2019 Hoop Exchange High School Team Camp: Standouts (Part 1)

<p>Apopka was filled with some really good basketball at the Hoop Exchange High School Team Camp on Saturday.</p> <p>I made the stop for a seven-game schedule where there were teams from all across the state going head to head on the 3-court CPS Sportsplex facility.</p> <p>Here is a look at the first part of the top standouts list.</p> <h3><strong>Michael Eads (Edgewater)</strong></h3> <p>Edgewater runs through 2020 6'5" Edgewater guard <strong>Michael Eads</strong>. Head coach Jason Atherton called him the most intelligent player that he's ever coached. That is high praise considering he just had Anfernee Simons on his side a few years ago and now he plays for the Portland Trailblazers. Regardless, there is a lot to like with Eads, he is a bigger body who is always locked in and can do a variety of things. He makes high IQ passes, shoots the ball well and is a versatile finisher. Eads won't jump out of a gym, but he's very solid all-around and will make any college program look smart. </p> <h3><strong>Michael Trigg (Seffner Christian)</strong></h3> <p>All day long, 2021 6'4" guard <strong>Michael Trigg</strong> is a threat to score anytime he has the ball in his hands. Against both Deland and Blanche Ely, he was raining in 3's. Especially in the afternoon tilt against Deland, he was moving the ball up the court with purpose and knocking down jumpers. He made four in a row at one point in the second half and the defense had no answer for him. Trigg can get to the basket with his upper body strength and uses his downhill football mindset to his advantage.</p> <h3><strong>Jalen Haynes (Dillard)</strong></h3> <p>In a loss to Orlando Christian Prep, 2020 6'8" Dillard forward <strong>Jalen Haynes </strong>proved why he's a legitimate Division I prospect. He flashed really good flow down the court whether that came off defensive rebounds where he pushed the ball or as an attacker on offense. Haynes has really good patience and footwork inside. He was flat out dominating at times in the post. The best play of the game for Haynes came when he ran back on defense to chase a block where he came out of nowhere to stop. </p> <h3><strong>Jah Nze (Hagerty)</strong></h3> <p>Hagerty has a good one in 2022 6'3" guard <strong>Jah Nze</strong>. Even though he's young, he already is a seasoned ballhandler, cutter in space and is an absolute load to slow down inside. Nze continues to be vocal and lead his group. He rarely comes off the court. In an early morning win over Edgewater, it was quite fun to see him match up with Eads, a player who also was a standout early on his freshman season. Nze's potential is endless.</p> <h3><strong>Jalen Smith &amp; Michael James (Oak Ridge)</strong></h3> <p>Against Trinity Catholic, 2021 Oak Ridge pair <strong>Michael James </strong>and <strong>Jalen Smith</strong> did basically anything they wanted on the offensive end. Alongside a rather young Pioneers group, the 6'5" James set the tone with his attacks and shooting ability from the mid-range. Smith, a 6'4" guard/wing has grown in length and his overall skill set as he's more than just an outside shooter. He was getting out on the break routinely and finishing on lay-ins. James and Smith will be fun to watch this season as rising juniors at Oak Ridge.</p> <h3><strong>Tyrecke Francois (Blanche Ely)</strong></h3> <p>The leader and key ball pusher for Blanche Ely, 2020 6'0" guard <strong>Tyrecke Francois </strong>is vital to his team's success. Against Seffner Christian, the game was going back and forth for much of the first half. Francois proved he can add value as a shooter and distributor throughout the matchup. He hit a pair of 3's in the second half that sealed the game. The combination of elusiveness and smarts is what makes Francois a reliable athlete. </p> <h3><strong>Ven Allen-Lubin &amp; AJ Brown (Orlando Christian Prep)</strong></h3> <p>The progress of the Orlando Christian Prep rising sophomores is through the roof. Each time I see 2022 pair <strong>Ven Allen-Lubin</strong> and <strong>AJ Brown</strong>, I come away thoroughly impressed. The 6'6" Allen-Lubin was beyond tough defense against last year's Class 7A state runner-up Dillard. He was blocking shots, squaring up with attackers and using his length to match their length. As for Brown, he was getting to solid spots and hitting mid-range jumpers with his feet set or pushing it in transition. Both players are well on their way for Class 2A favorite Orlando Christian Prep.</p> <h3><strong>Carington Campbell &amp; Michael Rogers (Hallandale)</strong></h3> <p>Hallandale has a 2020 duo that seems to always be in sync with one another in <strong>Carington Campbell</strong> and <strong>Michael Rogers</strong>. Campbell is a 5'10" speedster who controls the tempo and has the ball on a string. He hit a 3-pointer from beyond half court at the halftime buzzer. All game long Campbell was too fast for the North Florida Educational (Class 2A state runner-up from last season) defense. As for Rogers, the 6'1" strong guard is a bruiser who can get inside and a guy with a very nice shooting touch from deep.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">2020 Dillard forward Jalen Haynes with the nice move and finish. <a href="https://twitter.com/jh0_smoove?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jh0_smoove</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DillardHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DillardHoops</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nightrydaselite?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nightrydaselite</a> <a href="https://t.co/wzPWLLKMKa">pic.twitter.com/wzPWLLKMKa</a></p> — ᴊᴀᴋᴇ ᴘᴇʀᴘᴇʀ (@JakePerper) <a href="https://twitter.com/JakePerper/status/1145047926957334530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2019</a></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>