The Basketball Group
NAIA Showcase
Yesterday’s recruiting showcase was a success as there was plenty of highly underrated talent in attendance as were multiple scouts and school representatives. The player’s intensity was high and there was clearly a sense of urgency amongst yesterday’s top performers. Here are the guys who made their presence known during yesterday’s competition.
Notable Prospects:
Delrico Simms (5-11/PG)Sr. – National Collegiate Prep (DC)
Coming in with a reputation as a lights out shooter, Simms showed his ability to be able to knock down shots from the perimeter at a high level and with extended range. He was very crafty with his dribble in creating space to get off good looks for his shot and did a good job of playing on the ball in setting up teammates.
Cameron Rucker (6-6/G)Sr. Springbrook HS (MD)
Great size for a D1 level 2, Cam has a good shooting touch and feel for the game and can be dangerous from anywhere on the floor when hes on. While he didn’t have his best shooting performance today, he was able to get off good looks and was solid for most of the day.
DeAndre Anderson (6-6/F)Sr. Rock Creek Christian (MD)
A good stretch 4 prospect with the potential to become a future wing. Anderson has a good touch from the perimeter as well as the ability to take slower, bigger defenders off the dribble. He has good girth and used his size well when operating around the basket. He was not shy about letting it fly from deep and showcased his ability to eventually log significant minutes on the perimeter.
Elijah Bowens (5-11/PG)Sr. Maret School (DC)
Very good pure point guard who does pretty much everything well to very well. He shot very well today from 3 and he was able to get into the teeth of the defense fairly easily. His decision making on both ends of the floor was very cerebral and his playmaking was equally impressive. Expect Bowens to be a guy to mature into a significant cog in whatever offense lands his talents.
Latrell Winkey (5-11/PG)Sr. Tandem Friends School (VA)
Probably the most obvious standout in the showcase, he already possesses college level athleticism and explosion. Latrell was a terror on both ends picking up full court on defense and blowing by the defense on offense. He shot the ball extremely well from the perimeter the last 2 games and was probably the best guard in the gym today. Latrell is ready day 1 to compete at the college level which makes him a very valuable commodity at this stage in recruiting.
Daniel Corley (6-4/G)Sr. Dr. Henry A. Wise (MD)
Daniel has really turned into a really good looking prospect after an early season growth spurt from about 6’1″ to 6’4” where he currently stands. He shot the ball very well from deep as well as mid range and was able to get his shot off relatively easily. Corley also showcased his ability to create off the dribble and was impressive just with his overall length and athleticism and should translate into a very solid college wing.
David Bryant (6-4/W-F)Sr. Chantilly (VA)
With great length, good athleticism, and an elite motor David has the makings of an all around impactful forward prospect. Still a little raw offensively, he runs the floor, slashes, and defends at high level and as his offensive game develops he will be a guy that is hard to take off the floor in key situations especially defensively.
Marquise Brown (5-9/PG)Sr. Theodore Roosevelt (DC)
Brown is an intriguing prospect because of his exceptional handle and ability to get into the teeth of the defense almost at will. That ability was on full display during the showcase as he carried the tempo early on as the intensity level in the gym was still rising. The next evolution in his game will be the development of consistent floater or mid range shot to make him even more lethal as a scorer when he gets into that area which he does often. Brown was very good early and I would like to see him maintain that energy over the coarse of an entire game more consistently.
Justin Patterson (6-4/W-F)Sr. Landon (MD)
Patterson was very solid during the entire showcase especially on the defensive end of the floor. Still developing as a true perimeter player, Justin was solid getting to the rim off the dribble and was able to get off good looks from the perimeter. Defensively is where Justin was able to really showcase his versatility as he was able to stay in front of quicker perimeter players all while rebounding at a high rate and being a very good rim deterrent. Patterson currently projects as a defensive wing with some stretch 4 ability against smaller lineups, but he has the physical tools to become much more.
Horatio Carr (6-9/C)Sr. Liberty Heights (NC)
Carr was biggest prospect in the gym size wise and 1 of the more intriguing as its clear he’s just developing as a player and has very good upside. He has great length and agility at his size and appears to love playing which will bode well in his development process. Carr showed a comfortability with shooting from the perimeter and showed that he can eventually develop a decent handle and an ability to get by post players off the dribble. Carr is mostly upside at this point in his development, but the upside is high and the desire to get better appears to be there.
Brett Longshore (6-3/W)Sr. Dr. Henry A. Wise (MD)
Brett was high energy every time he stepped onto the floor. He has great strength and quickness at 6’3″ and was solid from the perimeter all day showing hes a legit 3 and D threat. As he develops his perimeter game to go along with his natural physical gifts he will provide a poor man’s Ron Artest-like presence at the next level on the perimeter. Longshore is definitely a coach’s dream as a guy who will come in day 1 and provide an excellent effort for 4 years.
William Langford – Basketball Scout
