Border League: Best Big Men

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HENDERSON, Nev. — The Border League has become one of the premier fall high school and prep school basketball events in the country and the 2026 event lived up to the hype. More than 150 teams from across the country made the trip to Southern Nevada to participate in the three day event. We were in the gym from morning until night at the Henderson Sport &amp; Social and Coronado high school locations and below is our takeaways of the event's best big men with a mix of SoCal and National prospects.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2878517"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6acd1fedc4b92"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It has been good to see Millogo back on the court after missing most of the spring and summer after a breakout season with St. Francis. The 7-foot-2-plus senior has all the tools to be a dominant two-way force at the high school and college levels and flashed many of those at Border League despite a loose minutes restriction. Millogo's sheer size and length make him an elite rim protector by default but his defensive IQ, timing, positioning and ability to bait offensive players into bad shots are traits he has that many others don't. Millogo had a couple of impressive poster dunks on the weekend and flashed perimeter touch to the three-point line on occasion.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2294414"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6acd1fedc4c04"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jenkins is a mobile, agile and quick-twitch athlete who did most of his offensive damage in the painted area with a combination of transition finishes, mid-post face-ups and back to the basket moves. The wiry 6-foot-9 senior played with great energy and a high motor which led to him securing rebounds at a high rate on both ends and allowed him to out-run opposing bigs on the break. Jenkins also impressed with his ability to drive his defender from the top of the key and score on downhill finishes to his right hand.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3535854"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6acd1fedc4c66"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Uvwo had a breakout spring and summer where he became the best shot blocking prospect in the nation and one of the country's most exuberant players. The 6-foot-10 center is among the best pure athletes in high school basketball regardless of class and uses his quick first jump to erase shots at the rim and his uncanny lateral speed to cause disruption with his hedging and switching on ball screens. Offensively, Uvwo is the ultimate lob threat in transition, out of ball screens and when spacing to the dunker spot due to his explosive vertical leaping ability and dunk-everything at the rim mindset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3787017"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6acd1fedc4ce1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A native of Portugal who has overseas experience playing with his national team and Valencia BC of Spain, Soussa flashed an intriguing blend of offensive and defensive versatility. The 6-foot-11 center was most impactful on the defensive end where he altered and blocked shots around the basket and pursued rebounds in and out of his area with fundamental block outs and strong hands. Offensively, Soussa was best around the rim where he finished lobs and dump off passes but he showed some perimeter feel and fluidity as a ball screener and initiator of dribble hand-offs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3696446"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6acd1fedc4d41"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Deng's impact at Border League can be traced back to the energy and effort he brought to both ends of the floor. The senior - who is pushing 7-feet - looked to dunk everything around the rim and did so on lob passes, ball screens and rolls to the rim, follow dunks on missed shots and him ripping and driving by his defender. Deng's defensive prowess was also felt in a variety of ways from traditional rim protection to executing multiple ball screen coverages that resulted in countless blocked and changed shots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3697400"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6acd1fedc4d9e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Akuentok, a Canadian-based prospect who plays for Fort Erie Academy, is more of your traditional center type prospect who used his 6-foot-11 frame and wide wingspan to protect the rim but also has advanced lateral speed and mobility when defending in ball screens or when caught in a switch on the perimeter. The Saint Louis-commit has an offensive skill-set that coach Josh Schertz will be able to maximize. Akuentok showed his back to the basket feel and touch, his ability to make decisions out of the short roll and he never finishes soft around the basket - always a two-hand dunk.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2554904"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6acd1fedc4dfa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Young is being courted by all of the top programs in the country and it's easy to see why. The 6-foot-11 junior has some of the best hands I've seen in high school basketball this year and his combination of physicality and explosive athleticism led to multiple power finishes above the rim the game we watched against Sierra Canyon. Young got out and ran the floor in transition to show his mobility, trailed into ball screens and rolls where he showed his touch with both hands, footwork and ability to score through contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3542348"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6acd1fedc4e56"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kabongo was looking to tear down the rim every chance he could and showed impressive IQ when staying spaced from his guards and attacking lob passes with the purpose of dunking on someone. The 6-foot-9 center put pressure on the defense with his transition mobility which led to numerous high percentage at-rim finishes for the big man. Kabongo's athletic profile allows him to be quick, powerful and explosive off the floor which made it difficult for even the best rim protectors to keep him from getting on the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->