Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Charlotte, NC (Future150) -- One of the most entertaining games of the entire weekend took place in the 15U championship game between Tri County Impact and the Carolina Tide, with the Impact prevailing 60-50, taking charge in the final minutes of the contest.
The imposing force for the winning squad was freshman power forward Tre Smith, who dominated all tournament long.
Here are the prospects who stood out to our staff in the 15 division last weekend...
Rachard Daniels, 2017 SG, Carolina Tide: The strong and explosive shooting guard had his moments last weekend, especially when he was penetrating to the basket. He is a solid finisher around the rim and is also impressive when playing transition basketball. Good rebounding guard as well.
Tre Smith, 2017 PF, Tri County Impact: The most impressive prospect in the 15U age group was the 6-foot-3 power forward. A physical specimen, he uses his strength and aggressiveness to dominate on the low block. He also has soft touch on the inside and is an extremely consistent finisher around the rim. Definitely a division one talent, provided he continues to grow and expand his game.
Malik Baqi, 2017 PG, Charleston Playmakers: While small in stature, the 5-foot-4 point guard is a killer on the court. He is nearly impossible to stay in front of on his way to the basket. He possesses a deadly floater in the lane and can knock down jump shots from distance as well. A fierce competitor who is extremely fun to watch.
Jarren McAllister, 2018 SF, Garner Road: A high upside prospect, McAllister is an extremely smooth wing at 6-foot-1. He can knock down shots from the perimeter, has a quick first step when penetrating to the basket, and has great feel with the ball in his hands.
Kyren Wright, 2017 PF, Tucker Runnin’ Rebels: Splitting time with the Runnin' Rebels 17U squad last weekend, the 6-foot-4 power forward used his long limbs and rebounding skills to stand out. He is a capable finisher around the rim and is very good when keeping the ball alive on offense. High potential prospect.
Justin McCluney, 2017 SG, Carolina Tide: One of the best shooters we saw in Charlotte was the 5-foot-9 shooting guard. He is a high volume scorer who needs very little space in order to get his shot off, and when he does, it usually results in a made basket for his team.
Kenneth Jones, 2017 SF, Charleston Playmakers: One of the toughest competitors we encountered last weekend was the 6-foot forward. While out-sized most of the time, his high motor and rebounding mentality make him an impact performer. He has a habit of finishing plays around the rim when drawing contact and loves to play physical, scrappy defense.
Joe Scott, 2017 SG, Team F.L.Y.: An explosive scorer, the 6-foot guard capped off his impressive weekend with a monster 39 point performance on Saturday night. He can get baskets any way you want them. Whether he is knocking down jumpers or taking his defender off-the-dribble, he is an impressive scorer with excellent skills.
Jeremy Robinson, 2018 PF, Garner Road: A smooth power forward at 6-foot-2, the lefty not only has good footwork on the low block, but he also shows an ability to face-up from the high post and go to work from there. With soft touch around the rim, Robinson has the tools to become a very good high school forward.
Levon McCullum, 2017 PF, Carolina Tide: A bouncy 6-foot-4 forward, the Atkins (NC) product was at his best when rebounding, blocking shots, and finishing above the rim in transition. A high energy player, he was very fun to watch over the weekend with his frenetic style of play.
Jay Davis, 2017 PF, Team F.L.Y.: The muscular 6-foot-5 Mooresville (NC) product is more of a power player at this stage, but he has the potential to become a devastating wing if he develops his perimeter skills. Excellent athlete with good defensive instincts. He also is a fantastic finisher around the rim.
Marquaevious Williams, 2017 SG, Atlanta Xpress-DB: Williams is an explosive wing that can get to the basket and finish through contact. He can put the ball on the floor and attack or pull up from beyond the arc and hit shots. He helped lead his team to an impressive showing this past weekend and is definitely one to track.
Josh Linder, 2017 PF, Atlanta Xpress-DB: One of the best prospects of the entire weekend was none other than Linder. He showed an improved ability to score off the bounce and had his mid-range jumper working throughout the tournament. At 6-foot-7 he has good size and runs the floor incredibly well.
Tavion Guilford, 2017 PG, Charlotte Jets: Guilford is an intriguing combo-guard prospect who showed that he can put up points in a hurry all weekend. He also showed that he is capable of running the point as well. His ability to draw contact and finish through it is promising and he should be capable of playing at the next level if his game rounds out.
Devan Brown, 2017 PG, 3-Ball Elite: Brown did a great job of showing off his point guard skills on Sunday. He did a nice job of handling the basketball, along with showing some great vision on his passes. He is aware of everything on the floor, something impressive for a player at his age. He also did a nice job of scoring off the dribble.
Marlon Butler, 2017 SG, 3-Ball Elite: Butler was a catalyst for his squad. The 5-foot-7 guard made plays happen with his high motor and speed. He was a bit of a streaky shooter, but he hit several three-pointers throughout the day on Sunday. He was as exciting a player to watch as anyone over the weekend.
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