Wilkes, Walker stand out at Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions

ATLANTA -- Four-star Wyatt Wilkes helped CP25 Elite to a surprising 17U title at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions. Five-star guard M.J. Walker proved to be the best player at the event, but his Atlanta Xpress team ended up as the tournament runner-up. Here is a recap from a quality event held at the Suwanee Sports Academy.

Wilkes and CP25 Elite had a rough start to the travel season as they are currently 1-7 in the Adidas Gauntlet. That didn’t stop them from coming to Atlanta with a winning attitude as they took home the 17U Championship on Sunday afternoon by taking down the Atlanta Xpress.

Wilkes played a big part in CP25 Elite’s title run. The 6-foot-7 forward possesses a unique game. He uses angles, ball fakes, and pace to get where he wants off the dribble. His shot is probably his best attribute as he’s capable of hitting contested jumpers, either spotting up or off the bounce.

Wilkes mentioned Auburn, Butler, Creighton, Florida State, Rutgers and Virginia Tech as the programs currently most involved in his recruitment, but he’s putting recruiting on hold right now.

“I’m not taking any more unofficial visits this summer,” Wilkes said. “After the summer, I’ll cut my list down to five and then start taking visits. They’re all pretty even right now. I haven’t made any major decisions yet.”

Despite losing in the championship, if there was an award this weekend for Most Outstanding Player, it would have gone to MJ Walker without question. The five-star guard certainly lived up to his ranking from start to finish.

At 6-foot-5 with a strong, athletic body, Walker can do just about anything you want him to do on the court. He’s a tough shot maker. He’s an explosive athlete going to the rim. On the defensive end, he’s strong enough and athletic enough to defend multiple positions, and he’s the type of competitor that wants to defend the other team’s best player.

Last month, Walker said Florida State, Maryland and Ohio State were the main schools involved in his recruitment with Georgia Tech starting to get in the mix as Josh Pastner had just accepted the job. He says three more schools have joined the mix as well since then.

“California, USC and NC State are the newest ones to come in,” Walker said. “And Georgia Tech came to my school and they offered me a scholarship.”

Rivals150 guard Trent Frazier had an impressive showing Friday night. He’s known more for his scoring prowess, and he certainly does that at a high level, but he looks to be a very capable and willing passer. Florida, Illinois, Kansas State and Stephen F. Austin are the main schools involved in his recruitment.

Teshaun Hightower, an unsigned 2016 guard for the Atlanta Xpress, is likely headed to a junior college, but he’s going to be a hot commodity in two years. At 6-foot-4, he’s a very talented scorer capable of playing both spots in the back-court.

Nicolas Claxton continues to progress as a prospect. The 6-foot-9 forward possesses legitimate guard skills and one of the prettiest lefty jumpers around. The next step for Claxton will be to add weight to his lanky frame, because his lack of strength is the only part of his game holding him back from completely dominating games.

Claxton’s teammate from Team South Carolina, guard Temetrius Morant, was one of the more impressive players this weekend. As good as MJ Walker was for the Atlanta Xpress in their matchup Saturday morning, Morant wasn’t far behind. Morant hit every big shot and it seemed like nobody could stay in front of him when he decided to go to the basket, where he’s a talented finisher. Maryland Eastern Shore and South Carolina State are the only offers for him. Expect that to change.

Wes Morgan, a 6-foot-5 wing from PSB Select, had a nice weekend. He went cold from the field Sunday morning in a loss to CP25 Elite, but he shot the ball at a really high level all weekend.

Without Khavon Moore, it was Isaiah Kelly stepping up for the Atlanta Xpress 16U this weekend. Kelly, a 6-foot-6 forward, is caught between positions, but he’s a highly productive player now that continues to improve each time out. His jump shot looks much better now. His motor never seems to stop running, which serves him well on the boards.