Future University Showcase: Standouts

<p>Prior to the high school basketball world getting back to some sense of normalcy, Extra Eyes Media held an event called "Future University" which displayed tons of talent. Every player invited to this event either had D1 collegiate offers or interest to play basketball, and they all came ready to compete. Here’s a little background.</p> <p><strong>Extra Eyes Media</strong> is a source that provides valuable information about student athletes. Founded by Bobby Benjamin, their ultimate goal is to help all players get the (needed) exposure, in hopes of further assisting them in their recruitment efforts. This was the first time that "EEM" has held this event, but they had a great turnout and made sure that all of the necessary precautions, to prevent the spread of COVID 19, were taken.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Future University</strong></span></p> <p>This event started with a typical warm-up allowing all of the players time to prepare for a competitive game. Afterwards, they were split into two equally matched teams. The coaches for the teams were Eddy Barlow and Dante Stiggers, both who played for D1 collegiate programs as well as professionally. So the stage was set and everyone was excited to get back into action. Here was the top performers from the game.</p> <p>[embed]https://youtu.be/bXpLiLd0o1A[/embed]</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Johnathan Massie - 6’5 Guard | Legacy School Of Sports Sciences | c/o 2021</strong></span> (17 pts, 6 assists, 5 rebs)</p> <p>Johnathan Massie, or "John John" as he is called, is a long and athletic guard that used his size to his advantage at this event. He was able to create turnovers as a defender and was also able to create space on the offensive end to get good looks. On the perimeter he shot the ball well but was also able to get into the paint and finish strong at the rim. He has the ability to play position from point guard to small forward, and he showed his versatility all weekend. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889590" first="Austin" last="Benigni"] - 5’11 Point Guard | The Woodlands Christian Academy | c/o 2022</strong></span> (17 pts, 6 assists, 4 rebs)</p> <p>I am not sure how this young man does it...but he always does. Austin was incredibly crafty at the Future University event. Using his tight handle, he was able to carve his way into the teeth of the defense and create good shots for himself and others. He moved non stop, whether he had the ball in his hands or not and was a pest defensively. His ability to make difficult shots often makes it baffling to watch, but he does it consistently and this event was no different.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="779900" first="Ashton" last="Smith"] - 6’9 Forward | Legacy School Of Sports Sciences | c/o 2021</strong></span> (16 pts, 6 rebs)</p> <p>It is not often that I use the word "dominant" but Ashton was absolutely DOMINANT at the Future University event. He displayed great footwork down in the post and his brute strength allowed him to put people in the basket. Ashton was even able to step out and knock down an occasional 3 pointer, which is a reflection of how he has worked during the recent down time. Defensively, he blocked and altered shots in the paint, he rebounded and ran the floor well and finished with reckless abandon. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="779902" first="Elijah" last="Lawrence"] - 6’0 Point Guard | Bellaire High School | c/o 2021</strong></span> (14 pts, 4 assists)</p> <p>Elijah was a floor general all night and chose his spots to score at this event. It was noticeable that he wanted to get his teammates going, but whenever his team’s scoring was stagnant, he step up and provided a boost. It was difficult for defenders to stay in front of him and he took advantage by efficiently shooting from deep, as well as getting to the basket where he showed his ability to absorb contact and still finish. He played with high energy and a certain type of confidence that definitely made him stand out.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Other Notable Players</strong></span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="884610" first="Lonzo" last="Rand"] (COMMITTED) - 6’2 Guard | Westfield High School | c/o 2020</strong> (13 pts)</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="530977" first="Jourdain" last="Dishmond"] - 6’7 Forward | Holy Savior Menard High School | c/o 2021</strong> (12 pts, 3 assists)</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="887051" first="Chris" last="Felix"] - 6’4 Forward/Guard | Westbury Christian High School | c/o 2021</strong> (11 pts)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>