Phase 1 Hoops Spring 2014 Camp: Part III/Superlatives

The Phase 1 Hoops Recruiting & Scouting service's brand continues to grow as the spring edition of the successful 2013 fall edition made its way back to Clark HS for another freshman/sophomore Top 40 Camp. This event highlighted the top 2016 and 2017 prospects in the Las Vegas area, with a few student-athletes from California joining them as well. This is Part III of our report…

Best athlete: It wasn't a surprise that one of the top athletes at the event happened to be 6'7 soph PF Tyler Bey (Las Vegas HS). Bey flew around the gym all weekend long with numerous dunks and big blocks as well. He caught alley-oops and his energy level just can't be matched by other players 9 times out of 10.

Others: 6'4 freshman W Trevon Abdullah (Desert Pines HS), 6'3 soph SG Darius Jackson Jr. (Clark HS), 6'1 freshman CG Isaiah Banks (Centennial HS), 6'3 soph WG Devean Klepek (Western HS), 5'8 soph PG Leslie Long (Clark HS).

Best shooter: Believe it or not that distinction belonged to 5'8 8th grader SG James Bridges (Rogich MS). Bridges had a couple games where he reeled off 3 pointer after 3 pointer and would have to easily be labeled as one of the top marksmen on the west coast in the 2018 class. Impressive young player.

Others: 6'7 freshman WF Greg Floyd Jr. (Clark HS), 6'6 soph WF Jake DesJardins (Coronado HS), 6'4 freshman SG Charles O'Bannon Jr. (Bishop Gorman HS), 5'8 soph G Tanner Lewis (Clark HS).

Best passer: 6'6 freshman PG Troy Brown Jr. (Centennial HS). Brown made many point guard plays throughout the weekend. Whether pinpoint outlet passes with touch, or post up touches and/or pick & roll action for his inside players, Brown always made the right passes and plays.

Others: 5'9 freshman PG Cap Uzan (Desert Pines HS),

Best ball handler: 6'0 soph PG Daryl Adams - 6'0 (PG/Mojave HS). Adams is about as sure of a ball handler as it gets as a PG in the city. He tops this list because of his sureness when handling the ball as opposed to a wicked crossover or array of moves when dribbling the rock.

Others: 6'1 soph PG Zaahid Muhammad (Canyon Springs HS), 5'9 freshman PG Ja'don Brown (Cimarron-Memorial HS), 5'9 soph G Damien Dacuma (Desert Oasis HS).

Best defender: 5'6 freshman PG Chris Hawkins (Quest Prep) plays defense tighter than a "cheap suit." Obviously it's a camp setting and guys are not locked and loaded all weekend taking plays off here and there defensively, but with the game on the line in the Top 20 Showcase Game, Hawkins displayed what the rest of the valley already knows, that he's probably the best on the ball defender regardless of class in the state.

Others: 6'1 freshman CG Isaiah Banks (Centennial HS), 6'7 soph PF Tyler Bey (Las Vegas HS), 6'6 soph Mike Diggins (Durango HS).

Quickest: 5'11 freshman PG Jarrett Jordan (Bishop Gorman HS). Jordan can get to the spots that he needs to on the floor in a blur. He is pretty polished as well with that quickness and has the ability to stay in control with it. There were others that might have been just as quick or even quicker, but they were giving up considerable size as well.

Others: 5'8 soph PG Leslie Long (Clark HS), 5'6 freshman PG Chris Hawkins (Quest Prep).

Strongest: 6'3 soph SG Darius Jackson (Clark HS). Jackson is a very strong shooting guard that can run the wing and slash with the best of em. He gets a lot of "and 1s" as he's usually able to absorb the contact and finish the play anyhow. He could also be included in the "best in the post" list as he posts guards up regularly.

Others: 6'8 soph C Justin Harris (Clark), 6'4 freshman PF Canyon Lewis (Green Valley HS).

Best in the post: 6'8 soph C Justin Harris (Clark HS) is just simply too big to get around when he sets up shop in the lane. His moves and footwork are pretty good for a kid weighing in at about 340 lbs. Top it off with amongst other things, a crossover in the lane to get to the basket and a three pointer witnessed over the weekend and Harris easily established himself as the top Big at the camp.

Others: 6'5 freshman PF Ben Davis (Judge Memorial HS), 6'7 freshman C/PF Grant Carrigan (Bishop Gorman HS), 6'4 freshman PF Canyon Lewis (Green Valley HS).

Biggest surprise/sleeper: 6'3 WG Devean Klepek (Western HS). A lot of people don't know about Klepek as he's tucked away on a Western HS team that saw the Warriors go 2-20 in Div. IA play, but Klepek served notice that he is probably the most athletic guard in 2016 in the state.

Others: 5'10 freshman PG Jeron Bodin (Foothill HS), 5'8 8th grader SG James Bridges (Rogich MS).

Best scorer: The best scorer at the event is the crown jewel of the Bishop Gorman 2017 class, 6'4 freshman SG Charles O'Bannon Jr. (Bishop Gorman). The younger Chuck (son of the former UCLA Bruin) is without a doubt the top shooter/scorer on the west coast in the 2017 class. The freshman player made it count from all three levels and possesses a very mature offensive game. Scored 40 pts. in the Top 20 Showcase game to end the event. High major player.

Others: 6'3 soph SG Darius Jackson (Clark HS)

Biggest upside: 6'9 freshman C Darian Scott (Bishop Gorman HS). Scott is a prospect that is oozing with potential at his size/experience ratio (only a couple years in of playing the game). He's a good athlete that's light on his feet and is able to block & redirect shots at a high clip. He's behind a lot of players in the class locally, but get ready for the "walk down."

Others: 6'3 freshman W Jerell Springer (Shadow Ridge HS), 6'7 freshman SF Greg Floyd Jr. (Clark HS).

Best young players: There were a few 8th graders that competed well over the weekend. 5'10 PG Lunden Taylor (Clovis Online Academy), 5'8 SG James Bridges (Rogich MS) (as noted above), 6'2 F/G Ian Alexander (Hyde Park MS), 6'2 G/F Maka Ellis (Faiss MS), 5'9 G Montana Munford (Leavitt MS), and 6'3 F twins Tahj Comeaux & Taieem Comeaux (Del Webb MS). We would like to see these players next month for the 2014 Phase 1 Hoops Middle School Camp, where they should all have a better showing. This was a great group of young players.

Best all around: 6'6 freshman PG Troy Brown (Centennial HS). If he was a baseball player, he'd be what they refer to as a "5 tool player" because there aren't many areas where he's lacking. He could be included on the athlete list, ball handler list, scorer list, best in post list, defender list, biggest upside list, and well as young player list (as he's only 14 years old and younger than some of the 8th graders in attendance).