Under Armour Session II standouts
Indianapolis was the place to be this past weekend as Under Armour, Nike, and Elevate Hoops each were running their showcase events which took place during the final spring evaluation period for the college coaches. There was a bevy of talent on the floor at Best Choice Fieldhouse but a few stood out from the rest of the fray as major standouts at session two of the UAA.
Chattanooga, TN
NICKEIL ALEXANDER-WALKER, SG, CANADA ELITE, 2017: While his final box scores don’t always support what one might see on the floor with the Canadian guard, Alexander-Walker has all of the physical tools, plus the intangibles, to be as good as he might want to be on the playing floor. Sporting super long arms but an elite, elite feel for the game, once thought of as a wing, the Canada Elite star displayed the long-term ability to play either guard spot in Indy. His play making skills off of the high ball screen are second to none while he can also hurt the opposing defense with the mid to outside jump shot. We may have ranked Alexander-Walker to low where the rising senior is a special prospect who is being prioritized by the likes of Maryland, USC, and Virginia Tech.
Philadelphia, PA
DAVID BEATTY, G, PHILLY PRIDE, 2017: The buzz is beginning to louden surrounding David Beatty and rightfully so. The 6-foot-4 combo guard is the definition of a fierce competitor. While there is still debate surrounding whether Beatty is a lead guard or more of a scorer-type with the ball in his hands, one thing that isn’t in question is just how competitive he really is. The Philly native already sports a college ready body and the willingness to fight it out with guys much bigger than him near the basket. Posting games of 22, 13, and 18 points in three separate contests in Indy give easy insight as to why Florida State thought that the Pride star was worthy of an offer from the ACC bunch, which they dished out to Beatty on Monday morning.
Orlando, FL
LJ FIGUEROA, SF, TEAM BREAKDOWN, 2017: The star for the Team Breakdown gang on the 17-under level, Figueroa continued to light up the nets in Indy where, a week earlier, he finished with 41 points in one outing alone. A very smooth ballplayer that can score the ball at all three levels on the floor but also facilitate some for his team in the half-court setting, it seems that Figueroa is getting better by the day. He defended with a lot more focus and energy expenditure as he was productive on both sides of the floor. Averaging over 20 points off of 48-percent shooting from the field is pretty impressive for how much the Boston native has to score for his team to succeed. He is having a breakout summer and continues to display immense upside and value for the next level.
Arlington, VA
NATE WATSON, C, DC PREMIER, 2017: Offers continue to roll in for Nate Watson and after getting another look at the Bishop O’Connell star this past weekend, the 6-foot-9 center could see things heat up even further. If you are grading on the looks test, Watson passes with a breeze. He is more than just a good looking big man though as he has gotten a lot more athletic near the basket and productive each time out on the floor. The DC Premier junior played angry all weekend long as he scored with efficiency from 15-feet and in as he posted numbers on the scoreboard of 26, 12, 15, and 21…impressive, to say the least. His averages are solid all the way around showing off numbers of 16 points and six rebounds per game on 65-percent shooting; get ready to see a much more heated up recruitment with the 757-native.
Cibilo, TX
GERALD LIDDELL, SF, TEXAS PLAY HARD, 2018: Playing on the 16-under level for his Texas Play Hard bunch, Liddell was very productive all weekend long. He is best attacking the basket where he uses his super long body and quick first step in getting the line on the defense before scoring at the rack. While he isn’t the greatest outside jump shooters just yet, Liddell understands his strengths as a scorer of the basketball as he doesn’t attempt do what he cannot. The Texas native brings great size for his spot on the floor and after bursting out with 20 points and 16 rebounds during his opening night win on Friday evening, Liddell currently carries impressive averages of close to 18 points, seven rebounds, and two steals per game as the majority of the Big 12 has made the Texas Play Hard star a priority early on.
Jersey City, NJ
JAHVON QUINERLY, PG, SPORTS U, 2018: On quite possibly the most talented 16-under team in all of America, Quinerly is the guy that makes things go for his loaded Sports U bunch. Whenever the opposing unit might go on a run, the Jersey native is the one to slow things down in finding the best shot possible for his team in the half-court setting. Blessed with a tremendous feel, pace, and IQ for the game, along with some competitive juices to him, Quinerly may not pass the immediate looks test, but he would be a guy that could earn MVP votes if the UAA would have such a thing for the 16-under circuit. Quinerly is a gamer with giant value to him because of his ability to read and react in a timely manner and is someone that is already thought of highly by the majority of programs that are already tracking him.
Baton Rouge, LA
JAVONTE SMART, PG, BEAST MODE, 2018: The best lead guard in all of America within the 2018 class, Smart again is playing a year up on the 17-under circuit. Now on the UA side of things, the 6-foot-4 sophomore brings ideal size to his position. His feel for the game is outstanding and so is his ability to value the basketball. He rarely ever gets sped up as the sophomore probes the defense and can play make with the best of them on the drive to the basket. While he settled at times for the perimeter jumper throughout the course of the weekend, the ceiling and talent out of the Louisiana native is second to none. He has reworked his shot as he doesn’t leave many leftover at the foul line and through two weeks of play in the UAA, Smart currently averages steady numbers of 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game.
