Top Standouts/Prospects: FUMA vs. Spire
In the third game of the Military Classic at Fork Union, the host team faced off with Spire Post Grad out of Ohio for an instant classic. Spire was on a role throughout the first half, and had a firm…
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Continue ReadingIn the third game of the Military Classic at Fork Union, the host team faced off with Spire Post Grad out of Ohio for an instant classic. Spire was on a role throughout the first half, and had a firm double digit lead midway through the second half when FUMA turned it up and started a major comeback. FUMA was able to comeback due to their hustle and team play, and with 3.4 seconds left they tied things up at 77 on a layup by senior Josh Knox. However, Spire point guard Tariq Shepard was fouled with .3 seconds left, and hit one of two free throws to win the game for Spire at the buzzer. Here’s a look at some of the top performers from the game.
Shunta Wilson | 6’5” WF | FUMA 2020
One of the stars of last year’s state championship GW Danville team, Wilson continues to be a super productive wing whose game may be a little different but gets great results. He has good length and is a decent athlete, but he plays with such a high motor that he’s able to make a ton of winning plays for his team on both ends of the floor. He kept plays alive and rebounded extremely well on the offensive end, he finished through traffic well and got to there free throw line with regularity and he always seems to be in the right place at the right time to make a play for his team. He finished with a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds, and was a huge reason they were able to come back from down double digits in the second half and have his team in it to win the game at the buzzer.
Tate Mulkey | 6’3” WG/WF | FUMA 2020
A stocky 6’3” shooter out of Charlotte, it doesn’t take long for Mulkey to catch your eye as a guy who flat out knows how to play the game and makes his team better by playing the right way. The first thing that caught my eye was his smooth looking shot from deep, as he has great preparation and form from the feet up, a solid and quick release and a great follow through that looks the same every time. He also showed a good motor on both ends and the willingness to sacrifice his body as he took three charges, and he rebounded well for his position too. He finished with 11 points and 5 rebounds in the loss.
Anouar Mellouk | 6’7” F | FUMA 2021
A surprise guy that division ones need to have on their list for 2021, Mellouk is a native of the Netherlands who is oozing with potential and competed as hard as anyone I watched throughout the weekend. At 6’7” with great length, he had a couple of plays that were others simply can’t make including a very impressive chase down block that he caught at the top of the square, and he showed that hustle and athleticism throughout the game. He also showed that he can hit the three-ball when set, and has a budding offensive skill set that should improve moving froward. He finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.
Tariq Shepard | 5’11” G | Spire (OH) 2020
Shepard was fantastic throughout the game in Spire’s win, doing a little bit of everything throughout the game and taking over and icing it when his team needed him to. He came out the gates hot with a couple of three’s to start the game, and he showed the ability to play on or off the basketball and was great scoring the ball in both ways. He showed the ability to finish through traffic, to make the right play when getting downhill and make shots from all over the floor. He finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in the win.
Chad Baker | 6’7” WG/WF | Spire (OH) 2020
Baker was a guy that no one seems to know much about but seems to have all of the potential to be a mid major kid moving forward. A super long 6’7” wing that hails from the Dominican Republic, Baker showed flashes of brilliance as a guy who can guard multiple positions, score from multiple levels and make the right pass as well. He showed the ability to be a secondary ball handler and make shots from deep, and he has great vision for a guy his size as well. He finished with 13 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds in the win.
Raheim Moss | 6’4” WG | Spire (OH) 2020
A Toledo commit with a college ready body and a swagger to him as he knows he can play, Moss was the guy in the first half for Spire and a major reason they were able to build the lead they had. While he struggled at times down the stretch, he was unstoppable in the first half as a guy who could get downhill and bully smaller guards around the rim, and he showed he can make plays for others when the defense started to hone in on him. He was like a bowling ball around the rim, moving guys out of the way midair and when he couldn’t finish it was almost always because the defense had to foul him to keep him from converting. He finished with 17 points, scoring 15 of them in first half, and he pitched in 7 assists as well.
Aundre Polk | 6’10” PF | Spire (OH) 2020
Polk was a guy who played on their post grad team as an undergrad last year and seems to be making the right strides towards becoming a division one player. The Detroit native holds double digit offers from division one schools, some of them big time, and you can see the potential with his blend of size, athleticism and skill set at his position. He’s a legit 6’10” forward with long arms that can alter and block shots, he has soft touch out to the three point line and he has a body that should fill out nicely. If he can continue to improve his motor and his game he’ll be a steal at the next level. He finished with 10 points an 7 rebounds in the win.