By Kory Keys

ABC Elite Trio

Every so often you stumble upon a group of players that impresses you and that’s exactly what happened with ABC Elite’s trio of Eli Lawrence, Titus Hunter, and Alex Bean Jr. 

All three displayed different skill sets, with Lawrence as the versatile combo guard, Hunter the smaller off-guard, and Bean the athletic post. But while they displayed different skill sets, all three showed they can compete at a high level and are definitely worthy of being on college radars.

Magnolia State in the Building

Two Magnolia State squads flashed interesting prospects on Friday: SR1 All-Stars and Mississippi Kings. 

For SR1, 2019 guard Earl Smith Jr. made the biggest impact. His length and skill level at 6’4” made him tough to contain going to the rim. He also showed off perimeter range. 

For Mississippi Kings, I was intrigued by 2019 wing Jaronn Wilkens and 2020 post Caleb McCarty. While Wilkens is raw, he flashes a lot of potential and versatility. McCarty came on by rebounding out of area and doing a great job of securing the ball at its highest point. He’s just a 2020 prospect, but he does little things well.

Upward Stars Columbia Has Another One

It doesn’t matter the year, Upward Stars are always producing solid teams with intriguing prospects. 

Add 2019 Crosby Harris-James to that list.

The 6’0” guard is in the mold of a bulldog-type point guard. He’s physical, strong and always attacking. 

Sleeper Alert: 2019 Sage McKenna

I showed up to an 8:00 AM game and came away with a new sleeper: SE Elite’s 2019 forward Sage McKenna. 

McKenna has all the makings of a stretch-4 at the next level. His skill level, for his size, are all advanced, especially his perimeter range. He was effective as a trail man, as well as operating from the high post against a zone. 

A New Program to My Radar

I’m adding Carolina Pressure to my radar. Their 16U team was impressive on Thursday and I came away even more intrigued when I saw their 17U squad on Friday.

A trio of 2019 prospects were at the forefront: 6’6” Dajuante Williams, 5’8” Zachary Dunlap, and 6’3” Shaman Alston. I’ll be tracking them the rest of the weekend.