January Recap: Most Outstanding Prospects (Pt. 1)

[player_tooltip player_id="1236225" first="Ethan" last="Varin"] | Forward | Lake Dallas HS | C/o ’22 (UNSIGNED) Impactful stretch forward with the intangibles, the tools, the build, the skills, and the natural instincts to become a reliable rotation piece at the college level. Varin crushed it in January with several 20 point performances, games with multiple three-pointers, a few double-doubles, and a scholarship offer from Ottawa University. One of Varin’s best games came in a win against the Denton Broncos where Ethan dropped 24 points, 3 steals, and hit 4 three-pointers. This green light shooter displayed a quick trigger, good range, and a consistent release. [player_tooltip player_id="1236225" first="Ethan" last="Varin"] stayed in position to shoot at all times, particularly when coming around screens, his hands were always ready to catch-and-shoot as his feet swiftly got set and squared with basket. Anywhere beyond the perimeter was a hot spot for Varin, he nailed each one of his threes from different areas on the floor. He knocked down a beautiful jumper from the top of the key off the catch, he then hit a long-range bomb from the corner, followed by another from the right wing, before making his last three-pointer from the left wing while being contested. <hr /> Devyn Brannan | Point Guard | Arlington Uplift Summit | C/o ’22 (UNSIGNED) While playing against Uplift North Hills Prep, Devyn Brannan put up a mean stat line of 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 7 steals, 2 blocks, and a season-high of 24 points. The senior guard dictated the pace of play and proceeded to shred the defense with penetration layups, mid-range pull-ups, and dime-dropping passes. Brannan showed off a bag of handles that broke the defense down with ease and he shook defenders out of their shoes with his excellent counter dribbles and misdirection moves. Brannan’s court vision as a ball-handler was impressive but his ability to keep his eyes up and read the floor as a distributor was even better, not to mention his pinpoint accuracy with either hand from all levels of the floor even when throwing a pass the full length of the court. He also did a great job of leading his man with the ball allowing his teammate to keep their speed and momentum for easy shots near the hoop. Defensively, Brannan hassled the Panthers with his length and pesky defensive nature. Good anticipation with a knack for baiting opposing guards into bad situations such as, picking up their dribbles, over dribbling, or throwing bailout passes that result in turnovers. <hr /> [player_tooltip player_id="787363" first="Bryson" last="Chambers"] | Combo Guard | Lantana Harvest Christian Academy | C/o ’23 [player_tooltip player_id="787363" first="Bryson" last="Chambers"] began the 2022 year by playing some of his best basketball. Throughout January, Chambers continuously showcased his all-around skill set as he stuffed the stat sheet night in and night out. The junior guard produced 3 double-doubles last month along with a monster performance of 30 points and 19 rebounds against St. Paul’s Prep. [player_tooltip player_id="787363" first="Bryson" last="Chambers"] always plays with a great feel for the game, taking whatever the defense gives him, getting to his spots, and relentlessly exploiting every little hole and weakness he finds. Oftentimes, he has full control of the game and can eat a team alive whenever he’s allowed to set up or size up his opponent. Well-controlled ball handling, effective footwork, Chambers loves to utilize the pro hop to plant himself inside of the teeth of the defense where he can quickly score or pass. The Texas-ranked prospect keeps the attention of the defense on him at all times, this usually allows Chambers to dish the ball around to his teammates which he does unselfishly and exceptionally well. Last month, the jump shooting stroke Chambers displayed was very well polished, particularly off the dribble in the mid-range where he went into his jump shooting motion quickly and fluidly. <hr /> [player_tooltip player_id="1056520" first="Mark" last="Rucha"] | Shooting Guard | Richland HS | C/o ’23 [player_tooltip player_id="1056520" first="Mark" last="Rucha"] is often known as a shooting specialist with the skills and mindset to shoot your lights out. While facing off against the Grapevine Mustangs Rucha had a 20-point outing where he showed just how crucial and excellent of a floor spacer he really is. Rucha is someone that must be accounted for at all times due to the fact that he’s just as deadly off the ball as he is on the ball. If the defense was not aware or did not have their heads on a swivel, Mark made sure to break free, find an open area, and knock down the shot. Anytime his teammates drove the lane and found themselves in a tough spot they surveyed the court and found Rucha spotting up wide open somewhere. In the open floor, he proved to be a true threat, [player_tooltip player_id="1056520" first="Mark" last="Rucha"] displayed top-level speed while beating his opponent up the court, always looking for the outlet pass to finish the break with a layup or a stop-and-pop three-pointer. This junior guard constantly turned the Royals’ defense into offense. Whenever a teammate picked up a block, a steal, or a defensive rebound he was the first player to cross halfcourt. [player_tooltip player_id="1056520" first="Mark" last="Rucha"] is a walking bucket, someone that can put up over 20 points without taking a single dibble. When it comes to putting points on the board Rucha is the full package with no limitations to his abilities. <hr /> Lekendrick Taylor Jr. | Power Forward | Woodrow Wilson HS | C/o ’23 This insanely versatile, explosive, athletic forward put his remarkable attributes on full display last month against Dallas Hillcrest. Taylor stood out as a relentless rim protector that showed an unwillingness to allow anything easy in his house as he contested and swatted shots left and right; a very quick leaper on both his first and second jump. Defensively, Taylor played his role to perfection, he was fearless and ready to compete against anyone that dared to come inside. On the offensive end, Lekendrick Taylor showed off his talented facilitating skills and court vision with passes over the top of the defense and through tight windows. Taylor is one of those guys that’s always in the right spot at the best times, if Taylor didn’t have the ball he made an effort to get a teammate open which often freed him for timely cuts to the basket that always seem to finish with a thunderous rim rocking slam dunk. The 6-foot-7-inch postman punched dunks with a certain type of force and attitude that you’ve got to love. Lekendrick even pulled off a highlight-reel play where he cleaned up his teammate's miss by catching the rebounding one-handed in midair before throwing it down on his opponent's head. This junior prospect shows dynamic two-asset potential, Lekendrick Taylor Jr. has what it takes becomes a respectable forward in today’s game. His athleticism is off the charts, his IQ is high, he’s tough, physical, and his shoulders are broad, strong, and built for battle. <hr />