Here are some out of state player evaluations from the Spiece Run N Slam tournament that was held May 6-8th. It is always one of the best AAU tournaments and it was again this year!
2012
Terry Rozier 6’0 PG Shaker Heights (OH)
The All-Ohio Red point guard can do just about everything. He is quick, can knock down shots from the outside, and usually makes good decisions with the ball. Rozier might not have the extra gear that you would like from high major point guards but he has enough burst to get where he wants to go.
Jalen Robinson 6’8 PF Northland (OH)
Robinson is an impressive athlete. He runs the floor well and can explode when he needs to. I look forward to seeing more of him.
Deontae Hawkins 6’7 PF Dunbar (OH)
Hawkins is a very good athlete with a face-up game to go along with the athleticism from what I saw from him. This was my first time seeing Hawkins this weekend and I didn’t get to see more than a game of All-Ohio Red 17’s.
Elijah Macon 6’8 PF Marion Franklin (OH)
I haven’t always been huge on Macon but he has grown on me. That has happened mainly because of his motor. He is attacking every rebound. If he misses a shot in the lane, he is usually the first one back up for the offensive board. He’s strong, but not extremely well built right now. It looks like he is going to be able to put on muscle easily in a college weight program. Macon went head to head with Nick Osborne and he gave Osborne everything he could handle. Macon probably got the slight edge especially since Macon’s All-Ohio Red team won easily. MM+ for sure.
Leroy Alexander 6’2 CG Whitmer (OH)
Alexander intrigued me because he shot it really well against EG Central Stars and showed that he was a good athlete. I thought he was closer to 6’0 than 6’2 though. He also made a good decision/pass leading the break that made me think that he might be able to play point and be more than just a scorer. He’s also a good football player.
Jordan Barham 6’4 SG University (OH)
Barham has played well against two Indiana teams this spring. First, he shined in Pittsburgh against Eric Gordon Central Stars and then Saturday he was very good against Spiece Indy Heat. He is a left-handed slashing, athlete that finishes extremely well around the rim. His athleticism allows him to be a very good defender as well.
Barham said that he has no offers yet but most of the Ivy League has been in contact with him along with Penn State, St. Joe’s, Cleveland State, Miami (OH), Ohio, and Rider. He is going to visist Cornell this month.
Chris Harrison-Docks 6’0 PG (MI)
I’ve seen a lot of Chris Harrison-Docks in the past because he played with Indiana Elite last spring. CHD is a perfect fit for Butler. He gets after it on the defensive end, steady with the ball but quick enough to get to the basket, and can hit shots from the outside if left open.
2013
Vitto Brown 6’8 PF Bowling Green (OH)-MM
Brown has played with Spiece for a few years now so I am familiar with him. He’s active, ok athlete, and can run the floor. I would like his skill set to improve a bit more before he is a for sure MM prospect.
Nathan Taphorn 6’6 SF Pekin(IL)-MM
Taphorn torched the Eric Gordon All-Stars for 26 points including 6 3’s. All of his three’s were catch and shoot but he did hit a couple of shots off the dribble as well as one turn around fade away from 15 feet. He’s not a great athlete, but an okay athlete.
Steve Haney 6’5 SG Lansing Eastern (MI)-MM
Haney caught my eye with his shooting. It looks like he is more than just a shooter though. He showed some decent athleticism while also showing he can make shots off the dribble as well.
Mark Donnal 6’9 PF Wayne (OH)-HM
This was my first look at Donnal against good competition. I saw him play against the Eric Gordon All-Stars and Meanstreets. Skilled in the post with some face-up skills as well. He doesn’t look like an athlete but he beat some guys to the rim for dunks that I didn’t expect him to. Definitely MM+ and likely HM.
2014
Jahill Okafor 6’10 C Whitney Young (IL)-HM
The big fella is a big-time recruit already and is just a freshman. He’s different from most young bigs that are national recruits because he isn’t a spectacular athlete. Okafor gets most of his points below the rim. He has great hands and good footwork in the post. He’s got a little bit of “baby fat” he could get rid of which could help his athleticism.
Tyler Ulis 5’7 PG Marian Catholic (IL)-LM+
Height could be a factor if he doesn’t grow soon but Ulis shoots it well from the outside and has extreme quickness. He’s crafty around the rim and seems to know the game very well.
Drake Harris 6’4 SG Grand Rapids Christian (MI)-HM
Harris is the best athlete with a complete skill set that I have seen at the sophomore to be level in quite some time. He can do everything on the floor…handles, outside shooting, finishing at the rim with either hands, and he defends. IU has offered him already and I’m sure he will have a boatload of offers before the summer is over.
2015
Preston Huckaby 5’10 PG North Pointe Christian (MI)-MM+
I didn’t know Huckaby was an 8th grader until after the game when I asked his coach for his name and high school. It completely shocked me because he was the best player on the court, probably the best athlete, and is extremely well built. Huckaby is an explosive athlete that uses that athleticism to get to the rim and then finish over and around defenders.
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