Phenom Hoop Report travelled to Elon University to cover the inaugural Elite Camp under first year head coach Mike Schrage. Elon’s staff of 'Jonathan Holmes, Mark Adams, Allen Payne, Tyler Lewis and Josh Pierre did a remarkable job of putting together an excellent roster of talent. In addition, the camp was well organized and scout friendly as the players participated in stations, skill development, one on one, three on three and five on five games. However, the highlight was able to monitor players go through a list of stations and carefully watch their work ethic and overall skill set.

 

Player with the most upside: 6’10 2020 Kuluel Mading (New Light Disciples/ High Point Central)

Currently, Kuluel Mading is hovering around the mid major status, but make no mistake, he is a highly skilled player that is oozing with upside and potential. During shooting stations, Mading demonstrated excellent range and was knocking down 3-pointers with a high degree of efficiency. We have always been impressed with his ability to change the game defensively with his shot blocking and ability to guard multiple positions with his length. athleticism and quick leaping ability, impeccable timing and anticipation. In addition, Mading has advanced ball handling and passing skills for his size/position and has tremendous court vision. There is talk that Mading may reclassify to the 2021 class and if that is the class, watch his recruitment take off to another level. While we just received a major bump in his ranking, look for him to challenge and crack the North Carolina 2020 Top Ten ranking status. The next step in his development is to get physically stronger.

 

Best defender and shot blocker: 6’7 2021 Omarion Bodrick (DTA Elite/ Independence HS)

We have been on the “O” Train for quite some time. We’re talking about an extremely long, athletic and bouncy wing forward that can impact the game without scoring one single point. And to take it one step forward, Bodrick still doesn’t understand how good he can really be! Defensively, Bodrick is a game changer and his ability to run the floor in transition is often rewarded with crowd pleasing dunks. He’s active and aggressive on both ends of the court and once he fine tunes his jump shot, his stock will quick elevate from a mid major status to a high major status. That being said, mid majors need to jump on sooner rather and later. In addition, we were impressed with the effort and energy displayed throughout the course of the day.

 

Size, strength and skill set: 6’8 2021 Jacori Owens (Team Charlotte/ Combine Academy)

What’s not to like about a strong, physical power forward that can step out and consistently knock down perimeter jump shots and would be a mid major stud. We have always been impressed with his ability to play aggressively in the low post, battling for position and garnishing every 'rebound that comes his directly. That being said, he has made vast improvements in his offensive “face up” game. Sporting solid shooting mechanics, form and a relative soft shooting touch, Owens should see his stock skyrocket if he continues his efficiency from the perimeter.

 

Quick on Quick Explosive'Scoring PG: 6’0 2020 Anthony Allen (DTA Elite/ Independence)

No matter the venue, not matter the setting, Anthony Allen simply puts on a show and his performance at the Elon Elite camp was no exception. The quick on quick scoring point guard has tremendous lateral quickness and unbelievable bounce off the dribble. First of all, Allen can beat the opposing player off the dribble and get into the paint with ease, hit the mid range jumper and is a highly efficient 3-point shooter. While his offensive skills are often the talk of the conversation, make no mistake about it, this young man can defend with the best of them.

 

Tough as Nails: 6’0 2021 Jamarii Thomas (New Light Disciples/ Piedmont Classical)

It is hard to fathom that this young man just an ACL surgery a little over five months ago. Still sporting a knee brace, Thomas quickly grabbed our attention with his overall toughness and competitiveness on the court. Whether it was three on three, one on one, or five on five, Thomas plays to win. He has tremendous strength and explosiveness and uses his body extremely well to shield off defenders on his power moves to the rim. Thomas has intangibles that are hard to teach/coach and look for his name to be in the conversation as one of the better two-way point guards in the state for his class for his class.

 

Complete All Around Player: 6’4 2021 Josh Beadle (Upward Stars SE/ Cardinal Newman HS)

In our opinion, Josh Beadle may have been the best all around and complete player in camp. We’re talking about a player that has a unique blend of athleticism, skill set, poise and maturity. He can play and guard multiple positions and impressed us with his ball handling, passing skills and tremendous court vision. Beadle has the ability to score from all three levels. He can beat you off the dribble and finish with thunderous dunks, hit the mid range and torch you beyond the 3-point line. His quickness, athleticism and advanced skill set made him one of , if not the most difficult player to defend.

 

Best of the Rest'

6’3 2021 RJ Noord (Team United/ Heritage HS, GA

We have had ample opportunities to watch RJ Noord several times with Team United this past spring/summer. Noord like Josh Beadle has a complete skill set. He has good strength, athleticism and a matching skill set to boot, not to mention he is a lights out shooter from the perimeter. Noord was one of the better guards in attendance that could easily create his own shot off limited dribbles and is quick effective with his right to left cross over pull up jumper.

 

6’2 2021 Tyler Rice (Team Loaded/ Ridge View HS, SC)

Tyler Rice is the consummate point guard. He has a nice blend of skill, athleticism, poise, maturity and “presence” on the court. More importantly, Rice has the ability to be a team first PG, but also pick his spots effectively to score when called upon. Simply put, Tyler Rice is a coach on the floor, he is calm, cool and collect and his demeanor is a direct reflection of his high character off the court.

 

5’11 2021 Tyler Gill (Trinity Academy)

Tyler Gill is a quick on quick point guard that will dazzle you with his quickness, court vision and playmaking ability and his performance at the Elon Elite camp was no exception. Gill plays with his head up and always surveying the court to make one of his patented (Sharpe and on the point) passes off the dribble. We were really impressed with his poise and pace throughout the day.

 

 

6’3 2021 Glenn Bynum (Team Charlotte/ Carmel Christian)

Glenn Bynum is the one player that does so many things well. The southpaw has a nifty mid range pull up game and your typical blue-collar player that will straddle you up on defense, rebounds, drive on the floor and just make one hustle play after another. You simply win with players like Bynum simply because he doesn’t demand the ball, plays well within the framework of the game and will do anything that is asked from him. He’s the perfect “glue guy” every team needs.

 

 

6’7 2022 Elijah Gray (Carmel Christian)

Every setting, Elijah Gray continues to grow and fine tune his body, not to mention he is quickly going to be on the recruiting radar for mid major sooner rather than rather. Gray enjoyed an outstanding camp and is simply coming into his own. What you see currently is not the finished product, but his potential and upside is going to grab the attention of college coaches and various scouts. A definite “buy now” stock.

 

6’4 2022 Kheni Briggs (Team Felton/ A.L. Brown HS)

Strength, power and the ability to get into the paint is Kheni Briggs calling card. Briggs is crafty and has tremendous court vision. He is most comfortable beating and overpowering opposing guards with his size in finishing at the rim, but has the IQ and court vision to make timely “kick out” passes to open teammates.

 

6’4 2021 Amare Haynie (A.L. Brown High School)

Amare Haynie may just have been our surprise player of the camp. We were really impressed with his ability to score from all three levels. He has length, athleticism and a silky smooth shooting touch. In addition, Haynie can be a secondary option as a main ball handler and showcased good court vision and playmaking abilities.

 

6’6 2021 Matt Davis (The Skills Factory, Atlanta, GA)

Shooters translate at every level and Matt Davis has uncanny 3-point shooting range. Davis has excellent form, shooting mechanics and a deadly touch especially in a catch and shoot situation. We were impressed with is footwork and quick release. He’s a high IQ player that is fundamentally sound that simply knows how to play the game the right way.

 

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT ELON ELITE CAMP PART 2

https://www.phenomhoopreport.com/elon-elite-camp-part-2/