Tarkanian Classic: National Underclass Evaluations (Pt. 1)

<p>LAS VEGAS — In our previous coverage of the Tarkanian Classic, we dove into the top players from California who performed well in Vegas, but in this piece we wanted to branch out a bit and take a closer look at players outside the state who put together strong efforts at the event. Here are the standout freshmen and sophomores in this category. </p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Dedan Thomas, Jr.</strong>, 2024, Liberty (NV) - Thomas truly embodies the term "true point guard" as his basketball IQ, willingness to create for others and ability to control pace and tempo while limiting turnovers helps Liberty run like a well-oiled machine. The 6-foot lefty did a nice job throughout the event of getting [player_tooltip player_id="787643" first="Joshua" last="Jefferson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="989243" first="Angelo" last="Kambala"] touches and shots in their preferred scoring zones. As a scorer himself, Thomas can knock down the open catch-and-shoot 3, while also possessing a soft-touched floater around the basket. Defensively, Thomas is smart in a team defensive scheme and has quick hands when guarding the ball.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1223825" first="Francis" last="Chukwudebelu"]</strong>, 2025, Greenhill School (TX) - Most of the touches and attention are given and paid to four-star center [player_tooltip player_id="781880" first="Lee" last="Dort"] when Greenhill School takes the floor, but when watching the Hornets one can’t help but notice the high ceiling and off-the-charts potential of Chukwudebelu. The 6-foot-11 forward has impressive mobility and fluid athleticism which allows him to rim-run and finish in transition, while also providing floor spacing with his burgeoning ball skills and shooting touch from the perimeter.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="986956" first="Jase" last="Richardson"]</strong>, 2024, Bishop Gorman (NV) - Richardson continued to make his case as a national level recruit in the 2024 class by displaying his versatile all-around impact. The 6-foot-2 left-handed guard has a strong frame which allows him to be a physical downhill driver in half-court and transition settings. When not getting to the basket at-will, Richardson probes the lane and creates space for a smooth step-back mid-range jumper. </span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1217873" first="Jazz" last="Henderson"]</strong>, 2024, Faith Family (TX) - Henderson showed elite speed and vision at the point guard spot, and, not to be discounted, his grittiness and energy on the defensive end set the tone for the Faith Family squad throughout the event. The 5-foot-10 sophomore used his speed to push the pace in transition for the Eagles all while making sure to find open shooters or slashers looking to finish off an accurate lob pass.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1266705" first="Jevon" last="Yapi"]</strong>, 2025, Durango (NV) - Yapi had his advanced feel for the game on full display at the Tark Classic. The 5-foot-10 combo guard flashed elite shot-making ability from three-point range in addition to high IQ playmaking in fast break and half-court offensive situations. Yapi never got rattled in late-game situations and was more than willing to take and make a big shot down the stretch. </span></p>