Spiece Run N Slam: Friday
FORT WAYNE, IN | In one of the best non-shoe sponsored events of the year, Spiece Run N Slam got underway on Friday night. There were tons of action and we are here to cover the best of the day.…
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Continue ReadingFORT WAYNE, IN | In one of the best non-shoe sponsored events of the year, Spiece Run N Slam got underway on Friday night. There were tons of action and we are here to cover the best of the day.
Thompson Proving To Be One Of The Best In 2019
The class of 2019 in Indiana is still relatively young but it is pretty easy to see where Isaiah Thompson is going to fit in to the mix. The 6’0 and growing point guard is one of the better players you are going to find in the state at the lead guard spot, and he is doing this playing up a year on Spiece Indy Heat 2018. The brother of Purdue guard P.J. Thompson, Isaiah is about the exact opposite body wise as his older brother. He’s a little taller and a lot longer with speed and some shiftiness to his game.
Tonight, he showed that over and over again against King James. His ability to break down his defender and go off ball screens to get into a scoring position is very good, much better than it should be for a kid his age. And even on the other side of the ball, Thompson uses his length very well. He’s tough to get around because his wingspan is huge and can make up for a lot of distance.
I’m not for kids playing up but you can take an example like Romeo Langford on EG10 last year. He was clearly the best player on the floor on a top team while he was playing up. That is kind of the recipe for prospects wanting to do that. Tonight, the best player on the floor, playing up a year was Isaiah Thompson. He belongs and he’s very good. With a ton of time left before he’s a complete player, where he could be in a few years is going to be really fun to watch.
Spiece Red 2017 Has Guards To Watch
Looking at what drives college programs nowadays, you really need to have quality guards. Doesn’t matter which level but you needs someone that is going to need the ball and has the ability to make plays with it. While watching Spiece Indy Heat Red 2017, I saw a few names that some lower levels coaches need to start paying attention to.
Juan Quarles, a 6’2 guard out of Fort Wayne North, is a kid I’ve really liked for some time. It is hard to see where his ceiling is because the last few times I’ve seen him, he’s added something new or improved in an area. He seems to always be changing. Tonight, he really showed his ability to handle the ball in the open floor and get to the rim. To me, he’s predominantly been a shooter. Juan is a good one and has good size but he was always going to add something more. The last few times I have watched him, he’s been showing signs of his handles improving and tonight was the best I’ve seen him.
Another name to watch is Richard Robertson, a 5’10 lead guard from Fort Wayne Northrop. Richard isn’t going to be a big time scoring threat but he’s probably on the taller side of 5’10 and really well filled out. He’s got a good handle on the ball and seems to handle press and defenders really well. I like his ability in both the half court and full court. He’s not going to be a big name but one that should draw the interest of college coaches sooner rather than later.
Tyger Campbell Shows Up, Shows Out
Well, nobody knew Tyger Campbell was going to show up until he was on the floor and about to start the game for Spiece Indy Heat. For those who haven’t seen Tyger, he’s a 6’0 point guard in the 2019 class and he’s got hair that you can see from Mars. He’s also pretty good at basketball. The La Lumiere (IN) product was stellar tonight for Speice. He’s a quick guard who has outstanding decision making for his age. But more than that, he’s a guy that seems to make teams better.
Campbell is already becoming a national recruit with offers from Michigan State, Illinois, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Tennessee. When you watch him, it is easy to see why. He doesn’t have elite size but he has elite vision and court awareness and match that with his ability to make a shot from 15′ to 22′ and you have someone that is going to be really tough to stop. He looks like a polished prospect already, which doesn’t leave a lot on his ceiling, but at the same time makes him a pretty good player.
Campbell had 16 points, most coming in the first half against Team Legit 2017. He looked the part of a big time point guard and there really wasn’t any doubting that. He’ll be back again tomorrow and it is worth a look.