So Cal Live Period: Day 3 Standouts, Part 1
Day 3 during the final evaluation period in Southern California took me back to the transformed AIM Sports Complex in Seal Beach for the Adidas 3SSB event and back to Anaheim for The Stage. Here were a few of the…
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Continue ReadingDay 3 during the final evaluation period in Southern California took me back to the transformed AIM Sports Complex in Seal Beach for the Adidas 3SSB event and back to Anaheim for The Stage.
Here were a few of the players who stood out.
Kaleb Taylor, 6-10 2022 C, PB Nation-Grrrr
Event: Adidas 3SSB
One of two unsigned seniors who I felt moved the needle today, Taylor probably is going to see the dividends pay off the fastest. With bigs a premium this late in the calendar, Taylor’s performance against another D1 big, Martin Gumwel, will go a long way to boosting his recruitment. A broad-shouldered, long armed athlete and rim runner, Taylor used his frame to bury Gumwel in the paint on multiple possessions and finished with a solid jump hook or powered above the rim. Taylor’s ability to rebound out of his area and sprint the floor from defense to offense are all eye-opening. He mentioned that he’s had interest from several low-major schools, including Incarnate Word.
Ian De La Rosa, 6-4 2024 G, Team Veritas 16u
Event: The Stage
De La Rosa came up big for Veritas in arguably the game of the weekend (to this point) in a win against a Gamepoint Elite team in a matchup of two teams that looked like they should have been down the freeway at the 3SSB event. De La Rosa’s first step on the perimeter allowed him to get into the paint, where he finished consistently all game. De La Rosa has an excellent motor and always seems to come up with 50/50 balls and offensive rebounds out of his area to give his team extra possessions. He’s also a solid catch-and-shoot threat on the wing. The next area where he’ll need to improve is his handle, especially with his left hand.
Seth Brown, 6-5 2022 SG, Team Veritas
Event: Adidas 3SSB
The second unsigned prospect at the 3SSB Event who looks like a casualty of the COVID recruiting era, Brown has a great frame, length and is a marksman from deep, especially off of the wings. Defensively, he gives great effort and does a solid job cutting off drives and playing in the passing lanes. A young 2022 who doesn’t turn 18 until August, Brown is considering reclassifying into the 2023 class. If he does that, he’s got a chance to parlay some D1 interest by next year.
Jeremy Love, 6-0 2023 PG, Gamepoint Elite
Event: Adidas 3SSB
Love impacts the game without taking a shot, a throwback point guard of sorts. A dynamic penetrator and passer, Love has excellent burst and gets into the paint, where he locates shooters on the wing or can find cutting bigs for lobs or bounce passes. He’s a reluctant shooter, but showed he can hit midrange pull-ups when his team needed a bucket. The other area where he stands out is defense, where he sits in a stance and is an on-ball pest. Love has to improve his shooting from three, but he’s a college basketball player at some level.
Parker Jones, 6-6 2023 SG, BTI Elite
Event: Adidas 3SSB
Jones, who graduated from Loyola in 2022, has already committed to Worcester Prep. As a 2023 prospect, expect him to garner a lot of interest as a big wing shooter with length and solid ball skills. Jones has limitless range and a quick release, but also can attack closeouts and score off the bounce from midrange or through contact attacking with his dominant hand.
Nathan Dudukovich, 6-3 2023 SG, Midwest Basketball Club 2023 Gold
Event: Adidas 3SSB
One of my favorite players all weekend, Dudukovich is a volume scoring guard with a strong frame and a sweet stroke off the catch and off the bounce. He can operate out of the pick and roll and hit pull-up jump shots from midrange and deep behind the line. In transition, his eyes are up and he can toss the nifty assist, but he’s also unafraid to take shots from anywhere. It’s not a stretch to see him developing into a scoring point guard of the same vein as Jimmer Fredette-light. Has one offer from Radford and interest from Miami (OH).