While Bruce Pearl rapped, these kids balled.
by Aggrey Sam
If you’re an avid observer of prep hoops, you should know that although the season is officially over (kinda), it really has just begun. While many watchers of the high school scene kicked off the AAU season at the vaunted Boo Williams event in VA over Easter weekend, my man Patrick Stanwood was in Knoxville for the Knox Vegas Heat Invitational on the University of Tennessee’s campus. Hopefully, he didn’t spend too much time with Bruce Pearl, as seen below.
Which one is more disturbing, the picture or the video? Anyway, here are some players who stood out to him at the tourney:
–Reggie Bullock, 6-7 junior wing, Kinston (NC): One in-the-know scout likened the UNC commit to current Tar Heel Wayne Ellington. Like Ellington, he has elite shooting ability that stretches far beyond three-point range. An unselfish player who can make the pass on the move or out of the double team in the high post. One criticism–young Bullock could maybe bring more intensity to the floor. That said, Bullock is without question a top-25 player.
–Noah Cottrill, 6-1 junior point guard, Mountain State Academy (WV): This physical and assertive scoring lead guard got it done for the champion Wisconsin Playground Warriors. On offense, he drove the ball at will and displayed deep range from three. Truth be told, he was 90 percent of the reason his team even made it to the finals of the 17-and-under bracket. This West Virginia commit is a better athlete than one might first guess and has a motor for days!
–Dominique Ferguson, 6-7 junior wing, Lawrence North (IN): Boarded well, ran the floor and showed off some of the range that makes him an elite wing. His inside game needs some work and he’ll need to gain some strength over the summer months, but it would be hard to imagine a national top-25 list (note: like this one) of juniors without Dominique’s name on it. He has decided to open his recruitment back up and consider other schools along with Kentucky, to which he was previously committed.
–Jelan Kendrick, 6-6 junior wing, Westlake (GA): Kendrick (who will likely transfer) is a versatile forward who is effective on the perimeter and inside. He drained three-ball after three-ball over the course of the weekend and wisely posted up smaller opponents. He looked every bit the part of a top-30 player in the Class of 2010.
–Ian Miller 6-3 junior combo guard United Faith (NC): Miller showed the ability to do a lot of things this weekend. He can get to the rack–where he’ll finish at rim level– and he displayed the ability to knock down the outside jumper. However, he honestly looked distracted at times, but the future Florida State Seminole still may be regarded as a top-30 talent by the end of the summer!
–Phil Taylor 5-10 junior point guard, Wheeler (GA): Oh, what a difference a year makes! Taylor was always a quality streak shooter (see his 54 points in a bracket-play game), but Taylor is now showing great awareness with regard to finding open teammates. He may need to work at getting his shot off quicker for his obvious scoring ability to translate at the college level.
–Some of the other juniors (Class of 2010) of note were: Wisconsin commit Evan Anderson, a 7-0 center from Eau Claire North (WI); Emmanuel Andrews, a 5-10 shooting guard from Shelbyville (TN); Detrique Baker, a 6-5 power forward from Jacksonville (NC); Jay Canty, a 6-4 wing from Ragsdale (NC); Teraes Clemmons, a 6-5 shooting guard from Nashville (TN); Jershon Cobb, a 6-4 shooting guard from Dunwoody (GA); Manny Dias, a 6-6 power forward from Harding (NC); Dakotah Euton, a 6-7 power forward from Scott County (KY); Jeremy Ingram, a 6-2 shooting guard from East Mecklenburg (NC); Joab Jerome, a 6-4 wing from Wheeler (GA); Kendall Jennings, a 6-5 wing from Sparkman (AL ); Tre Jeter, a 6-6 power forward from Wilkinson County (GA); Jamil Jones, a 6-4 shooting guard from Greenforest Christian (GA); Kenny Knight, a 6-5 power forward from Aiken (OH); Javon McKay, a 6-3 point guard from Dunwoody (GA); Ben Mills, a 6-11 center from Arrowhead (WI); Andrew Osemba, a 6-9 center from Grayson (GA); Wake Forest commit Melvin Tabb, a 6-7 power forward from Enloe (NC); Jermaine White, a 6-7 combo forward from Butler (NC); and Donte Williams, a 6-9 power forward from Miller Grove (GA).
–Class of 2011 (sophomore) standouts included: Corey Blackwell, a 6-5 wing from Peachtree Ridge (GA); Elgin Cook, a 6-4 wing from Hamilton (WI); Jacoby Davis, a 6-1 shooting guard from Vance (NC); PJ Hairston, a 6-4 wing from Dudley (NC); Lavon Harper, a 6-9 power forward from Fuqua (VA); Roger Hubbard, a 6-0 point guard from Sprayberry (GA); Jervaughn Pressly, a 6-7 power forward from Waddell (NC); Marquis Rankin, a 5-11 point guard Vance (NC); Malcolm Smith, a 6-5 wing from Clarksville (TN); Martin Smith, a 6-5 power forward from Clarksville (TN); Haki Stampley, a 6-4 power forward from Hamilton (WI); Paul Stone, a 6-6 wing from Danville (NC); Ron Trapp, a 6-3 shooting guard from Lancaster (SC); and Dezmine Wells, a 6-3 wing from Word of God (NC).
–Finally, among the freshmen phenoms at the event were: Jordan Adams, a 6-3 shooting guard from Central Gwinett (GA); C.O. Bradshaw, a 5-10 point guard from Kinston (NC); Nate Bucher, a 5-10 point guard from Providence Christian (GA); Dorin Carter, a 6-6 power forward from Rockdale (GA); Reggie Dillard, a 6-3 wing from Dudley (NC); Jordan Price, a 6-5 wing from Columbia (GA); and Damien Wilson, a 6-5 wing from Pebblebrook (GA).
Patrick Stanwood, a recruiting analyst for NBNMagazine.com, can be reached at stanwoodpatrick@yahoo.com.
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