10/11/2015 football Edit

Hoop Exchange Fall Festival: Weaver steals the show

Eric Bossi

Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst

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

Afive-starprospectwhocurrentlyranksNo.17overallintheclassof2017,seven-footerZachBrownhasbeenonthesceneforawhile.Lastsummer,Ithoughthereallystruggledwithsillyfoulsandconditioningandthatthoseissuesheldhimbackattimes.

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

Itwasn'tasmuchasurprisethat6-foot-7comboforwardIbrahimDoumbiafromMiami(Fla.)CountryDaydisplayedhighleveltalent.Itwasjustasurprisetogettoseehim.SinceburstingontothesceneatArlingtonCountryDayasasophomorehe'sbeentoughtofind,butseeinghimonlyreinforcedhisfour-starstatus.Doumbiaisadeluxeathlete,playswithahugemotorandheisintheprocessoftransitioningtothewing.Doumbiasaidthathe'sexpectingSouthCarolina,UCF,ArizonaStateandBaylorintoseehiminthecomingweeks.

FreshoffofaplaneandanunofficialvisittoKansasfortheLateNightevent--SoutheastEliteFloridateammateChaundeeBrownvisitedwithhim--,itwouldhavebeeneasyfor2017Rivals150wingWyattWilkestogothroughthemotions.Instead,heplayedhardandhadaverygoodday.Wilkesisa6-foot-6wingwithgoodathleticismwhocanreallyshootitfromdeepandplayswithalotoftoughness.WilkesgavehisKansasvisitravereviewsandBillSelfisexpectedintoseehimearlynextweek.WilkeslistedoffersfromClemson,VirginiaTech,Tennessee,FloridaGulfCoast,Rice,UCFandUABtogoalongwithinterestfromGeorgia,Florida,FloridaStateandButler.

NorthCarolinaClickOtherthoughts...HeretoviewthisLink.commitTonyBradleyClickOtherthoughts...HeretoviewthisLink.lookedsolidplayingwithhisBartow(Fla.)Highteam.Acollegecenterwithgoodhands,touchandmotor,hediddamageneartherimandshowedthatheshouldbeabletoscorewithtouchtoatleast12feet.Howquicklyhecanadjusttothespeedofhigh-levelACCbasketballwilldeterminehowquicklytheNo.30playerin2016makesanimpact.

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.

Click Here to view this Link.