KABC Titans Shootout: Friday Underclassmen Standouts
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The KABC Titans Shootout brought out many of the top teams and players in Kentucky to compete during the first live period in Shelbyville, Kentucky. In this article, I’ll break down the standout underclassmen I caught from Kentucky on the…
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Continue ReadingThe KABC Titans Shootout brought out many of the top teams and players in Kentucky to compete during the first live period in Shelbyville, Kentucky. In this article, I’ll break down the standout underclassmen I caught from Kentucky on the opening day of the event.
A talented lefty lead guard, Owens was creating a ton of the offense for Bryan Station on Friday evening. With a quick change of speed and relentless driving style, Owens was getting to the rack at will and finishing when he got two feet in the paint. He was so dominant that the opposing team went all out to slow him down in the second half with traps and double teams. Defensively, Owens got after it with relentless pressure on opposing ball handlers. I caught Owens knock down one corner 3-pointer but it seems like his perimeter shot is still developing right now. Definitely one of the most productive underclassmen guards in Kentucky right now.
Highlights
Newport has a loaded roster full of Cincinnati area prospects and Turner is a key part of that team. A force in the middle, Turner was playing harder than I’ve ever seen him play before in the paint. Blocking maybe four or five shots in the game I caught, Turner was doing the things with his physical tools I’ve been waiting for. In the paint, he was productive and had a couple nice finishes and post moves. A stock rising performance, the college coaches talked about how hard Turner played on Friday night, something that Turner needs to bring every time he steps on the floor.
North Laurel doesn’t have the same publicity around the program after the graduation of Reed Sheppard, but Davidson is a big time prospect that Kentucky fans will need to know about sooner rather than later. Davidson came out strong with 10 first quarter points on a pair of triples and a couple finishes around the basket. A skilled wing forward, Davidson can put it on the floor and stretch the defense from the outside. With his size advantage on his opponents, Davidson also grabbed a ton of rebounds on both ends and had second chance points. His highlight of the game was when he tipped a pass, made a behind the back save to prevent the ball from going out of bounds then hustling to get a transition layup. For Davidson, his biggest area of improvement will be strength wise and playing through contact instead of avoiding it. Davidson had a layup where he double clutched and used his impressive touch around the basket to make the circus shot, however it could’ve been an easier attempt with a more physical finish through a shorter defender. Lots of upside with Davidson, you can catch him in July with Midwest Basketball Club’s 15 U 3SSB team that’s been a force on the Adidas circuit.
Another intriguing Kentucky 2026 prospect, Martin is an impressive athlete who made plays on both ends for Glasgow. Finding his most offensive success as a slasher, Martin was aggressive in getting to the basket with the dribble drive game. An impressive athlete, Martin was flying around defensively and making impact plays on that end of the court. Impressive upside with Martin, my biggest question would be seeing how well he shoots it from the outside as he didn’t really look to take many jumpers in the one game I caught. Another name for Kentucky basketball fans to keep on their radar over the next few years.
Omari Jointer
Omari Jointer
One of the few rising freshmen who I was able to watch on Friday, Jointer was a clear standout for Frankfort in their loss to Hamilton. A young guard who plays with good pace and is already a leader on his young squad, Jointer shot the ball efficiently from the floor. Having some of the toughest finishes at the rim I saw all day, Jointer wasn’t afraid to attack downhill and get to the basket. Lots of upside with Jointer, if he continues to grow he has the potential to be a big time name in Kentucky’s 2027 class.