Yohane Kabongo, Daytona Beach DME Academy: A 6’10 senior, Kabongo was MIA for much of the summer due to various injuries.  This weekend, he looked as if nothing was impacting his performance.  Strong, athletic, mobile, agile and hostile, Kabongo is not just a presence but force around the basket at both ends of the floor.  He scores well with basic post moves, is a constant lob threat, and finishes well on the receiving end of ball-screen action.  Kabongo is not yet a threat to step away from the paint and score, but he is a decent ball-handler and passer when placed out there.  He is very quick off the floor for offensive rebounds and has rapid second, third, and fourth leaps when going after the ball coming off the rim.  With his length and lateral quickness, Kabongo is adept at switching out on ball-screens to keep opponents away from the basket.

Ka’Shawn Gill, Orlando Southeastern Prep National: A 6’3 junior, Gill has a lot of upside for the next level and an equally high floor at the present.  We were quite impressed with his ability to produce at a high level with both great energy and efficiency.  Gill has a reliable shot from the perimeter on both sides of the arc to go along with plenty of ball-skills and quickness to get into the paint and score or distribute.  Long and lanky, he has some filling out to do but when he does it won’t diminish his overall athleticism.  He slashes and scores well at the basket, both in transition and the half-court, having no problem absorbing contact and getting the ball in the basket.  Gill covers a lot of ground quickly on defense, disrupts passing lanes, and rebounds well for his size.

Zach Walker, Orlando West Oaks Academy: A 6’1 senior, Walker is a capable scoring point guard that gets others involved and makes plays on his own when things break down or the shot clock is reaching critical mass.  He makes good reads when getting into the lane, finding crevices to the basket or spraying the ball out to open perimeter shooters.  Walker is adept at reading and reacting appropriately when engaged in ball-screen action.  His perimeter shooting on either side of the arc is respectable at this stage of his development.  Defensively he works hard to keep the ball in front of him and is quick to help then recover back to his defensive assignment.

Lilian Tchabo, Orlando Academy of Central Florida: A 6’8 senior, Tchabo provides the muscle, energy, and grit that ACF needs to compete at the highest level.  A quick leaper with strength, he gets to missed shots quickly at both ends.  Tchabo is quick to put back misses by teammates, score inside after cuts into the lane, and throw down a lob when the opportunity arises.  He runs the floor well, routinely beating his man down the court to create a numbers advantage for his team.  Tchabo can guard opponents of various sizes due to his physical and athletic gifts.

Alassane Doucoure, Fort Lauderdale Prolific Prep National: A 6’10 senior, it was a highly productive Friday for Doucoure.  He performed his role well, which is to pursue rebounds at both ends, set ball-screens, help cutters get open, and score around (or above) the rim when the opportunity arises.  Doucoure most likely will not get a lot of court time this coming season due to the presence of more high profile frontcourt players on the roster, so the coaches that watched him this weekend got a much better idea of what he can do now and what he can become in the future.  He surprised when he stepped out and knocked down a three-point shot but was much more accomplished when it came to scoring within arm’s reach of the rim.  Doucoure runs the floor well, protects the rim as both a shot-blocker and shot-changer, and doesn’t shy away from playing physically to deny post positioning.

Malachi John, Orlando Southern Coast Academy: A 6’6 senior, John is an ideal combo wing that is effective at either the “2” or the “3” spot.  He is a good athlete, shoots the ball well from perimeter, and finishes forays to the basket in a number of ways.  A highlight waiting to happen in transition, John is fast down the floor and no pass is seemingly out of his reach when thrown toward the basket.  He earns a lot of trips to the foul line with his quick first step and ferocity in driving to the basket.  John is a willing and capable passer to cutters and into the post.  He has the ability to grab a defensive rebound and push the ball up the floor on his own.  John has a great deal of versatility to offer on the defensive end.

Braynor Pagan Melo, Orlando Exclusive Prep: A 6’10 sophomore, Melo moves well for a player his size and age. He has a good frame and looks to be able to put on more strength and improve his overall athleticism in the near future.  Melo showed a good offensive skill set, completing some tough finishes around the basket.  He scores well with basic post moves such as drop steps and jump hooks in the lane.  Melo controls his rebounding area and while more of a shot challenger/changer at this point, no doubt he will get his fair share of swats as time moves on.

Drabo Moussa, Kissimmee Central Pointe Christian: A 6’9 junior, Moussa continues to build on a spring and summer that saw his recruiting profile blossom.  Long and bouncy, he still has some room to fill out without losing any athleticism.  Moussa does his best work near the basket, whether posting, entering the lane after a pick-and-roll, or receiving passes on the ground or lobs in the air from penetrating teammates.  One (of many) pleasant surprises was his ability to locate cutters and perimeter shooters when crowded in the post.  Despite a lack of heft, Moussa does a good job of scoring through contact.  On the defensive end he is a rim protector and player that can switch out and defend smaller players on the perimeter.

Wol Deng, Fort Lauderdale Prolific Prep HS: A 6’8 freshman, Deng is considered one of the better players in Florida’s freshman class.  The thin Kenyan has some length and skill.  He also plays with a good energy level for a guy just entering high school.  Deng runs the floor, finishes lobs and putbacks, and handles the ball acceptably on the perimeter.  His scoring tools in the halfcourt will certainly develop as his high school career progresses.  Defensively, Deng makes an impact with his length, ability to anticipate the flight and direction of the ball, and lateral quickness.  He can cover any spot from one to four, is fast to rotate and help, and makes hustle plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet.

Kinmore Williams, Miami Calusa Prep: A 6’6 senior, Williams is strong and bouncy, playing bigger than his listed size.  He made quite an impact as an out-of-area rebounder at both ends.  Williams showed flashes of offensive combustability with a stretch that included a dunk off the bounce in traffic, a three off the catch, then a stop-and-pop mid-range jumper.  Williams comes off as a solid driver and finisher after straight line drives of one or two dribbles from the high post and short corners.  He is a physical defender that makes it hard for opponents to get to where they want to go.