Made Hoops HS Academy top players PT. 4:
Madior Seye 6’11” ’20 First Love Christian Acadeny (PA) – One thing that was a certainty here at the event Seye was the tallest guy here in my view and his game was not that bad. He presented a huge low post target and when he did receive the ball tried to flush everything with force. His footwork is coming along and that should help with his low post game when the defense takes away the chance to dunk the ball and he is developing a midrange jumper that shows some decent form. His overall ball skills are actually pretty good as he showed some ability to put it on the floor and a passing game that hit the mark more times than not. According to Made Hoops Eric Hampford he has a wingspan of 7’3” which obviously helps around the basket as he grabbed some rebounds in the contest I watched that were not in his area but he also got plenty of boards in that game. Like most big guys his defense is the standout part of his game as he can block or alter shots with solid positioning in the paint which is a valuable weapon in it’s own right and I can see some power 5 conference teams getting involved in his recruitment,
Isaiah Hill 6’3” ’21 Union Catholic HS (NJ) – Hill is more of a two guard based on his penchant for scoring the ball be it from hitting a smooth trey to going downhill to score on a twisting in traffic layup there is no doubt he has a scorers confidence and the shot to match. He has good quickness and a solid handle that he uses very effectively to get where he wants to go on the court and is always probing the defense for a weakness he can exploit. Despite his offensive gifts to score at a high level he can also pass the ball well and in the two games I caught of his he proved that he can zip the ball to cutting or open teammates to put them in advantageous positions. When it comes to the defensive side of the game he needs to ramp up his motor and commit to playing hard nosed defense utilizing his speed and quickness instead of the reaching and poor positioning he showed at the camp. If he commits to playing in your face D he would certainly attract more schools that could use his particular set of skills and his whirlwind of activity type game.
Allen Powell 6’1” ’20 LaSalle College HS (PA) – I only got to see Powell once here but what a game he played. He is a young senior who won’t turn 18 until after the season and has already announced that he’ll attend a prep school hoping that will jump start his recruiting but if you ask me some low D-1 schools are clearly missing the boat here. He was solid keeping his teammates involved with nifty passes that resulted in numerous scoring opportunities and he showed off his tight handle weaving in and out of traffic to keep possessions alive and give his team chances to score. He shot the ball extremely well in this contest and at games end he had 2 driving layups thru contact and 2 deep threes the second with 14 seconds left to give his team a one point lead which to me is the definition of clutch. Unfortunately the opposition scored and inexplicably the ball never found it’s way into Powell’s hands in the one point loss. He played credible defense and used his smarts to pick off several weak passes and trigger their transition game. Prep school or not this young man can definitely play at some level of Division 1.
Cameron Whitmore 6’4” ’22 Archbishop Spalding HS (MD) – This young man displayed some athleticism in his game but is far from being a polished player and while I can’t put my finger on it at this time something about him screams possible mid to high major player. He showed some potential as a perimeter marksman with decent form that appeared to still be developing but he hit a few of them as a prelude to the future. He moved well and showed some ability to pass the ball out of trap situations and to his open teammates. His handle needs work to tighten it up but he didn’t allow himself to get stripped or dribble into traps in the game I viewed which is a positive. I liked the way he competed for rebounds and while he did get outfought on occasion he at least put himself in position to grab them. He also played good defense closing down passing lanes with his reach and bodying up his opponents despite his lean frame. I will definitely be following his progress over the next few years and look forward to watching his continued growth.
Emeka Blanchard 6’1” ’21 St. Andrews Episcopal HS (MD) – Blanchard more than likely didn’t make any top player lists for this camp but I liked his game and thought highly of him for his penchant for delivering the rock to his teammates in excellent position to make a play. He had a nice handle and was effective against pressure and in the open floor. He proved he could get to the hole and score it but his outside shot needs some tweaking but he didn’t force anything if it wasn’t there. Another thing I liked was his calming influence on the team as he was communicative with his teammates throughout the contest I watched. Where he really shined however was at the defensive end as he was relentless in his pursuit of the basketball hounding the opposition ball handlers and causing turnovers or stripping the guy himself. While I see some flaws in his game like playing too fast at times and his shooting stroke there is no denying his all out effort on the floor.
Miles Monchecourt 6’6” ’20 Bishop Kearney HS (NY) – This solidly built young man was an outstanding rebounder who boxed out with authority and had great mitts to wrap up the rebound and the strength to keep from getting stripped. He set great screens on the ball or off and he moved well to set himself up for scoring opportunities. In the game I watched he didn’t get a ton of touches but when he did he showed a nice jump shot with some range and he was able to put it on the floor and get to the basket using his strong frame to score thru contact. He was no slouch at the defensive end as he slid his feet surprisingly well and used his strength to control his man on the block. With his combination of size , strength and advanced ball skills with a shooters touch thrown in he should garner some low to mid D-1 interest in the coming year.