Notable December Performances (Pt. 1)

Dallas/Fort Worth high school basketball in December was all about the best facing the best and getting ready for district play. Guys put on their best performances to end this 2020 year on a high note. Here are just a few of the impressive games and performances throughout the second half of the month of December. Dallas Kimball 47 vs Grand Prairie 49 <img class=" wp-image-1108326 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/IMG_2837-1-290x300.jpg" alt="" width="264" height="273" />| [player_tooltip player_id="1003841" first="Ja’Matthew" last="McGhee"] | Point Guard | Grand Prairie | 2021 | This Grand Prairie point guard is an intense competitor that brought the energy and intimidation factor to the floor. McGhee displayed a good basketball IQ with the way he made plays on the floor and consistently found ways to be in the right spot at the right time on both ends of the court. Offensively, Ja’Matthew beat the Kimball Knights in several ways, he penetrated the lane well and did a great job of drawing the defense in before kicking it out to an open teammate. His jump shot was on and McGhee was feeling it as he pulled-up and spotted-up from deep. McGhee also made timely cuts to the basket where he was able to finish with a layup or a floater. On defense, McGhee locked down his man as he always does, not only shutting his assignment down but also playing strong help-side defense by playing the passing lanes and getting a hand on the ball when it came to his direction. He was a basketball magnet out there with the way the ball continuously bounced his way. [player_tooltip player_id="1003841" first="Ja’Matthew" last="McGhee"] was able to finish with 22 points and 3 three-pointers made. Red Oak 45 vs Grand Prairie 72 The very next day, [player_tooltip player_id="1003841" first="Ja’Matthew" last="McGhee"] put up another 22 point performance along with 4 three-pointers against Red Oak High School. His court vision allowed the Gophers to score quick easy buckets. Ja’Matthew was able to spot openings and mismatches the second they appeared and he got his teammates the ball. This young man was out there catching and shooting from well beyond the arc, his shot release looks like it has gotten quicker since I last saw him play during the summer. On the other side of the ball, McGhee was a defensive wizard, it was amazing how he took charges, forced turnovers, forced bad shots, and forced guys to think twice or hesitate before attempting anything against him. He can and will give some of the most prolific scorers fits. [player_tooltip player_id="1003841" first="Ja’Matthew" last="McGhee"] has been playing the point guard position exceptionally well, he’s running plays to perfection, doing a good job creating offense for his teammates, playing high-level defense, and giving a top-notch effort game in and game out. Burleson Centennial 60 vs Grapevine 53 | Jeb Tobin | Small Forward | Burleson Centennial | 2021 | Not only did Jeb Tobin drop a game-high 29 points, to help lead the Centennial Spartans to a victory over the Grapevine Mustangs but he also saved them from a 3-game losing streak as well. The Centennial forward played like he had something to prove. Tobin’s jump shot was on fire from all over the floor, contested or not. This 6’6 prospect was a match-up problem for the Mustangs. He was able to get his shot off over any defender in front of him. Good release point on his jump shots and Jeb also had the elevation on his pull-up jumpers that made him tough to challenge. Jeb Tobin has a fundamentally sound game, he didn’t have to over dribble, be super quick, or exert too much energy to score a basket, he used his skills and size to get through the lane or to his spots in the mid-range. Jeb stock has been on the rise, he’s one of the most improved players of the year thus far, going from averaging just 3 points a game as a junior to leading his team in scoring, averaging over 18 points per game on nearly 50% shooting from the field. South Oak Cliff 71 vs Dallas Kimball 73 | [player_tooltip player_id="887074" first="Antonio" last="Patterson"] | Shooting Guard/Forward | South Oak Cliff | 2021 | Patterson led the way with 26 points and 10 rebounds against Kimball High School and their top-ranked prospect Arterio Morris. Antonio came into this game ready to go at the cross-town rivals and he got things going immediately for the Golden Bears by hitting the very first shot taken in the game off a catch-and-shoot mid-range jumper, then coming right back down the court, making a layup after beating his man with a quick smooth first step, resulting in the first two baskets for his squad. All the points he produced came from some highly crafty ball moves that he put on full display. Everything he did was smooth and precise, but also powerful. His ability to change speeds and shift to that next gear on the drive was problematic and a handful for the defense to handle, especially smaller guys that didn’t want to take that punishment from Patterson when he was going inside. Defensively, he was fearless, Antonio wasn’t afraid to challenge the best dunkers on the court at the rim. There are two things you can always expect [player_tooltip player_id="887074" first="Antonio" last="Patterson"] to bring to the floor and that is infectious energy and a high amount of effort. Patterson has shown and proved in each and every game this season that he is one of the best, most consistent players in Dallas and a top 3 player in his town of Oak Cliff. This young man doesn’t get enough recognition for his talents and efforts but believe me when I tell you he’s a can’t miss prospect. | Arterio Morris | Combo Guard | Dallas Kimball | 2022 | Arterio Morris’s athleticism was off the charts and went unmatched all game long. Arterio was extremely deadly when coming down the court with a full head of steam. Morris made super quick through the legs dribbles and crossovers while on the move, allowing him to get through the defense with ease before throwing down a mean slam dunk at the rim, he even dunked on a man so hard that they fell flat on their back. His hops were already on another level but it has gotten out of control this year, Arterio Morris is dunking on everybody with effortless leaping ability, if he gets inside the lane you can expect a thunderous slam. It was impressive to see how Arterio only needed one or two moves to get into the teeth of the defense or to his spot for a pull-up. There’s not a move on the court that he can’t make, Morris can break his man down and create a shot whenever and how he wants to. Arterio Morris is such a dynamic scorer that he made this 22 point game look easy. <img class="wp-image-1020195 size-medium alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0169-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> | [player_tooltip player_id="1003859" first="Jayden" last="Blair"] | Point Guard | Dallas Kimball | 2022 | [player_tooltip player_id="1003859" first="Jayden" last="Blair"] was in full control of his offense against South Oak Cliff High School. This floor general showed off his high basketball IQ, decision making, court vision, and accuracy. He saw everything and everyone, his knack for creating for himself and others kept the defense on their toes at all times. When attacking the lane, Jayden did a great job of absorbing contact and finishing through it over and over again, showing great focus and touch on his layups. Blair played with good patience and picked his spots very well. He didn’t have to force much due to his ball-handling, he easily broke guys down with his slick footwork and crossovers. Blair looked as if he could get to the basket any time he wanted. Elite shiftiness and blow-by speed, the junior point guard excelled and proved to be dangerous in an up-tempo style of play, once he got out into the open court there was no catching up to him. [player_tooltip player_id="1003859" first="Jayden" last="Blair"] finished the competition with 16 points and was the best point guard in the building, he’s a talented and confident young player with quality guard skills, and he looks like he’s just starting to put it all together.