#iBallTDB Spring Camp Recap

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The 2nd iBall With Terry Drake Basketball Camp was loaded with just as much talent as the inaugural camp, and here is some of the talent that was on display …</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1722071,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/PH-Justin-MCCall-C.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/PH-Justin-MCCall-C.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1722071" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1574460' first='Justin' last='McCall']</strong>&nbsp;(6'2/CG/'24/Grissom HS)&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: jmccall5_</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @JustinMcCall_</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Justin continues to improve his position regarding top guards in the state. He is a talented and stout combo guard that really showed his physical tools and skillset at camp. Many people got to see Justin unveil his total game when [player_tooltip player_id='833333' first='RJ' last='Johnson'] was out a couple of games in the second half of the season, and that stretch really helped Justin raise his tenacity and confidence, which spilled over into camp. Outside of his ability to score the rock and orchestrate the offense, what really impressed me with Justin was his leadership on the court and just how vocal he was on both ends of the floor. He understands the game and plays with a high IQ, and he makes others around him better. His on-court communication kept teammates engaged and kept his team functioning as a unit in a camp setting. Justin is a steady presence at the guard spot that has a balanced floor game and impacts the state sheet in all areas. Even though I haven't spoken in depth about his ability to score, please know that Justin can flat-out put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways at all levels.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/JustinMcCall_/status/1635647251258257409","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JustinMcCall_/status/1635647251258257409 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1742722,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/PH-Devon-McKinnon-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/PH-Devon-McKinnon-C.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1742722" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1342754' first='Devon' last='McKinnon'] </strong>(6'3/Wing/'25/Clay-Chalkville) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: nolimit0dev</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @devonmckinnon_5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Devon is one of the emerging young guys in the state that can get it done on the offensive end of the floor. He is a lengthy wing player that was one of the most talented players off the bounce throughout camp. Devon has combo guard skills that are very intriguing for coaches at the next level. He showed his ball-handling, footwork, intuition, timing, and balance against high-level athletes. He was constantly attacking off the bounce with his striking blend of speed, and it was difficult for defenders to contain him as he has vertical explosion and visionary passing when he is in the paint. He is a talented young guard who showed a lot of promise at camp.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/BBallCougars/status/1630397734535528449","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BBallCougars/status/1630397734535528449 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1318418,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/PH-Brandon-Thomas.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/10/PH-Brandon-Thomas.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1318418" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1392681' first='Brandon' last='Thomas']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: Bth.omas.3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @brandonthomas_3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The best player in camp was BT, and it was impressive to see the recent state champion, who accomplished so much this year, going hard throughout the entire camp. He is crazy athletic with bounce and impacts both ends of the floor with his athleticism. He is explosive with the rock in the paint and can really score in close proximity of the rim. Defensively he is very versatile and effective, as he can defend on the perimeter and on the low block. He showed a lot of promise with his skillset, as it is not so evident on his high school team as he is surrounded with bolstering talent. With another year left in his high school career, look for BT to be the reliable glue guy that he has been but also look for him to show more of what he will be able to bring to the next level.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/brandonthomas_3/status/1636724801640312833","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/brandonthomas_3/status/1636724801640312833 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Cam Bell</strong>&nbsp;(6'0/CG/'24/Madison Academy)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: cam.bell06</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @bell_cameron3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">This was my first time putting eyes on Cam, and I cannot wait until this kid is at 100%. He is coming off a knee injury that has had him sidelined for several months, but what he showed in camp impressed all who were in attendance evaluating the players. He is a highly skilled multi-dimensional guard. He will be back for his senior campaign, and I truly believe that with the pieces that Madison Academy has coming back next year, Cam is going to be a welcomed back piece that can help his squad make a strong push to Birmingham. Cam is a player that thrives on getting buckets in transitions and penetrating the lane to either finish or kick it out to an open shooter on the perimeter. With his scoring ability and propensity for playmaking, look for Cam to be one of the top PGs in the state next year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/bell_cameron3/status/1635441337108426752","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/bell_cameron3/status/1635441337108426752 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1649654,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/PH-Tucker-Whitley-C.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/PH-Tucker-Whitley-C.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1649654" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1398777' first='Tucker' last='Whitley']</strong>&nbsp;(6'2/SG/'25/Fayette County High School)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: tuckerwhitley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Tucker is a talented sophomore who has become known as one of the best shooters in the state. His production took a dip last season because he had to take on more responsibility at the lead guard spot in a new system under first-year head coach Brian Miller. As more of the facilitating duties were put on Tucker, it took away from his attempts, but even though his opportunities decreased, he still showed in camp that he is one of the most lethal shooters from beyond the arc. One thing that having to be more of a floor general did for Tucker this year was force the development of his ball-handling skill under pressure.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1541785,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/PH-Joe-Wimberly-iBallTDB-C.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/PH-Joe-Wimberly-iBallTDB-C.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1541785" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1260674' first='Joe' last='Wimberly']&nbsp;</strong>(6'0/PG/'24/Pelham HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: joewimberly_</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @joewimberly_</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">I know we have been talking about the scoring prowess of a lot of the players that attended camp, but Joe left the camp, and many agreed, as hands down the best on-ball defender that many have seen in the state. Whether it was 6'6 [player_tooltip player_id='1392681' first='Brandon' last='Thomas'] or sharpshooter Josh Williams, Joe sat down on them and caused havoc. He made life difficult in camp and solidified that players who defend can make powerful statements, just as players who can go for huge numbers. He is the type of player that can be put on whichever offensive opponent handles the ball most, and he will find himself deep in their personal space. There isn't often room to dribble safely around Joe, much less make an actual move. As gifted of a defensive stopper as he is, he is just as gifted in orchestrating an offense. He also showed more development and confidence in scoring the rock and scoring from beyond the arc. His stock continues to grow.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/JoeWimberly_/status/1633858319885692928","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JoeWimberly_/status/1633858319885692928 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1870139,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/PH-iBallTDB-Pics-Josh-Williams.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/PH-iBallTDB-Pics-Josh-Williams.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1870139" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1392154' first='Joshua' last='Williams']</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;(6'3/SG/'24/Helena HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: Joshua.williams1456</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @Dolph_williams</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">While watching Josh compete in camp, one thing jumped out to me: how much he has worked on his body. He has a tremendous physical profile and has really bulked up. He has another year in his high school career, but he has a body that s ready for the transition to the next level. His strength can be seen in so many aspects of his game, and the most noticeable is his ability to take a pounding on his way to the cup. Josh is known for his scoring prowess, particularly his ability to score from behind the arc. He can score from the parking lot with efficiency, and with so many opponents even in camp trying to take away his looks from three, he showed his ability to get downhill. He is attacking the cup with a lot more aggression and has done an excellent job working on his finishing, especially through contact. Josh has so many intangibles that he brings along with his scoring, and he is going to help some program at the next level.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/dolph_williams/status/1637481140717228034","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/dolph_williams/status/1637481140717228034 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"left","id":1541790,"width":256,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/PH-Tommy-Tisdale-III-iBallTDB-C.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/PH-Tommy-Tisdale-III-iBallTDB-C.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1541790" width="256" height="256" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1091945' first='Tommy' last='Tisdale'], III </strong>(6'2/SG/'24/Keith HS)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Instagram: trey23_ball</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Twitter: @Trey_Ball23</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size">One thing I have come to know about Tommy since I have been covering him is this: he is a flat-out scorer. I seldom use the word elite, but Tommy has earned that description when it comes to his ability to score the rock. He has a very strong build with a lot of lower body strength and an overall solid frame. He has a more than reliable jump shot that keeps opponents' coaching staffs up all night wondering how they will defend him. He is incredibly lethal when coming off a screen, stepping into a pull-up trey, or on a drive and dish set three, but he can also put the ball on the floor and pull up at a high rate from both beyond the arc and in the mid-range. He is a bonafide scorer that gets it done at all three levels. When Tommy is able to focus on what he does best, which is scoring the rock, he is one of the best in the state at doing it.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/KEITHBEARSBBALL/status/1628369965886713858","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/KEITHBEARSBBALL/status/1628369965886713858 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->