Team 1

Coach: Travis Mains

 

#3:5'0 '25 Colin Brown (Bristol, TN)

Starting things off, we look at a player that showed a lot of grit and energy during his time at camp, Colin Brown. He's a young, slightly undersized point guard prospect with solid quickness and shooting mechanics. Brown is capable of handling the ball fairly well and rebounds nicely for his size. He plays with a pretty useful motor on defense and looks to make hustle plays whenever possible. Next in his development process is working on getting stronger, as it would make a better finisher when attacking the basket. Coach Mains on Brown: 'Colin is a young, competitive player that has a solid understanding of the game. He has a good handle and good form on his jumper. He will be a solid floor leader in the future.' Brown is very young and has ample time to continue honing his craft and growing on both sides of the ball.

 

#10:5'6 '24 William Stevens (Mooresville, NC)

Next, we look at a player that really stood out with his defensive presence throughout camp, William Stevens. He's a fairly well-rounded guard prospect that knows how to contribute and impact the game on both ends of the floor. Stevens has a useful scoring arsenal and is capable of creating opportunities for himself and others quite well. He does an excellent job of containing his assignment and forcing turnovers without fouling. Next in his development process is working on the use of his off-hand, as it would make him a more complete offensive threat. Coach Mains on Stevens: 'William is a team player that doesn't mind to stick his nose in there against bigger players. He's very competitive and has a winning attitude. His development will come with more time in the gym.' Stevens had a quality showing at camp and looks likely to have a productive upcoming eighth-grade campaign, especially if he continues to work.

 

#11:5'8 '25 Eli Ellis (Granite Falls, NC)

Moving onto a player that showcased a ton of high-level flashes and overwhelmed the competition during camp, Eli Ellis. He's a smart, aggressive point guard prospect with the ability to effortlessly attack the opposition and make plays for himself or others within the paint. Ellis is an exceptional decision-maker with the ball in his hands and scores the ball extremely well from all three levels. He was an absolute bully on defense and forced a ridiculous amount of on-ball turnovers, which led to easy baskets in transition. Next in his development process is continuing to work on his ability to move without the ball, as it would open up even more cutting and spot-up opportunities. Coach Mains on Ellis: 'Eli has a solid understanding of the game. He's a great penetrator and finisher for his age. He has a steady handle with great pace to his game. He will be one to watch.' Ellis was utterly dominant on both sides of the ball throughout camp and secured the MVP trophy with relative ease, so we will be monitoring his progression closely going forward.

 

#18:5'6 '24 Kehler Lamb (Franklin, NC)

Continuing onto a player that did a terrific job of contributing and making his presence felt without forcing the action, Kehler Lamb. He's a slightly undersized forward prospect that plays tough and is willing to do whatever necessary to provide his team with an edge. Lamb handles and passes the ball well for his position and also knows how to fight for rebounds on both ends of the floor. Next in his development process is working on becoming quicker, as it would help his penetration ability and allow him to take opponents off the dribble with more regularity. Coach Mains on Lamb: 'Kehler has a quality attitude and plays hard. His ability to listen and play within the team concept are his strengths. He would also benefit for additional strength and more time in the gym.' Lamb highlighted a pretty useful skillset during camp and could become a solid prospect, especially if he continues to work.

 

#27:5'8 '23 Brady Stump (Kingsport, TN)

Next, we look at a player that really made an impression with his strong offensive arsenal, Brady Stump. He's a wiry guard prospect with solid length and an excellent feel for the game, which allows him to seamlessly operate with or without the ball and find success. Stump is a very smooth, efficient three-level scorer that offers a nice balance between scoring and creating for others. He has a lot of useful skills and understands how to apply them on both ends of the floor. Next in his development process is working on his ability to move without the ball, as it would better highlight his ability to spot-up. Coach Mains on Stump: 'Brady gets to the basket with ease and is very tough. He's not very long but is very effective with his handle and overall change of speed. He was one of the better guards in camp and could be a player to keep an eye on.' Stump was among the most intriguing performers from this team and should be a prospect worth monitoring over these next few years.

 

#28:5'8 '24 Fynn Hales (Mooresville, NC)

Moving onto a player that showcased a solid amount of energy to pair with his long-term potential, Fynn Hales. He's a wing/forward prospect with a nice-looking jumper and the ability to score the ball from all three levels. Hales works hard on defense and did a great job of containing his assignment and even forcing a few turnovers throughout the day. Next in his development process is working to add strength, as it will help his consistency as a finisher when attacking the basket. Coach Mains on Hales: 'Fynn gets after it. He plays hard and has some work to do with his skillset. He has a love for basketball with his effort and coachability. Fynn can keep working and he will become a solid high school player.' Hales showed some flashes of his ability and could be an interesting prospect, especially if he continues working to maximize his upside.

 

#39:5'10 '23 Jasper Cheers (Bristol, VA)

Continuing onto a player that stood out as the main 'glue-guy' for his team during camp, Jasper Cheers. He's a strong-bodied forward prospect with an unselfish, team-first approach on both sides of the ball, which allows him to operate within a variety of different roles. Cheers is a solid offensive player with a solid jumper and useful arsenal of low-post moves. That being said, he's even better on defense and when pursuing rebounds, as he outworked opponents well throughout the day. Next in his development process is working on becoming a craftier ball-handler, as it would make him a matchup problem for opposing forwards. Coach Mains on Cheers: 'Jasper is a kid that plays hard and does an excellent job of playing his role. He's very coachable and competes very hard. More time working on his skill will lead to more production on the court. He's a good kid that gives his all.' Cheers enjoyed a quality showing at camp and should be able to gradually establish himself throughout his upcoming freshman season.

 

#50:4'8 '26 Loftin Looney (Rogersville, TN)

Next, we look at a player that stepped up and stood out for his ability to contribute at his age, Loftin Looney. He's a young, slightly undersized guard prospect with a quality feel for the game and the ability to create for himself or others with relative ease. Looney is somewhat small, but does an excellent job of getting by opponents and making decisions with the ball in his hands. Next in his development process is working to add strength, as it will make him even tougher for opponents to contain. Coach Mains on Looney: 'Loftin's energy and attitude are off the charts. It was fun to watch someone this young and fearless compete. He is going to be fun to watch and grow. He's a gym rate at that age and will become impossible to stop. Time and continued work will lead him to optimal results. It was a fun day watching this great young man.' Looney was the youngest player on this team but showed fear of no one and was able to contribute exceptionally well on both sides of the ball.

 

#57:6'0 '23 Cooper Perone (Franklin, NC)

Moving onto a player that showcased his ability to anchor the interior on both ends of the floor, Cooper Perone. He's a strong-bodied post prospect with an impressive motor and the ability to simply outwork his assignment in every facet of the game. Perone did a particularly great job of pursuing the ball and fighting for every available rebound. He displayed nice touch and feel when operating around the basket, but also played with strength and aggression whenever possible. Next in his development process is working to become quicker, as it would make him an even more useful penetration threat. Coach Mains on Perone: 'Cooper is a battler that plays hard. He's a warrior on the boards. I enjoyed his selfless attitude and willingness to do the dirty stuff. He's a good athlete and finisher that should continue to spend time in the gym in order to get to the place he wants to be.' Perone is already quite productive, but is also just beginning to scratch the surface of his long-term abilities.

 

#60:5'10 '23 Andrew Knittel (Churchill, TN)

Finishing up, we look at a player that is beginning to truly unlock his long-term abilities, Andrew Knittel. He's a well-rounded wing prospect with a quality frame and understanding of the game on both ends of the floor. Knittel is a team-first player that can work with or without the ball and find success, given his useful scoring arsenal and ability to handle the ball. He plays with great energy and does a nice job of getting after it on defense. Next in his development process is working to become quicker, as it would make him a more polished on-ball defender. Coach Mains on Knittel: 'Andrew is a special shooter that has really improved his ball-handling and attacking skills. Keep working Andrew. I'm proud of your growth. Keep working on agility and strength. I enjoyed watching him perform.' Knittel certainly improved over the last calendar year and was among the more productive performers on his team as a result, so it'll be exciting to see his continued growth going forward.