TABC Showcase: Talented Under-the-Radar Bigs to Watch

One of the biggest showcases of the year is here and there's an immense amount of talent to comb through. Below are a handful of forwards and centers that you'll want to be sure not to miss.    Drake is a physical, fearless forward that plays bigger than his frame lets on. He bursts into the paint with force, finishing at the rim through contact and racking up extra points for his team. He's a beast on the glass on both ends of the floor and he seems to have an endless supply of energy. He's a good communicator out on the floor, often giving his teammates a needed heads up or helpful direction. When he's not using his physicality to overpower and defeat his man - he shifts to his solid mid-range and three-point ability to punish the opposition. I love how aggressive Smith is in the paint and it pays off in multitudes for his squad. Make sure and catch Drake at Lewisville High on Saturday (6/22) - 440pm CST vs. Del Valle (Court 2) and on Sunday (6/23) - 1220pm CST vs. Fort Bend Dulles (Hebron High, Court 3) and 440pm CST vs. El Paso Franklin (The Colony High, Court 2).     Ernesto is a skilled big that has the ability to move and cut like a talented guard. He's smart with the way he sees the floor and moves without the ball - consistently putting himself in positions that offer him the best looks at the basket. Castro can shoot like a guard as well - with a solid ability from mid-range and behind the arc. He has a lengthy frame which he uses to his advantage in the paint, often reaching over opposing defenders for an easy lay-in. Ernesto's a good defender that uses his long arms to alter and block his opponent's shots to the moon. He's an asset on the fast break because his teammates can simply throw the ball up and rest assured that Castro is going to come down with it. You can catch Ernesto on Saturday (6/22) at Hebron High - 335pm CT (Court 4) and on Sunday (6/23) - 8am CST (Court 2). Then Castro wraps up his TABC Showcase on Sunday afternoon - 230pm CST (Court 4).     Donovan is a lengthy forward with a SCARY handle and an impressive shooting range. It's not unusual to see him pull up a good three of four feet behind the arc (Dame-style) and sink it through the net, no rim. His ballhandling is absolutely elite and gives him the ability to shake off his most talented defenders. He's a menace when it comes to paint protection - sending opposing shots to the rafters, denying quick passes, and eating boards like chips. Though he's one of the bigger players on his team, he has no problem bringing the ball up if needed or even running the fast break at times. You don't want to miss Fears play - make sure and catch him on Saturday (6/22) at Lewisville High - 125pm CST (Court 1) - Saturday evening at Southwest Athletic Center - 650pm CST (Court 4) and on Sunday (6/23) at Southwest Athletic Center - 1010am CST (Court 6).     Zakee is a long, skilled forward that stretches the floor in a fantastic way for his squad. He's an absolute sharpshooter behind the three-point line and his range extends even beyond that. He can get on a hot streak in a flash and rattle off nine to twelve points before his defender knows what hit him. He's incredibly effective from mid-range and in the paint as well - zipping accurate passes to streaking teammates and using his solid footwork to create space and fade away on his defenders. He's excellent in the pick and roll and he's calm on the floor under pressure - he thinks through his next moves and seldom makes mistakes. Make sure you don't miss Thompson when he plays on Saturday (6/22) at Southwest Athletic Center - 755pm CST vs. Dickinson (Court 6) and on Sunday (6/23) at SWAC - 1115am CST vs. RWG Stem (Court 5) and 335pm CST vs. Plano East (Court 1).     Davaughn has already started to catch a good amount of attention, but I included him here because he's about to catch a lot more. He's a lengthy, strong forward and his style of play reminds me a ton of Anthony Davis. He's excellent at finishing through contact, running on the break, and defending his basket as if it were his own family. He handles like a guard and can shake his defenders with ease, then using his length to create a wide-open layup or dunk for himself. He uses his strength against his defenders, leaning into them to create space until they're rendered helpless. He can spot up and knock down his jump shots as well - Hueitt has the whole package. He's a must-see and he plays on Saturday (6/22) at Hebron High - 230pm CST vs. Beaumont West Brook (Court 1) and on Saturday evening at Southwest Athletic Center - 650pm CST vs. Richardson (Court 1). Then Davaughn wraps up his TABC play bright and early at Hebron High on Sunday (6/23) - 905am CST vs. Dallas Kimball (Court 1).

One of the biggest showcases of the year is here and there's an immense amount of talent to comb through. Below are a handful of forwards and centers that you'll want to be sure not to miss.