Balldawgs Underdawg Camp Recap: New Names
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The Second Annual Balldawgs Back 2 School Camp began Thursday, August 11th. The two-day camp is a free camp, hosted by one of the nation’s premier Media Entertainment companies. The camp which takes place at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in…
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Continue ReadingThe Second Annual Balldawgs Back 2 School Camp began Thursday, August 11th. The two-day camp is a free camp, hosted by one of the nation’s premier Media Entertainment companies. The camp which takes place at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada hosted over 300 players. and featured skills, drills, and 5 on 5 competition. In addition to the basketball action, Balldawgs provided food and back-to-school supplies to the campers. Day 2 of the event was open to high school players, providing me with a perfect opportunity to get a look at some future prospects before the release of the upcoming rankings. Here’s my eval of some unranked players that I learned about for the first time.
Jailyn Lewis 6’2 SG Mojave 2026 – Caught Lewis as the young freshman player played in the middle school portion of the camp. While not a straight comparison, his athleticism, and explosion were obvious. He had a tremendous play, blocking a shot on one end, and racing down for a dunk on the other.
Aries Benson 6’0 SG Mojave 2026 – Like Lewis, Benson made an impact at the middle school camp. It was easy to identify his skill set as he played with good speed and quickness. Benson was quick at almost everything including his first step. Good driver who used his size advantage to finish around the basket.
Oscar Sampallo Oscar Sampallo 5'11" | SG Del Sol | 2023 State NV 5’11 SG Del Sol 2023 – This camp was perfect for discovering some sleepers that may produce during the upcoming season. You can place Sampallo on that list. The corner specialist was one of the top snipers at the event, showing a nice textbook jump shot en route to changing the scoreboard from behind the line.
Takeo Moore Takeo Moore 6'7" | PF Red Rock | 2024 State NV 6’6 PF Palo Verde 2024 (featured image) – Moore took full advantage of the camp, using the platform to catapult himself into the players to get to know category. At 6’6 his size is going to stand out, however, it was his motor that made me sit up and take notice. Moore was all over the floor on the defensive end, and showed terrific mobility and running ability when sprinting rim to rim. Really excited to see what he brings to the Palo Verde squad this year.
Cameron Lawson Cameron Lawson 6'2" | SG Red Rock | 2023 State NV 6’2 SG Legacy 2023 – Lawson made his case to be a member of my R&J team. He showed some terrific explosion, playing above the rim for a good portion of the night. His ability to get out and finish in transition will be exciting to witness this season.
Issac Martinez 6’0 PG UTU Prep (CA) 2023 – Martinez made the trip from California to participate in the camp. It ended up being well worth it as the lefty PG balled out. Martinez showed a combination of shiftiness and shot-making ability, leaving home with the A.S game MVP award.
Kevin Smith Kevin Smith 6'3" | SG Liberty | 2024 State NV 6’3 SG Liberty 2024- Smith is a transfer from Michigan, who may just have an opportunity to contribute to the state champs. He has decent size and is an above-average R&J athlete. Smith showed some decent skill as well, knocking down the occasional three and handling the ball in 1 v 1 situations.
Malcolm Medlock Malcolm Medlock 6'2" | SG Arbor View | 2024 State NV 6’2 SG Arbor View 2024 – Medlock was another player who stood out with his athleticism. He was all over the rim, finishing lobs as well as getting a couple of dunks in transition. The R&J athlete has an opportunity this year to be a breakout player for Arbor View.
Jahati Bell 6’0 CG Faith Lutheran 2024 – Got a good look at Bell during the Grizzlies Summer Tournament a couple of months ago. He caught my eye then and did the same thing at the camp. Bell has a versatile skill set, however, his best trait may simply be his production, as he managed to finish several layups in transition and in catch and finish situations around the rim.