Spring Jam Fest: Five Points on Notable Prospects
Spring Jam Fest was a sold out event last weekend, which meant plenty of prospects were at our disposal. For part one of this series, I’ll be taking a look at five prospects and breaking down five different thoughts that…
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Continue ReadingSpring Jam Fest was a sold out event last weekend, which meant plenty of prospects were at our disposal. For part one of this series, I’ll be taking a look at five prospects and breaking down five different thoughts that came to mind when watching them perform.
Corey Miller | NJ Shoreshots | 2023
- The first thing that stood out to me about Miller was his composure. His team fell down quickly out of the gates, but having Miller at the helm was a calming presence for those that he shared the floor with. It eventually resulted in his team gaining momentum and ultimately, the win.
- Miller has a swagger about him in which you can tell he has some ice flowing through his veins. As his team mounted a comeback to regain control midway through the first half, he hit a pair of three’s and oh so subtlety had this look on his face that gave off “they’re really going to leave me open?” vibes.
- The 6-foot-3 lefty didn’t allow pressure from his defender speed him up. Miller used change-of-pace dribbles to work his way up the floor against pressure, get to the spot he wanted to get to above the half court line and initiate the offensive set for his club. Might be a small observation in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a skill that is mandatory at the next level and shows a sense of feel and instincts as a floor general.
- He competed on the defensive end, was an effective communicator as a weakside defender and was more than willing to give up his body to ensure an extra possession for his team.
- I briefly spoke with Miller after the win and he informed me that Division II and Division III programs are recruiting him currently. I wouldn’t rule out the chance of him winning the heart of a low major Division I staff if he continues this level of play throughout the summer.
Karon Mallory | York Ballers | 2023
- It didn’t take long to realize that Mallory was the primary scorer of his team from the guard position. He got started right away with a few triples and nice mid-range pull up jumpers after attacking closeouts.
- He’s an even-keel type of player, meaning that whenever you look at him after a shot you can’t tell if he made or missed it. IT shows the experience and quiet confidence that he has no matter how the game is unfolding. He’s going to remain aggressive no matter the outcome.
- While many of the half court sets were ran geared toward him getting a look at the cup, he wasn’t a tunnel vision scorer. When the defense rotated from the weakside, he had the knack of finding the open man whether it was in the dunker’s spot or the perimeter for spot-ups.
- He was an active defender and was matched up against Miller in their game. He did a nice job of moving laterally without fouling, keeping his head on a swivel off the ball and always trying to swipe at others who are driving the lane.
- His recruitment is unknown, but I’d categorize Mallory as a prospect for Division II and Division III programs to monitor over the next few months
Horace ‘Chris’ Wallace | District | 2023
- Wallace is a low-maintenance forward who brings his hardhat when it comes to playing physically in the paint, especially on the defensive end.
- His team has a well-balanced rotation, but the inside scoring presence was thriving whenever Wallace was in the game thanks to his ability to set solid on-ball screens, roll hard to the rim and get position on his defender with a wide, strong base.
- Wallace scored over both shoulders and presented soft touch. He doesn’t seem like a player that tends to play outside of his limitations.
- He pursues rebounds with purpose at both ends. On a few of his over the shoulder hooks, he immediately tracked the ball down on misses for second-chance opportunities, which helped maintain a double-digit lead throughout the contest for his team.
- If Wallace can show hints of a face-up game or consistent 15-footer, he’s a guy that could fit the mold for what plenty of college staffs like in a blue-collar big.
Jeannot Basima | Global Squad | 2023
- Basima is one of the best drivers that you’ll find in the region. His determination to get deep into the paint off the bounce is unlike any other prospect that I’ve evaluated. Even when teams know that he’s a slasher and play him as such, he gets downhill, keeps them off balance with hesitation dribbles and before you realize it, he’s at the rim laying the ball in the hoop.
- Basima provided effective on-ball defense and has the length and size at 6-foot-4 to draw the assignment of multiple positions on that end.
- While his jumper is a work in progress, Basima knocked down two triples in the win that I watched. Both were off the catch from a driving teammate where Basima caught, took his time and released with solid mechanics. There’s nothing wrong with Basima’s release or jumper in general, it just seems as if more reps and prep work prior to the catch with his feet could help become more efficient in this sense.
- He’s always a presence on the glass and is a plus in that category especially for his position. Basima is always looking to push the tempo after corralling in the board, which helps speed the pace up, but sometimes can get himself into some trouble with being too quick and forcing up some tough shots around the basket.
- There were a couple of Ivy League programs on the sideline watching Basima. Columbia has been recruiting him pretty closely since the winter and as he continues to polish his overall game, he may just have a shot at being a productive contributor at that level.
Tichyque Musaka | Team Selfless | 2023
- The first thing you notice about Musaka is his size at 6-foot-10. He’s still a bit on the slender side at this point, but has a frame that could fill out quickly once he steps foot onto a college campus with a strength and conditioning program.
- He gets off the ground quickly in a variety of situations. After quick rolls following ball screens, he has good hands to secure zipping passes and in what seems like all of one motion, gathers his feet and rises up with two hands for flushes. His quick jumping ability plus his length also come into play in rebounding and altering shots around the rim defensively.
- He runs the floor well for his position and size. In transition offensively, he puts his head down, rim runs and tries to seal his defender deep in the paint before opening with a wide base.
- Showed some touch with over the shoulder hooks. Still has to keep expanding his overall skill set to become more versatile with the ball, but plenty of reason to be intrigued if you’re a college coach watching.
- Musaka drew many of the mid major and a few high major coaches that were in attendance for this event. He holds offers from the likes of Kansas, Georgetown, Illinois, TCU, Oregon, USC, Marquette, Miami and Providence.