Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
Benton, KY (Future150) -- Traditionally, the Marshall County Hoop Fest has been both one of the premier events in the Southeast and nationally at the start of December. While this year’s showcase was cut short due to inclimate weather, there was still plenty of great games and talent in the gym. From great individual performances to teams fighting to pull off great comebacks, here are some of the players who stood out on the lone day of the Hoop Fest:
Devin Booker, 2014 SG, Moss Point: Booker’s team may have ultimately went down to a talented Ballard squad but the Kentucky bound guard had a stellar outing, scoring 40 points. He did a lot of his damage at the foul line, where he made 20 of 24 free throws. He has good size and a beautiful shooting stroke. Combine that with sneaky athleticism and the new college rules and appears Booker will be a handful to guard.
Cody Martin, 2014 SF, Oak Hill: In the final game of the Hoop Fest, Martin gave the remaining fans something to talk about. He attacked the rim with ferocity and had a few highlight reel finishes above the rim. While he may not be quite the scorer his brother is yet, he plays with a high motor and is active on both ends of the floor. He will quickly become a fan favorite at N.C. State.
Marcellis Purvis, 2016 CF, Quality Education Academy: One of the more intriguing prospects of the day was none other than Marcellis Purvis. He showcased the ability to score on the block or facing up from the high post. It will be interesting to see how the next couple of years go. At 6-foot-7, he is a tad undersized to play power forward, but has yet to show the perimeter game to play small forward at the next level. Regardless, he has a lot of upside.
Jeremie Tyler, 2014 PG, Arsenal Tech: One of the more underrated guards in the Midwest, Ball State got a potential steal in Tyler. He was the 2nd best player for Arsenal Tech all day. Tyler got to the rim and finished as well as set his teammates up. He excelled in transition and didn’t back away from big matchups in Quentin Snider and Josh Perkins. Tyler looks like the type of player that will lead his team to a couple of major upsets in his college career.
Kelan Martin, 2014 SF, Ballard: Speaking of steals, Butler’s staff has to be absolutely giddy about landing Kelan Martin.The wing forward is a swiss army knife who can really rebound and score the ball. His perimeter game has improved greatly and it appears as though he will have little issue with playing the three at the next level. He is quick enough to guard smaller players and strong enough to stick with power forwards as well. Don’t be surprised if he has an immediate impact when he sets foot at Butler next season.
Mohamed Touray, 2015 SG, Atlanta Sports Academy: Touray is a transplant from New York City and although he has left NYC, NYC hasn’t left his game. He got to the rim and played with a confidence reserved for city guards. He has a quick release on his shot and isn’t afraid to pull it from anywhere on the floor. He was also shifty in the lane and showed good passing ability.
Caleb Martin, 2014 SG, Oak Hill: Caleb went absolutely berserk in the first half, scoring 20 points in the first 16 minutes. He hit threes, pulled up from mid-range, and caught a couple of oops at the rim. Right now he appears to be a bit more polished of a scorer than his twin brother, but make no mistake; they will be a dangerous duo at N.C. State.
JaQuan Lyle, 2014 SG, Huntington Prep: Lyle has to be considered one of the top uncommitted, if not the top uncommitted guard left on the board. He was explosive in getting to the rim and showed good vision as well. He has good size for his position and has improved since arriving at Huntington Prep. There are some rumors floating around that he will follow his friend, Cliff Alexander, to Kansas as well.
Jaqualis Matlock, 2015 SF, Hopkinsville: Matlock is one of the better kept secrets in the Midwest. At 6-foot-5, he can play either the two or the three. He excels in transition and is an explosive athlete. He didn’t show much of a shooting stroke vs Marshall County, mostly due to the fact that they had a hard time keeping him out of the lane.
Emmanuel Mudiay, 2014 PG, Prime Prep: He is such a unique blend of speed and power that he is incredibly hard to guard. A scoring point guard in the Russell Westbrook mold, Mudiay will have an instant impact at SMU due to his ability to push in transition and his explosiveness. He must work on his perimeter jumper in order to maximize his potential.
Quentin Snider, 2014 PG, Ballard: Snider is a heady point guard who is equally comfortable distributing or scoring. In the two games with Ballard, he led the charge, getting to the rim and either dishing or finishing. His ability to take defenders off the bounce freed up guys like Jalen Perry to do what they do best: score.
Montague Gill-Caesar, 2015 SF, Huntington Prep: He was one of the most intriguing players at the event for a couple of reasons. The first is that he is one of the most naturally gifted players in the nation and has begun to put the total package together. The other is that there is speculation that he will re-class to 2014, making him a monster recruit for the blue bloods to chase. He is very long and athletic and while he is improved greatly, there is still plenty of room for him to get better, which is a scary thought.
Trey Lyles, 2014 PF, Arsenal Tech: Lyles averaged 26 points and 16.5 rebounds, placing him at the top of both lists for players that played more than one game on Saturday. The Kentucky bound big man is very skilled and showed that he can score down low as well as stretch defenses with his shooting ability. He is an elite rebounder who has no problem banging with guys who are bigger than him.
Jalen Perry, 2015 SG, Ballard: Perry is a bit of a do-it-all type of player. He has good length and is a jumping jack. He uses those tools to be a good defender as well. On a team where he is the third option, Perry was fairly efficient with his shot selection. It is hard to peg what level he fits at at this moment, but definitely caught our eye and will be a player we track down the road.
Comments:
Great breakdown. We had a good time at the event. Really impressed by the 2014 guys. They took over. The younger kids will get their chance to shine next year.