as a shooting guard his size will dictate some point guard so he really will need to embrace his decision making with the ball which can be suspect. Here's a kid who loves to play and compete.