Tarkanian Classic Five Best: Spring Valley vs Legacy

The Tarkanian Classic.  One of the best games I took in was Spring Valley vs Legacy. Here are names to know!

Want to get in early on 2024s?  I have your west coast names.

Looking for an explosive scorer in 2023?  I have one for you. 

Bigs in 2022?  Here are two for you to know!

My five best from Spring Valley vs Legacy

[player_tooltip player_id="986798" first="Alijah" last="Adem"] of Spring Valley (6’2 2024). When it comes to the art of shot creation, [player_tooltip player_id="986798" first="Alijah" last="Adem"] is one of the better young players I have seen in a long time.  This is a player coming off a great spring/summer and is now off to a great start to his varsity year.  From what I have seen Adem can play both guard spots but against Legacy (Texas) the team needed to score and Adem found several ways to keep his team in the game doing just that.  Before I get into the creation, know that Adem’s balanced touch is outstanding.  The point of his release and the timing of it while getting to his comfortable balance, the timing of it is outstanding.  And the many ways he crafted shots.... for that we go basketball in bullet points!

• His first step off the ball screen caught my attention.  He reads the position of his man as well as the helping defender as well as any young player that I have watched live (and looked into before/after the game on video).
• Adem’s step back off the attack is timed so well.  A defender has to change speed and get their feet right to step to a player with a good contest and Adem makes that almost impossible with how quick he gets to his balanced step back jumper
• The way Adem uses his shoulder and/or hip to bump a guy and then step away into balanced comfort (including that one legged balanced touch which is tough for most but it’s comfortable to many elite shooters) is something that caught me eye
• Off ball movement.  The Legacy squad played a zone that didn’t communicate enough and Adem made them pay
• The rip through, jab step, ball fake combos that Adem uses to get into his first step and/or step back look elite to me both live and in the video I looked at.

  When it comes to young shot creators, you won’t find many at the level of Adem.  He had 35 against a top Texas team!

Pharoah Compton of Spring Valley (6’8 2024).  With the old school power forward being thrown into the same category as the traditional center those old school power forward types have to be agile, aggressive, and active.  They have to be Triple A members.  Based on my viewing, Pharoah Compton is a Triple A Member!

Teams need players that physically grab defensive boards off the rim and can move the ball the other way quickly, that’s Compton (had a dozen boards in the game I saw).  Those college players need bigs that move well laterally and are willing to do it moving around ball screens, from what I saw Compton did that.  And these modern day power forwards used as centers need to finish aggressively, and his various throw downs showed that. Compton also finished on either side of the rim with both hands which caught my eye as well.

[player_tooltip player_id="1177252" first="RJ" last="Nance"] of Spring Valley (6’0 2024).  Those that read my articles know I always like to have my "Next Up" in articles such as these.  [player_tooltip player_id="1177252" first="RJ" last="Nance"] is NEXT UP.  

The lefty guard is quite shifty, he sneaks up on you, and by the time you realize it, it’s too late.   Quick hands on defense, a quick first step forcing a defensive reaction followed by the right pass to the corner for a shooter or the perfect lead to the rim for somebody going to the cup.  And the lefty touch on the move or feet set is solid as well.  A guy I look forward to seeing again in the future. 

Kameron Burton of Legacy (6’4 2023).  Burton is a name that caught my eye this summer playing with the Houston Defenders.  In Las Vegas this past weekend he not only caught the eye, he burned an image in the brain that won’t leave my mind until I’m old and more worried about Inside the NBA reruns at age 86.

Burton is known as a shooter and that reputation has been earned.  He hit jumpers this weekend keeping that rep strong.  But what I saw late in the game earning his team a win over Spring Valley was special.  Legacy moves the ball well which scrambled the defense leaving Burton open in the corner for a three with under two minutes to go, bang.  With under a minute to go Burton curled high and turned tight on the catch.  The primary defender had no chance and then Burton dunked over the help defenders who were too deep to make an impact, and Burton went over them.  Then Burton put the game away with the transition assist. 

Ball game.  Burton adds to the resume. 

[player_tooltip player_id="781857" first="Dionjahe" last="Thomas"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1173322" first="Jaret" last="Valencia"] of Legacy (6’8/6’9, 2022).  The Tarkanian Classic had college coaches everywhere and many of them have offered the combination of Thomas and Valencia.  That said we are seeing a nationwide high school big man recruiting shortage because mid majors and low majors are worried they will take players and then they leave via transfer (and in some cases they have older players that just won’t leave).  

Thomas and Valencia are two that have earned opportunity and they should have a number of schools to pick from this spring.  They are different players but both double figure players.  Thomas highlights with grit, fight, toughness to position, and consistency.  Valencia grabs your attention with his length and outstanding agility at his size.  He’s earned high major offers in the past year because he has the type of potential that can be used in the modern game on both ends.