Garrett Tucker:
Future150 Southeast Analyst. Covering high school basketball across the Southeast.
Suwanee, GA (Future150) -- Saturday was big for several teams, as they won (and lost) key games en route to Sunday's Final Four. Behind these players, teams were able to make a statement and make some noise.
Here are some standouts from Saturday:
James Demery, 2014 SG, Team Charlotte: Team Charlotte was paced to the title by the impressive play of Demery. He showcased his ability to get to the rim with ease game after game, especially in transition. It is evident that Demery likes to play in transition as opposed to the half-court, but he also showed he can slow down and play in sets. Demery showed he could hit a couple of shots as well. If his shooting gets more consistent, he will be an even more scary prospect.
Javis Howard, 2014 PF, Upward Stars: Howard was another versatile athlete that showcased his skills in front of tons of coaches on Saturday. He has a high motor and plays extremely hard, which assists him in guarding anyone on the court at any given time. He also has a nice offensive game that continues to come along. Howard is very skilled around the basket with post moves and his face-up game.
Gabe Devoe, 2014 SG, Team Heat: The Future150 alum had things going this weekend, and from the sounds of things, it looks like he performed very well in the month of April. With his strength and body, the 6-foot-3 guard was getting to the rim and finishing with contact throughout the tournament. He also showed nice composure on the perimeter when other guards pressured him, along with a couple of big shots from the perimeter. Look for his stock to continue to increase.
Abdoulaye Gueye, 2014 PF, Birmingham Ice: A native of Africa, Gueye was a big surprise to several people in the gym at Bob Gibbons. As an obvious unknown, Gueye came out and produced throughout the day. He is long and blocks shots, but he will need to continue to add strength and weight to be successful at the next level. He also has nice hands.
Doral Moore, Jr., 2015 C, Atlanta Xpress: Moore oozes with potential, and he continues to improve each game out. He runs the floor well for a prospect his size, and once he gets the feel for his body at 6-foot-11, he will be even more dangerous. He needs to add strength to his skinny frame, but right now Moore, Jr. can still rebound at a high rate, along with chip in a couple of baskets from the low-post area.
Brandone Francis, 2014 CG, Florida Elite: Francis showed he was one of the better players at making things happen for himself at Bob Gibbons. When opposing defenders were sagging off, he hit open shots from the perimeter; when they were right up on him, he took the ball to the goal and finished at the rim with ease.
Dante Buford, 2014 PF, Florida Elite: Buford was another one of the more impressive prospects in attendances this weekend, as he picked up several big offers before the weekend started. To the satisfaction of most, he didn’t disappoint. The 6-foot-7 big man excelled around the rim, whether it was throwing down dunks or being active on the glass for trash buckets. He also showcased a nice mid-range jump-shot. Buford helped his team avoid an upset in the early rounds with a clutch free throw to seal the game. Get used to seeing this name in the future.
Darnell Rogers, 2016 PG, SC Raptors Elite North: Rogers may have been the smallest player at Bob Gibbons, but that didn’t stop the youngster from scoring. At 5-foot-6, Rogers is one of the more explosive players in his class. He is very quick and can get into the lane with ease, and as crazy as it sounds, he has the ability to finish at the goal against bigger competition. Rogers also can hit shots from behind the three-point arc with ease. He may be small, but the freshman has a ton of firepower behind him.
Hassani Gravett, 2014 CG, Vanguard Elite: In a tournament filled with impressive guards, Gravett came out of nowhere to prove a name for himself. He showed the ability to do many things as a combo guard. He has a nice, quick shot that allows him to get his shots off in front of defenders, and he shot the ball very well. Gravett also proved that he could play in the pick-and-roll, as he nearly always finished on a downhill run off the screen towards the rim.
Stuckey Mosley, 2014 SG, Q6 All-Stars Elite: Mosley continues to be a headache for opposing coaches, as he does so many things well. He showed he can get in the lane and finish at the rim with his length and body, as well as hit shots from the perimeter. The attention he received also opened things up for other teammates.
Nick Rogers, 2015 PG, Eric Gordon All-Stars: Rogers was extremely active on the perimeter throughout the weekend, as he was a nightmare for the other team. He deflected passes and got easy steals that made for easy buckets in transition. He also showed the ability to finish at the rim with contact. Rogers already holds offers from Ole Miss, Kent State, and Northern Illinois, but expect that list to grow over the summer.
Rashard Worrell, 2014 SF, Alabama Magic: Worrell continues to impress each time out. The 6-foot-7 combo forward is very versatile with his game. He has the ability to face-up and blow by slower defenders on the perimeter, as well as take smaller ones into the post. He has a nice mid-range jump-shot and is very athletic, as he is constantly jumping around the rim. He will be a nice steal for a low-major to mid-major program.
Anthony Jones, 2015 SF, Eric Gordon All-Stars: Very few kids are defensive-minded, but the Eric Gordon All-Stars had several guys that played all-out on defense. Anthony Jones was the main one, as he lived in the passing lane, getting deflections and steals that started transition. With a physical body and high motor, Jones was very tough to stop anywhere on the floor with his athleticism. He played above the rim and hit the glass hard, and they weren’t many players that matched his intensity on the court.
Cedric McGinnis, 2014 PG, Birmingham Ice: Without Jarvis Calhoun on Saturday and Sunday, McGinnis and the rest of the Ice guards picked up the slack to challenge the Atlanta Celtics and Q6 All-Stars. McGinnis gave the Ice a spark when they needed it, whether it was providing pressure on defense or making plays for others on offense. He plays very hard and is not afraid to get into an opposing players’ jersey on defense. The guard also hit a couple of mid-range shots throughout the weekend. His stock will definitely rise.
Lance Tejada, 2014 PG, Florida Flash: Tejada was one of the most lethal scorers that came to play over the weekend. He dropped big numbers from the start, including an impressive 30-point performance on Saturday. He averaged 23 points over the weekend, as he got to the rim for easy lay-ups or knocked down perimeter shots. Alabama, UCF, and USF were among the schools that have offered Tejada that tracked him closely at Gibbons.
Donovan Hale, 2015 SF, Florida Elite Black: Hale was one of the best pure athletes in the tournament. He caught several lobs in transition that got the crowd excited from game to game, as he could jump out of the gym. He was also very versatile with his game at 6-foot-4. He guarded anywhere from the 1 to the 4 in large part because of how hard he played constantly. He was all over the floor, whether it was hitting 3s or grabbing offensive and defensive rebounds. Keep an eye out for this kid.
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