Weeks 3 and 4 Scouting Report: (Part 3 of 3)
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>Weeks 3 and 4 this year in Texas high school basketball was stacked with highly anticipated games and matchups. Two of the nation’s best teams went head-to-head against one another on an NBA court at the American Airlines Centers. Sophomores are dominating the land all over Texas. Basketball was at its best at the end of November. Here are just a few of the standout performances I witnessed during the last couple of weeks of the month. </strong></em></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Grapevine 56, Keller Central 54 (Overtime)</strong></span></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em><strong>Jerome Whitaker - Combo Guard - Keller Central - 2021</strong></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"><span style="font-size: 1rem;">In a tough overtime loss to the Grapevine Mustangs, </span>Jerome Whitaker dropped 17 points, 6 rebounds, and had 3 steals. He proved to be a g</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">ood two-way player that played solid on and off-ball defense. His instincts really stood out, he was very alert, and anticipated things well, jumping passing lanes and getting deflections. On the offensive end, Whitaker displayed a</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> knack for getting into the teeth of the defense and finishing at the basket, showing off his impeccable upper body strength while driving the lane and scoring in the paint. Jerome Whitaker absorbed all of the contact and physical play that was sent his way and proceeded to score through it over and over again, a testament to his toughness and focus. He showed good versatility, having the ability to post up and score down low as well as play outside on the perimeter. Jerome also did an exceptional job of rebounding on both ends of the floor, creating second-chance shot opportunities and grabbing a board then starting the fastbreak. </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">Standing at 6 feet 3 inches, Jerome Whitaker has a good combination of size, length, and athleticism. He’s been playing at a high level every game this season and he's l</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">eading his team in scoring while doing so. </span></p>
<p><em><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Bryan HS 80, Aldine Nimitz 74</span></strong></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958911" first="Dylan" last="Glover"] - Combo Guard - Bryan HS - 2022</strong></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">Texas ranked prospect [player_tooltip player_id="958911" first="Dylan" last="Glover"], is a </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">6’</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">4 </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">sharpshooter that </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">scored</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> in </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">multiple ways, from a</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">ll three </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">levels against Nimitz</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">. Glover drove </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">the lane effectively, k</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">nocked </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">down his pull</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">-up and catch-and-shoot </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">jump shots</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> from deep, and was just as deadly in the mid-range </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">area as well. Dylan destroyed the competition with his outstanding scoring. A p</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">henomenal shooting motion, very smooth, his </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">body and </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">elbows were consistently aligned with the hoop when putting a shot up. </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">Glover looked like a master when it came to</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> creating space and getting his own shot. Dylan beat </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">his defenders</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> with step back</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">s, crossovers, spin</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> moves, and jab steps</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">. Good, poised, under control ball skills with the ability to be shifty. [player_tooltip player_id="958911" first="Dylan" last="Glover"] was ready for whatever the defense threw his way, he seemed a step ahead of his defenders at times, always knowing when to break his man down, when to attack, when to pull-up, and when to pass. </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">His ability to stop on</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> a dime and pull-up from anywhere, </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">all in one motion was </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">highly impressive and way </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">too much for the Nimitz </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">Cougars defense </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">to handle in this matchup. The Bryan High School guard</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> didn’t shy away from contact either</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">, </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">in fact, he invited it, meeting </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">guys head-on at the rim and </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">still finishing the layup and by</span> <span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">using </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">his size and </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">strength to</span> <span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">force his way to</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> the basket while also using his body to </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">shield </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">off t</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">he defender</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> before a shot. His</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> versatility at the guard position was fantastic, </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">showing the skills and IQ to be </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">able to play on and off the ball</span> <span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">effectively. </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">[player_tooltip player_id="958911" first="Dylan" last="Glover"] is a noteworthy name, he finished this game with 20 points and he’</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">ll definitely be lighting things up for </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">some lucky college </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">in the next couple of years</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><em>Frisco Wakeland 87, Rockwall 65</em> </strong></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"><em style="font-size: 1rem;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958611" first="Michael" last="Niemann"] - Shooting Guard - Frisco Wakeland - 2022</strong></em></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">[player_tooltip player_id="958611" first="Michael" last="Niemann"] went out there and scorched the nets, as he’s known to do. </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">He had an electrifying 24 points, but the most impressive thing about it was that he did it by hitting nothing but 3-pointers, 7 to be exact, and 6 in one quarter. </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">It was a marvel to watch, his teammates set great screens and he moved around them extremely well, displaying a high basketball IQ and a great feel for the court. Michael quickly got open beyond the arc, set his feet, and let it fly, k</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">nocking down his pull-up, spot-up, and catch-and-shoot jumpshot opportunities with a great looking stroke. His teammates kept feeding him the ball and putting him in the perfect positions to succeed and [player_tooltip player_id="958611" first="Michael" last="Niemann"] didn’t disappoint. This Frisco Wakeland guard </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">was in the zone when he came out of halftime, he took his shooting to the next level by nailing 6 straight third-quarter 3-point shots to push the lead over 20 points going into the fourth quarter.</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;"> </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Rockwall didn’t stand chance on this night against Michael Neimann, he </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">looked like a true 3-point specialist with the way he used screens, got open, and shot the ball with consistency.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em><strong>Clear Creek 64, Fort Bend Bush 67</strong></em></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1047785" first="Brandon" last="Love"] - Power Forward - Fort Bend Bush - 2021 </strong></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">[player_tooltip player_id="1047785" first="Brandon" last="Love"] was an absolute beast against Clear Creek, putting up a crazy stat line of 21 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 4 steals. </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">This 6’9 power forward with high-level athleticism</span> did it all out there, both offensive and defensively. Brandon protected the rim by swatting away shots and swiping away balls from driving players. Love displayed impeccable timing, catching shots in mid-air and throwing them out of bounds, forcing the offense to settle for jump shots or forced plays. [player_tooltip player_id="1047785" first="Brandon" last="Love"] looked like a man amongst boys from the tip to the buzzer with the way he overpowered and out skilled his opponents. The first bucket for his team came from a powerful turnaround two-handed slam that he threw down. He displayed terrific footwork and touch when scoring on the block, on the drive, and from different angles using turnaround, spin, pro-hop, and step-through moves before finishing at the rim. The lefty was flat out dominant and in full control of the game. Love was fire and hitting everything he put up, fade-away jumpers, floaters, hook shots, tough layups through contact, even throwing down some monster dunks before going on to save his team from facing Clear Creek in overtime by knocking down a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-point shot on a pull-up jumper from the left-wing. [player_tooltip player_id="1047785" first="Brandon" last="Love"] put on an incredible performance, there’s a lot of potential in this senior prospect.</p>
<p><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="887077" first="Alec" last="Zambie"] - Small Forward - Fort Worth Christian - 2021</strong></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">Senior forward, [player_tooltip player_id="887077" first="Alec" last="Zambie"], a true jack of all trades and possibly the most versatile player in North Texas, there’s nothing on the court that he can’t do extremely effectively. Zambie has been playing out his mind since the season began, his most notable performance coming when he put</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> up a 30 point double-double against [player_tooltip player_id="887071" first="Paul" last="Bizimana"] and the Haltom Buffalos. </span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">[player_tooltip player_id="887077" first="Alec" last="Zambie"] averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds, and nearly 2 steals per game throughout the month of November, making himself o</span><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">ne of the biggest stock risers of the year thus far. He’s a knockdown spot-up shooter, someone you really must account for at times. Zambie can beat his man off the dribble as well, his smooth first-step gets him to the rack in just a couple of dribbles. An outstanding</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;" data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}"> player in transition, excellent lateral quickness, runs the court like a gazelle, he’s been shredding teams with his open court speed all year. Alec ha</span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">s shown great physicality when going for rebounds and attempting to score in the post. </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;" data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}">Tremendous versatility, highly productive, and highly intelligent on the floor, seems to always be the smartest player on the court. His </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">intangibles are off the charts, this young man does things with and without the ball that you just can’t teach. His most impressive asset may be his passing, his court vision is elite, and he can make quick, on-target passes through tight windows. </span>[player_tooltip player_id="887077" first="Alec" last="Zambie"] has extremely high potential and a very good upside, but most of all he’s a winner and it seems to rub off on all of his teammates. </p>
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