COMO-TNT Fall League Team Evals (Celtics)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Hoops Missouri made the trip to Columbia on Sunday to watch the final day of the COMO-TNT Fall League, which was held at Battle High.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We begin our team evaluations with a look at the members of the Celtics, who were the champions of the Fall League.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1424414' first='Vernell' last='Holt Jr.'] (Battle): The 5'9" 2025 point guard led the Celtics to the Fall League championship. He is a three-level scorer with electric speed and quickness. He was hitting 3-pointer off the catch or with a smooth escape move off the dribble. He was getting to his spots to elevate on his jumper and he was a blur in the open court. He had the most entertaining play of the day when he bounced the ball of the floor and threw down a dunk in transition. That's quite impressive for a 5'9" guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kenny Jackson (Hickman): A 6'3" 2024 forward with excellent athleticism and a motor that would not stop running. He was versatile enough to guard any position on the floor and he was a tireless worker on the boards. He could catch the ball from the high post to make the strong move off the dribble or make the nice pass to a cutting teammate. He was constantly running on the fast break.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mario Ashford (Battle): A 6'0" 2024 combo guard who was a revelation to me as he looked tremendous in the two games that I watched him. He was slashing in the lane for easy buckets and he has a nice feathery touch from 3-point range. He was also a very unselfish player who made some nifty passes while on the move. He also displayed some strong athleticism with a couple of big dunks in the transition game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2915702' first='Jashear' last='Horsley'] (West Middle): A 5'8" 2028 point guard while looked very impressive while playing up against the high school kids. He has excellent quickness and a good feel for the game. I l liked his poise for a young guard. He played fast, but he stayed under control. He was very good at distributing the ball, but he could also get a bucket in a variety of ways. He had a nice mid-range pull up jumper and he could hit the open 3-pointer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Raymond Tatum (Battle): A 6'0" 2025 guard who did a nice job shooting the ball from 3-point range. He was moving well without the ball and reading defenses to get himself open for his jumpers. He was also making nice cuts off the ball, which resulted in layups. He didn't look to force the ball, but he was able to take advantage of his opportunities because he knows how to play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2920324' first='Jaquious' last='Bennett'] (Smith-Cotton): A 6'4" 2028 forward who has excellent length and athleticism. He displayed some very good instincts on the defensive end. He got out and blocked a 3-pointer in the first game, which was very impressive. He was also a strong rebounder who was getting out of his area to track down missed shots. He also ran the court very well. He's a young player with a big upside who I'll be looking forward to track in the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kane Viquesney (Marshall): A 5'9" guard who is a capable shooter from 3-point range. When he got the time and space, he was hitting shots from downtown. He is also a solid ball handler who was able to get into the lane to score on a runner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->