"Let's Talk" Houston Area Prospects And Recruitment

There is no need to expound on the effects of COVID-19. We all feel it, we all understand it and we all are finding ways to get what we need done accomplished despite the limitations that COVID-19 presents. Exposure and recruitment is no different, and in Houston, Forever Young Films has created a platform for prospect to communicate with potential recruiters in their own words. "Let’s Talk" is a series of interviews that was structured around some general questions that recruiters usually want answers to. The idea was sparked by the "Zoom Meeting" era that we are currently in and also incorporates highlights of the players throughout the interview. Some of these prospects have several colleges contact them and some are trying to jump start their recruitment process. All of their videos will be posted, in their entirety, here in this article. So "Let’s Talk"...   [player_tooltip player_id="961942" first="Isaiah" last="Barganier"] 6’6 G/F | Fulshear HS | 2022 | 3.3 GPA   [embed]https://youtu.be/miHAXtk5hc8[/embed] Isaiah is a versatile guard / forward that can do multiple things on the floor, particularly on the offensive end. He can handle the ball well enough to run the point in spot minutes and has the size and footwork to be productive in the paint. Although he is capable of making the three with regularity, he is more of a dynamic player when he utilizes the entire floor. It is difficult to prevent him from scoring when he is in attack mode and when he plays like this, it affords him trips to the free throw line as well. The most underrated aspect of his game is his passing ability. He has solid vision and can get the ball to teammates in favorable scoring positions.     Anthony Pelzer 6’3 Wing | Katy Taylor HS | 2021 | 3.3 GPA   [embed]https://youtu.be/iIazilryNAw[/embed] Anthony is one of those players that simply makes the plays that a team needs to win. He is not afraid to put his body on the line for the good of the team and displays all of the actions of a true leader on the floor. Defensively, he can defend multiple positions at a high level and rebounds with high frequency. He has definitely improved his ability to finish through contact in the paint, as well as his perimeter jumper which makes him a threat on that end of the floor. He is extremely vocal, specifically on defense, and that tends to be contagious on every team that he plays on.     [player_tooltip player_id="958615" first="Sean" last="Elkinton"] 6’7 F | Crosby HS | 2022 | 3.6 GPA   [embed]https://youtu.be/wKm-88ACQcg[/embed] Sean is a long and active forward that can step out and stretch the floor with his consistent 3-point game. Defensively, he is great as a weak side defender, often leading to blocks while in help defense. In addition, his length and activity allows him to be a force while playing man to man defense on the interior. While he is a great defensive rebounder, he is also a "Multiple Position" monster, crashing the offensive boards whenever the opportunity presents itself. This allows Sean to have extremely efficient scoring nights without needing a ton of plays ran for him.     Sam Akinrelere 6’3 Combo | Foster HS | 2022 | 4.2 GPA [embed]https://youtu.be/lwgYJ8gkAuc[/embed] Sam is one of these explosive athletes that seem to be the new evolution of the human race. He absolutely has the size and athleticism to play on any level and he knows how to use his body to his advantage. When he is playing downhill, it seems like players just bounce right off of him without impeding his path to the rim. Moreover, his strength and athleticism allows him to be effective on the defensive end. He plays with active hands and will take any opportunity to create turnovers and get himself and his teammates in transition, where he flourishes.     Eric Johnson 6’6 F | Fort Bend Travis HS | 2021 | 3.3 GPA   [embed]https://youtu.be/1SpBs_fCSxg[/embed] Perhaps the most improved player that I have seen throughout this "COVID Summer" is Eric Johnson. Initially, he was just an energy guy that played hard and showed his athleticism on occasion. But through his progression, he has learned how to use his athleticism to effect the game in multiple areas. He rebounds the ball at a high clip, he contests and alter shots and usually has multiple blocks per game. Defensively, he also has the lateral speed to defend the perimeter at times. Offensively, he has developed a consistent mid ranged jumper that he can make off the dribble or by spotting up.     Jake Simpson 6’5 G | Brazoswood HS | 2021 | 3.7 GPA | 1030 SAT [embed]https://youtu.be/Px2zidnIYto[/embed] Jake has emerged as one of the best three point shooters in the area as of late. And he will tell you himself that, that is one of his biggest strengths. Aside from that, he has great size for his position which allows him to shoot over his defender and finish in traffic. His size, along with his hard play, also enables him to be able to drop down and play a stretch four position without losing anything defensively or rebounding wise. His biggest improvement has been being able to create his own shots, specifically within the flow of the offense. When you can shot like Jake, you have to find a way to get shots off, and it's apparent that he has worked hard to develop that.