We’ve reached the month of May, where the travel ball season heats up and leads to an uptick in competition, offers, and general buzz throughout the grassroots scene. The Live period is rapidly approaching and many college coaches are still exploring the portal. Fortunately, this isn’t applicable across the board and plenty of programs will still hunt for high school prospects. Although our events will be loaded with various teams to watch, NLPB should certainly be a priority over the coming months. Let’s take a closer look at some of their available pieces…
Like many floor generals, Trent Clark reliably controls the action from the point guard position. He displays terrific pace, balance, and a high IQ with the ball in his hands. Clark handles the ball with care and sets up others nicely as a playmaker. He scores from all levels but understands how to pick his spots within the flow of the action. Add in his useful rebounding and scrappy defensive presence at the point of attack, and it’s easy to see all the things that make Clark an all-around asset. Although he currently holds offers from Milligan and Montreat, it feels like his recruitment should take another step during the summer season.
Guys like Cam Smith, Custer Prenger, and Landon Liner should each turn heads. At 6-foot-6, Smith is a long, athletic forward who excels at finishing, rebounding, and causing problems for opponents defensively. He plays above the rim whenever possible and doesn’t necessarily require touches to make his presence felt. Meanwhile, Prenger is another quality athlete with size and toughness. He’s a very skilled, versatile forward who can finish above the rim, knock down shots, score out of the post, and attack in straight lines. Rounding out the group, Liner is another highly intriguing prospect. Standing at a similar height (6-foot-7) as his cohorts above, he’s a skilled, inside-out forward who can operate in various roles and defend multiple positions. Liner can post up or space the floor at a reliable percentage.
Additionally, unsigned seniors like Darnerian Gibson, Landon Lyerly, and Caden Thomas should appeal to a variety of programs. Gibson is a scoring lead guard who can fill it up from all levels and set up others as needed. He’s quick, crafty, and tough. Gibson is a pesky on-ball defender with the instincts to force turnovers defensively. Lyerly is a strong, physically overwhelming post player with touch, footwork, and toughness. He operates well out of the post to finish but can also make kickout passes whenever necessary. The biggest of the group, Thomas has nice size and a useful interior presence on both ends of the floor. Although there will be a ton of teams for college coaches to watch, NLPB certainly has a worthwhile collection of talent.