#NEXTSouthwestKO: 2027 Biggest Stock Risers

This relentless, high motor, productive, defender was incredibly disruptive all weekend long. 6-foot-4-inch Damarion Lee created chaos and turnovers by keeping a hand in the passing lanes and displaying active awareness and anticipation for entry passes in the post. Elite versatility on the defensive side of the ball, Lee showed the lateral quickness and instincts to defend each position on the court. Lee also covered ground exceptionally well when closing out on the perimeter and playing help side defense in the paint where he was more than effective at sliding over and protecting the basket. Lee’s motor and knack for staying active made every 50/50 ball his for the taking, whether it was on the ground or rolling out of bounds Damarion was there for the recovery. On Sunday, Lee showcased impressive toughness in the championship game after suffering a nasty ankle injury and continuing to push through it to give his team their best chance to win the chip.

I feel comfortable saying Jacques Mitchell was the most elite prospect I saw all weekend. Mitchell made the game look extremely easy with the way he handled pressure, made cross court passes, kick out passes, interior passes, and scored within the flow of the game never forcing his offense and always letting the game come to him. The type of prospect that made everyone around him better due to his crazy high basketball IQ combined with his amazing court awareness, he consistently saw plays developing before they happened and understood what should be transpiring on the court at all times. Mitchell showed off elite instincts and decision making skills with the rock in his hands, not only did he find his teammates when they were open but Mitchell also got the ball to them quick. fast, and right into their shooting pocket. This dime dropper, saw everything and all of his moving pieces, at times it seemed like he had eyes in the back of his head. An incredibly unselfish for a player that can score so easily. Mitchell’s jumpshot was pure from just about anywhere on the floor, a miss was rare for him and he knocked shot down off the catch and off the dribble. The 6-foot-2 guard got several open looks due to his movement and spacing beyond the arc and once he caught the ball he was ready to let it fly. Killer hesitation move, sharp ball-handling to create angles and driving lanes for himself, and great ability to play off of two feet and jump stop in the paint. Defensively, Mitchell displayed impeccable anticipation for the next move, pass, and shot attempt, making it difficult for guards to even cross half court on countless occasions. 

Avant Riley was one of the most prolific jump shooters of the weekend. Riley stood out as a high IQ bucket getter with the skill set to put up points on the board from each level of the floor thanks to soft touch and rotation on the ball. Riley proved to be a knock down jump shooter off the dribble and off the catch showing a high quick trigger release. This kid heats up like a microwave, it didn’t take Riley long to get hot and once he did there was no stopping him, Avant’s fluid catch to shoot motion is what made is jumpshot so potent and consistent.

Titsworth put on a show and had a breakout performance in a big win over Team Griffin early on Saturday. The Tulsa native plays, sees, feels, and thinks the game at another level and speed then anyone else on the floor. Incredible pace control, this guard can slow down, speed up, and stop on a dime on his way to setting up his shot whether it was from outside or inside the perimeter where Titsworth was as crafty of a finisher as they come. Excellent footwork and body control on the drive, euro steps, pivots, step through finishes, you name it this kid showed that he has it in his bag. I loved how he always took whatever the defense gave him, he knew how to exploit the defense no matter they planned to defended him.

Dylan Wilkinson made his presence felt in every facet of the game, he was the type of player that could take over the rebounding and scoring load at any moment. Wilkinson was one of the top rebounders of the weekend, he had such a tremendous impact on the glass, somehow getting a hand on most shot attempts that came off of the rim. When it came to scoring, Dylan came at the defense down hill and got inside at will from every angle, using his smooth dribble drive skills to touch the paint where Wilkinson proved to be an unstoppable scorer capable of finishing the play off balance and off either foot whether he was going right or left. Adequate spot-up three-point shooter, especially in the corners, but a really good mid-range jump shooter. Dylan was a very impressive multi-dimensional scorer with an all-around overall skillset and a knack for making a play when his team needed one the most.