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Live period Dallas Friday: The stars come out

Cole Anthony
Cole Anthony (Jon Lopez/Nike @NikeEYB)

DALLAS - The first day of the spring evaluation period kicked off Friday evening as coaches were out scouring the nation for their next stars. In Dallas, Cole Anthony hosted a bevy of heavy-hitting schools for his tremendous outing, Vernon Carey, Jr. was the main attraction and - oh, by the way - someone forgot to tell the college coaches that Addison Patterson is worth checking out.

MORE: Live period in Dallas - who the coaches were watching

RANKINGS: 2018 Rivals150 | 2019 Rivals150 | 2020 Rivals150 | 2018 Team

Cole Anthony makes his statement 

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Cole Anthony
Cole Anthony (Jon Lopez/Nike @NikeEYB)

If there was any argument about who was the top point guard in the 2019 class, it was squashed on Friday evening by five-star guard Cole Anthony. Playing up on the Nike EYBL 17-under level since he was a freshman, Anthony kicked off his senior travel-ball season in an emphatic manner. Whether it was explosive finishes at the basket, mid-range pull-ups, or catch-and-shoot 3s, Anthony did it all.

He has flown under the radar a bit, but after seeing who was in attendance and the dominant stat line that he produced, it's pretty clear this is going to be a blueblood affair, as UNC, Duke, Michigan, Villanova, Oregon, Georgetown, Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame are among those that are in the hunt.

In the past, I had issues with Anthony’s decision-making and shot-selection abilities. But the PSA Cardinals star made his point by scoring from all three levels on the floor while also displaying better facilitating abilities than I had ever seen from him. Pound for pound, Anthony is a much better prospect than Trevon Duval was at this stage of the game. Unlike Duval, who could struggled to find the basket, Anthony has the moxie, toughness, confidence and upside that says he should be a top point guard in 2019. Jalen Lecque, Ashton Hagans and Josiah James may still have a say, but if Anthony keeps doing what he did on Friday evening, this discussion is closed.

Vernon Carey is the main attraction 

Vernon Carey
Vernon Carey

Heavy hitters were on hand to watch the top-ranked junior, Vernon Carey. Head coaches from UNC, Michigan State, Duke, Florida, Kentucky and Miami were all in attendance. Despite the 11 p.m. Eastern time start, Carey didn't seem concerned about his late-night bedtime. One of the best finishers in high school ball, the son of former Miami Dolphins’ lineman Vernon Carey Sr. was a dunking machine off of drop-off dimes and putbacks. Some believe James Wiseman is ahead of him as a prospect, but the South Florida native did his very best to erase such talk.

The lefty has begun to rework his body, and he has become less reliant on his dominant hand around the basket, as he attempted a righty hook in the lane and repeatedly threw away opponents' shots. Furthermore, his body looks the best that it ever has, and it's obvious that he has hit the weights throughout the winter months. Because of that, he is quicker and more explosive around the rim.

The 2019 class is not one of the best in recent years, but Carey is doing his best to carry the baton for the group. He is the perfect new-age center who can score out to 20-feet, defend his basket, pass the basketball and clean the glass. The No. 1 next to his name doesn’t look to be going away any time soon, seeing that he continues to raise his ceiling, and his numbers Friday night further cemented his case as the nation’s best.

Addison Patterson gets no love 

Addison Patterson
Addison Patterson

I was surprised by the limited number of eyes placed on Addison Patterson. I get that he is just a class of 2020 prospect and that programs are placing the majority of their attention on the rising senior class. But Patterson's game and skill-set should make him a player that bluebloods take a hard look at in the coming weeks and months.

An explosive scorer who threw down the dunk of the night, Patterson is the definition of a finisher. His acrobatic abilities in the lane are some of the best you’re going to find. He brings tremendous size and versatility, to go along with an already developed skill-set that makes you wonder why - just why - was no one watching him on Friday evening. He plays for a top-tier Nike program in CIA Bounce - one that Dillon Brooks, Andrew Wiggins and Tyler Ennis once played for - and has tremendous size for his position. And, by all accounts, is a well-mannered, polished kid off of the floor. He finished with 28 points, but it’s just too bad not many were around to see him. Expect Patterson’s name to continue to trend upward, as he is the definition of a five-star prospect.

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