Ryan Noel:
Jr.Future150 GM and National Analyst. Covering Middle school basketball nationally.
Myrtle Beach, SC (Future150) -- This week Future150 Juniors checked in with Coach Darryl Kelly and his Carolina Stampede squad. The South Carolina-based outfit competes at the 8th grade level in AAU play, and they feature a handful of 2020 Top 100 hopefuls.
Leading the way for the Stampede is 5'11 combo guard Mark Aaron Parker II, an 8th grader from Johnsonville, SC. Parker is a big, lengthy guard that is lethal in transition. He's already showing good range on his jumpshot to go along with a great free throw stroke. Coach Kelly noted that Parker was a terrific, speedy player on fast breaks, but was more proud to note that Parker is a "straight-A" student.
Kelly said that while Parker is the current MVP, Quentin Hodge might ultimately end up as their best player. Hodge, a 6'1 wing from Florence, SC, is an all-around player on the floor. He's a very good ballhandler and rebounder that has a very cerebral approach to the game. Hodge spent last season recuperating from a broken tibia, so Coach Kelly expects him to have a breakout season in 2016.
The Stampede also features 5'11 forward Jalen Jenkins from Pamplico, SC, who Coach Kelly labeled as "the heart of the team". Jenkins is a tough-nosed defender that is physical on the block. He has a high motor, always diving for loose balls and crashing the boards on both ends of the floor.
Above all, Coach Kelly was most proud of his kids' work in the classroom. His program is focused heavily on making sure its kids have the right academic mindset to move forward in their basketball careers as they get older. Kelly said the progress they have made so far, in such a short amount of time, has been great. He's looking forward to helping all 11 of his players reach the national radar.
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