Trinity Christian
6’8 ’19 Greg Gantt
The Providence commit arguably possesses the highest ceiling of anyone on display thus far, especially given his tone-setting leadership on defense. Gantt can contain four positions on defense and is usually the most athletic player on the court. The consistency of his jumper has continued to improve over the last year, but attacking the basket and finishing through contact remains his most reliable scoring avenue. Gantt fits the Providence mold perfectly as a combo-forward that can do a strong amount of everything. He’s extremely talented, but could possibly be better at the next level.
6’3 ’19 Talton Jones
There’s a relatively short list of point guards that can single-handedly alter a game with his defensive presence, but Jones is definitely one of them. He’s long, active, and does an incredible job of mirroring his on-ball assignment, eliminating all possible operating space and forcing an abundance of turnovers along the way. Jones utilizes his length very well and rebounds at a high level for a floor general. His efficiency as a shot-maker has improved and he’s still capable of driving and finishing through the teeth of the opposition. There’s simply no knock on Jones’ blue-collar approach, especially considering his leadership by example and ability to defend two or three positions with relative ease.
New Life Christian
6’6 ’20 Reggie Raynor
Through the first five games of our Hoops and Dreams Showcase, Raynor has certainly been among the most intriguing performers on display. He was an absolute killer in the first half, showcasing his ability to do everything on both ends of the floor while playing well above the rim. Raynor has an incredible frame for his position and could become a truly dominant player if he’s able to continue shooting the three-pointer at such effective rate. He’s a plus-level defender and rebounder that can switch across multiple positions.
6’8 ’19 Jalen Love
The big man prospect made his presence felt quite often throughout this showing, spacing the floor, working hard inside, and rebounding pretty well on both sides of the ball. He runs the floor well and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Love showed the ability to score the ball from all areas and seemed reliable when operating out of the two-man game. He utilizes his combination of size and motor pretty well to bother his assignment.
Heritage IJN
6’9 ’22 Jerome Beya
The young big man has definitely been one of the most intriguing long-term prospects on display throughout day one of our Hoops and Dreams Showcase. He is somewhat raw offensively, but plays unbelievably hard and always finds success as a result. Beya maintains an impressive activity level around the basket, especially when pursuing rebounds, and does a great job of outworking craftier opponents. He runs the floor very well and has a pretty firm grasp of how to properly utilize his body to gain position. As a freshman, it’s extremely likely that Beya continues to sharpen his skillset, which would be a nightmare for most opponents.
6’7 ’21 Landry Palata
There are a plethora of unique big men on this roster, but Palata is arguably the most intriguing of the group, given his cross between productivity and long-term potential. He’s long, athletic, and extremely impactful around the basket. Palata scores well in transition and caused problems for opponents with his defensive motor.
Cape Fear Christian Academy
6’2 ’19 EJ Bethea
The wing prospect was the leading two-way presence for Cape Fear and showed flashes of dominance throughout this contest. He scored consistently and efficiently from all three levels while highlighting his deep three-point range whenever possible. Bethea embraces his role quite well and showed the ability to make plays for others. He worked hard on defense and was able to make an excellent impact in transition.
6’8 ’19 Michael Okoye
This was our first viewing of the big man since recovering from his recent injury. He showed an abundance of positive signs towards returning to full strength and still appears to be getting comfortable on the court. Okoye is big, strong, and mobile prospect that utilizes his body well to absorb contact and clear out space around the basket. He ran the floor well and fought for rebounds on every possession. We’ll be closely watching his progression closely over the coming months.
First Love
6’5 ’20 DJ Gordon
The tone-setter and top all-around player for this team is Gordon, a wiry forward prospect that simply knows how to affect all facets of the game. He possesses great length and works extremely hard on both sides of the ball. Gordon utilizes his combination of length, motor, and athleticism fairly often to disrupt opponents and make plays in transition. He displays an excellent feel for the game, able to thrive with or without the ball. Gordon is capable of scoring from all three levels, though he typically looks to slide through seams and finish at the rim. He’s also a pretty versatile defender that takes clear pride in his presence on that end of the floor.
5’11 ’20 Isaiah Wilson
This First Love squad is simply loaded with talent, but one could make the argument that Wilson is the most reliable presence on either side of the ball. He’s so smooth and makes excellent decisions with the ball in his hands. Wilson displays terrific IQ and instincts when looking to make plays for others. He’s a poised ball-handler that will torch opponents from all three levels. It’s tough to find much fault with his skillset or leadership style, as he does everything exceptionally well, despite being somewhat slight in frame. Wilson is very quick and makes winning plays at strong rate.
Moravian Prep
6’7 ’19 Daniel Lobach
There is a lot of talent on this team, but one could legitimately argue that Lobach is the best shooter of the group. He’s a forward with size and the ability to space the floor quite well. Lobach can actively toggle between playing on the perimeter or within the arc on either end of the floor. He can spot-up or effectively operate within the two-man concept, where he offers a nice balance between popping and rolling. Lobach has a quality feel for the game and should definitely be regarded as a scholarship-worthy prospect.
6’8 ’19 Josh Hall
The long-bodied forward prospect opened this game on an absolute tear and continued to make noise from start to finish. He’s somewhat wiry, but knows how to slice and wiggle between defenders to knife into the lane and make plays. Hall scores most of his points from the perimeter as a shooting threat, but also is capable of taking opponents off the dribble and finishing around the rim. He’s going to be truly problematic for all types of opponents upon adding strength.