Earl Watson’s Fantastic 40: Day 3 Standouts and Must Watch Players
Las Vegas, NV – After 2 amazing days of basketball, could a third night top the others? From a hostile crowd that preyed on Belmont Shores’ every mistake, to Donovan Mitchell going crazy seeing Nike Elite Stars dunking line to…
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Continue ReadingLas Vegas, NV – After 2 amazing days of basketball, could a third night top the others? From a hostile crowd that preyed on Belmont Shores’ every mistake, to Donovan Mitchell going crazy seeing Nike Elite Stars dunking line to multiple games that went down to the wire, day 3 was everything we wanted and more. Here are a few of the players that stood out on amongst the rest:
Brandon Huntley Hatfield – B Maze Elite, IMG Academy
Brandon Hatfield perhaps had the biggest impact on day 3 in Las Vegas. He has good touch on his midrange game and can extend his game all the way to the 3pt line. He has good size inside standing in at 6’10” and is a good rebounder and can contest shots. Hatfield has good hands which compliments his ability to catch and go up in traffic inside. To top it all off, Huntley Hatfield is a class of 2022 prospect who can still add to his array of skills. Sky is the limit for him and he is a must watch prospect that the whole basketball world needs to keep an eye on.
JD Davison takes the elevator up and brings the house down! 😱 @jddavison10 @PangosAACamp @thefantastic40 pic.twitter.com/OSl9LvOoPD
— BallerTV (@BallerTV) August 4, 2019
JD Davison – Nike Elite Stars, Calhoun School
From “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd, to Donovan Mitchell’s IG posts, JD Davison electrified the court with his out of this world athleticism and leaping ability. The lead guard threw down several dunks during layup lines on day 3 that instantly went viral. In game, Davison did much of the same including a facial dunk against the Las Vegas Knicks that brought the house down. To compliment his dunking, Davison has an array of moves to get himself to the basket. His ability to get to the rim and change his shot in air is second to none.
Tommy Murr – Nike Elite Stars, Lindsey Lane Christian
Tommy Murr’s game will take you into a couple different decades and bring the nostalgia of the Mark Price or Steve Nash days. The 6’1″ guard from Lindsey Lane Christian in Alabama came into the event quite unknown but made a huge imprint afterwards. Murr constantly found the open man with his pin point passing. He has handles, acceleration, and foot speed to beat his man off the dribble. Murr also plays with a high iq, poise, and has excellent body control which allows him to draw contact on the way to the basket. When not dropping dimes, Murr is torching the nets with his 3pt shooting ability. Murr has a fast release which allows him to get shots off with very minimal space. With his impressive showing at the Fantastic 40, Murr deserves to be recognized and established as a must watch player.
DJ Davis – Compton Magic, Corona Centennial
Talk about a flamethrower. When he is on, there is no stopping DJ Davis. The So Cal guard from Compton Magic has his range and shooting ability on full display on day 3 of the Fantastic 40. Davis possesses unlimited range on his shot and can light it up in a hurry. DJ has an ultra quick release and needs little time or space to get his shot off. His scoring ability is reminiscent of former NBA guard Eddie House who could not be stopped once a couple shots fall in a row. In a blowout win against Belmont Shores to advance to the Fantastic 40 Championship game, Davis hit 3 after 3 from beyond the college and pro lines en route to a cheering frenzy from the crowd. It will be interesting to see where Davis lands next year as should stay on everyone’s radar.
UTU 15s/16s –
No other team or fans had as big of a crowd presence as the UTU 17s team. The chemistry and solidarity of the program was on full display as both UTU 15 and 16 programs were in full support of their 17s in every game they played. Every single opponent who played them must have felt like they were playing an away game. The noise and support from the UTU program was in full effect in Vegas and stood out like a 12th man from the crowd.