As Alan Branch would tell me, “go where the players are,” and in my opinion that is the main rule of thumb as a basketball evaluator. Mr. Kevin Allen set up a small but talent heavy three game showcase at St. Thomas High School that boasted prospects that are high in the TBB database. We got to take a strong look at the young guard for the talented Houston Yates squad and where he fares in the 2020 class with impressive guard depth.
Jock Hughes, 2018 SG – Houston Yates: Hughes struggled putting the ball through the rim in the first 10 minutes of Yates game against St. Thomas but when the SFA commit connected one of his transition threes, the landscape of the game tilted afterwards. Jock went on a tear and engineered 15 straight points to open up the lead for the Lions and finished with 29 points in the win.
Mitchell Seriale, 2018 PF – Houston Yates: Seriale terrorized the rim with multiple above the rim finishes as the SFA Lumberjack signee possesses good length and athleticism that allows him to impact games in the interior on both sides of the floor. Other parts of his game will need to grow as he will need to develop a dependable 10-12 ft jumper but you can see where he can make his impact for HC Kyle Keller.
Ruben Jones, 2020 PG – Houston Yates: The lefty set-up man for Yates has good snap on his passes and shot it well on Saturday from the three point line. The speed of the game is an adjustment for the the young talented pg but once he settled himself, he got to his spots and made plays on the offensive end. Jones now isn’t in the very top tier category for 2020 in the guard department but has good upside and wouldn’t be surprised if he was when it is all said and done.
Jahari Long, 2020 PG – Episcopal: A top 15 prospect in 2020, Long is a smooth operating lead guard that looks to get his teammates involved first. He has a understanding to when he needs to get his own shot and did a good job manufacturing a good look off the bounce. Talent is in no question in regards to Jahari Long and the staff will keep tabs of him throughout the season.
Adam Kanafani, 2020 Wing – Episcopal: Kanafani played his role for his team being placed at the four-spot but showcased a skill set that the staff witness at the Scout Focus Elite 80 in Houston in September. He is a solid finisher around the rim but has a nice stroke from beyond the arc and showed flashes of a scorer off the dribble.
DJ Peavy, 2018 PG – Dekaney: DJ did a good job dictating pace and looking to get the ball to his teammates. He connected on a high percentage of his jumpers on Saturday and has no problem keeping the ball in his hands and score in any looks the defense give him.
Micah Peavy, 2020 SF – Dekaney: Micah is a top 5 prospect in 2020 as the wing for Dekaney is a crafty finisher in the paint and excels as the ball handler in the open court. Peavy has a good feel for the game and cracked the 20 point mark in the Wildcats win vs St. Pius.
Edited by AB