Northwestern State Team Camp Standouts
Father’s Day weekend saw plenty of basketball action in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Northwestern State hosted their annual team camp which showcased a myriad of teams from north and south Louisiana as well as east Texas. Many of these teams listed notable…
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Continue ReadingFather’s Day weekend saw plenty of basketball action in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Northwestern State hosted their annual team camp which showcased a myriad of teams from north and south Louisiana as well as east Texas. Many of these teams listed notable prospects that were to participate in the two day event. We will take a look at a few of the standout performers from the team camp at NSU.
Devonte Austin / 6’0″ / 2021 / Wossman
Austin displayed his two best traits in Natchitoches. He plays tough man-to-man defense and he finshes through contact. Everytime he was fouled on a drive or on the break, he was able to get the ball on the glass for the finish or at least to shoot free throws. On defense, his quick feet and hands caused problems all day. Look for him to continue his improvement as June moves towards its end.
Christian Caldwell / 6’6″ / 2020 / Southwood
Caldwell had an impressive day as the Cowboys went 3-0. He looked more and more like a point forward as the day progressed. Caldwell constantly grabbed rebounds and pushed the ball up the floor. What resulted was him beating his defender down the floor and setting up shots for himself and others. Christian was also quick off the floor in rebounding situations which resulted in bunnies at or near the rim. The more comfortable Caldwell becomes at handling the ball, his confidence grows. His ability to guard multiple positions as well gave him a great advantage when he was on the floor. A definite reason he was a standout all day.
Kael Delcambre / 6’0″ / 2020 / Grand Lake
Kael has a game that stands out when he is on the floor. He is definitely not the tallest or fastest, but he knows how to play. While he might not be a Division I point guard, he can play on the college level. Against his opponents, he grabbed rebounds, drove the lane, and drained jumpers. One of his best plays during the day was made by Delcambre when he grabbed a rebound, took two dribbles, and threw a 60 ft bounce pass between two defenders catching a teammate in stride. His teammate fumbled the pass out of bounds. However, you can see Delcambre’s talent as a guard. With a more talented group, Delcambre might be high in the 2020 rankings.
Rodney Pete / 6’4″ / 2021 / Barbe
Pete was one of the more impressive wings on the weekend. While his team lost to Southwood and Port Allen, Pete showed the ability to take other wings off the dribble. He was able to bully wings lighter than him and blow by ones that were slower. Pete also displayed the ability to post the same wings and find cutters for layups at the rim. His jumper might not have been on this weekend but his other basketball instincts were operating at a high level. If he continues to play this way, he may develop into one of the better guards/wings in the 2021 class.
D’Marcus Hall / 6’5″ / 2020 / Calvary Baptist Academy
There are times when Hall is on the floor that he makes the game look so easy. He takes the rebound, glides up the floor and finds a guard to give it to. Somehow the ball ends up in his hands for a wide open three and he drains it. That is how well Hall plays the game. During play this weekend, he showed his vast offensive repertoire (inside and out). He can score from in the paint, from the wing, or from deep. Hall can defend all five positions and looks like he enjoys that as well. He looked comfortable playing on a college floor and never seemed out of his element. Hall definitely looked like a player ready for the next level. With his play at Northwestern State, he is definitely on hs way.
Collin Holloway / 6’4″ / 2020 / Port Allen
Another scorer on all three levels, Holloway showed why he is one of the top recruits in Louisiana on Saturday. With his new team, Holloway challenged teams by driving the lane and finishing through contact time and time again. Even though he is playing with a new team, it seems that he is fitting in seamlessly on the offensive end. On defense, he was the last line of defense and was sometimes put in some awkward positions. However, offensively he could do no wrong. When Holloway had the ball, something positive always happened. Either a bucket or a foul was the result every time he touched the ball within the offense. Look for him to have a breakout season with Port Allen as he attempts to lead them to a championship.
Darrien Perry / 6’0″ / 2021 / Plain Dealing
Perry is a legitimate combo guard who does what his team needs. On Saturday, he played both guard positions and played them well. Perry can spot up an release his shot quickly. Against East Beauregard, he drained a couple of shots after ball reversals. Playing the point, he gets the ball up the floor quickly and finds guys. Perry can also be a one man fast break and take the ball to the rim himself. He was definitely one of the better guards playing at Northwestern State on Saturday. Perry will definitely present problems for other 1A teams when the season begins.
Jay Pleasant / 6’4″ / 2020 / Rayville
Before Saturday, it was kind of to assess Jay Pleasant’s game because he mostly dunked the ball. Playing with three top 25 players does not allow a lot of court time either. On Saturday, Pleasant showed that he is a force on the floor in the Rayville system. Pleasant can play on the top of the press and disrupt. He was also a great offensive rebounder. His first and second jump off the floor were head and shoulders above the other players. On the break, he was a highlight reel. With more playing time this year, he should be one of the best offensive rebounders in Louisiana. In this Rayville system, it will not be a surprise to see them in Lake Charles during the class 2A finals.
Other players who had a good camp at Northwestern State were Jalen Qualls (Rayville), Cameron Steward (Southwood), Kenny Hunter (Huntington), and Chanse Robinson (Lincoln Prep)