6’9″ Brandon Franklin
Northwood Temple (Fayetteville, NC)
When you have a very lengthy 6’9″ prospect with guard skills he opens a lot of eyes. Throughout the day, Franklin continuously knocked down 3-pointers and showed off a confident mid-post game. Still developing the finer parts of his game (especially footwork), He did a good job of rebounding his area and has obvious defensive upside, both on the perimeter and as a weakside shot blocker. He has a lot of fluidity in his movements, especially as he pushes the break handling the ball. He is a sure fire Division1 guy, and someone who schools at this level should be watching closely. He may be a year away, but when it all clicks there is something special in there.
6’11” David Elien
Chapel Hill HS (Chapel Hill, NC)
Elien has every tool you want in a big. He has great length and athleticism, he has touch out to 18 feet, he has a mean streak and he is a strong 2-handed rebounder. He is also a high academic prospect. Elien has only been playing basketball for a couple of years and right now his improvement rate is off the charts with still a lot of ceiling to go. Elien has All-League Defensive type of potential at the Division 1 level with the way he moves his feet, with his defensive timing and length/athleticism. With the likes of Radford, Dartmouth, UNC-Pembroke and Winthrop involved, many more should be calling as he moves to the immediate top of recruiting boards.
5’11” Nathan Yow
Grace Christian (Sanford, NC)
There is something about a point guard who makes everyone on his team better. Look no further than Yow for this as his game IQ and skill set allows him to get to his spots and get his teammates into their comfort zones. He has a great handle and is able to make shots at each level. Yow is an aggressive point of attack defender and he is an instant leader, immediately capturing the ear and trust of the entire locker room. The high academic Yow makes a team better and is a sure fire multi-year captain at the collegiate level. D2s should be looking and D3s should be living on his doorstep.
6’5″ Javon Outlaw
Wayne Country Day (Goldsboro, NC)
Outlaw has been coming to our events for years. He has always opened our eyes and been thought of as a college level player. This summer though, Outlaw has taken his game and his mentality to an entirely new level. Just like in South Carolina, a couple of weeks ago, the lengthy wing seemed to come up with every loose ball possible. As a perimeter defender he was able to guard the ball as well as disrupt the passing lanes. He had numerous deflections and outright steals. He was a very good rebounder and showed the ability to be a secondary ball handler. Outlaw was, again, incredibly productive as he took on a vocal leadership role. D2s should be on this one.
6′ Mason Carver
Lexington HS (Lexington, SC)
Carver is already on the Top 10 list of single season scoring average in Lexington High School history. Keep in mind Lexington High School, founded in 1912 is one of the largest high schools in South Carolina. Last year Carver averaged 16 points per game, but Carver is much more than just a scorer, he is a true point guard. He is a good athlete who can defend the point of attack very well. He touches the paint often and makes great decisions (both distributing and scoring) once there. Very efficient and very tough, Carver is a winner. Like Yow, D2s should be looking here and D3s should be living on his front door step.
6’6″ Davis Guyton
Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach (Myrtle Beach, SC)
Guyton’s game was really expanded over the last year. Always a dead-eye shooter, Guyton still does that at a high, high level. He is also a strong area rebounder and has shown the ability to score some with his back to the basket. His true value comes in his versatility of where to line him up on the offensive end. He can be a trail big, a pick & pop big, you’re able to put him in the corner to pull gravity and create space in the paint, you can set him up in the mid post and run offense through him (great vision and passing ability) or you can put him on the block in one on one situations. There is a lot to like here and, like Outlaw, he is one D2s should be looking hard at.