Lehi, Utah- The opening night of the Holiday Hoopfest gave us theatrics as Wasatch Academy beat Lewisville’s ISchool at the buzzer on a putback dunk by senior and New Mexico State signee Augustine Ekwe. Top 10 national recruit and Houston commit Isaiah Harwell is returning from an ACL injury but the wing looked to be moving well and was effective scoring at all three levels. Houston has a formidable incoming freshman class and Harwell has the ability to make an immediate impact on both sides of the ball. Junior Katrelle Harmon is a 6’5 lead guard that is a coach’s dream. Great size and pace at the point guard position, he can guard 1-3, and plays with steadiness and pace. He can get to the rim and has a good looking jumper out the three point line. Senior 6’3 wing James Miller is a big time shooter. He’s good with the ball in his hands but excels in sets to get him open and all he needs is a hair follicle of space to get his shot off.
For ISchool, senior Tulsa signee Jaylen Lawal is the piece whose play matters the most to ISchool’s success. At 6’3 he has excellent size and when he’s scoring on all three levels it’s impossible to defend their entire team. He struggled shooting on night one but had an efficient 23 point game, making several three pointers on night two. He’s at his best attacking the paint drawing the defenses complete attention. Senior 6’5 Jackson Townsend wing was another knockdown shooter on the weekend. Put him in position to get a shot off and more so than not he’s going to burn you. He had a five three pointer game against defending state champions, Lehi(UT), and any colleges looking for shooting should take an honest look. Junior 6’6 wing Mario Wooden Jr. had a good showing. He’s versatile and right now is a glue guy for the team but you can see the tools beginning to develop, his spring and summer will be huge for his recruitment.
Fort Worth’s Eastern Hills lost both games in Utah due to turnover issues but overall the group played ok. Senior 5’10 Messiah Miller is unsigned and has zero interest and I’m trying to understand why. The lefty opened their game against Liberty (LA) with a huge two hand dunk with his knees on a defenders chest. He is his strongest going to his left elevating for mid range jumpers and floaters in the lane. At the rim, he’s the most explosive athlete in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and he’s developing his consistency from behind the arc. Fellow unsigned senior 6’6 Dorian Johnson is a hidden gem as well. He’s an inside player but you can see the face up game developing from the short corner or elbow. He has a jump hook over either shoulder, rebounds well and is physically imposing. Putting it all together consistently should produce some big games as district season begins. The next generation of Highlander hoopers saw their first stiff competition and played solid, sophomore Devon Norice and freshman Junior Norman are names we will hear a lot of in the future.
Liberty (LA) won a state championship last year and I can’t imagine senior lead guard 5’10 Malek Robinson not being the most instrumental. A point guard’s point guard, Robinson is always in attack mode, probing the defense for easy threes for his teammates or points for himself. He’s a pest on the defensive end and is constantly pressuring the ball. Senior 5’10 Kareem Washington hit four first half three pointers in their win against Eastern Hills.
Duncanville went 1-1 in Utah, losing to AJ Dybantsa and Utah Prep but defeating Utah’s best public school team, Orem. The trio of 6’3 TCU signee Kayden Edwards, sophomore 6’2 Beckham Black, and sophomore 6’1 Christopher Hunt Jr. are beginning to emerge as a three headed monster. Edwards was his usual self this weekend, straight line speed, pull ups and deep three pointers but it was Black and Hunt Jr. who took the next step in their development. Black was crafty, getting to the paint and showing off an improved confidence in his jump shot knocking down more than a few hesitation pull ups and catch and shoot three pointers. We know about his playmaking ability, but he seems to have figured out that most defenders are unable to contain him with his crafty handle. These were the best two games I’ve seen from Hunt. Slashing to the paint for mid range pull ups and three pointers off the dribble, he was the second leading scorer against Utah Prep with 19 and I can see him turning in to the Panther’s second scoring option behind Edwards. Cam Smith at 6’7ish maybe 6’8 forward continues to show flashes of his talent. He opened the first quarter against Orem with three triples but without a big man the Panthers need him to rebound and the easy inside opportunities would be plentiful for him with Duncanville’s outside scoring.
BYU signee 6’10 Chamberlain Burgess had a 15 point and 10 rebound double double for Orem (UT) and showcased the full range of his skills.
Corner Canyon (UT) senior and Boise State signee 6’4 Noah Bendinger is excellent going to the basket and keeping defenders off balance attacking closeouts. He has the touch for floaters in the paint and the athleticism to finish above the rim.
6’4 junior Najay Bess of St Raymond’s (NY) finished with 17 points against Wasatch (UT) and hit several tough mid range jumpers. Possessing somewhat of a linebacker build, Bess didn’t shy away from contact or taking and making big shots when his team needed it before fouling out in the 4th. Fellow junior 6’8 Luis Carillo showed the ability to hit catch and shoot three pointers converting three against Wasatch and excellent footwork in the paint.
I enjoyed watching defending the state champions Lehi (UT) play. They are a free group that puts a ton of offensive pressure on you. There isn’t a shot 6’5 senior Easton Hawkins he is afraid to take. He converted from different distances and angles in route to 23 points against ISchool. 6’4 sophomore Ashton Shewell seems to be next in line after Hawkins graduates to let it fly. In limited opportunities he showed his ability to hit deep three pointers in needed moments for his team.
