2019 South Florida Elite Camp: Standouts (Part 1)

<p>South Florida welcomed just over 80 prospects to its annual Elite Camp on Saturday. Consisting of 12 teams of players in the 2020-2023 classes, there was a ton of talent on hand to evaluate.</p> <p>Here is Part 1 of the list of top standouts I had a chance to see on the day.</p> <h3><strong>Jalen Smith (Oak Ridge)</strong></h3> <p>2021 6'3" Oak Ridge guard <strong>Jalen Smith</strong> was perhaps the most consistent scorer in attendance. His ball fakes, drives to the hoop and overall speed was hurting defenses. Offered late in July by USF and Stetson previously, Smith is just scratching the surface and is maturing from being known as a deep ball shooter. This is a huge junior year for him.</p> <h3><strong>Taylor Hendricks (University)</strong></h3> <p>Offered by USF on Saturday, UF on Friday and Miami in July, 2022 6'7" University forward <strong>Taylor Hendricks</strong> is quickly coming into the recruiting scene. I was most impressed with his ability to shoot from deep and his active play on the boards was equally nice to see. Hendricks is a long body, who simply plays hard on both ends, doesn't complain and has nice versatility.</p> <h3><strong>Ramses Melendez (Central Pointe Christian)</strong></h3> <p>Perhaps one of the most electric players on the floor, 2021 6'5" Central Pointe Christian guard <strong>Ramses Melendez </strong>was having fun on Saturday. He has offers from USF, FAU, UF and Oklahoma State (all earned in the spring). Melendez can hurt you from deep and was connecting at a high clip on the day, but I loved his willingness to get to the rack and he finished with slams often. Melendez is a high IQ player with a seasoned game.</p> <h3><strong>Fray Nguimbi (West Oaks)</strong></h3> <p>Offered by USF on Saturday (previous other offer Southeastern Louisiana), 2022 6'7" West Oaks forward <strong>Fray Nguimbi </strong>has improved a ton this summer. He looked way more confident than the last time I saw him play and most importantly, he was vocal and getting inside for dunks and drives. His mid-range jumper is coming along nicely as well. Nguimbi is a long forward to monitor closely.</p> <h3><strong>Sam Walters (The Villages)</strong></h3> <p>Playing alongside Nguimbi, the length is undeniable for 2023 6'7" The Villages forward <strong>Sam Walters. </strong>Skinny in both his upper and lower body, his outside shot is dangerous and his ability to draw contact and get into the paint is really solid. Walters will add muscle in time, but right now, he's simply a scorer as a shooter and attacker. He will be one of the top freshmen in the entire state this season.</p> <h3><strong>Ben Middlebrooks (Westminster)</strong></h3> <p>Anytime 2022 6'9" Westminster forward <strong>Ben Middlebrooks </strong>goes against anybody he's hard to slow down, but even against other top bigs, he scores at the rim and makes stop defensively. Offers from USF and FGCU are on the table for the sophomore. Middlebrooks is a rebounding machine, but what impressed me most about him was his passing in tempo. He has guard like skills and really good vision.</p> <h3><strong>Jaylen Martin (Florida State University School)</strong></h3> <p>Earning an offer from USF right after the camp, 2022 6'5" Florida State University School guard <strong>Jaylen Martin </strong>was really good on the day, getting inside and finishing a lot. Arkansas Little Rock and Stetson represent the previous offers for the sophomore. A big guard, Martin can mix it up on the wing and his brute strength is what helps him stand out time and time again. </p> <h3><strong>Jahsean Corbett (Poinciana)</strong></h3> <p>It shocks me that 2021 6'7" Poinciana guard/forward <strong>Jahsean Corbett </strong>doesn't have an offer yet. He has a plethora of interest from the likes of FGCU, USF, NC State and Jacksonville. After Saturday's performance, I think he needs to be taken more seriously. He was on fire from deep in all three games, was shooting the mid-range well and can attack the rim with his size whenever he wants. Corbett proved to be scrappy defensively as well, stealing passes often and blocking shots. </p> <h3><strong>AJ Brown (Orlando Christian Prep)</strong></h3> <p>The lone offer for 2022 6'2" Orlando Christian Prep guard <strong>AJ Brown </strong>came from USF back in June. He showed up to the elite camp looking to build off his impressive team camp outing a few months ago. In the one game that I saw Brown, he was dunking over and over and made life easy for everyone around him with his transition play. Brown is always looking to push the ball and score. He is in for a nice sophomore campaign for OCP.</p> <h3><strong>Ernest Udeh (Dr. Phillips)</strong></h3> <p>Coming onto the scene in June, 2022 6'8" forward <strong>Ernest Udeh </strong>ran with Team Parsons for the July AAU period and his confidence shined through. Earning an offer from USF on the day, he was a defensive machine with his shot blocking ability and overall tenacity on the boards. Elusive is a good word to use for Udeh, who is getting better as a shooter and has so much endless upside. I've heard comparisons (<em>in his progress now</em>) from Team Parsons coaches to Omar Payne, a current freshman at UF and former Montverde and Osceola star.</p>