Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
North Augusta, SC (Future150) -- The Nike Peach Jam kicked off action on Tuesday evening with Sweet Sixteen tournament action taking center stage. Several big name recruits in the loaded 16U field lived up to the hype and impressed the crowd of media and fans on hand.
Skal Labissiere, 2015 PF, Arkansas Wings: The talented Memphis big man continues to impress us this summer. His versatility and size are his biggest assests to date, with his shot-blocking instincts very close behind. He blocked shots, finished with creativity around the block, and ran the floor for easy baskets in the Wings victory over Team FAST.
Payton Pritchard, 2016 PG, Team FAST: This was the first time we've seen the Oregon native, and we came away very impressed. Against the Arkansas Wings, he knocked down contested three-point baskets, totaling six by games end. He runs his team with ease and doesn't get rattled under pressure. As it stands, he is making a case for a top 50 ranking in his class during the next rankings update.
V.J. King, 2016 SG, King James Shooting Stars: The first thing we noticed when watching V.J. take the floor was the filled-out frame he possessed. He now stands around 6-foot-7 and has gained significant upper body strength in the past year. While his shot wasn't falling, he did spend the majority of the game in the night session handling the ball efficiently on offense for his team, which bolsters his stock going foward.
Malik Monk, 2016 SG, Arkansas Wings: Perhaps the best athlete in the event is the rising sophomore from Arkansas. Within minutes of us walking in the door, he put a defender on a poster, showcasing his impressive explosivness. We all knew he could jump, but his jump shot tonight was also falling, which is something we hadn't seen much of in the spring. We are going to monitor him in game action later this week, focusing on his ball skills.
Luke Kennard, 2015 SG, King James Shooting Stars: The smooth lefty never plays out-of-control on offense, and that was exactly what we saw of him tonight. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard had a tough time shooting the ball, but showed good ball-handling skills and slashing ability going to the basket. Intense defense was also something we enjoyed seeing from the #22 prospect in the current 2015 rankings.
Jojo Anderson, 2015 PG, Houston Hoops: The 6-foot-3 lead guard plays like a mini-Kyle Anderson, using a crafty game to create results on the floor. His Houston Hoops team went winless on the day, but it didn't stop him from scoring the ball and creating opportunities for his teammates. He will never wow you with speed or athleticism, but he will always impress you with results.
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