Takeaways: ASSIST 804 Top 48 Camp
With the AAU season officially over and school just around the corner, it’s all about camps and fall leagues until November and December roll around. One of the first of the fall is always held by ASSIST Student Athletes, a…
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Continue ReadingWith the AAU season officially over and school just around the corner, it’s all about camps and fall leagues until November and December roll around. One of the first of the fall is always held by ASSIST Student Athletes, a nonprofit organization and NCAA Certified Scouting Service aimed at helping kids get exposure for college. They held their “Top 48” camp at Hermitage yesterday, and here’s some of what we saw heading into the season.
Present and Future Come Together at John Marshall
Greg Jones won MVP of the Top 48 CampThere’s been talk about 2020 Isaiah Todd, arguably one of the best freshmen in the country, and what dynamic he’ll bring to an already stacked John Marshall team. However, rising senior and team leader Greg Jones showed that he’s still the man in the Richmond city school, which is why he’s one of the best available seniors in the state.
While Jones’ left with the MVP award, Todd still showed an incredible skill set at his size for his age, and the too together are going to be scary. Jones has brought toughness, a high motor and an inside presence with his length and athleticism for the past three seasons, and he’s become more difficult to guard and more productive as he’s fine tuned to his jump shot to become a stretch four.
While Todd may play center for John Marshall, considering he is a legit 6’8” freshman, he’s still a wing who’s best attribute is his ability to handle the basketball and shoot it from deep, which makes him a major mismatch problem for teams. Together, the two will pose one of the most formidable front courts in the state, and the fact that they can both stretch the floor and use their size in the paint makes it tough for any team to game plan for them.
2019 Prospects Ready to Make Noise
After good freshmen seasons, a handful of 2019 prospects had standout performances at the Top 48 camp. Here are five of them.
Levar Allen | 6’0” PG | John Marshall
After an up-and-down freshman season running the point for a veteran JM team, Allen was an absolute stud this summer with Team Loaded VA’s 15U team, and he was almost unguardable off the bounce at the Top 48 camp. He’s improved the consistency on jump shot, and while he isn’t the biggest or most athletic guard he knows how to use his stocky frame to get his defender on his hip and he’s extremely effective finishing And-Ones in the lane. He’ll have a chance to have the ball in his hands a lot this season, and if he continues to get his body right he’ll take a huge jump in his game.
Jamon Battle | 6’3” WF | Meadowbrook
A two sport star at Meadowbrook, Battle was one of the most productive freshmen in the Richmond area last season starting almost every game and being their third leading scorer. With the departure of James Williams and Richard Legree, it’s now Battle’s turn to take over at MBK, and despite spending the last month on the football field he showed he’s ready to take the reigns. He’s improved his jump shot from the midrange and from deep, and now that he’s grown to a legit 6’3” there aren’t many wings that can match up with his size, strength and athleticism in transition.
DeMarr McRae | 6’1” WG | John Marshall
McRae was a key cog in John Marshall’s run to the state semifinals last season, and he did it by playing with energy, defending the best player and making open shots. He’s an above average athlete that loves crashing the boards on the offensive end and is good for at least one highlight dunk a game. His intensity and dedication on the defensive end will make it hard for Head Coach Ty White to take McRae out of the game against teams with high level scorers.
Collin Harding | 6’0” G | Manchester
Harding, who’s also a two sport star at Manchester, still has some fine tuning to do, but he’s an athletic guard that can play on or off the ball and can score it from a number of places on the court with consistency. He’s a good athlete, has good instincts on both ends of the floor and is a good rebounder for his size. Whether he chooses basketball or football, Harding has a chance to be a scholarship level player at the next level.
Antonio Bridy | 6’1” PG | Life Christian Academy
With the departure of senior point guard Bruice Harris, Bridy will have the ball in his hands and will be a go-to guy for an LCA program that’s on the rise. He has good size, can get his shot off the bounce whenever he wants and is a competitor that gets after it on every play. He’s very talented, and if he can be equally effective getting his teammates shots as he is getting his own he’ll have no problem taking over the point guard duties this season.
Transfer/Reclass Prospects Shaking it Up
It’s always interesting to see how players who transfer, especially those who reclassify, will shake up the power in the Richmond area. Here are three players who are reclassifying that will be major factors on their new team with an extra year.
Jason Wade | 6’4” G | Trinity Episcopal School
It baffled many of us as to why Wade only had three offers after a monster junior season at Hanover and a good summer with River City Reign, but it’s safe to say that he should see his recruitment pick up after reclassifying to 2018. He has great size for a guard, even at the Division One level, and he’s versatile enough to play either guard position. He’s athletic, strong and has a great feel, and the only glaring weakness he has is that he’s an inconsistent shooter. He’ll bump Trinity up the list of favorites in the VISAA Division One classification.
Marcus Holman | 6’1” PG | Benedictine Prep
The last two seasons at Patrick Henry, Holman has been a stud leading his team in scoring, he just had inferior talent around him which made it hard for him to be a facilitator at the point guard spot. He found a good fit in Benedictine, who needs a point guard that can distribute and get others involved. While he averaged close to 18 points per game last year, Holman has good vision and feel, and he has a high IQ and good understanding of sets and games. Add in that he’s unselfish and can shoot it, and the Cadets may have found a gem to add to their talented group.
Darryl Anderson | 6’6” F | Millwood School
He burst onto the scene with Amelia Academy last season, helping lead them to a VISAA Division 3 state championship appearance. This season, Anderson will transfer up the road to Millwood School where he will reclass to 2019. He’s long and skilled, making him a versatile player that can play inside or out. He has good range on his jumper, and an extra year should give him more time to fill out and improve his ball handling which will have him more prepared for the next level.
Underrated Seniors Show Out Against the Best
Some players just simply go under the radar until their senior season, whether it’s the school they play for or the fact that someone always outshines them.
Su’Wayne Turner | 6’4” F | Prince George
With the departure of senior leaders Cory Hill and Savonte Chappell, there’s a good chance that Turner’s name will be heard a lot more this season. Last year as a junior, Turner quietly averaged close to a double-double and played all over the court. He defends both on the perimeter and in the post, has a solid middle game and rebounds the basketball at a high rate. He was very productive in camp yesterday, and will be leaned upon heavily in his senior year at PG.
Nathaniel Hutton | 5’11” PG | Manchester
Hutton competed with the best guards in the area and not only held his own but played extremely well. He’s a scrappy and strong guard that doesn’t have the athleticism of some of the other guards, but he has good feel and a high motor, and can shoot it off the catch or the bounce. His competitive nature and good play caught the attention of a lot of the division three schools that were there.
Jaylen Dillard | 6’2” WG | Clover Hill
Dillard has been an All Conference performer the last two seasons, yet no matter how many times he gets it done against the best he’s still very much under the radar. He isn’t a high level athlete, but he’s a shot maker that knows how to get his shot off and knocks it down at a high percentage. He moves well without the ball, has deep range and can knock down the pull up, and he’ll likely be another All Conference player that averages 20+ points per game this season.
Chuck Hill | 5’9” PG | Highland Springs
With a new coaching staff at Highland Springs, there will be some adjustments to be made. However, a lead guard like Hill should help make those adjustments run a little more smoothly. He isn’t the biggest or most athletic, but Hill is a leader and facilitator at the point guard position, and he has a great understanding of what he has to do to help his team win. He can shoot it from deep, guards the ball 94 feet and his ability to handle pressure and get his team into sets will be big for a young and inexperienced HSHS team.
Other Notes
- 2018 Seneca Louis had one of his best showings all summer, especially on the offensive end. A 6’5” wing that is a lock down perimeter defender, he looked engaged on both ends, was aggressive looking for scoring opportunities and showed his athleticism around the basket. He’ll be looked at to produce at a higher clip offensively this year for Benedictine, and seeing him go at it with the best is a very welcome sign.
- Varina is set up for another run at the Conference 12 crown despite losing three starters. The trio of senior guard Andre Watkins, senior forward Kenneth Southerland and sophomore forward Tyrese Jenkins gives them a lot of size and athleticism that most teams can’t match up with. All three have shown tremendous improvement over the summer, and they are confident that they’ll be able to compete with the best in the state in 5A.
- 2021 AJ Wilson of Life Christian Academy not only competed with the best in Richmond, he played so well he was named to the All Star team. He has great size and feel for a point guard of his age, and he gets in the lane with ease where he has great vision and makes plays for his teammates. He may have solidified that he’s got next in the area.