Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Charlottesville, VA (Future150) -- The 2016 NBPA Top 100 Camp kicked off on Wednesday afternoon on the campus of the University of Virginia. Nationally touted prospects in the classes of 2017, 2018 & 2019 battled against one another in one of the most unique settings in all of prep basketball. Below are a list of standouts from the second session of action on Thursday.
Charles Bassey, 2019 PF: Any and all arguments about the #1 national ranking in the 2019 class have to include the 6'10" power forward, who has been dominant at times this week. On Thursday night, he registered another double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. His game is extremely advanced for his age, a blend of finesse and power. Look for him to gain even more steam as play resumes on Friday.
Silvio De Sousa, 2018 PF: Speaking of power, the 6'8" big man flexed his muscles using his polished post moves while attacking the glass at all times on Thursday evening. In a matchup with Charles Bassey, he finished with 13 points on 6-10 shooting, displaying pretty footwork and agile navigation on the low blocks.
Matt Hurt, 2019 F: It was the kind of perfromance that will solidify a huge jump in the national rankings for the Minnesota native. Scoring 18 points while shooting 6-12 from the field, 3-6 from the three-point line and 3-3 from the free-throw line, while also snatching five rebounds in the process, it's clear that his game is growing at a rapid pace. Since last July, the 6'9" combo forward has grown tremendously as a player, and it all showed on Thursday night.
Vernon Carey, 2019 PF: While the 6'9" power forward can consistently do most of his damage on the low blocks, it was his perimeter shooting and abilty to handle the ball in the open floor that raised eyebrows on Thursday. For a prospect so young, it was clear to see that his best basketball is years ahead of him. At this stage of the game, he's solidified his spot as a top 10 prospect nationally in his class.
Christian PoPoola, 2017 PG: If we are talking about one of the more polished floor generals in the class nationally, the Bishop Gorman (NV) product has to be in the conversation. While he usually shows off his passing skills and high IQ, on Thursday evening it was his scoring ability that wowed the crowd. He scored 21 points on 7-9 shooting from the field, 3-4 from the three-point line and 4-4 from the free-throw line.
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