Sleepers and Stock-Risers: Minor vs. Wenonah

Howard Crawford

December 9, 2019 @ 02:03 PM

This match-up between two historic teams from the Birmingham area featured some very slept on talent and also featured some relatively known guys who are looking to raise their stock as the season progresses. The game was a very intense and fast paced which allowed the top players to showcase their full package and put a lot of people on notice. These are definitely some players you should keep your eyes on in the months ahead. STOCK-RISERS Vincent Reeves Jr., SG (Wenonah) Reeves stands at 6'4" with long arms and a nice frame. Was by far the smoothest player on the floor and all his moves seemed effortless and easy. Smooth jumper. Has range out beyond the 3pt. line, to go along with a nice pull-up jumper off the dribble. Even though he is tall, he showed no problems handling the ball against smaller defenders. Possesses point guard like passing ability. Very sneaky athleticism. Offensively its not much that he cant do but needs to push himself more on the defensive end. Hes definitely a top tier prospect skill-wise and the only thing seems to be missing is added weight and muscle to his frame. Currently ranked at #32 in the class of 2021 state rankings but look for him to make a significant jump if he continues this type of play. Dresean Knight, C (Minor) A young talent with loads of potential. He stands at 6'9" with a very long wingspan. At this point he is not an offensive threat but does have a soft touch around the rim. Seems to be developing into an elite shot-blocker. Uses his body well in the paint to gobble up rebounds on both ends. Needs to work on his timing and decision making when going for blocks if he wants to become a rim-protector. With added lower body strength and consistent work on his low post game, by his senior year he could possibly become the best big man prospect in the state of Alabama. He's currently ranked at #11 in the class of 2022 state rankings. SLEEPERS Keon Walker, CG (Minor) At 6'4", this senior has nice size at the guard spot. Able to spend time at both the PG/SG positions. He's able to control the game when playing point guard and looks to relentlessly attack the basket when playing off the ball. Needs work on his jump-shot but is able to hit the open three if left open. Great attitude on the court, never complains when things are going bad and does his job well. "Hard hat and lunch pail" type of player. Tyler Woodard, CG (Minor) Ranked at #50 in the class of 2020 state rankings, Woodard stands at 6'3" with an athletic frame and is able to do many things on the offensive and defensive end of the floor. He is a gamer and is in attack mode from tip-off. Very strong and decisive when attacking the basket. Finishes easily over taller defenders. If he gets momentum going to the rim he will try to dunk on whoever is in the way. Because of his elite athleticism it is normal to see alley-oop plays drawn up for him throughout the game. Possesses the length and quickness to get into the passing lanes on defense. Has a solid handle but it could still use more work. Has range out beyond the 3pt. line but needs to become more consistent in the mid-range. Could definitely be a good piece to add to your program if you are looking for a hungry and motivated player. Todd Johnson, PG (Minor) The quintessential point guard. Though he stands at only 5'9", the senior PG runs the team at a high level and is almost unguardable in the open court. Think twice about implementing your full court press if he is on the court because he will for sure carve it up like a thanksgiving turkey. Has great vision and a high basketball IQ. Able to hit the pull up three in transition. A pest on defense. Has the ability to guard 94 feet the majority of the game. Very strong with the ball in his hands and uses his size to his advantage in pick and roll situations. Could definitely see him coming in at the collegiate level as a backup PG and gradually becoming a team leader at point guard in the following years.