A heavy dose of quality competition took place this past weekend at The Big House in Tavares as Source Hoops hosted our Spring Tip-Off. Let’s look at just some of the standouts in attendance.
Mikel Brown, Southeast Elite 3SSB 17U: A 6’1 sophomore from Sunrise Christian in Kansas, Brown and his game have grown considerably playing in the NIBC. Playing up a level, he showed great ability as a passer and play maker. Brown can create his own offense and makes perimeter shots out past the arc off either the catch or the bounce. Despite being thin of frame, he scores through contact in traffic at the basket. Brown is a harassing, on-ball defender.
V.J. Edgecombe, Southeast Elite 3SSB 17U: A 6’4 junior from Long Island Lutheran, Edgecombe is a dynamic player and arguably the “surprise guy” in the NIBC this past season. He is quick to the basket and explodes to finish over the rim. Edgecombe has some “wiggle” to his dribble, making him a tough cover off the bounce. He is a respectable perimeter shooter and continues to improve that aspect of his game. Edgecombe rebounds well for his size and is quick to break out of the pack and push the ball up the floor in transition. An active and alert defender, he disrupts the passing lanes and is quick to turn steals into scores.
Gavin Dunn, Showtime Ballers 17U: A 6’4 junior at Wekiva in Orlando, Dunn is back from a broken hand that finished his high school season early. He nailed a couple of perimeter shots in the game we took in and if that becomes a consistent weapon for him, Dunn’s recruiting stock will elevate. A high-level athlete, he finishes well above the rim in transition and when putting back offensive rebounds. Dunn is an effective straight-line driver that can hang in the air and makes shots through contact. His athleticism gives him the physical tools to be an impact perimeter defender.
Lyrique Sartin, XPC Elite 17U: A 6’0 sophomore from Tampa Brooks-DeBartolo, Sartin was playing up a level and proved he belonged. He is a high hoops IQ point guard that sees the floor and delivers passes at the right time. Sartin does a good job of breaking down the defense with his dribble and has good finishing ability in a crowd. He makes good reads and shot vs pass decisions when coming off ball screens. Sartin has active hands and fast feet on defense.
Caleb Williams, Southeast Elite Gold 17U: A 5’11 junior from Jacksonville Ribault, Williams is a solid point guard with speed, quickness, and high-level ball-handling skills. He creates easy baskets for teammates in transition as he comes away with a lot of 50/50 balls and creates chaos in the passing lanes. Williams scores well on floaters over the defense in the lane and makes good reads coming off ball-screens. He sees the floor well and makes a lot of plays via anticipation and instinct on both ends of the court.
Jacob Daniels, Team Speights 16U: A 6’0 sophomore at St. Petersburg Gibbs, Daniels struggled a bit early on but made some big shots down the stretch. Clearly, he isn’t afraid of the big moment. Daniels has tight handles and penetrates with a plan, never getting too deep into the collapsed defense. He scores well on drives and his perimeter shot, while not a big part of his arsenal in this game, must be respected. Daniels is an alert defender that makes the opposition work hard to run offense.
Isaiah Gillard, Southeast Elite 3SSB 15U: A 6’2 freshman at Foundation Academy in Winter Garden, we came away impressed with the effort, energy, and enthusiasm that Gillard plays with. He is a knockdown perimeter shooter with range, a fearless driver, and a reliable free throw shooter. Gillard showed off some good passing skills in the game we took in. He is seemingly tireless and plays hard at both ends of the court.