Above the Rim Classic Standouts (Part 1)
In one of the most hyped events I have experienced in my five years doing this, Richmond was the place to be for high school basketball on the whole east coast as everyone anxiously anticipated seeing Sierra Canyon out of…
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Continue ReadingIn one of the most hyped events I have experienced in my five years doing this, Richmond was the place to be for high school basketball on the whole east coast as everyone anxiously anticipated seeing Sierra Canyon out of California come to play John Marshall at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond on Saturday. One of the main reasons is that Sierra Canyon is one of the best programs in the country, and features a roster that includes Zaire Wade (Dwyane’s son) and Bronny James (LeBron’s son).
However, it was a full day of action packed basketball that not only featured them but also four other games with teams from all over Virginia and more. From the third game on the center was packed to capacity with my guess being between 5 and 7,000 people, so the atmosphere was electric for all the games. There were way too many standouts to put in just one article, so I broke it up into three parts. Here’s the first one featuring seven guys from the early games that stood out.
Zy’Ever Wingfield | 6’2” WG | Henrico ’20
In the first game of the event, the Henrico Warriors flexed a little bit showing why they’re looking like one of the best teams in the area and a possible contender for a Class 5 State Title as well. Wingfield is one of a few transfers who came in after successful campaigns at other schools, his being Highland Springs, and he brings a tough nosed mentality and an all out motor on both ends of the floor. He showed his slashing ability and three level scoring prowess as he finished the game with an impressive 24 points on 10-for-17 shooting from the field and pitched in 3 steals in their win over Matoaca.
Jahme Ested | 6’0′ PG | Henrico ’20
One of the top guards in the Richmond area and in the state as a whole, Ested is the leading returner for the Warriors and did a good job of both setting the tone and getting his while also keeping all the other guys on the team happy. He’s the perfect embodiment of the leader and point guard Head Coach Vance Harmon needs for this group, as he controls the tempo, applies pressure defensively and he lives in the lane off the bounce with his speed and playmaking ability. He looks much improved as both a shooter and a passer, and he was unstoppable in their win finishing with 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting and 7 assists to just one turnover.
Jarrett Hunter | 5’10” PG | Louisa ’20
Hunter has quietly been one of the most under-appreciated guys in the state, even though he was a big reason that Louisa went to the state championship game last year before falling to GW Danville along with current Hampton freshman Chris Shelton. One of those reasons is that he’s a natural athlete who excels in multiple other sports including football where he’s been a staple of that very successful group the past few years too. One thing Hunter always impresses me with is his natural leadership and poise at the PG position, and he has a lot of toughness to go along with that athleticism that makes him an impact guy on both ends. He also was lights out this game and looking for his shot, and despite losing a close one to Kempsville out of Virginia Beach he was one of the most impressive guys all day as he finished with 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field and had 5 assists to no turnovers as well.
Xavien Hunter | 5’9” G | Louisa ’20
The cousin of Jarrett who is a good ball player and a tremendous three sport athlete in his own right, Xavien got off to a hot start against Kempsville when others were slow to get it going. Hunter is a dynamic athlete who is shifty off the bounce and lightning quick with his first step, and he’s also a guy who can make shots from deep off the catch and create space off the bounce to get shots in isolation situations. He cooled off down the stretch, but he still was able to make plays all game and was a big reason they were in at as he finished with 11 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.
Donte Walker | 6’5” WF | Carolina Basketball Academy ’20
A naturally gifted and athletic wing out of Atlanta, Walker showed that he can play and guard multiple positions and do a lot of things on the court. He has a broad build and he’s an explosive leaper, he can handle the ball both in transition and in the half court to create his own shot, he’s a strong finisher in traffic and he plays with a motor and communicates well on the defensive end. He finished with 22 points and 4 rebounds and played with a lot of energy throughout the game despite them losing in a blowout fashion to Norview.
Ade Jenkins | 6’8” C | Carolina Basketball Academy ’20
The former Princess Anne and Portsmouth Christian standout came back to Virginia with CBA and showed some improvement and was productive especially on the offensive end. At 6’8” he’s always been a little on the heavier side and he looks like he’s been working on that as he looks a little more mobile, and he showed some very good touch out to the three-point line. He looked quicker off his feet as a rim protector as well and if he continues to improve his conditioning and body he’ll be just fine at the next level. He finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks in the loss to Norview.
Mahir Sharif | 6’0” G | Phoebus ’20
A big and strong guard that can play both on and off the basketball, Sharif impressed in quite a few ways but excelled when he was able to get down hill and get to the basket where he showed terrific finishing ability in traffic. He has great body control when he gets past his defenders and knows how to find contact to get to the line, and he’s also a guy who keeps coming at you on every play and hits the glass hard on the offensive end too. He finished with 19 points on 6-for-13 shooting from the field and 7-for-11 from the line and pitched in 5 rebounds as well.