We traveled down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to capture the final day of the Big Shots I Tournament. Below is a recap of the top players we observed.

Breakout Performances

Player: 6’4 2014 SG Grayson Allen
City: Jacksonville, Florida
High School: Providence Christian
AAU Team: Douglas Brothers
Evaluation: In the 16U championship game against Flight 22, Allen was simply sensational and wowed the crowd with his overall skill and surprisingly athletic ability. He tallied 25 points and they were coming from all spots on the floor. He was knocking down 3 pointers, driving fiercely to the basket, making mid-range pull up jumpers, and was also on the receiving end of an alley oop pass. At 6’4 Allen, has solid ball handling and passing skills and can slide over to the PG if needed, although he is more effective at the SG position. He has a soft shooting touch with a high release with excellent extension and follow through. He has an outstanding touch at the free throw line. On the defensive end, he showcased his athleticism by getting back in transition and swapping an attempted layup high off the glass. Allen has huge hands and feet and looks like he has room for additional growth. He won over many of the coaches in attendance Friday and one coach thought his game reminded him of Bobby Sura. Look for Allen’s stock to roar this summer. He is fun player to watch. He combines the blend of fundamentals, basketball IQ and the athletic ability to make him a MM+/HM prospect.

Player: 6’5 2013 WF Trevaunte Williams
City: Seattle, WA
High School: Garfield
AAU Team: Seattle Rotary
Evaluation: Seattle Rotary lost a tough 64-59 game to the bracket champions South Carolina Ravens, but not without the fight and competitive nature of the athletic WF from Seattle. Williams played at a high level and displayed a high motor throughout the game. His workmanship attitude was evident on both ends of the court. He can score from multiple spots on the floor and has the ability to put the ball on the floor in transition. His speed and strength attacking the basket created problem for the Ravens. Williams finished with a game high 25 points and played with a level of passion and intensity which is refreshing today.

One More Year

Player: 6’0 2013 PG Frank Mason
City: Petersburg, VA
High School: Petersburg HS, but will prep a year at Massanutten
AAU Team: Team Loaded 17U
Evaluation: Mason was originally in the 2012 class and now has decided to prep a year at Massanutt Military Academy. The best words to describe Mason’s game is “tough as nails.” The strong and athletic PG was impressive in his performance in the semi-finals to the SC Ravens. He tallied 16 points mostly off strong and explosive drives to the basket and periodically knocked in a few perimeter jumpers. In addition, he was able to get into the lane at ease and made good decisions kicking out to open teammates. Mason is a strong defender and does sit low on the defensive. He has superb lateral quickness and will be a hot prospect for MM+/HM schools.

Surprise Players

Player: 5’9 2013 PG  Caleb Dougan
City: Murrells Inlet, SC
High School: St. James
AAU Team: Flight 22
Evaluation:. Dougan led Flight 22 to the 63-58 upset win over Grayson Allen and 7’0 John Ebgunu to win the Slam 16U Championship bracket. Dougan finished with 22 points and effectively ran the show for the well coached and disciplined Flight 22 team and may have earned himself some D1 offers from his play at Big Shots. He handled the full court pressure extremely well and dribbled low to the floor making it difficult for the quicker and more athletic opponents to guard. He has advanced ball handling and passing skills and used a variety of dribble moves to constantly evade defensive pressure. His ability to get into the lane caused tremendous problems for opposing teams and made nifty and crafty passes around the rim. Left open from the perimeter, he would bury the 3 point shot with consistency.

Player: 5’11 2014 PG Dantez Bennamon
City: Charleston, SC
High School: Goose Creek
AAU Team: TMP
Evaluation: Bennamon played an outstanding floor game in the championship defeat to Team Loaded by the score of 56-51. On paper, TMP was simply outmanned and didn’t possess the overall talent or athleticism of their opponent, but the steady and strong play of Bennamon kept his team close until the end. He tallied 10 points, but it was his decision making ability that constantly put pressure on Team Loaded. He was effective on the perimeter by using pump fakes directly into a 1-2 dribble drive pull up. He is a strong and explosive guard with a good shooting touch.

Beyond his years!

Player: 6’2 2016 SG Seventh Woods
City: Columbia, SC
High School: Hammond Middle
AAU Team: South Carolina Ravens
Evaluation: Woods was simply outstanding in the semi-final game against a talented 17U Team Loaded squad. The youngster played more like a rising senior rather than a rising freshman. Woods played with tremendous poise and has a beautiful shooting stroke from the perimeter as he continued to knock down clutch 3 pointers in the come from behind victory. He tallied 15 points but the skill, athleticism and overall understanding for the game is off the chart for his age/grade. In a hard fought game, Woods showed the composure of a truly special player and will be one of the premier players in the 2016 class.

Rock Steady

Player: 6’6 2014 WF Caleb Martin
City: Mocksville, NC
High School: Davie County
AAU Team: Team Loaded 16U
Evaluation: Team Loaded breezed through the competition of the 16U division, but did face a solid challenge from a pesky and persistent TMP team. Although, Team Loaded had balanced scoring, it was the timely 3 point shooting of Martin was the big difference in the game. Martin knocked down four 3 pointers in route to his 14 team high points. Martin is excellent in transition and has tight handles for his size/position and has outstanding court awareness and vision. He has advanced passing skills and enjoyed another “rock steady” performance on Friday.

Best of the Rest

Player: 6’9 2013 PF/C TJ Williams
City: Wilmington, NC
High School: Wilmington Ashley
AAU Team: Flight 22
Evaluation:. The NC Phenom 150 Alum banged and battled NBPA alum John Egbunu the entire evening. He didn’t back down from the challenge and the talkative Williams is fun to watch. Rarely, do you find young players that talk more on defense than Williams. He is totally engaged in the game on both ends and is active especially on the defensive end of the court. While he has modest offensive moves, the development in his offensive arsenal will help determine the appropriate level. Currently, he is project at a MM level.

Player: 6’6 2014 Dante “Dr. Dunk” Buford
City: Greenville, NC
High School: Oakwood School
AAU Team: Team Loaded 16U
Evaluation: Buford earned his nickname early in the contest and made his presence known. A freakish athletic combo/forward, Buford is a highlight waiting to happen. His quick and explosive leaping ability is impressive. He is strong attacking the basket and usually finished with contact or draw the foul. No doubt, Buford has the athleticism to play at a high level. The next step for Buford is to fine tune his midrange and perimeter game.

Player: 6’3 2013 PG/SG Troy Caupain
City: Chesterfield, VA
High School: Cosby
AAU Team: Team Loaded 17U
Evaluation: The Cincinnati commit had a strong/solid showing. He is a physically mature guard that loves attacking the rim. He has mastered the “crow hop” move efficiently and effectively and finished at a high rate. He is a high character young man and plays the game the right way. The next step in his development to be more comfortable with his perimeter game.

Player: 6’10 2013 Chuck Ogbodo
City: Greensboro, NC
High School: High Point Christian
AAU Team: Team Loaded 17U
Evaluation: In the second half of the semi-final game vs. the SC Ravens, Ogbodo used his height and length to muster 10 points off missed shots. He was active on both ends of the court with keeping his hands above his head. In addition, he used his length to create problems for the opposing team. The next step for Ogbodo is to develop more refined low post moves or a “go to move” in the paint.

Player: 6’6 2013 WG Travis Hammonds
City: Columbia, SC
High School: Gray Military Academy
AAU Team: South Carolina Ravens
Evaluation:. Hammons should be a high target for MM schools that are looking for an athletic WG with good shooting skills. He is active defensively and plays with good intensity. He finished with 11 points in the 2 point win over Team Loaded. The next step for Hammonds is to “tighten up” his ball handling skills.

Player: 6’2 2013 PG/SG Eric Eaves
City: Hopkins, SC
High School: Gray Military Academy
AAU Team: South Carolina Ravens
Evaluation:. Eaves was one of the better performers in the SC Ravens/Team Loaded semi-final game. He has the ability to be team facilitator or easily create his own shot off the dribble. He scored 15 points from various spots on the court. He knocked down 3 pointers, made midrange jumpers and attacked the basket. He was also very effective in dribble penetration and kicking out to 2016 Phenom Seventh Woods.

Other Impressions

6’6 2013 Kristofer Acox of South Carolina Ravens 17U

6’4 2013 Matthew Howard of South Carolina Ravens 17U

6’7 2013 Treshawn Patterson of Flight 22 17U

6’0 2013 Rian Hollard of Flight 22 17U

5’11 2013 Marquis Davis of Seattle Rotary 17U