Q’s Second Team – All Grassroots Selection
The point of this article is to include the best five prospects from this past summer in Washington. There were plenty of chances to see some of these young men play in some of the most competitive tournament play I’ve seen in some years. This year welcomed plenty of players who will eventually make noise at the next level. But as there always is, some players stood above the rest.
So, below, on our All Tournament 2nd Team, we’ve decided to recognize the players we found ourselves most impressed with at this past spring and summer sessions.
2nd TEAM
PG – Tre Anderson, Class of 2018 guard standing at 6’0 hailing from Lincoln High School is a hardnosed bull to put it simply. He is the quintessential point guard. A player who can pass, shoot, attack the rim and finish amongst the trees. His line of offers are soon to come and most definitely will be high to mid major type of recruit. He is currently play for Lincoln high school out of Tacoma, Washington and belongs to the Washington Supreme family under the expert tutelage of Chris Spivey.
SG – Erik Stevenson, Class of 2018 guard standing at 6’3 hailing from Lacey, Washington is a highly skilled wing who has elite athleticism. Erik is attending Timberline High School is rank #4 in the state of Washington. I got a chance to see him in action against Curtis High School in a summer league game. He actually looks taller than 6’3 due to his long arms and long arms. He has a high IQ for when it is time to look for his shot or when it is time to get others involved. A deadeye shooter from long range and can get to the basket with an assortment of dribble drive moves. He comes from a good background, good family and good coaching. Erik is a part of the Washington Supreme family.
SF – Emmitt Matthews Jr. Class of 2018 forward standing at 6’7 hailing from Wilson High School is currently ranked #8 in Washington. He is a very athletic small forward who can lead the break and shoot from long range. He is currently attending Wilson High school and like his counterparts plays for a very stacked Washington Supreme team. With offers ranging from Boise State, Oklahoma, WSU and OSU to name a few. This young man has the skill set to fit into any one of those programs.
PF – CJ Elleby, Class of 2018 forward standing 6’8. The Cleveland High School star currently has some interest from Gonzaga, WSU, Stanford, Pepperdine, and Boise State. The lefty has a smooth jumper with nice size, giving him the ability to rebound and push the break. Being a taller guard, he is able to post up and shoot over smaller guards easy, but can also break defenders down off the dribble. It would not be a surprise to see him grow another inch or two. He has also added more athleticism to his game, being much more explosive and finishing many plays in the paint with dunks. Defensively, he is physical enough to defend forwards and quick enough to matchup with guards. He rebounds at a high level and is very vocal on the defensive end, showing great leadership skills. SBS has him ranked at #4 for the class of 2014.
C – Kamaka Hepa, Class of 2018 center standing 6’9 hailing from Portland Basketball Club. Kamaka is the prototypical power forward/center. He has size and athleticism and can step out and shoot from long range. He is high on the top of the recruitment list for many colleges around the country and I’m sure he will have plenty of offers. During this showcase Kamaka had his way. Scoring in the low post and on the wing have been the norm throughout the years.
***I would have to say the most impressive player out of this group was hands down EMMITT MATTHEWS JR. He has emerged as a high-major prospect this spring while playing with Washington Supreme on the Under Armour circuit, and recently landed in the updated 2018 Rivals150 at No. 148.A 6-foot-7 forward, Matthews is long and bouncy with a pretty three-point stroke. Those attributes tend to get college basketball coaches excited. The Washington native says LSU, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State are the schools that have done the most work with him so far. Oregon State is the lone school to get him on campus for an unofficial visit***