Class of 2023 Film Room

<p>With high school season in Tennessee wrapped now would be a great time to dive into our film room checking out both full games (NFHS) and highlights players sent.  Every full game or highlight package represents the 2021-2022 basketball season.  <strong>Film Room: 2023 Prospects!</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1416525" first="Doyel" last="Cockrill III"] (Pearl-Cohn)<br /> </strong><a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/whites-creek-high-school-whites-creek-tn/gam7fa941f8b6">FILM:  </a></p> <p>The game is Pearl-Cohn versus East Nashville in the 2022 Regional Tournament Championship.  The battle was the perfect test for a wonderful scorer.  [player_tooltip player_id="992497" first="Jaylen" last="Jones"] is undeniably a better college prospect than every PG save [player_tooltip player_id="1034555" first="E.J." last="Smith"], and an argument could be made that Jones will be better in college.  So, Cockrill III and his teammates met Jones and the extremely quick backcourt of the Eagles. How did he look?</p> <p>The passing is what surprised me most.  Knowing that Cockrill III hit 13 three-pointers in a single game this winter, I was expecting a catch-and-shoot specialist.  That was not the case. On one play, Cockrill III stepped through a trap and expertly found a teammate alone under the basket.  Later, he defeated a trap by dribbling at the outside hand of one defender and created with the dribble.  </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1125602" first="Andre" last="McClellan"] (Columbia Academy)<br /> </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/AndreMcClellan9/status/1509028926101897224?s=20&amp;t=SEK1ZLxaEqXrqjkDTxro9Q">FILM: </a></p> <p>During his sophomore year, yes, this is a 2024 player evaluation, [player_tooltip player_id="1125602" first="Andre" last="McClellan"] evolved as a player.  His quickness and shooting were always ahead of his peers, but this season McClellan added some good weight. He is now stronger in the shoulders and back, making him able to absorb or fend off a little contact. McClellan will be a dynamic guard capable of scoring at two or maybe three levels. In this film, McClellan demonstrated a blossoming ability to hit shots off the dribble, which is somewhat new for him.  The legs are more powerful and his ability to blow by average defenders was more apparent.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1262454" first="Kollin" last="Claridy"] (McCallie)<br /> </strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12000834/61e625d1d469670dbc073a1f">FILM</a></p> <p>Kollin is among the top 10 athletes from the guard position in the entire state.  The Class of 2023 features two elite point guards ([player_tooltip player_id="992497" first="Jaylen" last="Jones"], [player_tooltip player_id="1034555" first="E.J." last="Smith"]) and Kollin is right on the cusp.  Beyond his physical gift of explosiveness, Claridy continues to refine his already strong dribbling.  Occasionally, Claridy leaped for a two-handed defensive rebound and almost instantly situated his head like a running back and burst up the floor through traffic.  This versatility makes him a high-value target, likely at the MM/MM+ level.  This particular film demonstrated his willingness to take the basketball into contact.  Claridy was always a great leaper, but this embracing of physicality is extremely encouraging. He is often a two-footed leaper and a powerful finisher among the trees.  Claridy did not show off much outside shooting in this film package.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1416492" first="Raz" last="Armstrong"] (East Nashville)<br /> </strong><a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/whites-creek-high-school-whites-creek-tn/gam7fa941f8b6">FILM:  </a></p> <p>The game is Pearl-Cohn versus East Nashville in the 2022 Regional Tournament Championship.  Raz again collected rebound after rebound.  He finished his junior season with 9.4 rebounds per, a startling number.  The guy just gets off the ground quicker than everybody else. It is such a valuable, yet curious trait.  Everybody wants to jump as high as possible, and he does have strong leaping ability, but Raz is a quick leaper too.  Armstrong projects as a combo forward. Though he basically plays center for the Eagles, he looks like he might be able to play some JuCo forward or D2 wing perhaps?</p>