No. 41 6’4 ’18 Derek Brandon (New Garden Friends)
Derek demonstrated an excellent attitude, gave maximum effort and played with a high basketball IQ. He was very effective throughout the day with his 3-point shooting ability. Derek has tremendous length and athleticism and the next step in his development is to maximize his physical attributes. Derek has good shooting mechanics although he could use more elevation on his jumper and not settle “just being a jump shooter.” In addition, Derek could be more active off the ball and more aggressive in offensive rebounding. All the tools are there for Derek to be a hot prospect at the D1 level.
No. 51 6’4 ’17 Michael Okauru (Ravenscroft)
Michael is a very talented player that will be recruited at the highest level. He is definitely most effective with the ball in his hands. Michael can score at all three levels and has improved his 3-point shooting ability. However, he is difficult to stop in dribble penetration and ability to finish in traffic with high efficiency. While Michael is a lock down defender, the next step defensively is to help out more in team defensive principles. In addition, Michael could be even more effective if he moved more without the ball. If so, he may be one of the most difficult point guards to defend with his overall length and athleticism. Great potential!
No. 52 6’4 ’17 Todd Smith (Freedom Christian)
It was an outstanding day for Todd Smith! He is a tremendous offensive player on all levels. Todd shot the ball extremely well the entire day and showcased outstanding range. In addition, Todd impressed us with his ability to finish in the lane with contact. Todd has always enjoyed all the physical components to his game. He has a college ready frame and his length, strength and athleticism are all high level. Now, Todd is putting it all together and becoming a “complete PG.” The next step in his development is to maximize his effort off the ball defensively. No one player enhanced his stock at the NC Top 80 more than Todd Smith!
No. 61 6’5 ’18 Quan McCluney (Gaston Day)
Simply put, Quan McCluney had a great camp! He was outstanding on both ends of the court. He led the camp in scoring and did an excellent job of rebounding as well. More importantly, he impressed us with his ability to step out on the perimeter and knock down the 3-pointer with consistency. The southpaw was more known for his slashing ability, but scored from all three levels. Although Quan shot at a high efficiency from the perimeter, he could use a little more arch in his shot. He is definitely tracking as a solid mid major prospect and with improved ball handling especially with his off hand could elevate his stock to a higher level.
No. 62 6’5 ’17 Phillip McKenzie (Concord Cannon)
Phillip is blessed with tremendous athleticism and quick and explosive leaping ability. He plays with a high motor and demonstrated an excellent attitude throughout camp. Phillips combines elite level athleticism with a high basketball IQ and the understanding on how to be effective in a team structure. He is relentless attacking the glass and is an aggressive rebounder on both ends of the court. The next step in his development is to develop more consistency on his jumper and extending his range. Currently, Phillip is more “right hand” dominant and his ability to work on his “off/left” hand will pay huge dividends in his recruitment.
No. 76 6’1 ’17 Tyler Maye (Farmville Central)
Coming off an impressive state championship performance the night before, 6’1 Tyler Maye had an amazing performance at the NC Top 80. More than anything, Tyler gave tremendous effort and impressed us with his all around offensive game. He can score from all three levels, but his step back 3-pointer is high level. While he can score efficiently from the perimeter, Tyler has a quick first step and has the ability to get by defenders and finish at the rim. In addition, Tyler was excellent in his “on the ball” defense and plays with a “hawkish” attitude. The next step in his development is to be just a tad better with his “off the ball” defense. Tyler has already gotten several D1 scholarship offers from his state championship performance, but we honestly believe he is just scratching the surface on his long-range potential.
No. 82 6’7 ’17 KC Hankton (Harding)
KC has really improved since last year. First of all, he has gotten much stronger which allows him to rebound better and be more effective as a scorer. He has a nice shooting touch and excellent range for his size and position. With the additional strength, KC is getting his shot off better and his 3-point shot is more consistent. That being said, we honestly think KC is vastly undervalued and under recruited. If he continues to work hard, his best days are ahead of him and have the ability to be even more productive at the collegiate level than the high school level.
No. 92 6’6 ’17 Larry McCloud (Bull City Prep)
Toughness is the one word that best describes Larry McCloud. Larry was a late addition to the NC Top 80 and made the most of his opportunity. He had an unbelievable weekend and displayed a “Yard Dog” mentality throughout the camp. No one player worked harder and gave more effort! More importantly, Larry is a tenacious rebounder on both ends of the court and is always looking to punish the rims at Proehlific Park The next step in his development is to develop more of a 10-15 foot midrange game. In addition, if he continues to work on his handles and all around perimeter game, the sky’s the limit for this hard working young man. Larry gives maximum effort and is one fun player to watch.