Kimball #4 Marri Wickware-Wesley. Shot by Jarius Morrison
2021 was the last time I was at the TABC live period event in Duncanville and 3 years later it is still the best summer basketball event in the state of Texas. The college coach’s section was thick, the basketball good and high school players rocking school colors with their head coach roaming the sidelines in the summer gives me chills.
High school basketball is special and Dallas/Ft. Worth is one of the most competitive and talent rich spots in the country, probably the world. We can argue about it on X.
Several prospects caught my eye and what made this special was that I’ve seen several of them as 7,8, and 9 year old players. Now they’re leading teams, making plays, and earning scholarships.
Pay Attention to Crowley
In my opinion, the most important aspect of high school basketball is guard play and no one has a more dangerous guard duo than Head Coach Demarqus James of Crowley High School. I understand ’26 Kam McGilvery is blowing up but as a college coach how in the hell do you miss 6’2 2026 Jaelon Germany?
I’ll wait.
I may be biased because he’s been one of my favorite guards since he was 10 years old but what is the rest of Texas let alone the country not seeing? He’s special special, like really special and has been special. Germany is skilled and can get to wherever he wants on the floor, whenever he wants. He uses his body to move pesky defenders and has the smoothness and an array of finishes to score in the lane. His midrange game better be on your scouting report. He’s only going to get better and I would hate to be a school on the outside looking in.
Oak Cliff Faith Family is a consistent name that features collegiate level talent in our area. ’26 6’8 Davion Adkins and ’26 6’7 Anthony Spencer continue the tradition. Adkins is a rim protector with a developing post game while Spencer excels as a rebounder and has that old school motor.
The Next DISD Big Man is at Carter
Dallas is known for producing athletic combo forwards and bigs. Should his development go as expected, 28′ 6’9 Terrell Jackson is next in line. The freshman has the height, athleticism, and foundation to make him an early major prospect to put on your radar. Once the light comes on, every high major school in the south and maybe the country will be required to come see him. ’27 6’7 James McCall is a solid low post presence as well, good hands, feet and a soft touch make him an excellent prospect.
Canyon Randall 25′ 6’1 G Jaxon Toniollo left me impressed. He has an effective handle that allows him to play at his own pace and gets to the paint where he is effective with the pull up jumper. He made help defenders pay several times with catch & shoot threes.
Ischool vs. Houston St. Johns left something to be desired from an overall game standpoint but the matchup of ’25 6’8 David Iweze and 25′ 6’8 Sebastian Williams-Adams was a good watch. Ischool has guards that can facilitate the ball to Iweze while Williams-Adams has a do it all approach for his squad. One thing can be said, Williams-Adams with a head of steam is a problem for defenders. He’s either getting to the rim or to the free throw line. While you normally see players of Williams-Adams stature dominate the ball, he looks to get his teammates involved and isn’t a tunnel vision player when driving to the rim. However, he makes it very clear he is the most important offensive option on the floor. Iweze excels as a rebounder and has above average athleticism. He’s a traditional post and uses his body well. He will be the best big on the floor most nights. ’25 6’3 guard Jaylen Lawal has the kind of wiggle that makes him a tough lead guard to cover and when the jumper is falling its a long day for defenders. ’28 6’7 Emmanuel Nwabuoku of St. John’s screams length and athleticism. He’s already a solid defender but the growth in his offensive game should be fun to watch.
Is it safe to say DISD basketball has fully returned?
I came up in the 2000s where DISD produced competitive basketball team after team and college prospect after prospect. This 2024 Kimball squad is right up there. Coming at you with strength, speed and athleticism I don’t see many teams being able to handle the buzzsaw that are the Knights. The scoreboard shows a close game but Kimball was up 20+ on 6A Denton Guyer and it felt like all of the oxygen had been sucked out of the court for the Wildcats. 2025 6’7 Lance Carr was all over the rim but more impressively showed the ability to shoot the trey ball. Immediately you can see 3&D in his future. 2025 6’4 Jaylon Dean-Vines is a Freddy Kruger nightmare. Size, athleticism, and confidence from the lead guard spot is dangerous but that Dallas swag makes him the next great Kimball guard. Play on that rim young fella. Who I left the most impressed with was ’27 6’5 Marri Wickware-Wesley. I assumed he was older because of his maturity on the floor but he’s a rising sophomore that tips the scales for his team. He’s a competitor, strong, athletic, defends and seems to be all over the floor at the right time. He’s a stock you buy in to now and never sell. Whoever gets him at the next level has a potential game changer.
St. Mark’s never leaves me dissapointed
I saw Harrison Ingram in high school and well you know the rest. After a solid career at Stanford and UNC the city hopes to hear his name called on Thursday. But on that night, it was Andrew Laczkowski who impressed me the most. He started his college career at William & Mary and is now at Penn. This game against Humble Summer Creek featured another Laczkowski who is keeping the family basketball name iron clad. ’25 6’7 Luke Laczkowski may just be the best one of the bunch, sorry Drew. Being the youngest sibling you always look up to and vow to be better than the others and I think at this stage Luke just might have it. He has great size, an effective trey ball he isn’t afraid to let loose, and is a fiery competitor. I played private school ball in HS and one of the knocks on us is our toughness. Not here, Laczkowski is coming at you every possession. His running mate ’27 6’8 Dawson Battie is in the mold of the modern day combo forward. Plays outside in and checks a lot of boxes. You can see the high major and NBA pedigree in his father Tony Battie. These two are a problem together but can both take over a game from their respective spots.
Former Duncanville assistant, Daniel Moore, now head man at Humble Summer Creek had one of my favorite guards of the day, ’26 6′ lead guard Reginald Rideau. As a smaller guard you have to be good and Rideau is damn good. I hate the comparison game but he reminds me of current NBA prospect and all conference lead guard Isaiah Stevens. I saw him as a his entire High School career and he’s lived up to every expectation. You can’t take the ball away from Rideau, moves with purpose, operates at his own pace, looks to get his teammates involved but is probably the best scorer on the floor most nights. The jumper is sweet like Laffy Taffy. He’s also meeting you at half court on the defensive end. Losing the lead in the second half, Rideau was inserted back in to the game and went on a personal 9-0 run, it was pretty much over. What more is there to say after that?
Sleeper of the Day
Fort Bend Travis ’25 6’6 Timi Ibinkinle played the kind of basketball that earns you a scholarship, period. The level is being determined but he deserves a free education somewhere. In his game against Denton Braswell he couldn’t come off the floor. He did everything! Immediately you can see his skill as an athlete, defender, rebounder. He plays above the rim on both ends and I mean well above the rim. Glassing shots, big boards and a motor (which shouldn’t be a skill by the way) he kept the engine running for his team. He has a developing jump shot and confidence in his handle, but his court vision is to be applauded. I don’t think this team goes very far without Ibinkinle but with him, Fort Bend Travis is an upset favorite.
