Expo Team 8 Evaluations
In this article:
PICTURED: AJ Morman AJ Morman 5'10" | PG Sacred Heart Of Jesus | 2024 State TN .
Mid-September Bartlett High hosted the annual PrepHoops 250 Expo with wonderful talent. The following evaluations are exclusively focused on Team 8 players.
So smooth in traffic. He has an elegance. A sneakiness to his dribble and attack. Distinct alterations in speed allow him to separate from like-sized defenders.
Loves to compete. AJ played with perfect defensive eyes. ‘Ball-me-man’. He was consistently aware of the important things.
Draws a lot of fouls. Constant free-throw maker.
Measured, high-percentage shot-maker.
EJ Jordan EJ Jordan 5'11" | PG Franklin Road Academy | 2025 State TN (Franklin Road Academy)
Wonderful in traffic. Elite free throw shooter. Composed. Everything is steady. Changes in speed are purposeful and effective. Smooth drag-step. He fluidly transitioned from a crossover to between the legs and back again. His handle ranked among the best of the day and night.
Extremely assured around the rim and composed in traffic. All of his layups look practiced, refined, and certain to go in.
Faster with the basketball than may players are without it.
Tavian Jackson Tavian Jackson 6'0" East | 2024 TN (Memphis East)
He could and should move better away from the basketball. Sadly, many showcase events become my turn/your turn instead of team basketball. Still, Tavian would have been better served switching sides, cutting, pulling his man away from the action. Absolutely no lift off of the ground on his jumper. To score against the trees he will need more explosion.
Jonathan Smith Johnson Jonathan Smith Johnson 6'0" West Creek | 2027 TN (West Creek)
Great spin move. He earned his way into decent layups despite tight pressure, but too often his final product was lacking. Jonathan has the powerful legs and balance to create. He just needs to get that last touch.
Improving his defensive rebounding is a priority.
Wyatt Gilleland Wyatt Gilleland 6'7" | PF Siegel | 2025 State TN (Siegel)
Defends with strong hands. He gets some steals with his hands, even on the perimeter, while defending shorter guards. Sets a good screen. Consistent on the offensive glass. Lefty baby-hook is developing. It isn’t there yet, but it is budding. Righty baby-hook is a finished product. Smooth, consistent.
Caleb Coates Caleb Coates 6'4" | SG McEwen | 2025 State TN (McEwen)
Beautiful shot. High-arc. Consistent. Elite catch-and-shoot guy. He was a hot-and-cold guy, if you throw away the cold streaks, lol. Caleb found gaps and open chances repeatedly. Coates’ elite shooting did not tail off. Even late he made every three-pointer in his third and final game of the night.
Coates gave a beautiful left-handed sling pass 30′ from halfcourt to the opposing block catching E.J. Jordan on the secondary break.
Highlights
Christian Bright Christian Bright 6'3" | SG Green Hill | 2027 State TN (Green Hill)
Improved handle just in the last three months. Bright is a big, strong young man, but he keeps advancing his game into that of a wing. Hit open three-pointers when the team drew a play up for him.
High release point on his free throws.