Francisco’s Geico Takes: Ariz. Compass. vs Montverde Academy

<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Francisco’s Geico Takes—Arizona Compass vs Montverde Academy (Standouts)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">FORT MYERS, FL—Each and every season one of the events I look forward to is the Geico Nationals. The combination of high-level talent and effort never disappoints—and this year’s version of the event was no different. Whether it was the potent point guard play of Tennessee-bound <b>Kennedy Chandler</b> or the immense potential of 2022 <b>[player_tooltip player_id="1062409" first="Jalen" last="Duren"]</b>, each and every game did not disappoint.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s2"><b>Chris Webber-like</b></span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1062409" first="Jalen" last="Duren"] (Montverde Academy)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>2022, PF, 6-foot-10, 240 pounds</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Joel’s Take:</b> Comparisons get thrown around a lot in this business and most of the time it is debatable. However, when I first heard the Chris Webber comparisons for Duren, I couldn’t agree more. Magnetic hands, a strong finisher, and a prototypical elite frame (broad and long) are part of the package. In addition, his passing acumen is very impressive. In the modern NBA, you can also compare Duren to Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat).</span></p> <p class="p1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s2"><b>Point of emphasis</b></span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="814899" first="Ryan" last="Nembhard"] (Montverde Academy)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>2022, PG, 6-foot-1, 175 pounds</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Joel’s Take:</b> At one point late in the 1st half, Nembhard had not scored—yet he was dominating the game with his 7 assists. The high-IQ point guard has good size, changes speeds, and his head in always up. He dropped a number of dimes that were high-level and his defensive prowess was spot-on. Creighton got a good one in Nembhard.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s2"><b>Gets to the rim</b></span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>[player_tooltip player_id="546187" first="Dariq" last="Whitehead"] (Montverde Academy)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>2022, SG, 6-foot-6, 190 pounds</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Joel’s Take:</b> Whitehead is one of the best prospects in the country and he showed it at Geico Nationals. The wiry slasher has a terrific 1st step, can finish with either hand, and he shows excellent body control. Defensively, he is a multi-positional defender due to his length and lateral quickness. If his jump shot becomes potent, his future is bright beyond college.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="s2"><b>Andre Miller-like</b></span></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>TyTy Washington (Arizona Compass)</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>2021, PG, 6-foot-3, 170 pounds</b></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Joel’s Take:</b> This Andre Miller clone put on a clinic in the semi-final confrontation with Montverde Academy. Washington has a strong frame, changes speeds, and knows how to get into the teeth of the defense with skill and savvy. His float-game is tight and he has the strength to finish through contact. In terms of scoring, he can convert from all three levels and his jump shot looks tight. Overall, it was a strong performance, but I would have liked to see him attack the basket instead of settling for a 3-pointer—being down only 2 at the end of the game.</span></p>