Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo: Top Performers (2019-2020)
The inaugural Prep Hoops Missouri Top 250 Expo was held at the Center of Sports in South St. Louis County. Nearly 200 players were on hand to participate in what was a very successful event. There was plenty of young talent on hand in the first session, which featured players from 2019 and 2020 classes.
Here is a breakdown of the Top 10 2019-2020 performers from Session 1 of the Top 250 Expo:
Isiaih Mosley 6’5″ Rock Bridge ’19 (MVP): The talented combo forward was hands-down the top player in the first session. When the coaches are saying, “He should be playing in the second session,” it was a clear indication of how good he was on this day. Mosley’s combination of size, strength and versatility were on full display as he played every position on the floor. When he wasn’t scoring in the paint on post ups, He handled the ball and made his teammates better by dropping several nice dimes. He got to the basket on the drive and finished strong with layups and dunks, but he also stopped on the dime to knock down mid-range jumpers. Mosley’s perimeter game also continued to emerge as he started to hit 3-pointers.
Jeramy Shaw 6’3″ Valley Park ’19: Shaw was another versatile athlete who stood heads and shoulders above the rest of the field. The well-built wing player was difficult to guard throughout the day with his ability to get to the basket and make jump shots. He repeatedly slashed to the basket and played through contact to get buckets at the rim. He complimented his driving ability with several jumpers off the dribble to keep defenders off balance. Shaw is an explosive athlete who has a chance to develop into a strong prospect.
Jamonta Black 6’2″ Rock Bridge ’19: The long and lean wing player looked very smooth throughout the day with his versatile offensive skills. He had the ball in his hands most of the time and he did a good job of walking the fine line of getting buckets and making sure his teammates stayed involved so they could eat. His handles are nice and he could get to the basket without expending a lot of effort. He has a good shooting stroke from the mid-range area and he can extend it to beyond the 3-point line. He also did some nice things playing off the ball and creating for himself by setting screens or coming off screens.
Ray Adams 6’2″ Webster Groves ’19: The lanky wing player was one of the most impressive perimeter shooters in the event, but it was during the last game in which he put on a tremendous shooting display. The kid was simply on fire as he scored roughly 20 consecutive points. He was knocking down jumpers from everywhere, with most of them being from long distance. He finished his scoring flurry with an impressive slam dunk as he displayed some improved athleticism.
Braeden Combs 6’1″ Nixa ’19: An excellent combo guard who was very good on both ends of the court during the day. I liked how he took the challenge of guarding some of the other top perimeter players at the camp. On offense, he was excellent on the drive where he created some shots a difficult angles. He also shot the ball well from distance, especially off the dribble. I was most impressed with how he wanted to the ball and was able to deliver some big baskets in close games. In one game, he made back-to-back off-balance 3-pointers down the stretch to win a game for his team.
Dawson Owen 6’0″ Park Hill South ’19: What made this point guard stand out this day was more for what he didn’t do in one of these events. He did not hog the ball, which is common for guards in these showcase events. Instead, Owen was so unselfish and he did a tremendous job of moving the ball and feeding his teammates for buckets. He hit the roll man every time on the pick-and-roll and hit perimeter shooters on drive and kicks. And, don’t get it twisted. Owen can knock down jumpers and get buckets. He even made one in the final seconds to win a game for his team.
Hayden Thomas 6’2″ Twin Rivers ’19: This talented combo guard is a walking, talking set of fundamentals. Nobody at the camp was better at using pass fakes and shot fakes to set up his offense. Thomas used them to perfection as he freed himself up for open jumpers and drives to the basket throughout the session. He has a nice, smooth one dribble pull up from 15 feet and he can hit the 3-pointer. With his ball handling and passing, he was very comfortable playing either guard spot on the floor.
Jake Luthy 6’3″ Vianney ’19: A solidly built wing player, Luthy was a matchup problem for opposing defenders throughout the morning session. On a team full of guards, Luthy was basically a guard playing the four spot, which matched him up against an opposing big. He used the matchup to his advantage as he handled the ball, initiated the offense most of the time. He shot the ball well from 3-point range and also got to the basket on a consistent basis. I was very impressed with his float game as he knocked down several runners from five to six feet. He was also an excellent passer.
Malachy Simpson 6’6″ Webster Groves ’19: One of the most impressive young bigs at the camp, Simpson was very good during the skills portion of the camp where he got a chance to show his perimeter game. He could put the ball on the floor and drive with confidence, plus he had a nice shooting touch from the perimeter. He did some of the same in the games, but he spent more time in the low post where he was able to take advantage of his size. His game should continue to grow as he gets stronger physically.
Jason Montgomery 6’2″ Marquette ’19: This is an impressive young combo forward who has the physical strength to play in the post at both ends and skill set to make plays on the perimeter. His fundamentals are very good and he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He scored repeatedly off the dribble as he outmuscled smaller defenders to the basket or outquicked bigger ones with his footwork. He has the ability to score in the post or step outside and knock down 15 footers. Montgomery is also an excellent rebounder who plays very big inside.