Zachary Lyon:
Future150 Regional Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball: NC, SC & VA
Spartanburg, SC (Future150) -- Plenty of sleeper prospects from the Southeast emerged at Upward Sports Nation's #I85CircuitFinals this past week at the Upward Stars Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina! Check out below a list of standouts from the week!
Stephen Clark, 2019 6'5" Combo Forward, PSB Select (NC): Clark doesn't have the best size for his position(s) at this point, but his long, lanky frame makes it look like he may grow another inch or two before it's all said and done. He has a super soft touch around the rim, crashes the glass hard on both ends, and is capable of knocking down the mid-range jumper. Right now he is primed to be a stud DII prospect, but with a little more growth and strength development, he could be a very productive low-major prospect.
Trey Smith, 2019 5'11" Point Guard, Upward Stars Upstate (SC): One of the most exciting to players to watch over the week, Smith is a super crafty scorer off the bounce. He loves the mid-range pull up jumper, and is very capable of knocking down shots from way downtown. His ball-handling, crafty scoring, and ability to play both guard positions should make him a very solid DII prospect with some upside.
Jaxon Etter, 2019 6'3" Shooting Guard, North Atlanta Orangemen (GA): In the 16U championship game on Friday afternoon, Etter exploded going for over 25 points and draining some very clutch free throws near the end of the game. His size and fantastic outside shooting make him a no-brainer DII prospect. With some improvements on the defensive end, and continued to development on the offensive end (that isn't a three point shot), he could certainly work his way into DI status down the road.
Cameron Carraway, 2019 6'1" Point Guard, SC Focus (SC): Carraway is more of a fundamental point guard, but has the killer instinct to take over games with his scoring abilities as well. He has solid size at the lead guard position, and was very tough to stop when slashing into the lane and getting to the basket. His size, strength, and vision paired with his slashing abilities should definitely put him into the low-major category right now.
Jahquez Sanders, 2019 6'2" Point Guard, Team United Elite (NC): Sanders impressed by showcasing his explosiveness and abilitiy to get up and down the floor so quickly in transition. He already has college ready size and strength which pairs well with his abilities to see the floor so well in both the halfcourt and transitional settings. Right now Sanders has to be considered a very solid low-major prospect with some considerable mid-major upside.
PJ Hall, 2020 6'8" Power Forward, Upward Stars Upstate (SC): Arguably the prospect with the highest upside at the event, Hall was highly impressive throughout the week. Towering over most of his opponents at 6'8"+, he was unstoppable in the paint on the offensive end. He runs the floor very well and has the ability to stretch the defense all the way out to the three point line. Hall still has some improvements to be made, but with his size, skill, and versatility he projects to be a very productive mid-major guy. He could even put himself into that high-major category before his high school career comes to an end.
Max Rogers, 2020 6'1" Shooting Guard, East Coast Knights (NC): Rogers is the true definition of a pure scoring prospect. As a rising sophomore, he already has very solid size and strength for the two-guard position. His scoring abilities from all three levels were ridiculous. If he wasn't knocking down tough jump shots, he was getting to the rim and finishing at ridiculous angles. Rogers development over the next few years will be very crucial to where he ends up playing after high school, but you'd be crazy to bet against this kid working into DI status.
Jaron Williams, 2018 6'6" Small Forward, Upward Stars - York County (SC): After showing out at Future150's Main Event Charlotte Tournament on the last weekend of June, Williams picked up an offer from South Carolina State. He continued to show out at the I85 Circuit Finals, and had plenty of coaches watching him throughout the weekend including Longwood, UNC-Charlotte, and Winthrop. Not the most athletic or explosive, Williams always produces on both ends and always has a team first mindset when on the floor.
Zach Baldinelli, 2019 6'2" Shooting Guard, Upward Stars Upstate (SC): Paired in the backcourt with Trey Smith (see above), Baldinelli was hard to keep off the scoresheet all throughout the week. Even though he is a very talented scorer, what was really impressive was his versatility on the defensive end and great rebounding abilities for a 6'2" guard. With an offer on the table from St. Andrew's (NAIA), he has definitely worked his way into a very productive DII prospect with some low-major upside.
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