Live Period: What Did I Learn?

Courtney Smith July 22, 2025 @ 04:30 PM

First, it was “What did I <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/07/live-period-what-did-i-miss/">miss</a>?”   Then, it was “What did I <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/07/live-period-what-did-i-expect/">expect</a>?”   Now, it's “What did I learn?”   College coaches have been all over the place during the month of July. Prospects from the state of Tennessee have performed well at each major event.   The action helped me come to a conclusion about a handful of prospects in the state.   Here's what I have learned:   Williams belongs on Nike   A lot of players want to play in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League. But, only the best can hang and stand out in the league. It's very competitive. If a player doesn't bring his best stuff, he will get embarrassed. Well, for 2028 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='2194475' first='Braylon' last='Williams'], there's no guessing about his future at Nike. He's there to stay. At Peach Jam, the 5-10 point guard had to carry the offensively load once [player_tooltip player_id='2194485' first='Joshua' last='Huggins'] suffered a lower body injury in the first game of Peach Jam.   Williams performed well, averaging 20.7 points and 3.5 assists in 31 minutes per contest. It was a good showing for Williams, who will be able to take his individual success into next spring and summer as a reminder to everyone that he's more-than-good-enough to stay put at Nike and continue to make his mark as a really good player in the 2028 class.   Huggins moves the needle   [program_tooltip program_id='2078772' first='Team' last='Thad'] 15U wasn't the same after the 6-6 forward went down. The team's chances of competing for a Peach Jam title plummeted once he was off the floor. His presence gives a team hope. It's safe to say that Huggins moves the needle for any program. He's that good. Huggins finished third in scoring (22.2 points per game), first in efficiency (247), and second in performance index rating (258). A healthy Huggins will have any team in the mix for a deep postseason run.   Humphreys is trending in the right direction   Rising sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2543986' first='James' last='Humphreys'] is trending upwards after playing for Brad Beal Elite 15U this spring and summer. The big man led the team in assists (2.6) and blocks (1.6). Humphreys isn't afraid of contact. He plays hard on every possession. Humphreys can alter shots at the rim. Taking this momentum into the 2025 season will be huge for Brentwood Academy.   Plenty of depth in 2026   There's depth at the guard spot in the 2026 class. [player_tooltip player_id='2352383' first='JiYair' last='Rose'], a 6-1 guard, put on a masterclass in a 79-70 win over Strictly Ballas (PUMA). He finished with 34 points on 10 of 19 shooting. Rose displayed how efficient he can be as a 3-level scorer. The rising senior class doesn't lack good guard play. It's all over the state of Tennessee. Add Rose to the list of quality guards in the class.   Could Garnett be the best shooter in 2027?   [player_tooltip player_id='2278560' first='Bryce' last='Garnett'] has been shooting the ball well all spring and summer for the [program_tooltip program_id='2076136' first='Clarksville' last='Crossovers']. In the last two sessions of the PRO16 League, Garnett has been averaging 20.5 points per game. He has a quick release. Garnett can shoot it from deep. Now, the question has to be: Is Garnett the best shooter in the 2027 class? For now, he has to be in the conversation.

First, it was “What did I miss?”