PH Top 250 Expo: First Team Expo All-Stars

Prep Hoops Texas Top 250 Player Expo camp consisted of nearly 200 basketball recruits from all over Texas, with high-level talent at each position, even some top 100 prospects from classes 2021-’24. This expo gave several players the opportunity to showcase their skill set and also give viewers a chance to see the next wave of talent on the rise. Here are five prospects that stood out most amongst the rest of the pack at the Top 250 Expo this past weekend that you should keep eyes on from here on out. [player_tooltip player_id="889590" first="Austin" last="Benigni"] - 5’11 - Point Guard - The Woodlands Christian - 2022 Austin was clearly the best player in the entire building by far and I don’t think anyone would debate me on that. Benigni was in the zone all day long, just absolutely on fire in every game despite who was guarding him. This lightning-quick point guard scored and distributed at equally high levels from tip to finish. Incredibly elite court vision, as soon as he touched the ball he made a play, shifting his body in the air around a defender and dropping the pass right in his cutters’ stomach. Austin is super creative with the rock in his hands and when finishing at the rim. He ate guys up with his dribble penetration skills, if he wasn’t picked up defensively the full length of the court then he was going all the way to the basket and getting a layup or an assist. His ability to get to touch the paint consistently broke defenses apart, this not only opened up opportunities for himself but his teammates as well. Benigni has the footwork and handles to drive down the court at top speed, make one move, and get all the way to the rack usually using an in and out or a hesitation move. His knack for changing directions while going full speed caught most defenders off guard and seemed like a bit much for them to handle. One of his best qualities is his remarkable body control, he can get in the lane turn his body any kind of way, and still make the play that he was looking for. Benigni carried the scoring and passing load for his team, he was completely locked in and committed to winning. I don’t believe anyone could’ve stopped him at this expo, most of the games Austin participated in looked like a layup drill for him, he continuously got to the basket and to the free-throw line with ease. This kid has a true killer instinct, he’s not afraid of the big moments, he looks forward to them. In one of the first few games, Austin hit the game-winning shot with 8 seconds remaining in a tied game at 83-83. Benigni got the ball broke through the press, splitting through the entire defense before getting to the basket and completing the game-winning layup as time expired, ending the competition with a score of 85-83. Just as I expected, Austin walked out of the gym as the top dog. I love the confidence and most of all the competitive spirit he brings to the court. [player_tooltip player_id="889590" first="Austin" last="Benigni"] was a marvel to watch out there, he showed us all why he’s a top 30 ranked player in the state, and still rising in the ranks. <div> </div> Donovan Stafford - 6’4 - Shooting Guard - DeSoto High School - 2021 <img class="size-medium wp-image-1071261 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/101-Donovan_Stafford-2-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Donovan Stafford came ready to put on a show and he left the building as the biggest stock riser as well as one of the most outstanding players in attendance on both ends of the floor. Stafford did a great job of being aggressive from the jump, he quickly took over and created offense for his team by both facilitating and shooting. He took smart shots, he knew where his spots were and he exploited them well to his advantage. Donovan looks to get right in the middle of the lane where he can see both sides of the court and decide whether he wants to shoot it or kick it out. His first step was lethal, Stafford attacked closeouts and got to the basket over and over again. He loves that spin move, it worked for him just about every time giving him enough space to get his shot up. He used his length and hops to get above the defense and finish with a floater or layup, showing great touch inside around the basket where he was near-automatic. When he got all the way to the rim he actually leaped high enough to throw it down every time. I admired how Donovan didn’t let a bad shot or bad play bother him, he just ran back down to the other end and made it up on defense. He hustled back every time after making a mistake, I saw several kids walking back down court after making a bad play like a forced shot, or pass, or a loss of dribble, but never Donovan, he ran to get back and tried to stop the other team from getting an easy bucket and most times he got the stop. Donovan Stafford had a heck of a performance, he was a tough matchup for any team or players he faced off against. He played and attacked with a will and determination to not only win the game but to also be the best player on the floor. Donovan put us all on notice this past weekend, if he continues to play with this type of confidence he’ll be a key piece to the success of DeSoto High School this season. <div> </div> Kelvin Tamakloe - 6’7 - Power Forward - Spring Creek Academy -2022 <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1071271" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/129-Kelvin_Tamakloe-2-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Kelvin is a big man with broad shoulders with big hands and an abundance of power. A true force of nature down low, his strength was tremendous and uncontainable. Tamakloe showed that he was more than capable of banging with guys on the block down low and quickly spinning off either shoulder and going up with the ball for the finish. He scored the bulk of points around the basket off turnaround hook shots, alley-oops, and put backs. Kelvin was most deadly when he was using and showing off his athleticism, getting above the rim, catching lobs with one hand, Tamakloe posterized guys left and right, even had 4 dunks in 1 game. Incredible upward explosiveness, his guys just had to lob the ball somewhere near the rim and he was going up to grab it. The power forward showed the potential to become a solid stretch-four, he can face up or score with his back to the basket, or put the ball on the floor to get his own shot, his handles were very under controlled, and he had a few go-to moves that got him to the spots he desired. Kelvin Tamakloe was the most dominant postman at the expo, his athleticism, tenacity, strength, and toughness was a major mismatch for his opponents. <div> </div> Fawaz Odunbaku - 6’2 - Point Guard - International Leadership of Texas, Katy-Westpark - 2022 <img class="size-medium wp-image-1073129 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/39-Fawaz_Odunbaku-2-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="203" />Fawaz is a name to take note of, not only was he the most explosive point guard there, but he was also the most proficient and efficient scorer at the expo. Odunbaku put up numbers in many ways, he destroyed guys with his pull-up off the dribble, as well as his spot-up jumper from beyond the arc. He had no issues getting his own shot in traffic or over taller defenders. When it came to creating space and getting to different areas on the court, he looked like a master of his craft, he utilized jab steps, crossovers, jump stops, stepbacks, and pro hops, making him look practically unguardable at times. Incredibly shifty, with explosive moves off the bounce, top-notch footwork, elite quickness, and end to end speed. Fawaz was a relentless, fearless attacker that initiated contact and either finished at the rim or picked up the foul call. He also showed amazing athleticism, Fawaz leaped off two feet, caught and throw down lobs in transition, he used his high-level athletic ability to complete tough buckets. Defensively, he’s was a tight, pesky on-ball defender, his pressure forced turnovers leading him to multiple fastbreak layups. Fawaz Odunbaku was a top performer, everything he put up fell, his play was just lights out and blew me away from beginning to end. <div> </div> [player_tooltip player_id="958607" first="Kendall" last="Alexander"] - 6’4 - Small Forward - McKinney Boyd - 2022 <img class="alignright wp-image-1073125" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/104-Kendall_Alexander-1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="276" height="184" />[player_tooltip player_id="958607" first="Kendall" last="Alexander"] was flat out unguardable out there, he was constantly in attack mode and didn’t let up on his opponent one bit. When he saw an opening in the lane he took it each and every time and capitalized off of the opportunity. Alexander proved to be super explosive with a knack for attacking the paint. His relentless ability to penetrate the lane put fear in the heart and eyes of defenders, eventually, guys started to get out of his way when they saw him coming, giving him free, wide-open dunks and layups. He also controlled the boards, snagging the ball as soon as it came off the rim, then pushing it up the floor. Even when he didn’t get the rebound he found a way to get a hand on any ball that came off the glass. Impressive hands on the defensive end, Kendall used his length perfectly, he got steals just by keeping his hands open and out, he even picked up a few steals without looking at the ball, he just used his length and instincts, it was a spectacular sight to see. Kendall always found a way to get his paws on the ball when guys drove by him or tried to cross him over. His defensive instincts are well above average and seemed like they were on a higher level than most other prospects there. [player_tooltip player_id="958607" first="Kendall" last="Alexander"] has been on my watchlist all summer and with more performances like this, he’ll find his way on our rankings board in no time.