Thanksgiving Hoopfest eye-catchers
Rivals.com analyst Eric Bossi spent two days over the weekend at the second annual Thanksgiving Hoopfest held on the campus of Duncanville (Texas) High. Here's a look back -- in alphabetical order -- at some of the prospects that stood out.
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Thanksgiving Hoopfest Eye-Catchers
PF, San Antonio (Texas) Antonian - 2011 Class
During his game on Saturday, the future Texas Longhorn was everything that we that we saw from him over the summer and more. The 6-foot-8 four man looks to have added good muscle since we last saw him in July and he was playing with a sense of urgency despite totally overmatching his opponents. His jumper is a confident one and he can nail it to the three-point line. He attacked the rim aggressively and he didn't let up on his opponents.
PF, Richardson (Texas) Berkner - 2013
Including Mickey, there are actually three 2013 guys in coach Rod Wright's program who are going to be fun to watch. Combo guard Kendal Harris can score or run the show and slightly undersized power forward Soma Edo is a flat-out jaw-dropping athlete. However, the 6-foot-7 Mickey just may be the most intriguing of the three. A long, slender and athletic kid, he fits the mold of the new-age four man who can step out and play some on the perimeter. He's already a high level athlete, plays with discipline and looks to have a pretty well rounded game. He's certainly one that high major programs will be tracking.
SF, Dallas (Texas) Lincoln - 2011
Currently ranked as the No. 146 player in the class of 2011 and a three-star prospect, the West Virginia signee made a pretty strong case for a bump in the rankings. He's always been pretty athletic, but for a while it didn't seem as if there had been any development in his game. What we saw in Duncanville at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest was a kid who looked stronger, handled better, shot better and played with much more urgency than we've ever seen. It's pretty evident that Miles is a guy who has been working on his game and he's getting results.
SG, Arlington (Texas) Grace Prep - 2014
Ray Forsett's Lions from Grace Prep are loaded. Junior big man Isaiah Austin is the second ranked player in the class of 2012 and senior point guard Jamal Branch and junior shooting guard Jelon Hornbeak are both four-star prospects. But, the recruiting world should be keeping a close eye on the development of Mudiay. An explosive freshman, he already carries himself with the poise of a much older player. He can handle, his shot looks good, he's got a knack for making plays along the baseline and he looks like a guy who will be recruited at the highest level.
SF, Dallas (Texas) Lincoln - 2011
At this point, there's really not much more that we can say about Nash. We've written plenty about his athleticism, his ability to score down low or from deep and every other part of his game. He's a five-star guy ranked No. 4 overall in the class of 2011 and he played like it. One interesting note is that Nash swears Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford has promised him minutes as a point guard when he arrives in Stillwater.
PF, Plano (Texas) Prestonwood Christian - 2013
Considering that he's already ranked as the No. 3 player in the class of 2013 and a five-star prospect, the bar is set pretty high for Randle. A 6-foot-8 southpaw with a strong upper body, a surprisingly quick first step and inside/out skills, he's a nearly unstoppable force when he plays the game with a chip on his shoulder. He's very good driving along the baseline and can handle pretty well for a guy his size and age. He's tough to contain on the low blocks and seems to play better when he gets a few tough buckets down low and then extends his game to face the hoop rather than starting out away from the basket and working his way in.
SF, Little Rock (Ark.) Hall - 2011
Because he lacks strength, the 6-foot-6 senior may be a good redshirt candidate as a freshman at Nebraska. But, he's also a guy who has made tremendous strides with his game in the last year. The big thing for Rivers is that he looks like he's turned himself into a guy who can be relied upon to produce consistently versus a guy who shows you a flash here or there. His shooting, ball handling, rebounding and defense all look improved and he could be one of those guys who proves to be a bit underrated after he adds bulk.
PG, Jackson (Miss.) Provine - 2011
Clearly, this was not the same Summers that we've watched on the grassroots circuit over the past couple of years with the Jackson Tigers. Whereas we've seen him play primarily off of the ball in the past, Summers ran the point exclusively and did a great job doing so. He's big, physical, takes care of the ball and most importantly doesn't try to do too much. He takes what the defense gives him, gets guys where they need to be and scores opportunistically. He signed with Ole Miss early and will be a guy that deserves consideration when rankings are updated in the spring.
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