Born 2 Ball All-American Camp Standouts
Every article from this camp will come with my statement that when it comes to this age group and caliber camp, all the kids that attended need to continue to work on the fundamentals of the game and improve their…
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Continue ReadingEvery article from this camp will come with my statement that when it comes to this age group and caliber camp, all the kids that attended need to continue to work on the fundamentals of the game and improve their knowledge of the game. Now, here are some camp standouts…
Chad Bates, Jr. (5’5/PG/’28/P.B.Ritch Middle)
Instagram: cbatesjr2028
Chad is a highly skilled lead guard who was one of the toughest to defend, especially in the open court. He had a terrific showing at camp, and I loved his efficiency and productivity while on the court. Chad can run the show or go for big points as he functions as a triple-threat player who can contribute as a shooter, passer, and driver. He makes others around him better as he is a good young playmaker with the rock in his hands. As he prepares for life at the next level, he has to continue working on his speed and strength, as well as mastering the art of creating space with his dribble.
Josiah Dempsey (5’5/SG/’30/Bay Creek MS)
Instagram: Si_2tuff
Let me just say this about Josiah, and I could finish his evaluation with this one statement: Josiah is a walking bucket. To me, it seemed as though he was a little bigger than 5’5, but his parents completed the profile form, so they definitely know better than me. I was very impressed with the ease in which Josiah scored at every level and from so many different locations on the court. He was efficient from deep as he is a lefty with a pretty stroke. Josiah is agile, quick, and can penetrate into the lane, using burst and solid ball handling abilities. He’s got a nice in-between game and a nice touch in the lane and from mid-range. He is a tough finisher at the cup, and as I mentioned earlier, it looks effortless at times for him.
Rahkeem Reynolds (5’5/PG/’30/Dexter MS)
Instagram: Rjizzle_901
Rahkeem is a floor general who was a very tough finisher off the bounce. He has a good balance in looking for his offense and getting his teammates involved. He showed his two-way ability as he was very active on the defensive end of the floor. He is listed as 5’5, but he seemed a little bigger to me. But his parents completed the profile form, and they know better. In my whispering voice, I would give him another inch or so. In my screaming voice, I would yell that Rahkeem was one of the best iso scorers at camp. Defenders must always be conscious of him because when the ball is in his hands, he often orchestrates possessions that end up with good results for his squad.
Noah McGrath (5’6/CG/’29/The Mount Vernon School)
Instagram: noahmcgrath2029
X/Twitter: @noahmcgrath2029
Noah was a solid player throughout camp who contributed to his team’s success by being a steady, fundamental presence. He was solid with his handles, did not turn the ball over at an alarming rate, made the right reads when the rock was in his hands, shot it okay from the perimeter, kept the ball moving, and showed he is the type of player that will not lose the game for his coach. One thing that Noah did very well was attack the paint, especially when things got stagnant, and he finished well with his floater game. He has a nice touch with the floater and good body control when finishing in the paint.
Semaj Williams (5’5/CG/’30/Clay Chalkville MS)
Instagram: Etmajxo
X/Twitter: @Etmajxo
Semaj had a good showing throughout the camp, as he had the entire bag on display. He plays on and off the ball and brings production from both spots. Regardless of what position he is playing, he can score in bunches and knows how to create his own offense. Semaj has a good handle and is tricky to contain in space due to his knack for accelerating and decelerating when attacking off the dribble. He is a multi-level scorer who uses his scoring threat to set his teammates up. With the defense having to have all ten eyes on him, he forces help, which often leaves teammates open. He has a promising pull-up jumper, can finish in tight spaces, and is able to finish with either hand. With Semaj being in my hometown, I look forward to catching some of his games this upcoming season.
Tallen Pinson (5’5/SF/’30/Dalton MS)
Instagram: tallen_pinson
We see Tallen’s position listed as an SF, but that had to be a mistake when his profile form was being completed, as he was at the lead guard spot and was doing a good job facilitating. I was impressed by Tallen’s ability to keep his dribble alive and probe when things were not there initially. He is not the type of player with whom the ball gets stuck, but he understands when to engage and when to work the rock around for a better opportunity. He is a creator off the bounce and does a good job seeing the floor and making the right decisions with the rock. I was very impressed with his PG understanding and his playmaking abilities.
Marshall Westbrook (5’5/CG/’31/Northwest Classical Academy)
Instagram: BallerLee13
Marshall was a match-up problem throughout camp, and defenders found it very difficult to contain him. His energy and effort alone gave him an advantage over many in the camp, as many did not bring it on every possession like Marshall. Add his skillset to his high level of play and motor, and you would understand why defenders were frustrated trying to defend him. Marshall was at his best when slashing through the defense and getting to the paint. He was in the bag with his finishing skills in the paint and directly at the rim. Marshall was one of few that brought it on both ends with intensity.
Brandon Tate (5’10/PF|C/’31/Northwood Elementary)
Instagram: beckygaskinstate
X/Twitter: @CoachBrandonT
Brandon’s size was the reason behind his dominant play, as there just wasn’t anyone who could match his size and physical play. Now, many left with those sentiments, but you would have to really look at his game in detail to pull out that he has some fundamental things that he can build on that are going to make him even more of a problem as he gets older. There is no need to discuss his impact on the boards and how he clogged up space on the interior on defense. The first thing about BT is that he has good hands at an early age; he catches passes that I have seen many bigs at his age fumble, while at the same time, he has a soft touch in the paint and at the rim. He still needs to work on this, but I was able to see his understanding of how to maneuver with position or with a post move in the paint and on the low block. Now, in this setting, there were not many kids looking to feed the post, but BT was making himself available with solid post position. What I hope does not happen is that BT falls into the trap of just being a kid coaches throw in the paint because of his size. If I were training BT, most of his work would be perimeter-related, as it will only increase his versatility as he gets older. Many people will be after BT, and the next few years of how he is played and who he is around will set the stage for the rest of his career.