South Carolina Top 80 Evaluations
Team 3
Coach: Christian Savage
#8: 5'9 '20 Marquavious Allen (Blythewood, SC)
Starting things off, we look at a player with a pretty intriguing skillset and approach to the game, Marquavious Allen. He's a point guard prospect with quickness and the ability to consistently involve his teammates. Offensively, Allen was able to effectively get by opponents and make passes in the paint. He displayed the ability to slide off-ball and regularly hit shots from beyond the arc. Allen knows his role quite well and forced multiple turnovers throughout the day. Next in his development process is working on his ability to score of the dribble, as it would make him a more dynamic offensive threat. Coach Savage on Allen: 'Marquavious is a quick point guard that can shoot it from deep. He's a pesky defender that can cause havoc at the point of attack. He needs to work on his decision-making in transition, but he is a quality basketball player that should see a lot of minutes for his school.' Allen made a nice impact during his time at camp and will be a player to monitor during this upcoming season.
#11: 5'9 '19 Zuric Harvey (Rock Hill, SC)
Next, we look at a player that showcased a great sense for the game and how to properly set up his teammates, Zuric Harvey. He's a point guard prospect with a great IQ, able to control the floor and manipulate opposing defenses quite nicely. Harvey possesses sharp quickness, which allows him to easily create off the dribble, get downhill, and make plays within the arc. He has excellent vision and willingly creates for others, but also highlights a strong pull-up jumper, which keeps opposing guards guessing at all times. Harvey is a menace on defense and did a fantastic job of bottling his assignment on and off-ball. Next in his development process is continuing to work on the consistency of his three-point shot, as it would make him incredibly difficult for opponents to contain. Coach Savage on Harvey: 'Zuric is similar to Isaiah Thomas in ways. He can turn the corner off ball screens and get downhill going left. He defends, leads, and has a nice midrange game. Even though he is small, Zuric plays with a ton of heart. He holds offers from Lander and Presbyterian.' Harvey should have an interesting senior season, especially if his showing at camp is any indicator of what he's planning on unveiling in the coming months.
#25: 6'0 '19 Crosby James (Columbia, SC)
Moving onto a player that showcased an incredibly hard-nosed approach to both sides of the ball, Crosby James. He's a guard prospect that can actively toggle between backcourt positions, applying constant pressure as a scorer and playmaker. Offensively, James understands how to play within a variety of different roles. He scores the ball frequently and efficiently from all three levels while making his presence felt as a penetrator and finisher. James' doesn't possess incredible physical gifts, which is part of what makes his two-way ability to special. He's a strong, smart, bulldog of a player that embraces his high motor and lead-by-example attitude. James was among the top defenders on display, both off-ball and at the point of attack, forcing an abundance of turnovers then immediately pushing the break in transition. Next in his development process is continuing to hone his leadership skills on both ends of the floor, as he'll be expected to take another step this season. Coach Savage on James: 'Crosby is a three-level scorer; he hit seven three-pointers in one game today. He makes good decisions with the ball and can flat-out score. Crosby made a noticeable impact on defense.' James was among the top two-way guards at camp, and should be poised for a breakout senior season at Ridge View.
#31:6'0 '20 Myles Tate (Spartanburg, SC)
Continuing onto a player that displayed a lot of two-way ability throughout his time at camp, Myles Tate. He's a point guard prospect that simply knows how to provide a team with a steady, intelligent presence. Offensively, Tate shoots the ball very well from all three levels and consistently showcases his strong IQ as a playmaker. He plays with an unselfish, team-first approach and leads by example on defense, as a terrific point of attack defender. He navigates the pick and roll with a certain smoothness and decisiveness that really keeps opposing defenses on their toes. Tate possesses great quickness and utilizes it well on both ends of the floor. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his ability to move without the ball, as it would allow him to damage opponents even more with his three-point shot. Coach Savage on Tate: 'Myles is clearly a Division I guard. His midrange game is great and his handle is ridiculous. He made the game look easy today. I can see why USC has offered.' Tate is among the top guards in South Carolina and it shows with his phenomenal on-court ability. He's been so successful over the last two years and it'll be interesting to see if he can continue to elevate his game for the upcoming season.
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#47:'6'1 '22 Jordan Simpson
Next, we look at a player that displayed a great motor on both sides of the ball during camp, Jordan Simpson. He's a guard prospect with a wiry frame and pretty nice shooting ability from beyond the arc. Simpson did a good job of moving without the ball and spotting-up around the perimeter, hitting multiple shots on the day. He's young and showed a great competitive spirit throughout camp. Next in his development process is continuing to build his creation ability off the bounce, both for himself and others, as it would make him a more useful offensive threat. Coach Savage on Simpson: 'Jordan is a 2022 kid with a lot of room to improve. He has deep range and gets good rotation on the ball. With him being so young, he has a lot to learn about how to play the game, but with time and experience, Jordan will be one to watch in South Carolina.' Simpson had a quality showing at camp and should look to build his two-way game over the coming years.
#59: 6'2 '21 Tyler Schaafsma (Charleston, SC)
Moving onto a player that brings a scrappy, hard-nosed approach to all facets of the game, Tyler Schaafsma. He's a wing prospect with a sound, fundamental understanding of how to operate without the ball and make a constant impact on the game. Offensively, Schaafsma plays well within himself and can typically be found spotting-up around the perimeter'where he's capable of knocking down shots at a terrific clip. On the other end, he's a tough defender with a great instincts and the ability to guard multiple positions. Next in his development process is continuing to improve his ball-handling, as it would make him a much more versatile scorer and creator. Coach Savage on Schaafsma: 'Tyler is a young one, but he received a lot of quality experience today. He can shoot the ball and is a sneaky athlete. It doesn't look like he can dunk, but he is very athletic and a very solid defender. Tyler really impressed me today.' Schaafsma's constant contributions on both sides of the floor further proved that he can coexist with any group of teammates and thrive. He'll be one to watch throughout this upcoming season.
#78: 6'4 '20 Jai'Breon Ferguson (Pelzer, SC)
Continuing onto a player with a fairly smart, well-rounded approach to both sides of the ball, Jai'Breon Ferguson. He's an off-guard with nice length and quickness, allowing him to easily slide by defenders and rise up for strong finishes or smooth pull-ups. Ferguson can score the ball quite efficiently from all three levels and showcases nice range on his shot. He plays hard and it's evident in his defensive game, where he was able to overwhelm opponents and force turnovers throughout the day. Ferguson attacked the glass with purpose on every possession. He also displayed a pretty nice IQ and feel for the game from the off-guard position. Next in his development process is continuing to add strength, as it would make him an even stronger finisher around the basket. Coach Savage on Ferguson: 'Jai'Breon is a smooth lefty that can flat-out stroke it. He has deep range and is very crafty. Jai'Breon is long and can defend quite well. He should surprise a lot of people this high school season.' Ferguson is a really nice two-way prospect and should be popping up on the college radar over the upcoming season.
#81: 6'4 '21 Jaylen Ray (Lexington, SC)
Next, we look at a player that showcased a nice blend of potential and production at camp, Jaylen Ray. He's a guard prospect that has no issue playing as the lead creator and offensive initiator. Ray can slide off-ball and still do damage, given his ability to cut, pull-up, or rip and go from the wing. He's long and will be even more problematic with added strength, as it'll allow him to secure an abundance of second-chance opportunities. Ray understands how to navigate on the floor and showcased great vision, especially in transition. He utilized his length well on defense and displayed a lot of potential versatility on that end of the floor. Next in his development process is continuing to work on the consistency of his three-point stroke, as it would make him very difficult for opponents to contain on offense. Coach Savage on Ray: 'Jaylen is another young stud that will be really good in the future. He is long, athletic, and has a ton of upside. Jaylen has a nice midrange game and can slash very well. He will be really good for White Knoll.' Ray should enjoy a quality sophomore season, especially if he harnesses the same mentality he showcased at camp.
#110: 6'7 '19 Marlowe Gilmore Jr. (Norway, SC)
Moving onto a player that has quickly begun to unlock new facets of his offensive skillset, Marlowe Gilmore Jr. He's a long, rangy forward prospect with highlight-reel athleticism and the ability to defend multiple positions on the floor. Offensively, Gilmore has continued to improve as a passer and scorer, but still does most of his offensive work through finishing around the rim. He's always lurking for offensive rebounds, backdoor lobs, and putback dunks, which forces the opposition to always account for his movements. Gilmore is a defensive terror at the high school level, given his length and ability to switch across three to four positions with relative ease. He displayed nice timing when protecting the rim and understands how to accumulate steals by jumping passing lanes. Next in his development process is continuing to polish the makings of his three-point jumper, as it would make him virtually uncontainable on offense. Coach Savage on Gilmore: 'Marlowe is a freak-athlete with great length and the ability to disrupt opponents on both ends of the floor. His motor is impressive and he plays hard at all times. He lived above the rim and defended well today.' Gilmore's game and recruitment have both trended upward over the last year, so it'll be interesting to see how things unfold after his senior campaign at Hunter Kinard.
#112: 6'8 '20 Chase Cannon (Mount Pleasant, SC)
Finishing things up, we look at a player that continues to show great promise and signs of continuous improvement, Chase Cannon. He's a strong-bodied big man with quality athleticism and a blossoming two-way skillset. Offensively, Cannon does a nice job of operating from the low-post and making the most of his touches. That being said, he can usually be found without the ball, waiting for dump-offs and offensive rebounds around the basket. Cannon plays above the rim whenever possible; he did an excellent job of playing aggressive and attacking opposing big men throughout the day. He moves well defensively and displays a quality feel for monitoring the paint. Next in his development process is continuing to get more aggressive and apply it to both sides of the ball, as he has all the necessary tools to be a legitimate Division I big man. Coach Savage on Cannon: 'Chase is really skilled. He displays really nice touch on his shot and also has back-to-basket moves. He has to get tougher and continue to improve his mobility. Chase will be one to watch as the season goes along.' His progression to this point has been steady, so this will be an intriguing time for his development. We will be watching closely to see if Cannon can make the necessary adjustments to elevate his game to another level.