Hoop Exchange Fall Festival: Weaver steals the show
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ORLANDO--AsthehighschooljamboreeendedonSunday,manyofthestateofFlorida'stopplayersgatheredfortheindividualportionoftheHoopExchange'sFallFestival.SophomorepointguardElijahWeavershowedupandstoletheshowonadaythatfeaturedmanytalentsthatwe'llbegettingtoknowdowntheroad.
Iwasimpressedwith...
Afterover15yearsinthebusiness,I'velearnedtotakeanyclaimsaboutthenextbigthingorbestplayereverfromaprogramwithagrainofsalt.ButheadcoachJordanFairhasbuiltastrongprogramatTampa(Fla.)OldsmarChristiansowhenhementionedtomethathethoughtsophomorepointguardElijahWeaverhadthetoolstobeabigtimeprospect,Itooknotice.
IcannowseewhyFairissohighonthepotentialofthe6-foot-4pointguard.
WeaverbackeduptheadvancebillinginabigwaywithhisplayonSunday.HeisasouthpawwhohasaphysicalbuildsimilartoSetonHallstarandformerfive-starprospectIsaiahWhiteheadatthesameage.WhileWhiteheadwasapurescorer,Weaverisclearlyapointguard.Assoonashegetstheballheispushingtempowithhisheadupsurveyinghisoptions.Whetherheneedstousestrength,quicknessoraseriesofhesitationsandcrossovershegetswhereverheneedstobeandmoreoftenthannotmakesagooddecision.
Hisjumperneedssomefine-tuningbutit'scertainlynotbroken.WewillstartWeaveroffasafour-starprospectbutthenexttimeweadjustthe2018rankingsheisgoingtogetseriousconsiderationforfive-starstatusandit'snotunfairtothinkofhimasapotentialtop25orbetterplayerinthecountry.WeaverreportedoffersfromLouisville,Florida,Miami,NebraskaandFloridaInternational.
2018PGElijahWeaverlookstobealegitimatebigtimeprospect.TallsouthpawPGw/feelforgame,burst.Instinctiveplayer#fallfestival-EricBossi(@ebosshoops)October11,2015
OnSunday,thefoulsweren'taconcernbecauseBrownwasabletophysicallyoverwhelmhisopponentsaroundtherim.Whatdidstickout,though,wasthatheisinmuchbettershapeandthe20poundsorsohe'slostsincethesummerhasallowedhimtobeeffectiveforlongerstretches.Brownalsoplayedmeaninthelane,erasedshots,wasstrongontheglassandtheremightnotbeabigmaninhighschoolbasketballwhodoesabetterjobofkeepingtheballhighandnotdroppingitdownsosmallerplayerscanswipeatit.BrownmentionedConnecticut,N.C.State,Miami,OhioState,UCLAandKansas.
Iwassurprisedby...
LatemorningSunday,ScottGoldenoftheHoopExchangesuggestedthatIheadtoabackgymtowatchclassof2017pointguardScootieBryantfromJacksonville(Fla.)Providence.WhenIwalkedin,Isawhisopponentsdoingeverythingtheycouldtokeephimfromgettingtheballanditwaseasytoseewhy.
A6-foot-1floorgeneral,Bryantisaspeedburnerwhohaslateralquicknessthatequalshisspeed.Moreimportantly,he'sabletobefastwithoutbeingoutofcontrol.Hehasapull-upgame,cangettotherim,getsothersinvolvedandlookstobeaball-hawkingdefender.Obviously,heisgoingtohavetoshowthathecanplayatthelevelheshowedSundayonaregularbasisbuthelookedlikeapointguardthathighmajorsneedtobeinvolvedwith.
BryantplayshissummerballfortheJacksonvilleMagicandlistedoffersfromUAB,FloridaInternationalandNorthFloridawhilesayingthatFloridaState,WakeForest,TempleandMarylandhavebeenbytoseehim.
Greattipgotmeintothebackgymintimetosee2017PGZack"Scootie"Bryant.Quickandtough.Definitelyonetowatch#fallfestival-EricBossi(@ebosshoops)October11,2015
Another2017pointguardwhoreallycaughtourattentionwassix-footerSylvainFranciscoClickHeretoviewthisLink.ofMiami(Fla.)LibertyChristian.Physically,heisverysimilartoasmallerversionof2016starDe'AaronFoxClickHeretoviewthisLink..He'sexplosivelyathletic,fastandplaysaflashystylebutneverstopshustling.FranciscorunswithNikeSouthBeachinthesummerandsaidthatGeorgiaTechClickHeretoviewthisLink.andVirginiaClickHeretoviewthisLink.evaluatedhimasasophomorebuthe'syettoseeanyprogramsinthegymthisFall.AnativeofFrance,he'stoogoodtonothaveprogramsintoseehim.
Rivals150juniorwingDavidNickelberryClickHeretoviewthisLink.backeduphisinclusionintherankings.Pushing6-foot-7,hehasexcellentballskillsandisaverygoodpasser.Ashefillsoutandfindsabalancebetweenscoringandplaymakinghewillblossom.HelistedoffersfromMurrayState,IndianaState,Miami,MemphisClickHeretoviewthisLink.andGeorgeMasonandalsomentionedOklahomaClickHeretoviewthisLink.,UAB,Louisville,FloridaGulfCoast,FloridaandUTChattanoogaasprogramsthathavestoppedby.
ItwassurprisingtolearnthatLauderdaleLakes(Fla.)BoydAndersonsmallforwardBrianPatrickClickAnotherRivals150playerfromtheclassof2017,No.133overallTrentFrazierClickHeretoviewthisLink.hadagoodday.The6-foot-1pointguardisanaturalscorerwhocanshootitfromdeepandhasquicknesstotherim.Whenhelocksindefensively,hecanbeapest.HelistedoffersfromBaylor,IllinoisClickHeretoviewthisLink.,NorthFloridaandMurrayStateandsaidthatFlorida'sMikeWhiteClickHeretoviewthisLink.hasbeenintoseehimalongwithcoachesfromFloridaInternational,FloridaAtlanticandUCF.HeretoviewthisLink.haszeroDivisionOneoffers.A6-foot-5athletewithagoodlookingjumper,helookslikeapotentiallow-to-mid-majorsleeperandMurrayState,ChattanoogaandYoungstownStatehaveshowninterest.
Windingthingsdown,2018prospectsNassirLittleClickHeretoviewthisLink.RobertAllenClickHeretoviewthisLink.andKeyshawnBryantClickHeretoviewthisLink.allshowedtalent.A6-foot-6smallforwardwithlongarms,athleticismandsomejumpshootingability,LittlehashighmajorupsideandclaimedearlyoffersfromStetson,NorthFlorida,UCF,Miami,FloridaandFloridaStatetogoalongwithMarylandinterest.Allenisapromising6-foot-7powerforwardatOrlando(Fla.)Edgewaterwhohaslength,athleticismandsometouch.Bryantisanotherlankyandathleticsmallforwardwith6-foot-6sizeandbigupside.HefirstcaughtRivals.com'sattentionlastmonthattheEach1Teach1showcaseandhediditagaininOrlando.
Finally, a pair of 2019 prospects deserve some mention: 6-foot-4 shooting guard Niven GloverClick Here to view this Link. and 6-foot-5 wing C.J. WalkerClick Here to view this Link.. Glover was as athletic as anybody in the building and lived above the rim. He also showed a very nice looking floater. A baby-faced 14 year old, Walker showed good skill, some aggressiveness and looks like one of those kids whose game could really take off when he matures physically. It's early with these guys, but they deserve to be monitored.
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