KABC Titans: Friday morning standouts

The KABC Titans Shootout got underway on Friday with games tipping off as early as 10:00 A.M. in this article I'll break down the standout performers I saw from the morning session of games.    One of the tallest players at the event, Ayiei is a unique prospect. Still with a ways to go due to his lack of strength and weight, Ayiei still found ways to help you win. With his length on the interior, he made it tough for guards to finish around him at the rim. Offensively he did a nice job crashing the glass and scoring off misses on putback layups. Also showing his touch at the rim, Ayiei was more comfortable finishing with his left hand at the rim. Hitting a couple jumpers as well, Ayiei knocked down a step-back at the buzzer of the third quarter. Going to take some time to adjust to the college level, I'd think a JUCO program or a redshirt year would be best for Ayiei's development as he has some skills that you can't teach with his size and length.     A prospect who first got on my radar at the Prep Hoops Circuit event in Columbus, Bennett continues to impress with his high school program. Showing some flashes with the ball in his hands, Bennett can face up and attack off the dribble. Scoring with jump stops and reverse pivots in the lane, Bennett was dangerous from the 8-12 foot range. His height also allowed him to snatch a few offensive rebounds and collect easy putback layups. I also like the process which Bennett attacks off the dribble, setting up his teammates if the lane closes down. If Bennett can get stronger and become more assertive in the paint, he could have scholarship colleges become interested in him at this time next year. Very intrigued by the upside Bennett has and he'll make his debut in our post summer 2026 rankings update.     Probably the loudest performance of the morning, Surratt had some highlight reel moments including the dunk of the day with a nasty poster dunk. Surratt was also finding ways to score in transition with dunks and above the rim finishes. Also able to create off the bounce with pull-up jumpers, Surratt is a tough shot maker from the wing position. One of the top prospects in Kentucky's 2026 class, Surratt got off to a hot start during the June live period.     The 2026 duo of Adams and [player_tooltip player_id='1565985' first='Amari' last='Owens'] of Bryan Station were getting after it together. I love the motor that Adams plays with in the paint, despite being undersized for his center position. Owens found Adams on multiple transition alley oops including one off the backboard. Adams also had numerous second chance points as he works extremely hard on the glass. For Adams to reach his ceiling he will need to eventually shoot the basketball from the perimeter, Adams missed a 3-pointer but did flash a turnaround jumper and mid-range shot. If we see more consistency from Adams in that department he could see himself become a stock riser on this website and with regional college coaches.     One of the top 2027 prospects in Kentucky, White looks extremely comfortable with his new program after moving out of Louisville to the Campbellsville area. White is one of the most polished 2027 guards in the state, moving with the ball in his hands like a veteran. Tough to speed up and skilled off the bounce, White can make some TOUGH shots. With a score first mentality right now, White's next step to gel with his new teammates will be getting familiar with where his teammates are comfortable catching and scoring the basketball. With White's offensive ability, he draws a lot of eyeballs on him which usually opens up the court for other players. This will be a player we cover thoroughly for the next three seasons.     Louisville St Xavier has one of the deepest teams in Kentucky and their depth of talent was on full display with some huge scoring outbursts from their team. None were bigger than Jackson who shot the ball at an extremely efficient clip from the outside. Jackson is a strong bodied wing who uses his physicality to move defenders in the paint. An excellent passer for his size, Jackson swings the ball to shooters across the court quickly. A high IQ player, Jackson executes set plays for him and scores on BLOB plays designed to get him a look. I think Jackson will have a smooth transition to the college level and is exactly the type of player I'd be looking to recruit at a Division I college program.     Calloway County went blow for blow with Louisville St Xavier for about three quarters before running out of gas in the final frame. They had a few standout performers but I wanted to highlight Armstrong due to his overall solid play. With an excellent body for a 2027 prospect, Armstrong has good length, size and strength. Showing the ability to play on the perimeter and space the floor, Armstrong knocked down a couple 3-pointers off drive and kicks. The next step in Armstrong's game will be getting more comfortable putting the ball on the deck and beating closeouts to either score or set up his teammates. Liked the physical frame and shooting on this young forward prospect.

The KABC Titans Shootout got underway on Friday with games tipping off as early as 10:00 A.M. in this article I'll break down the standout performers I saw from the morning session of games.