Weeks 3 and 4 Scouting Report: (Part 3 of 3)
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Weeks 3 and 4 this year in Texas high school basketball was stacked with highly anticipated games and matchups. Two of the nation’s best teams went head-to-head against one another on an NBA court at the American Airlines Centers. Sophomores…
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Continue ReadingWeeks 3 and 4 this year in Texas high school basketball was stacked with highly anticipated games and matchups. Two of the nation’s best teams went head-to-head against one another on an NBA court at the American Airlines Centers. Sophomores are dominating the land all over Texas. Basketball was at its best at the end of November. Here are just a few of the standout performances I witnessed during the last couple of weeks of the month.
Grapevine 56, Keller Central 54 (Overtime)
Jerome Whitaker – Combo Guard – Keller Central – 2021
In a tough overtime loss to the Grapevine Mustangs, Jerome Whitaker dropped 17 points, 6 rebounds, and had 3 steals. He proved to be a good two-way player that played solid on and off-ball defense. His instincts really stood out, he was very alert, and anticipated things well, jumping passing lanes and getting deflections. On the offensive end, Whitaker displayed a knack for getting into the teeth of the defense and finishing at the basket, showing off his impeccable upper body strength while driving the lane and scoring in the paint. Jerome Whitaker absorbed all of the contact and physical play that was sent his way and proceeded to score through it over and over again, a testament to his toughness and focus. He showed good versatility, having the ability to post up and score down low as well as play outside on the perimeter. Jerome also did an exceptional job of rebounding on both ends of the floor, creating second-chance shot opportunities and grabbing a board then starting the fastbreak. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches, Jerome Whitaker has a good combination of size, length, and athleticism. He’s been playing at a high level every game this season and he’s leading his team in scoring while doing so.
Bryan HS 80, Aldine Nimitz 74
Dylan Glover Dylan Glover 6'4" | SG PSAT Academy | 2023 State TX – Combo Guard – Bryan HS – 2022
Texas ranked prospect Dylan Glover Dylan Glover 6'4" | SG PSAT Academy | 2023 State TX , is a 6’4 sharpshooter that scored in multiple ways, from all three levels against Nimitz. Glover drove the lane effectively, knocked down his pull-up and catch-and-shoot jump shots from deep, and was just as deadly in the mid-range area as well. Dylan destroyed the competition with his outstanding scoring. A phenomenal shooting motion, very smooth, his body and elbows were consistently aligned with the hoop when putting a shot up. Glover looked like a master when it came to creating space and getting his own shot. Dylan beat his defenders with step backs, crossovers, spin moves, and jab steps. Good, poised, under control ball skills with the ability to be shifty. Dylan Glover Dylan Glover 6'4" | SG PSAT Academy | 2023 State TX was ready for whatever the defense threw his way, he seemed a step ahead of his defenders at times, always knowing when to break his man down, when to attack, when to pull-up, and when to pass. His ability to stop on a dime and pull-up from anywhere, all in one motion was highly impressive and way too much for the Nimitz Cougars defense to handle in this matchup. The Bryan High School guard didn’t shy away from contact either, in fact, he invited it, meeting guys head-on at the rim and still finishing the layup and by using his size and strength to force his way to the basket while also using his body to shield off the defender before a shot. His versatility at the guard position was fantastic, showing the skills and IQ to be able to play on and off the ball effectively. Dylan Glover Dylan Glover 6'4" | SG PSAT Academy | 2023 State TX is a noteworthy name, he finished this game with 20 points and he’ll definitely be lighting things up for some lucky college in the next couple of years.
Frisco Wakeland 87, Rockwall 65
Michael Niemann Michael Niemann 6'1" | SG Frisco Wakeland | 2022 State TX – Shooting Guard – Frisco Wakeland – 2022
Michael Niemann Michael Niemann 6'1" | SG Frisco Wakeland | 2022 State TX went out there and scorched the nets, as he’s known to do. He had an electrifying 24 points, but the most impressive thing about it was that he did it by hitting nothing but 3-pointers, 7 to be exact, and 6 in one quarter. It was a marvel to watch, his teammates set great screens and he moved around them extremely well, displaying a high basketball IQ and a great feel for the court. Michael quickly got open beyond the arc, set his feet, and let it fly, knocking down his pull-up, spot-up, and catch-and-shoot jumpshot opportunities with a great looking stroke. His teammates kept feeding him the ball and putting him in the perfect positions to succeed and Michael Niemann Michael Niemann 6'1" | SG Frisco Wakeland | 2022 State TX didn’t disappoint. This Frisco Wakeland guard was in the zone when he came out of halftime, he took his shooting to the next level by nailing 6 straight third-quarter 3-point shots to push the lead over 20 points going into the fourth quarter. Rockwall didn’t stand chance on this night against Michael Neimann, he looked like a true 3-point specialist with the way he used screens, got open, and shot the ball with consistency.
Clear Creek 64, Fort Bend Bush 67
Brandon Love Brandon Love 6'9" | C Fort Bend Bush | 2021 State TX – Power Forward – Fort Bend Bush – 2021
Brandon Love Brandon Love 6'9" | C Fort Bend Bush | 2021 State TX was an absolute beast against Clear Creek, putting up a crazy stat line of 21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 4 steals. This 6’9 power forward with high-level athleticism did it all out there, both offensive and defensively. Brandon protected the rim by swatting away shots and swiping away balls from driving players. Love displayed impeccable timing, catching shots in mid-air and throwing them out of bounds, forcing the offense to settle for jump shots or forced plays. Brandon Love Brandon Love 6'9" | C Fort Bend Bush | 2021 State TX looked like a man amongst boys from the tip to the buzzer with the way he overpowered and out skilled his opponents. The first bucket for his team came from a powerful turnaround two-handed slam that he threw down. He displayed terrific footwork and touch when scoring on the block, on the drive, and from different angles using turnaround, spin, pro-hop, and step-through moves before finishing at the rim. The lefty was flat out dominant and in full control of the game. Love was fire and hitting everything he put up, fade-away jumpers, floaters, hook shots, tough layups through contact, even throwing down some monster dunks before going on to save his team from facing Clear Creek in overtime by knocking down a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-point shot on a pull-up jumper from the left-wing. Brandon Love Brandon Love 6'9" | C Fort Bend Bush | 2021 State TX put on an incredible performance, there’s a lot of potential in this senior prospect.
Alec Zambie Alec Zambie 6'6" | SF Fort Worth Christian | 2021 State TX – Small Forward – Fort Worth Christian – 2021
Senior forward, Alec Zambie Alec Zambie 6'6" | SF Fort Worth Christian | 2021 State TX , a true jack of all trades and possibly the most versatile player in North Texas, there’s nothing on the court that he can’t do extremely effectively. Zambie has been playing out his mind since the season began, his most notable performance coming when he put up a 30 point double-double against Paul Bizimana Paul Bizimana 6'7" | PF Haltom | 2021 State TX and the Haltom Buffalos. Alec Zambie Alec Zambie 6'6" | SF Fort Worth Christian | 2021 State TX averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds, and nearly 2 steals per game throughout the month of November, making himself one of the biggest stock risers of the year thus far. He’s a knockdown spot-up shooter, someone you really must account for at times. Zambie can beat his man off the dribble as well, his smooth first-step gets him to the rack in just a couple of dribbles. An outstanding player in transition, excellent lateral quickness, runs the court like a gazelle, he’s been shredding teams with his open court speed all year. Alec has shown great physicality when going for rebounds and attempting to score in the post. Tremendous versatility, highly productive, and highly intelligent on the floor, seems to always be the smartest player on the court. His intangibles are off the charts, this young man does things with and without the ball that you just can’t teach. His most impressive asset may be his passing, his court vision is elite, and he can make quick, on-target passes through tight windows. Alec Zambie Alec Zambie 6'6" | SF Fort Worth Christian | 2021 State TX has extremely high potential and a very good upside, but most of all he’s a winner and it seems to rub off on all of his teammates.