Top 250 Expo: New Faces (Part Two)
Yesterday, Prep Hoops invaded Park School for their annual Top 250 Expo. In the best turnout yet, over 100 prospects gathered to showcase their skills in front of over a dozen college coaches and evaluators. This event is always a…
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Continue ReadingYesterday, Prep Hoops invaded Park School for their annual Top 250 Expo. In the best turnout yet, over 100 prospects gathered to showcase their skills in front of over a dozen college coaches and evaluators. This event is always a perfect opportunity to find players who have flown under the radar and for the ones that are already talked about, a chance to prove themselves against great competition.
For this article, I’ll dissect the players who I had the pleasure of watching for the first time.
David Nwankwo | 6’5 | ’20 Takoma Academy
It didn’t take long for Nwankwo to catch my eye with his athleticism and power at which he plays with at 6-foot-5. Both aspects were put to the test on the defensive end where he was an effective on-ball defender whether it was on a frontcourt player or a big. Time and time again, Nwankwo challenged shots around the rim and often times ended up blocking the shot attempt. Offensively, he was an strong driver and had multiple above the rim finishes in transition.
Macahi Nelson | 6’3 | ’22 Williamsport
Nelson got started early as a scorer. He has a hardhat mentality as a driver and doesn’t shy away from contact. His finishes aren’t always pretty, but they were going in at a high clip. The 6-foot-3 guard’s jumper still needs a lot of work, but that should come with time. The good thing is, you never have to question his effort on either end and he rebounds extremely well for the guard position.
Montez Dunbar | 6’1 | ’21 Parkville
Dunbar is a prideful defender and the type of player who can fit in on pretty much any team. Offensively, he is best as a catch and shoot guy, but he will occasionally make plays off the dribble as well.The 6-foot-1 guard will be one of the unsung heroes for the Knights this season. It doesn’t take long to admire Dunbar’s overall effort, but his attention to detail defensively is rare in today’s game.
Martynas Sabaliauskas | 6’8 | ’20 St. James School
Sabaliauskas is a very intriguing prospect because of his size and ability to stretch the floor. The 6-foot-8 St. James standout gave mismatch problems throughout the day by making his match up guard him beyond the arc. He doesn’t have explosive athleticism, but he’s quick enough to make his defender pay if they aren’t guarding him honestly. Sabaliauskas was a consistent rebounder and filled lanes in transition.
Mohamad Toure | 6’5 | ’21 Sandy Spring Friend School
Toure is a skinny, 6-foot-5 guard with athleticism that can take many by surprise. He has a scorer’s mindset when he has the ball and hit a handful of mid-range jumpers in isolation situations. Toure got to display his athleticism in the open floor where he finished over the rim. He used his length to disturb his match up’s shot attempt and was quick to get out wide in the lanes during fast break scenarios.
Mohamed Toure (Sandy Spring ‘21) showcasing his athleticism in transition @PrepHoopsTop250 pic.twitter.com/Nt3FUgG8Nj
— Prep Hoops Maryland (@PrepHoopsMD) September 21, 2019
Michael Green II | 6’6′ | ’20 Jefferson Forest
Green caught the eye of many college coaches in attendance because of his size, athleticism and frame. Where he impressed me most is with his willingness to find open teammate when he had the ball on the block. He routinely made a move toward the middle of the lane, causing the defense to collapse and made crisp passes to open shooters on the perimeter. When he wasn’t passing, Green was finishing strong around the rim through contact, rebounding and being a shot blocker defensively.