Brian Flinn:
Future150 National Recruiting Analyst. Covering high school basketball nationally.
Ft. Myers, FL (Future150) -- On the second day of the City of Palms, there was plenty of action. There were a few close games, some blowouts, and a couple of big time scoring performances. As expected, some of the biggest names in the event stood out, while others began to make their name known on the national stage:
Ronnie Harrell, 2014 SG, Denver East: He has great size and shoots the ball well from deep. He also has decent ball-handling ability and uses his length well on the defensive end. The next step for him is becoming more engaged on a consistent basis and becoming a go-to scorer.
Ricky Doyle, 2014 PF, Bishop Verot: Doyle is the leader of this squad and the big man played well again. He has good touch around the basket and can step out and shoot it. He will need time to adjust to the college level but showed glimpses of Big Ten level play on a few occasions today.
Chris Lewis, 2016 PF, Milton: Lewis has to be considered one of the big winners so far this week. The young big man held his own against another loaded Montverde front line today and showed off his explosiveness as well. While his offensive game is still a work in progress it is clear that there is a lot of upside here.
Ben Simmons, 2015 SF, Montverde: Simmons should make a serious case for top player in the class of 2015 by the time everything is said and done. The big man is capable of bringing the ball up the floor, setting his teammates up, and being a lockdown defender. That’s all in addition to his skills as a post player. Simply put, he is the complete package.
Zach Johnson, 2014 SG, Miami Norland: The FGCU commit didn’t have his best day from the field but he still ended up with over 20 points. He is athletic and showed good body control on a few finishes at the rim. He needs to become more consistent with his shot from deep, but there is a lot to like for the fans from Dunk City.
Curtis Jones, 2016 SG, Paul VI: Jones is wired to score and can get it done from anywhere on the floor. He was the leading scorer for an absolutely loaded Paul VI team today thanks to his ability to shoot it from deep as well as get to the rim. It will be interesting to see how he contributes off the bench for the rest of the week, as he is not a starter.
Willie Carmichael, 2014 PF, Wekiva: Carmichael is a rebounding machine and a steal for Southern Miss. The big man never stops working and can score around the rim as well. He is wiry, but strong and works hard to get position on the block. He also runs the floor well and brings value as a shot blocker, Golden Eagle fans better get excited about him.
Justin Massey, 2014 SG: American Heritage: Massey led his team to the win in a sunshine series game over Wekiva. He got to the rim using his quickness and athletic ability. He should be a nice option for low-major programs looking for a scorer in this class.
Christian Terrell, 2014 SG, Providence: Terrell has sneaky bounce and can score the ball. The FGCU commit gave future fans something to be excited about on Thursday night as he helped lead his team to the W. He should have a great career in Dunk City, where his game will help him fit right in.
Lamar Kimble, 2015 SG, Neumann-Goretti: Kimble is a sweet-shooting guard who can get his shot off over bigger defenders. While it was an off night for his team, Kimble was one of the lone bright spots for them in what was a closely fought loss to Providence. He will be solid for a low-to-mid-major program.
Daniel Giddens, 2015 C, Wheeler: Giddens nearly had a triple-double, coming up a rebound and two blocks short of making it happen. Regardless, it is clear that the big man has all the physical tools to remain near the top of his class.
J.C. Washington, 2014 PF, Yates: Washington has a reputation as a workhorse and showed as much on his way to notching a double-double. The Houston commit was relentless on the boards and found a way to score around the rim despite the shot blocking of Giddens.
Jaylen Brown, 2015 SF, Wheeler: Brown is an exciting blend of size and skill. At 6-foot-8 he proved that he can handle the ball and belongs out on the perimeter. He excelled in the open floor and had a couple of highlight reel dunks. He also does a great job of rebounding for his position.
Justin Ravenel, 2015 SG, Greenforest Christian: While his team ultimately came up short, Ravenel put on a great scoring performance that would have been the headline of the game if not for Whitehead. He has had a strong first two days and it will be interesting to see how he comes out in their third and final game.
Isaiah Whitehead, 2014 SG, Lincoln: The term “Save the best for last” applies here, as Whitehead put on a scoring clinic during Lincoln’s win over GFA. He poured in 37 points and hit a number of threes. This time last year his three point shooting was seen as a bit of a weakness, now it’s a major strength, and he’s the best scorer in the class because of it.
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