Crossroads of The South Immediate Takeaways
Marc Rowe has done another solid job bringing some of the best in the Jackson, MS, and surrounding areas together for the Crossroads of The South Elite Camp. With several collegiate elite camps taking place on the same day, the…
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Continue ReadingMarc Rowe has done another solid job bringing some of the best in the Jackson, MS, and surrounding areas together for the Crossroads of The South Elite Camp. With several collegiate elite camps taking place on the same day, the numbers and talent gathered showed the respect that he has in the state. Here are a few players that stood out…
Phil Nelson (6’1/CG/2025)
School: Ridgeland High School
Instagram: Igotgame10._
Twitter: @Ptnelson20
Phil is a rising sophomore that had defenders thinking they were at the local skating rink as he had them on skates all day. He is tough off the bounce, as his hesi move was by far the best I saw throughout the day. His change of speed and ability to change direction was second to none. He is a 2-way guard that offensively picked apart players and defensively made guards question if they really wanted to put the ball down in front of him. I liked his ability to get to his spots on the floor and get into his shot. He was very effective with the mid-range jumper, and for a young player entering his sophomore year, I was impressed with that aspect of his game as so many say that the middle game is dead, but that is not the case for Phil. One of the reasons why I liked Phil’s middle game is that it helped him to not over-dribble and kept him in position to keep the ball moving when defenses walled up in the paint. He effectively moved in between the on-ball and off-ball positions, which showed his ability to impact the game with the ball in and out of his hands. He has quick hands as he accumulated several steals with his on-ball pressure. He is a young 2025 kid who will cause many problems in MS over the next few years.
His change of speed and ability to change direction was second to none.
Terry J. Drake
Kaleb Landon King (6’2/Wing/’23)
School: Olive Branch High School
Instagram: _iamkalebb
Twitter: @KalebLKing1
When you think about camps, you can sometimes get a bad taste in your mouth as you fear there will be bad play with a lot of forced one-on-one action. There was some forced action at the camp, but there were some really talented iso scorers, and Kaleb was one of those players. He brought constant effort, never coasted, and sought to dominate every possession his team had while he was out on the court. He is sitting on 9 offers as he prepares for his senior campaign, and I am sure that number will grow throughout the next few months. Kaleb is a player that never stops coming at you, and for players that were not ready to compete at camp today, he ran them off the floor. He drew a lot of attention as he is a 10-eye player, meaning all 5-players on defense have to keep their eyes on him throughout a given possession. For players at camp with a narrow game, they thrived with Kaleb on the court as he created scoring opportunities for them. He was one of the top playmakers at camp and is poised to have an exciting, senior year.
He brought constant effort, never coasted, and sought to dominate every possession his team had while he was out on the court.
Terry J. Drake
Will Grayson (6’0/PG/2023)
School: Yazoo City HS
Instagram: glizzzy.will2
Twitter: @Ysc_will
Will is headed into his senior year and currently has a couple of Juco offers but is looking to play his way into receiving interest from some D1 and D2 programs. He showed at camp that his game warrants some looks, but it is going to be interesting to see if his senior campaign can be enough to garner interest. He is a high-motor PG that plays both ends of the floor. Offensively he has elite vision and can make high-level passes in tight positions. He showed scoring instincts and crafty handles as he likes to play up-tempo and push the pace of play. He did an excellent job throughout the day of blowing by his man and getting into the lane to score, and when needed, he found open teammates. Although I am talking about his scoring prowess, which may give you a picture that he is a score-first PG, he knows how to orchestrate an offense and showed that ability throughout the day. Defensively, he was a factor on the ball with his ball pressure, and he made passing lanes tough as he was quick to jump lanes and steal the rock. I will definitely be checking in with Will throughout the year to bring more light to his game.
Offensively he has elite vision and can make high-level passes in tight positions.
Terry J. Drake
Amir Abdul-Rauf (6’0/CG/2024)
School: Gulfport High School
Instagram: iamamir.ar
Twitter: @AmirAbdulRauf1
For basketball heads that have been around the game for a couple of decades, the name should begin to ring some bells, especially in the southeast region. Amir is the son of the one and only Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, one of the most prolific and explosive scorers that has laced them up. Well, Amir definitely has the pedigree as he showed his ability to score the rock throughout the day. He got it done at all levels, and when he put the ball on the floor, he was a tough assignment for any defender on the opposing team. There were moments when Amir ascended to a plane of being unstoppable, and I must admit that it was absolutely thrilling to watch. He was one of few that knew how to create his own shot without forcing the action, and he was one of few with an offensive prowess that caught the attention of many watching.
There were moments when Amir ascended to a plane of being unstoppable, and I must admit that it was absolutely thrilling to watch.
Terry J. Drake
Maddox Noblitt (6’3/CG/’25)
School: Ocean Springs High School
Instagram: noblittmddxx
Twitter: @noblittmaddox
When I watched Maddox play, I was convinced that he was in his junior or senior year, but when I found out that he was only a sophomore, I began making some calls in the gym. He is a multi-level scorer and went on a tear and made 4 to 5 treys in consecutive possessions. He literally had the refs asking, had coaches on the sideline asking, ‘can anybody in the gym stop him?’ He was literally in control of the offense and left defenders helpless as they had no answer for him. He is a masterful bucket-getter, and I urge programs in the southeast to get him on their board if they have yet to do so. He was one of the best off-ball shooters at camp, and he is still emerging with his game off the bounce and in pick-and-roll action. He already possesses all the tools to excel at the next level and showed flashes of being a high talent. Consider yourself informed; his name is Maddox Noblitt.
He is a multi-level scorer and went on a tear and made 4 to 5 treys in consecutive possessions.
Terry J. Drake
Dylan Rowe (6’1/PG/2025)
School: Madison Central
Instagram: _dylanrowe
Twitter: @Dylrowe124
I knew Dylan would be at camp, and I was looking forward to seeing him in action. The last time I laid eyes on D was at the Jay Bilas Camp, where he had an impressive showing. Once you have seen a player as often as I have seen Dylan, it begins to become a tracking of his development and growth to make a solid projection of where he can play at the next level. He continues to develop, and the confidence with which he played at camp showed that his game is maturing and that the game has slowed down for him. He is quicker off the bounce, plays under control a lot more, is a better finisher at the cup, and continues to expand his range; and what was impressive today is he is defending a lot more. When he can get the 2-way player stamped on his game and not just in being one in spurts, he is going to really be an attractive prospect for coaches at the next level. I am looking forward to monitoring his continued growth.
He continues to develop, and the confidence with which he played at camp showed that his game is maturing and that the game has slowed down for him.
Terry J. Drake