Hoophall Classic: Camden (NJ) vs Milton (GA): (Standouts)

Joel Francisco

January 18, 2022 @ 01:15 AM

Hoophall Classic: Camden (NJ) vs Milton (GA): (Standouts) SPRINGFIELD, MA—In the Mid-1980s the college basketball world was witnessing a future NBA talent in Louisville standout Milt Wagner as he led his team to the 1986 NCAA Championship. His son Dejuan Wagner played one year at Memphis before entering the NBA Draft where he played a few seasons. The legacy continues as DJ Wagner is the next in line and he may turn out to be better than both his father and grandfather. Wagner would drop 20-points in a variety of ways while teammate and fellow junior Cian Medley would lead the team with 21-points. Stanford 2023 commit [player_tooltip player_id="820272" first="Kanaan" last="Carlyle"] (Milton, GA) would lead all scorers with 28-points. DJ Wagner (Camden, NJ) 2023, PG, 6-foot-3, 170 pounds Joel’s Take: Wagner is not going to “wow” you with high-flying dunks, but if you’re a basketball savant you will greatly appreciate his game. Overall, his offensive game is tight. He can break you down off the dribble with a variety of moves including a nice burst. Secondly, he has the ability to change speeds and utilize a retreat dribble that could lead to a blow-by. He sets up his shot well and he is always on balance with a smooth release. This 3-level scorer can finish with either hand, has a knack to score in the mid-range, and he’ll find the open teammate as well. Defensively, he has the length and active hands to be a lock-down defender. [player_tooltip player_id="870146" first="Bruce" last="Thornton"] (Milton, GA) 2022, PG, 6-foot-2, 205 pounds Joel’s Take: Thornton, who is headed to Ohio State, has "winner" written all over him. The physically imposing guard can lock up opposing guards on the offensive end, rebound with the “bigs”, or score in bunches. His motor never stops and he can score in a variety of ways. His jump shot was inconsistent early on, but due to his beastly mindset, he had his input on this game throughout. Think Marcus Smart. [player_tooltip player_id="820272" first="Kanaan" last="Carlyle"] (Milton, GA) 2023, G, 6-foot-4, 185 pounds Joel’s Take: The Stanford-bound Carlyle put on a scoring clinic in this one. His pull-up game is as efficient as it gets at this level. He has a nice on-balance pull-up game and he gets good lift on his shot. He possesses deep range on his shot and his release is smooth. In addition to his scoring prowess in the mid-range, he is also shown the ability to get to the rim and unload a sweet-looking floater. [player_tooltip player_id="901941" first="Elijah" last="Perkins"] 2022, WF, 6-foot-4, 185 pounds Joel’s Take: Perkins didn’t get a whole lot of touches, but he definitely made an impact in his team’s victory over Milton due to his motor at both ends. The bouncy wing-type rebounded, exploded to the rim off a nice back-cut, and he can finish in a variety of ways. This slashing scorer can pull up in the key and convert as well. Defensively, he has the length and active hands to be a suffocating defender at the next level.