SEBA Hoops & Hope Showcase: 6-Pack of Bigs Who Shined

SEBA Hoops &#038; Hope Showcase: 6-Pack of Bigs Who Shined

Keith Agran October 5, 2020 @ 08:00 PM

So easy to forget the big guys in a guard’s world these days, but at SEBA’s Hoops & Hope Showcase Saturday at North Cobb Christian, these were some of the 2021 big guys who got it done at both ends: [player_tooltip player_id="948589" first="Travis" last="Harper"] II, 6-6, SF, St. Anne Pacelli Hops, hops and more hops, and we’re not talking about brewing craft beer, we’re talking about Harper’s impressive bounce and how that translated into several wow moments, he combines that lift with plenty of skill as well, great at getting into the cracks of the defense, not the biggest bodies fellow but has such explosive burst that he’s often by you or over you before any of that matters, a classic slasher in the Stacey Augmon-mold, love the versatility and ability to block shots at a clip, he can really rise some boards this winter and pop up on program radars. [player_tooltip player_id="1004879" first="DeCameron" last="Porter"], 6-6, PF, LaFayette Right with Harper for the day’s best overall performer at the forward spot, now fully healthy after an ankle slowed his summer progression, we got to see some of the dual skills he brings to the table, an unorthodox-looking but effective jumper out to the arc, an activity level nearer the basket that makes him appear to be playing bigger, defensive stopping ability at the cup and great sticky hands as a rebounder, came out of the event as one of the clear steals if coaching staffs hit the bricks and do their homework. [player_tooltip player_id="948584" first="Franklin" last="Almonte"], 6-5, SF/PF, Dalton (pictured above) My first time seeing Almonte after his name came up a lot this summer in idle chat, he didn’t disappoint as he emerged as the day’s "Pleasant Surprise" winner based on my anticipation at seeing him play, just kept going hard from tip to buzzer, guarding all manner of forwards small and big, doesn’t look like he’s getting a lot done out there but fills up the state sheet and makes winning plays, sneaky scoring ability from the mid-range inward, perhaps being up in far north Georgia a stone’s throw from Chattanooga has kept eyes away from him but again would be another falling squarely in the "steal" category after what we saw Saturday. [player_tooltip player_id="1011331" first="Deandre" last="Smart"], 6-6, PF, New Hampstead Smart gets his work done a little less flashy than some of the others on hand Saturday but no less effective, can be a bruiser if necessary but has great soft hands and a nice touch in the mid-range to draw folks away from the basket, doesn’t take many possession off, when he came over to AC Georgia from Savannah Select late in the summer he began to show against top-level frontcourts what he’s got in the tank, a polished finisher with room to grow into a real force with added shooting range. Evan Howell, 6-8, C, Brookwood My first extended look of Howell was much of what I’d heard all summer, a defensive eraser in the paint, great energy and basketball IQ, vocal and really understands things at the defensive end and as an active force on the glass, his offensive contributions will be seen in close to the basket but that’s fine, he can develop that at the next level, the intangibles he brings as a stopper are what will separate him to next level coaches who love to develop high upside bigs. [player_tooltip player_id="1047096" first="Xavier" last="Adams"], 6-5, SF, Central (Carrollton) Like Almonte this hybrid forward/guard draws raves from this writer for all the things he does besides score, that’s not to say he’s incapable of scoring, he can shoot it from guard range and is an aggressive driver, but it was the hustle, smarts, attention to detail, instinctive defense that got him onto this list, what’s fascinating to me from a recruiting perspective is he’s got the skills to get you 25 points on a given night and win you a game that way, but also can help you win one doing everything else well instead, a hidden gem out in west Georgia. Also noteworthy: [player_tooltip player_id="869638" first="Kevin" last="Taylor"], [player_tooltip player_id="1047094" first="Cameron" last="Baldwin"], [player_tooltip player_id="806775" first="Kai" last="Simmons"], [player_tooltip player_id="1043316" first="Rashad" last="King"]