Basketball Spotlight Future Phenom Camp Recap-Part I

R. Conway, D. Morton, J. Bradley, E. Fisher & S. Bogues

As we suspected late Friday night, the level of talent that attended Bill Francis’ All-American Middle School American games carried over to Mike Melton’s Basketball Spotlight Future Phenom Camp in District Heights, MD on Saturday and Sunday.  Also as expected, many of the stars from the All-American game ended up being standout performers at the camp.  One such player was Ryan Conway (6’0/combo guard/2021/MD), who totally dominated on Saturday.  As he has done at many elite events over the past couple of years (see video), Conway scored the rock at a high level.  With his size, strength and ball skills, Conway easily gets to and finishes at the cup.  That’s not all, as Conway can also stroke it from deep or stop on a dime for the mid-range pull-up Jumper.  For his efforts, Conway was named 2021 Camp MVP. 

He did not receive MVP honors on Sunday, but the same standout performance that led to Dee Morton’s (6’0/WF/2022/GA) MVP selection on Friday was on full display on Saturday and Sunday. Morton’s football-ready size, frame and strength, coupled with an elite skill set makes him a monster to defend.  Too big and strong for many guards, Morton is adept at powering his way to basket where he is absorbs contact and finishes.  We’re not sure if he currently appears on any national lists, but he should! We have to give props to Jaden Bradley (5’11/PG/2020/NC), the 2022 Camp MVP, who did his thing as well. Bradley has good length, athleticism, is super smooth and can also shoot it from beyond the arc.  As we watched him play this past weekend, Bradley made it look easy. We have already featured Elijah Fisher (6’1/PF/2023/CN) in an earlier article, but his dominant performance over the weekend deserves a second mention.  The kid has the talent to be really special one day!

E. Bates, C. Whitt, C. Livingston, D. Harris & C. Furst

Speaking of young talented prospects, Smaritine “Fatman” Bogues (5’0/PG/2023/MD) is still one of the top young guards in the country in his class.  Because he has shed some of the baby fat since the last time we saw him, we almost didn’t recognize him, but as he carved up the defense, ran his team like a general and still managed to score, we eventually figured out who he was. We’ve seen Bogues at our Buckeye Prep Elite Showcases in the past, so we know the kid can go, but it’s clear from what we saw this past weekend that Bogues has not fallen off. Bogues still has the rock on a string, is quick and is tough as nails. Bogues is a dynamic PG who is highly skilled with an elite motor.

In terms of potential, we’re not sure anyone has more upside than Emoni Bates (6’5/WF/2022/MI). If the kid does not grow another inch, but adds bulk to his thin frame, he has a chance to be special. Quite often we mention young players as simple prospects with future potential; however, Bates can be productive as well.  For his size and current skill set, Bates projects as a future star. In terms of guards, one of the best in the class of 2021 is Carter Whitt (5’9/PG/2021/NC).  Whitt has consistently excelled at elite events across the country. In fact, he logged in standout performances at the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase and Middle School Hoops TV events last year, and he did it again this past weekend.  Whitt has an elite skill set and a high basketball IQ.  Not only does he know what he’s doing, he does it with a little flair, the likes of former NBA standout Jason Williams (see video).  Whitt can create his own shot, or breakdown the defense and create an easy bucket for a teammate.  He also has great court vision and is a willing passer.

We also were happy to see Ohio’s own Chris Livingston (5’10/WF/2022/OH) do his thing in DC.  Livingston, one of the top players in the country, demonstrated why so many people are impressed with his game. What we link most about Livingston’s game is his non-stop motor and energy level on both sides of the ball.  Of course he can score the ball, mostly on drives to the cup, but he defends at an elite level and plays hard.  Livingston has good length, long arms and the body type that suggest he has a lot more growing to do.  We would not be surprised to see Livingston at a high-major college program in a few years. While we are on the topic of Ohio kids with national reputations, we have to point out that Noah Peeples (5’10/PF/2021/OH) followed up his MVP performance on Friday with an impressive outing at the camp.  At the end of the day, Peeples is a workhorse who does his damage around the basket.  Strong and determined, Peeples craves contact and converts.  Stay tuned for Part two of our event coverage.

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Phenom Alert-2023 Elijah Fisher Explodes on National Scene

Elijah Fisher

There is a ton of talent at this year’s Future Phenom Camp, so of courser it could be hard for some players to standout from the crowd.  However, that’ s not the problem for Elijah Fisher (6’1/PF/2023/CN).  The Canadian product showed flashes of greatness in Bill Francis’ Middle School All-American Game when he grabbed MVP honors on Friday, but the things he’s doing to the competition early Sunday morning has the crowd buzzing and talking #1 player in the class.

Why can Fisher be the top player in his class you ask?  He has the size, athleticism, and ability to score, defend and rebound all at an elite level. He is coordinated, has full control of his body, and can handle the rock and defend smaller guards.  With his combination of size and strength and toughness, Fisher is almost unstoppable to the rack. He has big feet long arms and appears to have plenty of room to grow. He runs the floor like a deer, is fluid and finishes near the rim at a high rate.  Fisher also understands the advantages of his size, as he instinctively posts smaller defenders and pushes the rock 94 feet in transition after the rebound. There was no official score kept in his opening game on Sunday, but if Fisher did not drop 30 we would be very surprised. From what we saw this morning, Fisher could be very effective competing up in the class of 2022.  Ro Russell has another phenom in his stable. You heard it here first folks, Elijah Fisher is coming for the # 1 spot!

Middle School All-American Game Loaded With Talent

Fisher, Ayiss-Etoh, Key, Alexander, Conway & Peeples

On Friday, Bill Francis rolled out the 2016 edition of his very popular Middle School All-American Camp at St. Johns College High School in Chevy Chase, MD, and as suspected, the event was absolutely brimming over with local and national talent. Year 3 of the event featured 4 all-star games in grades 6^th-9^th (2023-2020).  The opening game of the night featured 6^th graders, and saw Team LeBron James down Team Magic 84-77. The story of the opening game was the dominance of Elijah Fisher (WF/2023/Canada), who exploded for a game-high 22 points and 8 rebounds.  Fisher’s performance was nothing short of spectacular, and officially announced his arrival on the national scene.  Fisher is long, athletic, and skilled and is a problem both offensively and defensively. To be honest, Fisher has as much upside as anybody we saw all night, and that included some really good freshmen! For his production, Fisher took home MVP honors for Team LBJ. Also playing well for Team LBJ were Christian Bliss (WF/New Jersey), who finished with 16 points, followed by Gavin Gillus  (G/2023/Virginia) and Wesley Yates (WF/2023/Texas), both of whom finished with 9 points.  We also liked what we saw with Derik Queen (C/2023/MD), Jaylen Lyn (G/2023/New York). On the other side of the court was Franklin Ayissi-Etoh (WF/2023/Maryland), who led Team Magic with a team-high11 points and a game-high 11 boards.  Much Like Fisher, Ayissi-Etoh has good size, a strong frame and is ok with getting physical in the paint.  Behind him is scoring were Aden Holloway (WF/2023/NC) and Jahkary Towns (PG/2023/MI), both of whom added 10 points.

Freeman, Gillus, Holloway & Towns

Game two featured a 2022 match-up between Team Isaiah Thomas and Team Derek Rose, with Zeke’s squad grabbing the 89-83 W on the strength of a 16-point, 7-rebound outburst from big Derrick Key (C/2020/Washington D.C.).  Key has a nice combination of size, athleticism, and motor. He’s a beast inside offensively, but he can also step away and hit the mid-range jumper and protect the rim from would be shooters. Also putting in work for Team Isaiah Thomas was Dee Morton (6’0/WF/2022/GA), who burst out of the gate with 3 treys.  Just when you thought he’s only a three-point threat, Morton used his big frame to slash to the cup and finish with contact. We also liked what we saw from Chris Livingston (WF/2022/OH) and Jaden Johnson (G/2022/MD), who both finished with 12 points. We loved Livingston’s energy and the ability to get to the rim with athletic drives and finishes.

Livingston, Morton, Bates, Walker & Hamlin

For Team D Rose, Jarace Walker (G/2022/PA) led all scorers with 13 points in 22 minutes of play. Behind him in scoring were Carlos Alexander (combo guard/2022/MD) who finished with 12 points on his way to MVP honors and Emoni Bates (6’5/WF/2022/MI) who added 11 points. Alexander is a quick and crafty PG with a tight handle, ability to create space and make plays for his teammates.  Also, Alexander’s crossover is deadly!  Bates started a little slow, but came on late to show flashes of why so many people consider him one of the top players in his class. Antonio Hamlin (WF/2022/MD) was very active and bouncy to the tune of a game-high 11 rebounds.

The 3^rd game of the slate featured a slugfest between Team Michael Jordan and Team Kobe Bryant. Team Kobe got the 77-73 win with major contributions from MVP Ryan Conway (combo guard/2021/MD), who dropped a game-high 29 points on 11 of 15 field goals.   Conway also handed out a team-high 4 assists and was second in rebounds with 10. Conway is a multi-level scoring machine who get’s it done both to the cup and with perimeter jumpers. Carter Whitt (6’0/ combo guard/2021/NC) was spectacular as well and is clearly one of the most skilled guards in his class. Whitt finished with 15 points on 11 of 15 field goals in 23 minutes of play. Finally,  Donnel Harris (6’8/C/2021/FL) finished with 10 points.

Whitt, Harris, Bradbeyy, Reyna & Nelsons

Ohio’s Noah Peeples (6’2PF/2021/OH) got the MVP nod after leading Team MJ with 13 points and 6 rebounds.  Peeples is a bit undersized for his post position, but his strength, motor and determination more than compensates. Jalen Bradberry (5’11/PG/2021/New York) had some bright moments, scored 11 points and showed he can knock down clutch jumpers if left open. Both Juan Reyna (6’1/G/2021/TX) and Matthew Nelsons (6’4/WF/2021/CN) finished with double digit scoring (10), while Nelson and Ahmed Harrison (6’2/G/2021/MD) grabbed 7 rebounds. All-in all, it was a great day of basketball and a nice lead into the Basketball Spotlight Camp that is set for Saturday morning.

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Buckeye Prep Hands Out Post-Season Awards

Because we feel that hard work and dedication should be recognized, for the first time ever, the Buckeye Prep Report will recognize athletic and academic excellence via post-season awards for the top players, coaches and teams.  Selction for these awards are based on 2016 performances. Specifically, an awards ceremony will be conducted on day one of the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase, recognizing Player, Coach and Teams of the Year in grades 5^th-8^th (2023-2020).  In addition, awards will be extended to First Team All-Ohio and All-Academic selectees.  At the conclusion of the awards ceremony complete lists of awards recipients will be published at the event and on the Buckeye Prep website.  Although only “First Team” selectees will receive plaques, many other players will be recognized for standout performance on the court and in the classrooms.  For the most part, the awards are limited to Ohio residents with only a few exceptions. Congratulations in advance to our awards recipients!

Buckeye Prep All-Star Game Rosters Released

Over the past several years, the slate of Buckeye Prep Ohio North vs South All-Star Games have become one of the most prestigious events in the state.  For only the 3^rd time, the state’s top 20 players in each of 4 classes (2023-2020) will be divided into teams representing the north and south regions of the state.  Players residing in cities north of Columbus (i.e., Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, Canton, Mansfield, etc.) will represent the Team North, while players residing from Columbus south (i.e., Cincinnati, Dayton, etc.)  will represent Team South.  This is truly the ultimate intrastate rivalry that will answer the age old question of where the best basketball is played in the state! 

In terms of interstate rivalries, the event will also include a freshman Ohio vs Michigan game as well as an 8^th grade Ohio vs Kentucky game.  These 2 games will feature the top 10-12 players from each of the respective states. These elite games will provide an incredible platform for each state’s top players to both compete at a high level against the best Ohio and the region has to offer, while also providing them with a high level of media exposure.  Selection to these games is an honor, is very comptitive as well as an acknowledgement of a player’s reputation to date.

In terms of the selection process, we sought to attract as close to the top 10-20 players as we could find based on performances at Buckeye Prep and other elite events around the state, region and country, as well as our individual player rankings. With only a few spots available based on region and position, participation in the games is a very tough ticket! Below is a link to the all-star games rosters and tentative schedule. Each player listed has verbally committed to the event; however, if registration forms and fees are not received by August 29^th, the spots will be opened up invitations will be extended to fill the vacant spots.  Because uniforms need to be ordered and plans need to be confirmed, the only real commitment is a financial commitment!

These games will be held in conjunction with the Buckeye Prep Elite Showcase, and because every player participating in the all-star games will also be participating in the elite showcase, the overall level of competition will be extremely high. In addition to the top 20 players from Ohio, other nationally ranked players will also be participating in the event.  All I can say is get your popcorn ready; these games are going to be HOT!

All-Star Games Rosters

Stars Shine at UA Next Experience

Jaden Springer and Cashius McNeilly MVPs

With the beautiful Manhattan skyline in the background, 25 of the nation’s top freshman put their talent on display in front of New York City fans and media at Under Armour’s UA Next Experience All-Star Game on Saturday.  Despite the fact that both rosters were loaded with elite talent, there were a few players’ who’s standout performances separated them from their peers. In terms of the final outcome, a Cashius McNeilly-led Team Select defeated Team Pursuit 79-68.  McNeilly (6’4/Toronto, CA) shot 6 of 10 field goals to lead all scorers with 15 points in 13 minutes of play. Behind McNeilly in scoring was big Hunter Dickerson (7’0/Hyattsville, MD) who dropped 14 points and grabbed 3 rebounds. Noah Taitz (6/2/Henderson, NV) came on late in the second half to score an efficient 12 points on 5 of 6 shots. AJ Hoggard (6’2/Radnor, PA) just missed scoring in double figures, finishing with 9 points on 4 of 7 field goals and a game-high 5 assists. Elijah Taylor (6’7/Philadelphia, PA) only scored 4 points, but he hauled in 7 rebounds.

T. Williams, H. Dickson, AJ Hoggard & L.Ware

 Team Pursuit was led in scoring by Terrence Williams (6’7/Clinton, MD), who finished with a team-high 13 points on 6-8 field goals in 16 minutes of play.  Behind him in scoring was Jaden Springer (6’3/Charlotte, NC), with 8 points and a game-high 9 rebounds.  Jeremy Roach (6’2/Leesburg, VA) was the only other player to finish in double figures with 12 points on 6 of 9 field goals.  Lance Ware (6’8/Burlington, NJ) logged in 15 minutes, finishing with 8 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks.  Akeem Odusipe (6’9/Knoxville, TN), and athletic freak, was the second leading rebounder with 8. For their efforts, McNeilly and Springer both received MVP honors.  The UA Next Experience was a fitting end to the 2016 travel season and Under Armour’s slate of events.  Moreover, by most accounts, the debut of the UA Next Combine Series platform was a total success and will be even more highly anticipated in 2017! Below is a link to Saturday’s photo gallery.

Photo Gallery