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Elite Preview: Team 7 Breakdown

Alex Jones Jumpshot basketball
19, Mar 2015

Elite Preview: Team 7 Breakdown

The Elite Preview was a tremendous day of basketball at Suwanee Sports Academy Cobb. We had 80 of Georgia's best players from the class of 2016, 2017 and 2018. The camp was so good we decided to break down every player at camp. Here's an examination of Team 6 from our staff of evaluators and media.

Jalen Butler - JB
Kory Keys - KK
Winston Neal - WN
Carter Wilson - CW
Justin Young - JY

 

Isaiah Banks, SG, Heritage, 2017: The athletic 6-foot-4 guard is quickly establishing himself as one of the more exciting players in the rising junior class in Georgia. He's a live wire from the wing to the rim and only uses his explosiveness when he needs to. He's developing his game with good patience on offense. Banks is starting to understand good shots vs. bad shots and the right time to take them. His strength is slashing to the rim and scoring at the iron. I like what Banks is and I like where he is headed. He's on list of 2017 players to watch closely this spring. - JY

James Banks, C, Mount Vernon, 2016: The young man was the talk of the Preview with his play and put himself on the national radar for scouts and recruiters.  He has the size and length coaches want, rebounded well, blocked shots, and showed a developing HM skill set. However, his best attribute is that he is extremely COACHABLE.  In this day and age, coaches truly appreciate young men who will listen and do what you ask them to do. All the coaches were impressed with how James took what we worked on in individual workouts and then tried to do it in the games (with a lot of success). He has great touch around the basket with his jump hook and showed the ability to step out and consistently make the 15ft jumper. The young man has the grades coaches want to see and you can bet his recruitment is blowing up after his performance at the Elite Preview. - WN

Cordarius Hastings, PG, Griffin, 2018: It was hard to get a good read on Hastings at the camp because he couldn't stay the entire day.  That said, Hastings is one tough customer in the backcourt. He had a huge freshman year against top level competition on the south side of Atlanta. Never one to shy away from a big time match-up, Hastings has the tools to become a really good point guard down the road. - JY

Justin Forrest, CG, Greenforest, 2017: Forrest has really come on strong in recent month, and he continued his good play at the Elite Preview. Despite being a younger guard, Forrest has a mature build that allows him to overwhelm smaller guards and makes him strong with the basketball in his hands. The most impressive part of Forrest’s good run has been the way he has shot the ball. He has emerged as one of the better shooters in the 2017 class and can fill up a score sheet in a hurry. - CW

Alex Jones, PG, Alpharetta, 2018: For a kid that stands just 5'9", Jones has a moxie about him that makes it difficult for opposing defenses to handle. Jones' ballhandling and quickness are already his supreme skills. Not to mention, of the point guards not named Alterique Gilbert, displayed a perimeter game that's already developing and will continue to make him an even better player. Jones was a Top-3 point guard at the event for me. - KK

Khavon Moore, SF, Westside, 2018: Moore came onto the scene at The Fall Preview back in October. He's already 6'7" with length and athleticism to play the 3, 4, or 5 at the high school level. Where he's best right now is his activity level from 15-feet and in. Moore routinely scores off hustle plays and put-backs that require an athletic ability that most his age don't have yet. As he develops a consistent mid-range jump shot, Moore is going to be a prospect plenty of high-majors keep tabs on over the course of his development. - KK
Ross Morkem, F, Lambert, 2016: Morkem was quietly one of the most efficient players at the Elite Preview. He shot the ball very well on the perimeter and in the midrange, and was money in the pick and pop situation. At 6-foot-7, his consistent shooting helped him establish himself as one of the 2016 forwards that coaches should keep their eyes on during the spring and summer periods and into next season. - CW

Raylon Richardson, Wing, Miller Grove, 2016: Richardson is a player that we have come to expect big things from, as he was one of the better players at the Fall Preview. A wing with some good size, Richardson showed some growth in his game at the Elite Preview. He looked better and more confident with the ball in his hands on the perimeter and also showed that he has extended his range and become more consistent with his jump shot. He will be one to watch on the travel circuit, as he could become very popular with MM and LM coaches. - CW

Colin Young, SG, Laney, 2016: Shooters come at a premium these days and Young has carved out a niche for himself as a perimeter sniper. The 6-foot-2 guard has a good feel for the game and knows how to get open and know down open shots. A developed dribble pull-up and more confidence taking the ball closer to the rim will help open up his entire offensive game. Very coachable, too. - JY

 


Justin Young
Editor-in-Chief

Justin Young has been the editor-in-chief of HoopSeen.com since 2013. He manages the day-to-day operations on the site and in conjunction with our national and regional events. He was the national basketball editor for Rivals.com and a contributing editor at Yahoo! Sports. Young has been earned numerous awards for his work in sports journalism, including the Georgia Press Association Columnist of the Year. His Justin Young Basketball recruiting service has been in existence since 2002 and worked with over 300 schools from all levels. He is the director of HoopSeen Elite Preview camps and our national Preview camp series. 

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