TABC Day Three Top Performers

Check out my analysis on some of the kids who are turning heads with their play during day three at the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) Showcase at Duncanville Field House! This showcase is always one of the biggest events in the state and this year was no different, with plenty of college coaches in attendance for every second of action. [player_tooltip player_id="1220767" first="Zion" last="Pipkin"] 2024 6’2 Spring Westfield High School Zion is the definition of a dog, his motor and ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor allowed Westfield to plow through some high level competition on their way to winning the tournament. He attacks the basket hard and gets easy looks in transition at the rim due to his energy. He is great at fighting through contact on his way to the rim. I was blown away by his on court leadership, ability to direct traffic on the defensive and offensive end and how much of a winner he is. He did not need the ball in his hands to affect the game, his off ball movement created space for his teammates as he drew attention away from the defense. His game reminds me a lot of a young Collin Sexton, with his unending pace, willingness to defend high level ball handlers and live in the paint as a smaller guard. Westfield High School beat Conroe High School in the first round, Klein Collins in the second and are set to take on Cypress Falls this week. David Punch 2024 6’7 Harker Heights High School David has been absolutely dominant every time he stepped on the court this weekend, using his frame to routinely finish over defenders and through contact down low. His opponents often times resorted to simply hacking him to prevent him from getting to the rim and allowing him to flush a dunk on their head. He is a consistent free throw shooter, allowing him to punish defenders for lazy defense every time down.The most head turning aspect to his game is the ease in which he can get his shot up over defenders. He has a smooth jumper, paired with a high release point allowing him to confidently shoot over anyone on any spot on the floor. He is a natural shooter who you can tell has had very good coaching to fine tune his mechanics. I was also very impressed with his attention to detail as he attacked the glass on both ends of the court. He willingly boxed out his opponents and naturally seemed to seal off his opponents any time he wanted to. His overall dominance down low allowed the rest of his teammates to defend the perimeter with even more intensity, knowing that Punch was back their to clean it up. He is a natural rim protector and routinely ends possessions with strong defensive rebounds. I would like to see him work on developing his soft bunny hook with his weak shoulder, you can tell he is working on it already, but if he becomes to be even more consistent with his post moves and quick one dribble pull ups from the corner the sky is the limit for him! Anthony Bates Jr 2024 6’2 Katy Seven Lakes High School Anthony is a very fluid athlete who has great body control. He is a high-level finisher in the paint due to his ability to get around defenders with quick moves such as euro steps and double clutches. He has a great handle and ability to put the ball on the floor and get to his spots. He displayed a plethora of high level moves such as floaters and creative step backs. He is a very skilled shooter off the bounce. Bates is also a very aware player who knows how to attack the weak spots in the defense. I was blown away by his maturity with the basketball and willingness to take what the defense gives him. When the defense looks to take him away, he calmly makes the right reads and make sure his teammates stay involved. He comfortably shot from all three levels of the floor and lived in the midrange. He is developing at a very rapid rate over the last year and a half, and I am excited to see how much he continues to grow. Bates and Seven Lakes lost a heart breaker to Bellaire at the buzzer during one of the most exciting games of the year. [player_tooltip player_id="1332638" first="Ashton" last="Hardaway"] 2023 6’8 Duncanville High School Ashton is a knock down shooter from every spot on the floor and is a capable scorer out of the triple threat. He has great length and an elite ability to move his feet and get downhill. He has all of the athletic tools to become a dynamic scorer at the wing/ forward position at the next level. His ability to space the floor and knock down shots created room for his teammates, and allows him to play with three other 6’7 forwards at Duncanville. He is elite at putting the ball on the floor and creating space around the arc, he displayed a one dribble side step to get out of the reach of a defender and rising up. He has a lightning quick release and is consistent off the catch. He is great at using his opponent’s momentum against them as they race to close out on him on the perimeter. He can manipulate his opponents out of the triple threat and attack them as soon as they put a foot down and sit on their heels. [player_tooltip player_id="1332595" first="Keanu" last="Dawes"] 2023 6’9 Stratford High School Keanu is a supremely athletic big man who is a paint beast. His ability to dominate coming downhill full speed really put pressure on the defense and made defenders hesitant to jump with him. I really loved watching him operate in the mid post and taking one to two power dribbles and getting to his spot at the rim. His ability to maneuver with the basketball was very impressive for his size, and he should be able to easily translate into a mobile wing or stretch four/ five at the next level. The big man has the ability to dunk everything and really seems to provide a spark with his energy and athleticism on both ends of the floor. I was really impressed with his touch in the mid-range and the touch he is able to put on full court outlet passes to jump start a fast break. Dawes is beginning to see some major attention from some high level programs, including Tennessee, Texas A&M and TCU Universities. I fully expect Dawes to become an even more polished player next year, and he is well on his way with how he has been turning heads during the live period.