Circle Sports Mix It Up Standouts (Part 1)

<p>The Circle Sports Marketing Group put on their Mix It Up Part 3 event at Guardian Christian Academy this past Sunday, featuring club teams and showcase teams from all over the area and beyond with plenty of talent both known and unknown to check out. It was a great opportunity to see players from all over the Richmond area, and with some seasons in limbo it could be something we see more of this season.</p> <p>We take a look at part one of the standouts, featuring six guys to keep an eye on moving forward.</p> <p>If interested in watching any of these guys and others, the event was live streamed and the games can be rewatched on the CBG Live Network at <a href="https://cbglivenetwork.com">https://cbglivenetwork.com</a>.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1091502" first="Omari" last="Deveaux"] | 6’0” PG | Team 22 2021</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/DeVeaux-Omari.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1107861" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/DeVeaux-Omari-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>DeVeaux is one of the most underrated guys in the Richmond area and was set to have a breakout season at Douglas Freeman before Henrico County canceled the season. When I first watched him he was a 5’3” sophomore just trying to make it, and now he’s grown into a long 6’0” lead guard that can run the show and create shots for himself and others. He’s poised and stays under control at all times, he changes pace well and creates space and he’s a guy who can make shots from multiple levels and makes everything looks so easy.</p> <p><strong>Khalil Venable | 5’10” PG | Assist 2021</strong></p> <p>A strong and tough lead guard that was also set to have a big senior year at Varina before Henrico canceled the season, Venable seemed just happy to be able to get some bump and show what he can do. He’s a smart lead guard who plays the game the right way, handles pressure and he can work off the basketball with his ability to make shots from deep at a high clip. He’s very consistent and steady on the court, and he’s a great kid off of it as well and continues to show he’s a very underrated guy in the area.</p> <p><strong>Keyontae Goodman | 6’0” WG | VA Bulls 2022</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/Goodman-Keyontae.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1107865" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/Goodman-Keyontae-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Goodman is a new name that is a two sport athlete that also excels on the football field, and it wasn’t hard to tell that when watching him on the basketball court. A high motor and athletic guard who thrives in transition when he can get downhill, Goodman is a guy who can get to the rim at will and has the athleticism and strength to finish through contact. He scored over 20 points in both the games I watched and he’s a guy who’s motor allows him to get it done on both ends of the floor.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1107824" first="James" last="Patterson"] | 6’5” WG | TMNT 2022</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Patterson-James-CBG.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1082505" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Patterson-James-CBG-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>My pick for breakout guy in the Richmond area this year, Patterson has already started strong for Carmel School and he showed the entire repertoire at the Mix It Up session. He’s a guy with terrific size and is a big time athlete on both ends, he’s a skilled shot maker from multiple levels and he’s able to handle and create shots in isolation situations as well. He’s a two way impact player who brings it on both ends, is a good rebounder and still has plenty of room to polish up and get better over the next few years.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="815614" first="Curtis" last="Allen"] | 6’1” WG | Big Shots PG 2022</strong></p> <p>Another guy on the underrated end in the Richmond area, Allen is someone who has been an impact guy at Prince George over the past few years and has done a great job getting himself in shape this past summer. He’s a knock down shooter from deep with great confidence, he’s improved as an athlete and can finish above the rim now and he’s a guy who wants the ball in his hands when it matters the most. He seems ready to have a breakout junior year and is on a PG team that could surprise some people this year.</p> <p><strong>Logan Hoit | 6’7” C | Circle Sports 2023</strong></p> <p>Hoit is a new name to keep an eye on in the Chesterfield area, as the Meadowbrook big man is still a little young and raw but shows terrific potential moving forward. He’s a big guy who should be able to tone up his body as he grows into it, he has good hands and feet in the post and he has soft touch in the paint with powerful size and strength. He played hard throughout the event and was around the ball all the time, and he’ll be a guy who could be on college radars as he continues to improve.</p>