South Carolina Jr. Phenom Evaluations
Team 5
Coach: Yusuf English
#15:5'4 '25 Cameron Davis (Columbia, SC)
Starting thins off, we look at a player that brought an excellent attitude to the team and looked to motivate whenever possible, Cameron Davis. He's a guard with a solid nose for the ball, always ready to make a play and try to secure extra possessions for the team. Davis provided decent contributions from midrange and three, while also attacking the paint in transition. Next in his development process is adding strength, as it would make him a much better all-around defender. Coach English on Davis: 'Cameron came to camp with a competing mindset and looked to wreak havoc on the court. He was a nice teammate on and off the court, but can still become more vocal on the floor. Cameron knocked down some shots and made nice passes.' The sixth-grader should continue to hone his skills over the next year, in order to adequately prepare himself for school ball.
#18: 5'4 '23 Jordan Frazer (Columbia, SC)
Next, we look at a player that provided an incredible motor to this team, Jordan Frazier. He's a strong-bodied guard that shot the ball exceptionally well from beyond the arc, especially in the later contest, where he knocked down a flurry of shots with heavy defensive pressure. Frazier understands how to move without the ball and effectively get to his spots. Defensively, he was a terrific on-ball presence that knows how to move his feet and stay in front of his assignment. Next in his development process is becoming more consistent from all three levels, as it'll make him a more reliable offensive threat. Coach English on Frazier: 'Jordan started the day off rocky, but quickly picked it up. He gets out and runs in transition. Jordan finished well around the basket and isn't afraid to throw a head fake to get defenders out of position. He provided great effort and constantly hustled on defense.' Frazier had a solid two-way showing at camp, and should look to build off his quality performance.
#19:5'4 '23 Keishaun Johnson (Columbia, SC)
Moving onto a player that showcased his ability to make plays on both sides of the ball, Keishaun Johnson. He has long arms on his wiry frame, able to get into passing lanes and force turnovers on a solid occasion. Johnson runs the floor, fills the lane, spots-up without the ball, and penetrates, all decently well. His motor was likely his best attribute throughout camp, as it allowed him to make plays in transition and on defense. Next in his development process is figuring out a go-to scoring avenue, as it would make him a more useful offensive player. Coach English on Johnson: 'Keishaun worked hard throughout camp, running the floor in transition and looking to make a play on the ball whenever possible. He showcased solid shooting mechanics and has the makings of a nice shooter. Keishaun is tough off the dribble and definitely has a workable foundation.' Johnson did a quality job of making contributions on both sides of the ball throughout camp, so it's only likely that he'll continue to improve and build off of his camp experience.
#22:5'5 '24 Auvont Cobaris (Elgin, SC)
Continuing onto a player that made a lasting impression with his work on the defensive end of the floor, Auvont Cobaris. He's a two-way guard prospect that understands how to make plays without the ball, through use of length and defensive pressure. Offensively, Cobaris displayed the ability to enter the paint and finish in traffic, or make the dump-off pass to a teammate. On the other end, he showcased his capabilities, forcing turnovers and pushing the ball ahead in transition. Next in his development process is becoming a more fluid ball-handler, as it would allow him to create scoring opportunities with ease. Coach English on Cobaris: 'Auvont was a very active player with strong defensive prowess. He has nice quickness on both sides of the ball and doesn't struggle to get involved in the action. Auvont will continue to improve with more in-game experience.' Cobaris was able to consistently make his mark on both ends of the floor, but has laid a terrific foundation on defense.
#24: 5'6 '24 Kyle Greene Jr. (Blythewood, SC)
Next, we look at a player that was among the top two-way guys on display, Kyle Greene Jr. He's a guard with an extremely advanced skillset for his age, able to handle full-time ball-handling duties while consistently generating offense for the team. Greene displays a strong IQ and overall feel for the game, manipulating the opposing defense with relative ease and scoring whenever he desired. He shows no fear on defense and stood out with his abilities on that end of the floor. Next in his development process is getting quicker, as it would make him a more dynamic threat off the bounce. Coach English on Greene: 'Kyle is willing to guard anyone put in front of him. He's pretty intelligent for a point guard his age. Kyle is very crafty with the ball and knows how to use his body to open up scoring opporutnities on all three levels. He rarely turned the ball over; he's great in the half-court, but looks even better in transition. Kyle finishes well through contact and showcased nice touch on his jumper.' Greene was clearly one of the top seventh-grade performers on display at camp, so it'll be fascinating to watch his continued growth.
#32: 5'7 '25 Tristan Thompson (Florence, SC)
Moving onto a player that provided fantastic effort on both sides of the ball and gave great attitude throughout camp, Tristan Thompson. He's fairly big for his age and position, allowing him to absorb contact and draw plenty of fouls around the basket. Thompson plays hard and is willing to defend, which can be a hassle for most sixth-grade prospects. He attacks opponents well off the bounce and did a solid job of running the floor in transition. Next in his development process is continuing to polish his overall skillset, as he has the tools to become a very intriguing player. Coach English on Thompson: 'Tristan was one of the hardest workers on the team and was always looking to make a play, especially on defense. He didn't back down from any challenge, which was impressive for a young man of his age. It'll be fun to watch him grow over these next three years before high school.' As coach said, Thompson will definitely be one to keep an eye on for the foreseeable future.
#36:5'9 '23 Ian Wright (Spartanburg, SC)
Continuing onto a player that had one of the strongest motors on display at camp, Ian Wright. He's a relentless worker on both sides of the ball, always looking to get on the floor or do whatever necessary to secure extra possession for the team. Wright showed plenty of capability as an offense threat, but rarely forced the action on that end of the floor. Defensively, his positioning really stood out above his peers, because he moved with such purpose, especially as an off-ball presence. Next in his development process is improving his ability to shoot off the dribble, as it would allow him to utilize pull-up shots in the midrange area. Coach English on Wright: 'Ian never seemed to get tired. He hustled on every play and made a clear impact for our team. He was solid on the offensive end, making layups and doesn't overdo anything. Ian was not afraid of drawing contact. He was a leader on defense and always provided great help-defense.' Wright will continue to turn heads, especially if he keeps playing like he showcased at camp.
#39:5'9 '24 Matthew Shiver (Columbia, SC)
Next, we look at a player that dominated inside the paint, both as a rebounder and scorer, Matthew Shiver. He's long and always active, looking to quickly grab the defensive rebound and immediately push the break in transition. Shiver plays so hard and attacks box-outs with true purpose, which is a genuine rarity in middle school basketball. He finished an abundance of lay-ups and second-chance opportunities on the day, but his back-to-basket game is also pretty strong. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his ability to handle the basketball, as it would open up new dimensions to his offensive game. Coach English on Shiver: 'Matthew always finds a man to box out; he's a very physical player that is at his best when playing with his back to the basket. He seems to always be in the right place at the right time, which is partly due to his great court sense. Matthew plays with a high motor.' Shiver relentless pursuit of rebounds and loose balls made him incredibly valuable to this squad, and that should carry over to his upcoming middle school season.
#42:6'0 '23 Dominick Jones (Florence, SC)
Moving onto a player that was able to consistently control the action on both ends of the floor, Dominick Jones. He's long, strong, and knows how to make constant plays without necessarily needing to score. That being said, Jones still gets downhill and penetrates whenever he desires, finishing a vast majority of his attempts inside the paint. He is an incredible two-way rebounder and often secured second-chance opportunities throughout the day. Jones was among the top all-around defenders on display and showed a willingness to defend the opponents best player whenever possible. Coach English on Jones: 'Dominick is an excellent rebounder that ran the floor and finished well in transition. He has a great IQ, never forcing bad shots and always looking for open defenders. He's a great on and off-ball defender with active hands and great discipline on that end of the floor. Dominick is always getting after loose balls and willing to do the dirty work.' Jones possesses a lot of two-way upside, yet he's already productive, so opponents should start getting prepared for what's to come.
#48: 5'11 '23 Joshua Greene (Florence, SC)
Continuing onto a player that approaches the game with aggressiveness and intensity, Joshua Greene. He's a strong big man with phenomenal rebounding ability, through proper utilization of his length and ability to clear out space around the basket. Greene runs the floor well and doesn't stop moving until the possession is over. He provides great effort on both sides of the ball and looks quite comfortable switching between positions on defense. Next in his development process is to find a reliable scoring method outside of penetration opportunities, as it would make him a constant threat to score the ball. Coach English on Greene: 'Joshua is a great rebounder that draws an abundance of contact and finishes strong. He has a quick first step, especially for his size, and enters the paint with relative ease. Joshua is very physical and his head is always on a swivel when in help defense. He has very active hands and is able to defend multiple positions because of his combination of size and quickness. Joshua also has a very formidable midrange jumper.' The consistency of Greene was one of the main things keeping this team afloat, so it'll be interesting to see how his impact translates to the upcoming season.
#49:6'0 '23 Tyler Bailey (Winston-Salem, NC)
Finishing up with a player that arguably possesses the most potential and long-term upside of anyone in attendance, Tyler Bailey. He's a really smooth off-guard with the ability to fill a variety of different roles. Offensively, Bailey is a constant threat to score from all three levels and has a nice-looking form on his jumper. He has great vision, but needs to work on involving teammates more often, as it would lighten his load and allow points to come easier. On the other end, Bailey has all the tools necessary to become a lockdown defender, but only time will tell. Next in his development process is working on his body language, as he is virtually unstoppable when engaged and focused. Coach English on Bailey: 'Tyler is a really strong all-around prospect. He is a great rebounder with the ability to push the break in transition, where he thrives at scoring. Tyler finishes extremely well and is very hard to stop from getting to the basket. He can guard any position because of his size and athletic fluidity. He understands how to wall-up instead of attempting to block every shot. The most impressive thing about Tyler was how vocal he was on and off the floor.' There are so many possibilities for Bailey and his future, but he certainly has all the makings of a quality two-way guard prospect. He should dominate this upcoming middle school season.