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The Cassidy Awards: Hoophall West

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The annual Hoophall West showcase unfolded in Scottsdale late last week and there were plenty of notable performances to be seen. Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy was on hand for the first two days of the star-studded event and highlights some of the most impressive individual efforts with metaphorical awards.

Coming out party – Aric Demings
Coming out party – Aric Demings
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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The annual Hoophall West showcase unfolded in Scottsdale late last week and there were plenty of notable performances. Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy was on hand for the first two days of the star-studded event and highlights some of the most impressive performances with metaphorical awards.

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2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2023 Rankings: Rivals150

2024 Rankings: Top 40

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Coming out party – Aric Demings

WHAT HE DID: A class-of-2023 prospect, Demings entered Hoophall West with offers from Morgan State and Texas Rio Grande Valley, but he’s likely to see more options come his way on the back of his 23-point performance against a Montverde Academy team filled to the brim with high-major talent.

The 6-foot Demings was 9-for-14 in the contest and knocked down five 3-pointers, including the game-winner. A confident shooter with the quickness to get by defenders, Demings will need to develop physically and as a shot creator in the year ahead, but he certainly has the jumper and the disposition to help a number of college programs.

RECRUITMENT: Demings says he favors Morgan State as things stand, but the guard is likely to welcome in more offers in the year ahead.

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The Bully – Chris Livingston

WHAT HE DID: Livingston does a lot of things incredibly well, and his five-star ranking reflects it. At Hoophall West, however, it was his strength and assertiveness that was on display. Not only did the 220-pound forward create his own shot, he regularly absorbed contact on the way to the basket. Defenders seem to bounce off of Livingston while he finishes layups with relative ease. The athletic wing also brings the ball up the floor at times and boasts a decent handle. He finished a game against Legacy Early College Prep with 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

RECRUITMENT: Livingston is committed to Kentucky.

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Smooth stroke – Devin Ree

WHAT HE DID: There were more complete offensive performances at Hoophall West, but few prospects looked as lethal shooting from both mid-range and behind the arc as Ree. The LSU commit was 5-for-6 from the floor and knocked down three 3-pointers in his Oak Hill team’s win on Wednesday night. He showcased an incredibly quick and consistent release in the process.

RECRUITMENT: Ree has signed with LSU.

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Alpha dog – Dariq Whitehead

WHAT HE DID: The No. 9 prospect in the 2022 class, Whitehead thrives in the spotlight and seems to routinely create his own shot in big moments. After watching the five-star assert himself in a close loss to a loaded Duncanville (Texas) squad, it’s clear he was the alpha on a floor full of high-major talent. He gets to his spots with relative ease and has proven to be a true three-level scorer.

The five-star wing finished Thursday’s contest with a game-high 24 points on 11-for-17 shooting. Even by his standards, Whitehead is off to an impressive start as a senior and is a candidate to move up a few spots in the next rankings update.

RECRUITMENT: Whitehead is signed with Duke.

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Well rounded – Tre White

WHAT HE DID: White shined at multiple events last week, but made a statement at Hoophall West by going for 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals as his Prolific Prep team dispatched Legacy Early College Prep. The 6-foot-6 prospect creates for himself off the dribble but is also a good-enough shooter from range. His rebounding and ability to create for his teammates, however, were the main takeaways from the event.

Currently the No. 100 prospect in the class, White looks capable of playing multiple positions and is making his case for a major bump.

RECRUITMENT: White is signed with USC.

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Clamps – Dillon Mitchell

WHAT HE DID: Mitchell may be the premier defender in the 2022 class and continues to prove it against top-flight competition. The long and hyper-athletic forward has a full-on reputation of being a star-stopper and did an impressive job on highly-ranked Anthony Black, who he helped hold to 10 points on 3-for-12 shooting at Hoophall West.

Mitchell is still searching for a consistent offensive identity, but his work on the defensive end and his long-term upside justify his lofty ranking.

RECRUITMENT: Mitchell is signed with Texas.

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Lethal from range – Ashton Hardaway

WHAT HE DID: Hardaway has looked like a lethal shooter in two different viewings this month. His ability to knock down 3-pointers was a key cog in Duncanville’s overtime win over Montverde Academy at Hoophall. The 6-foot-7 forward’s ability to stretch the floor creates mismatches and clearly gives defenses fits. He has a way to go to become a truly complete player, but guys with his length and smooth jumper are rare.

RECRUITMENT: Most assume Hardaway will eventually commit to his father, Penny Hardaway, at Memphis. That said, schools such as Oklahoma, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Texas, Baylor and Texas Tech have reached out. San Diego is Hardaway’s lone offer as things stand, which could be because some programs assume he’ll play for his dad.

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Glass cleaner – Christian Reeves

WHAT HE DID: Reeves still has some work to do in order to become an offensive threat at the high-major level, but his defensive awareness and 7-foot-1 frame allowed him to have a massive impact on a game that saw him score just seven points. Reeves packs some impressive dexterity for a 7-footer and is a game-changer from a shot-changing and rebounding standpoint.

He finished his opening game at Hoophall with an event-high 15 rebounds and showed enough agility to make him intriguing as a scorer in the long term.

RECRUITMENT: Reeves, who is originally from North Carolina, is considering Minnesota and South Carolina. A decision seems likely to come by the end of the month.

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Efficient – Marquis Cook

WHAT HE DID: Cook and his Arizona Compass Prep team took the floor against Dream City Christian on Wednesday night and ran their opponents out of the gym. So while Cook finished with 10 points and four assists, the fact that he did his scoring on an incredibly neat 4-for-4-shooting, including 2-for-2 from three-point range, was most impressive. The athletically gifted and skilled forward manages to impact games while playing within the offense but has proven that he can take over a game if need be.

RECRUITMENT: Memphis, Kentucky, Michigan, Oregon, Gonzaga and Arizona are all involved with Cook. The five-star junior is set to visit Oregon on Feb. 12. Ducks head coach Dana Altman was in Scottsdale to watch Cook and others at the event.

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