Tennessee Phenom 150 Team Evaluation
Saturday, September 16, 2017
TNT Sportsplex
Kingsport, Tennessee
Team 9
No. 9 5’8 ’20 Kegan Dodson (White County HS, Walling, TN)
Keegan did an excellent job at running the team. He’s a pass first point guard that has good handles and excellent court vision. While Keegan didn’t take a lot of shots, he has good shooting mechanics and is able to catch and shoot effectively from the 3-point line. Kegan was really good in transition defense, but really outstanding in finding open teammates. He has the ability to make his teammates better. That being said, the next step in his development is to get physically stronger which will allow him to play with more confidence.
No. 12 5’9 ’19 Drew Baker (Graham HS, Bluefield, VA)
Drew was most effective with his dribble penetration where he was able to finished efficiently or kick out to open teammates. He has really tight handles and prefers to play with the ball in his hands. Drew is a creator and his ability to penetrate breaks down the opposing team’s defense. We were impressed with his ability to take advantage of mismatches with his teammates. The next step in his development is to work on his “on the ball defense” and rebounding his position.
No. 29 5’9 Marcus Smith (Oak Ridge HS, Oak Ridge, TN)
Marcus is a scoring point guard. He can create his own shot off the dribble and had little to no problems getting to the rim. Marcus averaged 14. 0 PPG and was selected to the All Camp First Team. We were impressed with his ability to finish are the rim at his size. He has excellent body control and displayed a nice blend of athleticism and skill. Marcus also defended extremely well and proved to be a valuable two-way player. The next step in his development is to help create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
No 32 6’0 ’18 Ricky Council III (Northern Durham HS, Durham, NC)
Ricky III had a splendid overall camp. He averaged 11.3. PPG and showcased his game on both ends of the court. He is an excellent off the catch and shoot and was very effective from the perimeter especially the 3-point line. However, we were more impressed with his transition defense. He constantly got back on defense and proved to be an outstanding “on the ball” defender as well.
No. 50 6’1 ’19 Britt Thomas (Kingsport, TN)
Britt is a “do it all” type of player. Simply put, he does all the little things that often don’t show up in the box score, but are all-important in helping a team win. Britt showcased great hustle and a blue-collar workmanlike approach to the game. In addition, Britt shot the ball well from the perimeter and hit some key 3-point scoring opportunities. The next step for Britt is to develop more self-confidence especially since he brings so many intangibles to the table outside of scoring, although he averaged 6.0 PPG.
No. 53 6’2 ’20 Ben Bryson (West Henderson, HS Horse Shoe, NC)
Ben plays with a lot of flair to his game. He plays with a tremendous amount of effort and energy. He has good handles and is a solid finisher at the rim. Ben has good quickness and has the ability to finish over taller defenders. Overall, Ben demonstrated a great attitude and played well within the team structure.
No. 71 6’4 ’20 Ricky Council IV (Northern Durham HS, Durham, NC)
Without question, Ricky Council IV was one of the top 1-2 players in the entire camp. We’re talking about an athletic wing that can flat do it all. He is blessed with length, size and a matching skill set. Ricky IV averaged 23.0 PPG and was named to the All Camp First Team. He can play above the rim and was fantastic from all three levels. He should see his recruitment take off this upcoming season. He has all the physical attributes and intangibles to become a legit D1 prospect.
No. 74 6’4 ’20 Uriah Powers (Webb School, Clinton, TN)
Uriah has good size and a matching skill sett. He averaged 8.0 PPG and proved he could be an excellent finisher around the rim. He was quite effective of taking advantages of mismatches in the post area. Uriah was a strong and effective rebounder and surprised us with his ball handling and passing ability for his size/position. He has a total all around game. The next step in his development is not to get down on himself when making a mistake. (Just learn from it and keep playing)
No. 92 6’9 ’20 Justus Shelton (Mountain Heritage HS, Mars Hill, NC)
Justus is an extremely long and slender 6’9. He has the length and skill set to become a legit D1 prospect, although he will need to add needed strength. That being said, he does a good job of rebounding on both ends of the court. On the offensive end, Justus was impressive with keeping rebounds high and not bringing the ball down, which allowed him to have some easy put backs. Defensively, he played with both hands in the air and was really good at staying on his feet and not committing fouls. With added strength, he will be able to be even more effective on the interior, which will only enhance his stock with college coaches.