Year number 11 of the Tennessee Prep Hoops Rankings and Exposure Showcase is in the books and a special thanks to Carson Newman for the use of their outstanding facilities. We had 90+ players make it down for the showcase and as we begin the evaluations I wanted to inform everyone that I had three college coaches, as well as, myself combine for these player evaluations. They will be posted by Camp Team and will come sporadically over the next couple weeks or so. Let us begin.
TENNESSEE (1-10)
Harrison Ogburn (Anderson County)
5-11 SG 2019
Camp Number: 1
Impressed everyone at the camp with his ability to knock down the open shot. "one of the best shooters I saw today, he shot with good form and supreme confidence" was one evaluation for this rising senior. He has a quick release and as his confidence grew so did his range. He is more athletic than he appears but size will limit him defensively on the next level. As far as defensively this is an area where he could make some serious movement, he is strong and athletic enough to be a much more effective defender. He is smart with the ball and patient, doesn't turn it over very much and is really solid off the dribble. A big senior year might open some eyes on the smaller collegiate levels.
Desmond Billingsley (Powell)
6-1 PG 2019
Camp Number: 2
A mixed bag of emotions from the evaluations for this athletic youngster. He looks the part, has a solid build and is very athletic and quick enough where he could be a lock-down defender. All agreed his shot is the area where he will need to make the most improvement on his game. His confidence doesn't seem to extend to his shooting, he finds himself going to the basket when open shots are easily available. He can get lost at times during stretches of the game but some of that could be attributed to camp basketball and all that it brings to the table. As his final prep campaign approaches working on his leadership skills and defensive aggression would be areas that need improvement.
Hunter Scurlock (Goodpasture)
6-4 G/F 2019
Camp Number: 3
Interesting player who garnered some very good feedback from the evaluation staff. He is long and ultra thin, he has a decent skill level and really has some savvy to his game. He is excellent at slashing to the basket and can finish but will seriously need to add strength to make this more of a regular occurrence. His shot is of the low trajectory variety and he uses both hands well around the bucket. He has some back to the basket skills and showed he could face up as well. He passed the ball well and wasn't afraid to go after rebounds on both ends of the floor. His shot selection was at times questionable and as one evaluation put it " not every play needs to have so much flash to it". Easy motions lead to easy buckets.
Jackson Young (Powell)
6-2 WF 2019
Camp Number: 4
Good team player with limited offensive ability. He showed a decent stroke but often his shot selection was very much in question. He showed some passing skills, especially when we demanded the post entry in every half court possession. He plays hard and gives effort without question. He comes across as one of those players who is much more effective for his high school team where he understands his role as opposed to camp basketball where those type of players have a tendency to get lost in the madness. He could work on his lateral quickness and footwork, as well as, his explosion to make himself more of an offensive threat as his senior season approaches.
Colby Raymer (Kingston)
6-0 PG 2022
Camp Number: 7
I really like this kid. He has an understanding and a passion to play basketball. He is young and yet to play a high school basketball game but he is vocal, loves to get his teammates involved and has an improving shot. He will obviously need to add strength to his game, as well as, making more informed decisions with the ball, he gets going to fast and makes bad basketball plays, this will cure itself with maturity and game action. He is a solid rebounder for a lead guard and loves to start the break where he makes better decisions than he does in the half-court. He is fearless, will dive on the floor for a loose ball and isn't afraid to stick his nose into the fray underneath the basket. The future is bright for this young guy. Work on making the outside shot a weapon and get stronger.
Jaylon Green (Knoxville Webb)
5-10 PG 2022
Camp Number: 8
Evaluations ran from one end of the spectrum to the other for this talented young rising freshman from Knoxville. He is very quick and showed he has the capability to lead from the point guard position. He uses either hand very well to make passes and seems to understand the flow of the game. His outside game needs some work as was mentioned by one evaluation, "this kid has a real feel for the game but he needs to really get his shooting stroke to the level of the rest of his game to truly be a next level lead guard". He will obviously need to get stronger, as does everyone in his class and this could help him finish plays at the rim or off the dribble. He has a good skill set and will be a player to watch as he gets more mature and confident within his own self.
Jake Bishop (Farragut)
6-0 SG/WF 2021
Camp Number: 9
Smallish guard plays hard but truly lacks the athleticism at this juncture of his development to be effective. He will need to increase his overall skill level in several areas. He doesn't shoot the ball badly form-wise but his release is very slow and his shot selection was questionable at best. Young man hasn't had a great deal of varsity experience and will need to work on his body to be a contributor this season. He has massive potential for growth in most every area of the game but youth is his biggest asset and as he gets stronger and more confident his game will continue to grow if so desired.
Tanner Brush (J. Frank White)
6-4 PF 2021
Camp Number: 10
Many positives for this youngster and his understanding of the game at this young age. "He is kind of like an old-school post player with some of his back to basket moves", said one evaluation. He has decent footwork in the post but he will need to work on his explosion and quickness. Methodical can work if you master the fundamentals. He has a decent stroke from the outside and understands how to use his body to get positioning on defense and rebounding. His athleticism will be an area that gets questioned but understanding how to use your natural gifts can overcome some of those athletic shortcomings. Positioning, change of speed and strength are a good start to becoming a real solid high school post player in your area.
