Zachary Lyon:
Future150 Regional Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball: NC, SC & VA
Houston, TX (Future150) -- The Future150 Tournamant Series kicked of the Spring in Houston, TX at the MI3 Center. The tournament hosted talent from 4 different states in the 17U-12U age divisions. With Houston being a hot bed for talent, the city did not disappoint when the talent showed up to play this past weekend.
The 17U division was a highly competitive in the Future150 Easter Showcase. Rafer Alston Elite takes home first place by a buzzer beater but here are the other top performers for the 17u division this past weekend.
Alex Witherspoon, 2017 PF - Rafer Alston Elite: Witherspoon stands at about 6’6 and although he is under-sized as a power forward, his athleticism and strength allows him to guard and score over bigger players. He will need be able to shoot more efficiently from the perimeter or develop a reliable mid-range jumper for the next level, but Witherspoon still is very effective on both sides of the floor and was a key piece to his team’s success.
Davon Berry, 2017 CG - Rafer Alston Elite: Berry can score, and score on all three levels. He showed the ability to find the open man on offense when he drove to the basket, but he still needs to show the ability to create for others more effectively. He impresed the Future150 staff with his overall skill set
Kelyn Adams, 2017 CG - Lets Play Elite: Adams was arguably the best player in the 17u division. Standing at about 6-foot-3, he has a long wingspan and can score in a variety ways. Adams possesses good athleticism as well and he has "takeover" abilities that will take him a long way. He doesn’t have much interest from colleges but this under-the-radar prospect is a scholarship player.
Andrew Anderson, 2017 SF - Higher Elevation: Anderson stands at 6-foot-5 and although we list him at small forward, he can also be effective playing shooting guard or power forward if necessary. He reminds us of Tayshaun Prince type player with his long wingspan and versatility on both sides of the floor. Anderson will need to put on some weight but he needs to continue developing his game.
Justin Moore, 2017 PG - Hoops Elite: Moore is more of a scoring guard but he has good vision in transition. His handles are strong and he can finish inside through contact. Moore’s decision making will need to be better going forward but he is a threat when he has the ball in his hands.
Jordan Pride, 2017 PG - Hoops Elite: Pride is a big guard that is hard to contain when he is going full speed. He has a good shot off the dribble and he can defend multiple guard positions. His three point shot is streaky but overall he produced on both sides of the floor. Pride and Moore are underrated players in their class in Houston.
Quincey Trammell, 2017 PF - TBT Elite: Trammell is about 6-foot-7 and he showed that he can score from inside and on the perimeter. Trammell does a good job rebounding on defense and he runs the floor well, which in return allows him to score in transition. He will need to be a tougher player going forward but he has the tools to be quite successful.
Nygil Carr, 2016 PG - FYN: Carr is tough. Against the Alabama Celtics, he put the offensive load on his back and kept the team in the game. He is a score-first guard but he can pass at a high level as well. Carr plays with a high motor and his grittiness stands out to the staff the most and he should be playing somewhere next fall.
Jase Green, 2016 PF - Houston Kings: Green is a great athlete and he has a solid turn-around jumper in the post. If he learns how to handle the ball better, he could be very dangerous. Green is an unsigned senior and he can fit in nicely at a NAIA or D3 program. Defensively he was good at playing help-side defense or altering shots in the lane.
John Comeaux, 2016 PG - SBG: He is a blur in transition and is one of the fastest players with the ball this past weekend. He definitely can play at the next level thanks to his quickness. He will need to know when to change pace as going fast isn’t always the best option but he is a good player that should be given a hard look.
Jalil Finch, 2018 CG - Sleeperz: Finch plays very hard on both ends of the floor. He can shoot the ball well and he is a solid on-ball defender. He needs to work on his ball-handling and becoming more consistent. Overall, he has the tools to be a really good player.
Mike Evans, 2017 PG - Alabama Celtics: Evans stands at 6’1 and he has a good frame for a point guard. He knows how to change his pace when he has the ball in his hands, and he is aggressive when attacking the lane. He will need to develop a floater or more a consistent mid-range pull-up jumper because defenses took charges on him when he went into the lane full-force. There is a lot of talent with Evans and we will be interested to see how he develops over the AAU season.
Claude Newell, 2016 SG - Alabama Celtics: Newell is a big guard and has a nice jumper from deep. Although he doesn’t have a lot of lift on his shot, he still finds a way to make a good percentage of them. He will need to show that he can create his own shot at a high level, but his ability to stretch the floor and score inside when he post up on mismatches make him very valuable.
Kristian Sjolund, 2018 CF - Shooting Stars: Sjolund is about 6’6-6’7 and the forward can stretch the floor and rebound and finish well on offense. He showed the ability to handle the ball decently as well but he had a problem guarding players from the perimeter. Sjolund is a 2018 player and the staff believes the potential is high for him, but he needs to become quicker, be more comfortable putting the ball on the floor, and create more chances from the perimeter.
Bryson Johnson, 2016 PG - Shooting Stars: Johnson is a strong guard with good attacking abilities. He knows when to look for his shot and be aggressive, but he also knows when to get his teammates involved. He can tighten his handles up more, but overall Johnson showed improvement since last year. Another unsigned senior that is garnering several interest from several schools.
Jamarcus Martin, 2017 PG - The Nation: Martin is a quick guard that was able to score in bunches. He likes to push the tempo on offense and score quick which is what the staff likes about him. He needs to polish his game more and make his shot be more consistent. Martin didn’t need to settle much because he found himself in the lane in which he scored with layups or floaters when help-side defense was present.
David Shephard, 2017 PG - TESA: Shepherd has a great frame for a guard and he handles the ball well under pressure. He can score inside due to his strength and he has a good set-jumper. As a passer, Shepherd does a solid job in transition finding his shooters, but in the half-court setting he could do a better job creating for others. Regardless, Shepherd is a good player and he can become a good lead point guard.
Flynnoy Campbell, 2016 PF - TESA: Campbell is a long, athletic big man that plays with a high motor. He does a good job defending in pick & roll settings. He can hedge out on screens and even defend guards when his teammate cannot get over the screen. He rebounds well and although he is undersized and needs to put on more weight, Campbell’s motor allows him to be effective against bigger players.
Derreion Nelson, 2017 PG - Southwest Shooters: Nelson is scrappy and plays with a high motor. He plays good on-ball and help side defense which allowed him to get plenty of steals. Offensively, he was the main scoring option for his team, and was one of the top players in the tournament.
Shykim Carroll, 2017 SG - TBT Disciples: Carroll is a big guard that plays very physical. He can bang inside in the post, shoot three pointers and handle the ball in the press from time to time. He needs to be more in control with the ball but Carroll showed versatility on offense. He was also guarding post players and more than held his own.
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