In today’s issue, we will dig into more Division I prospects that attended the NC Phenom 150 Camp on Saturday, October 15^th, 2011.

Player: 5’11Ria’n Holland
Hometown: Hope Mills, NC
School: South View
Grade: 11 (Class 2013)
Evaluation: The opinions varied on Holland from various scouting services in attendance whether to peg Holland as a true PG or SG. The reason for the varying opinions was due to the fact that Holland is a “lights out” shooter. We are talking about one of the best pure shooters in his class. Holland can shoot off the dribble at the PG position or simply move without the ball to get open. It’s refreshing to see a young player know how to play without the ball and “do his work early” for getting his shot off. This young man needs little to no room to get his shot off. He has a quick release and can get his shot off on taller and more athletic defenders. He is fundamentally sound and has a high basketball IQ and has serious D1 potential.

Player: 5’10 Logan Jackson
Hometown: Waxhaw, NC
School: Marvin Ridge
Grade: 11 (Class 2013)
Evaluation: Jackson is the consummate PG who is highly skilled and fundamentally sound. He is a superb floor general that has tremendous court vision and is an excellent passer. He is really crafty and knows how to changes speed extremely well in the open court. He has solid speed and quickness to overcome his lack of size. He had total control of his team and his teammates looked for him on most of the outlet passes off defensive rebounds which is a testament to leadership on the court. On the defensive side of the court, Jackson was active and assertive. He has outstanding on the ball defense and has quick hands.

Player: 5’8 TJ Robinson
Hometown: Fayetteville, NC
School: Fayetteville Christian
Grade: 10 (Class 2014)
Evaluation: The best way to describe Robinson is “jitterbug.” Robinson has superb quickness and tremendous foot speed. He is excellent in transition as he weaves in and out of defensive pressure. In addition to his overall speed, Robinson is an excellent passer and is really good by making “snap passes” off the dribble. Defensively, he is able to use his undersized frame as advantage as he applied great on the ball pressure defense. He is like a “nat” that keeps pestering the offensive ball handler.  Robinson is rather young and could easily add some size in the next few years. That being said, he is one to keep on your D1 radar.

Player: 6’7 Zane Waterman
Hometown: Kernersville, NC
School: Glenn HS
Grade: 11 (Class 2013)
Evaluation: Waterman was also a pleasant surprise since he had little to no hype or publicity coming into the camp, but his high intensity motor was impressive to say the least. He played all 3 camp  games like he had something to prove and his aggressive and assertive hustle plays earned him a lot of respect from various scouts in attendance. He has “sneaky” athleticism and does have a nice bounce to his step. He attacked the rim relentlessly and threw down some nasty dunks through traffic. In addition, he sported a nice mid range game and if he has a successful junior season, you should see a pike in his recruitment. Without question, Waterman has D1 potential.

Player: 6’5 Josh Mellette
Hometown: Sanford, NC
School: Southern Lee
Grade: 12 (Class 2012)
Evaluation: Mellette is a rather long and athletic wing that is excellent in transition. He attacks the rim with vengeance and authority and gets high above the rim for some thunderous dunks. In addition to excelling in the open court, Mellette is a throwback to the term “garbage player” as he always seems to be at the right place and right place for loose balls and put back points off the offensive board. Defensively, he uses his length and closes out correctly by getting his long wingspan up to disrupt the offensive shooter. Mellette plays hard and is a Mr. Hustle guy on the court. With Mellette, you get a hardnosed competitor that will battle you constantly on both ends of the court.

Player: 6’6 Derek Barnes
Hometown: Hickory, NC
School: Hickory HS
Grade: 11 (Class 2013)
Evaluation: Barnes is a really good looking WF that truly understands the game. He is fundamentally sound and has a high basketball IQ, but his “meal ticket” is his ability to shoot the ball.  He is a proficient shooter with outstanding range from the perimeter and beyond the 3 point line. His shot is “textbook” and you can easily see countless hours were spent in the gym perfecting his smooth shooting touch. In addition, he plays well off the ball and moves and positions himself for shots coming off ball screens or making “V Cuts” to get open. Defensively, he was solid all day and understands the basic principles of man to man defense.

Player: 6’7 Jordan Jones
Hometown: Durham, NC
School: Durham Riverside
Grade: 11 (Class 2013)
Evaluation: Jones is another long and agile player with a tremendous wingspan. While he is effective in transition, one of his biggest attributes is his ability to handle and pass the basketball. He has really good court vision and makes lead bounce passes off the dribble with zip and accuracy. He plays above the rim and rebounds with passion. He has impeccable timing and goes strong and high for rebounds. On the defensive end of the floor, he can cause problems due to his length. He has good lateral foot speed and the next step in his development is adding strength to his frame. He has a lot of physical intangibles to become a solid D1 prospect.

Player: 6’4 Ricky Council
Hometown: Durham, NC
School: Northern Durham
Grade: 10 (Class 2014)
Evaluation: Council attended the 2011 Dave Telep Carolina Challenge and is a very long framed player that can play on the perimeter or on the interior. He showcased his ability on Saturday to consistently knock down perimeter shots with accuracy and precision. Council has the unique blend of athleticism and skill which is missing from many young players today, but more importantly Council’s biggest attribute may be his desire to play hard, compete and hustle on each and every possession. Like the old saying, “this young man does not take plays off.” He plays with an urgency and desire that is fun to watch. He is box out and band with bigger defenders and uses his athleticism and quick bounce to secure rebounds over taller players, but the biggest play was watching Council drive for a loose ball that was going out of bounds. Let’s be honest, you don’t see that often in camp setting. In addition, Council scored well but he did it within the team structure and didn’t try to manufacture his own shot. Without question, Council has the chance to be a very good player in high school and at the next level.