The last few years Phenom Hoops Report has held a team jamboree in Greensboro as a way to help kick off the summer. Some strong teams came together for this event so that means there are a ton of players to do reviews on. If you did not get to make it out to the action here are some of the players you missed:
Carter Collins, 6'3 2017 G at East Chapel Hill HS'' Carter has been one of the hotter names in the region the last few years as he has put up some big numbers of late. He has the scorers' mindset out on the floor and can score any way you could want a kid to score. He is his team's main weapon and they need him to be on and cracking most games to have a shot at winning. The game I watched he had a quiet first half before tuning it on in the 2nd. If I am being honest he's a hard kid for me to put my finger on. I see the talent and ability to score but at the same time I see things that keep me reserved on him as well. I can list pros and cons here to his game with the best of them and I think that's why I am more on the fence than others. The looks he is getting right now and the offers on the table feel right for his game. I think my issue here more than anything is that I have heard the hype around him for so long I'm just not feeling it anymore.
Clay Watkins, 6'9 2017 C at East Chapel Hill HS'' When I was growing up it seemed like every tam you watched had the old war horse type center that roamed the paint and played like a big should. Today you do not see that as much as everyone wants to be a wing or Lebron James. Clay is not one of those kids though as he is an old school post player in a modern game. He has the length and size needed to hold the paint on offense and is a decent post defender as well on the other end. Like the traditional centers of the past Clay is a solid rebounder and the type of kid that can get you points in and around the lane as well. When he gets to the next level he will need to get quicker and work on refining his post game some but those are things that can be fixed. His hands also need to get a bit better going forward as well. 'He should be a lock for a double-double performance each time out this year for East Chapel Hill.
Jonathan Runyambo, 6'4 2017 W at East Chapel Hill HS'' Jonathan is one of those raw players that you look at and wish you had time to teach them how to play the game. He has obvious physical gifts, good speed, and a motor but has no idea how to really use it all on the floor yet. A lot of what he does is just off instinct but with his aggression and motor he ends up turning in respectable numbers more often than not. East Chapel Hill needs another weapon to help take the pressure off of Carter Collins in the backcourt and Jonathan has the ability to be that guy. If he can keep defenses honest while playing solid defense he will be huge for his team this year. Shot selection, handles, and general basketball IQ all have to get better going forward.
Will Sparks, 5'10 2017 G at Mt Airy'HS' I got to watch Will and his team play twice in this event and each time I walked away impressed with this kids game. He knows how to run a team and will find his guys as needed to help make a play. Like most of the guys on the team he has an old school feel to him mixing in pull up jumpers to go along with spot up 3's and timely drives to the basket. He will at times try to get fancy on the drives and 'put something on it' but would be best served cutting that practice out. Kid is tough but at 5'10 with limited bounce take the sure thing over the flashy thing every time. Otherwise he plays like a senior should. He is sound, plays fundamental ball, and runs his team the way the coach wants. He is a solid PG who put up over 4 assists a game last year. Look for that number to increase this year for a talented small school team.
Joel Ntambwe, 6'8 2017 F at Forest Trial'' When he walks into the gym he passes the eyeball test of what a ball player should look like. Then the game starts and you see this dude not only looks the part but plays it as well. He is what you look for in a SF in today's game. The athletic ability, the comfort on the wing, the outside shot, and ability to rebound are all there. The issue I had here is that he tended to fade in and out of the game. For stretches he was crushing it in all phases of the game, in others he was a non-factor. The ability is there for him to be a dominant player. Not many in this region with his size can do what he can do out on the floor and even fewer will be able to effectively guard him when he decides to take over a game. High ceiling player here.
Lots more to come from this event so be on the lookout. Until next time, see you in the gym!
Jason Porter is the owner of AllStar Preps. To see more coverage from Jason please visit'www.allstarpreps.com