Desoto Eagles Scouting Report: Guards

The Desoto Men’s basketball team had a good run this year, the scrappy team from Dallas ended up losing to an elite team in the state tournament, ruining their run earlier this year than expected. This team had players who possessed great energy with a real chance to succeed at the next level. This is my detailed scouting report on the guards from Desoto.

J’Kobe Williams- 2020 Point Guard
J’Kobe is a quick and elusive guard who smartly knows how to beat full-court pressure with ease and makes the right read seemingly every time down the court. He runs Desoto’s offense normally, handling most of the ball-handling load and forced with making the best decision possible every time down the court. He is great at getting past his defender in the open court and half-court and driving into the lane to create easy drive and kick opportunities to set up his teammates. He has a plethora of offensive moves that he loves to pull out when getting pressed and was good at running the floor with the ball and splitting traps. Williams is also a very smart defender, knowing where to position his feet to stop the ball and drawing charges to force turnovers for his opponents’ fast breaks. He contests shots well despite his size, using his quick feet to get up under even elite ball handlers that he has faced.

Mekai Pope Mekai Pope 6'1" | SG Waxahachie | 2020 State TX – 2020 Guard
Mekai plays engaged defense with active hands to force opponents into uncomfortable spots. He traps the ball handler well and his scrappy defense creates problems for his opponents. He is a confident shooter off the catch and is good at spot-up opportunities. He moves well without the ball, coaxing his defender into helping toward a driving teammate while he slips to the corner for an open look. He spaces the floor well and keeps the defense honest by knocking down the corner three at a good clip. This spacing is perfect for creating driving lanes for his teammates and it is a skill that should carry over to the next level. He showed confidence taking the ball off the bounce and got defenders in the air with head fakes and then blew by them with cross overs. Mekai was also handed the role of inbounding the ball most of the time from set plays underneath the basket and made great reads to set up open looks for his teammates.

Ashtyn Hawkins- Guard 2020
Ashtyn is an intelligent guard who makes the right decision in the half-court and while running the break. He makes good crisp passes to his teammates, right into their shooting pockets allowing them to operate easily out of the triple threat or to quickly rise up for a shot from his passes. He generated a lot of easier looks for his teammates as a result of his passing ability. Hawkins makes great defensive plays consistently poking the ball loose with his active hands. He also maintains good positioning to cut off driving lanes and denies the ball well when in man defense.

Tavion Carrol- Combo Guard 2020
Tavion is a large combo guard with a great feel for the game. He seems to always be in the right position on both sides of the ball; spacing the floor well and cutting off defenders with ease. He makes defenders work off the ball and got to a few passes in the passing lane. He uses his frame well and smartly spins away from second defenders while operating in the low post against smaller guards. Carrol is a relentless driver with the basketball and does not mind receiving contact in the air or on the ground as he is exploding towards the rim.