Rivals national analyst Travis Graf was on hand last weekend in Duncanville, Texas, to check out TB5Reports The Scrimmage, which was loaded with talent. Here’s a breakdown of some storylines from top prospects (stats provided by Cerebro Sports).
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Texas commit Ron Holland defeats Sunrise on a buzzer beater.
After committing to the Longhorns earlier that morning, five-star forward Ron Holland helped Duncanville, Texas, defeat Sunrise Academy in dramatic fashion, laying up an offensive rebound for a put-back basket with about a second left on the clock. He finished the game with 22 points and six rebounds, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and 2-of-6 from behind the arc. Despite hitting only 33% of his outside looks, his jumper didn’t lack any confidence. However, he made the biggest impact in the game by slashing to the basket and playing with high energy, getting second-chance points and being a freight train in transition.
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Matas Buzelis’ upside is undeniable.
G-League Ignite pledge Matas Buzelis has the most unique skill set and build in the 2023 class. At 6-foot-10, he showcased a very confident handle and didn’t have much resistance in getting to where he wanted on the court. He made some dazzling plays with the ball in his hands and moved in a way that most players his size cannot. Buzelis struggled from the outside, going 1-of-6 for the weekend, but he knew his shot wasn’t falling and made his biggest impact driving to the basket and finishing at the rim.
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Dink Pate backs up his ranking.
Dink Pate, a 2024 five-star guard, showed exactly what made him an elite prospect in the latest rankings update. He showed patience as a ball-handler and was methodical in getting to the paint. Pate scored 47 points between two games, most of which came from the paint and weaving through traffic. His outside shot fell much better in the second game than in the first, and he helped lead a comeback win over Haltom in the second half. He totaled 27 points in that contest, and knocked down three shots from the outside. Pate was at his best with a head of steam heading toward the basket, and he threw down some strong dunks in transition in both games.
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Tre Johnson displays all his tools.
Five-star guard Tre Johnson finds himself atop of the Rivals150 for the 2024 class, and he didn’t do anything but back up that No. 1 spot last weekend. While his team lost both games against nationally ranked opponents, Johnson’s skill set was on full display. The 2024 guard can score extremely well from the mid-range and from the perimeter, and he has a very smooth, repeatable stroke. Johnson went 13-of-30 from the field and 7-of-15 from behind the arc over the weekend. He’s able to get to his shots in a variety of ways, creating space off of the bounce and even showing moves out of post-ups.
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Kuol Atak’s stock is rising.
Kuol Atak, a 2024 three-star forward, stands at 6-foot-8 and was arguably the best shooter in the gym at The Scrimmage. He’s a player who could flirt with four-star status in the next rankings update due to his ability to shoot the ball at such a dependable clip, and he’s definitely a player that high-major coaches should look into. The biggest thing about Atak’s development will be putting on muscle over the next couple of years.
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Gehrig Normand delivers.
Michigan State four-star signed Gehrig Normand had a fantastic game in the matchup I was able to watch against iSchool. He went 7-of-10 from the field, 3-of-4 from the outside, and finished with 17 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Normand’s ability to score from the outside, coupled with his athleticism and playmaking ability from the wing, make him a prospect worthy of buying stock in. He’s a member of Tom Izzo’s best recruiting class in morethan 10 years and should be a vital part to the Spartans’ success over the coming years.
