Oladipo Skills Academy Thursday Takeaways
HYATTSVILLE, MD — Day two of the Oladipo Skills Academy is in the books, and players were given plenty of opportunity to showcase their talents during a full day of action. Below are some common themes that come to mind.
ROACH CONTINUES TO MAKE A STATEMENT
Jeremy Roach was the biggest standout on day two at Oladipo Skills Academy. Still just a rising sophomore, Roach battled toe to toe with experienced high level point guards while more than holding his own. PVI’s floor general averaged nearly 20 points per game, and shot exceptionally well from the field. In his second game of the day, Roach dished out six assists with zero turnovers. Plenty of high level coaches were on hand, and have probably taken note.
SHOOTERS SHOOTING
Plenty of guys have made shots, but three players stand out above the rest as elite shooters. Ron Harper Jr. couldn’t miss in the first set of the evening session. What impressed us most about Harper is that he’s not just a catch and shoot guy. Harper demonstrated the ability to pull up and make shots off the dribble in transition. NY Rens stretch four Sloan Seymour is probably the best catch and shoot guy we’ve seen at camp. Not only is his release quick, but Seymour has limitless range and gets great elevation. How can we mention shooters with no mention of Noah Locke? Well here it is. Locke continued to impress with his shot making ability, and the scary thing is that we believe he can still do better.
BIG MEN GALORE
Montverde Prep power forward Josh Roberts is a phenomenal athlete, and an elite rim protector. “Wild thing”, as he’s known, had some eye opening finishes to go along with his blocked shots. Jack Hemphill, a class of 2018 power forward at Ravenscroft, stole the show in the night cap. The 6’9, 230 pound power forward had some emphatic finishes in the paint, and worked hard on the glass.
CHI-TOWN BOYS STILL HOLDING THEIR OWN
Talen Horton Tucker has been the most consistent player we’ve seen so far this week. The product of Simeon High School seemingly can’t do anything wrong, as we’ve been struggling to find any weaknesses in his game. Not to be outdone, Whitney Young point guard Xavier Castaneda continues to apply pressure on opposing defenses. The quick, explosive lead guard has been impossible to keep out of the lane, and has been rewarded with several foul shot attempts. A player who is yet to really erupt is Tim Finke, the #2 ranked player in . Finke did have some nice moments though, as he continues to get more comfortable with his teammates. Once his shot starts falling, the production should follow.
MIMS ERUPTS FOR BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE
Demetrius Mims broke out in a big way on Thursday. His stingy defense has been consistent, but Mims has turned up his aggressiveness offensively. He seems to be getting stronger, and more comfortable as the camp goes on.
TREY MCGOWENS CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
Hargrave Military is getting a must see player in Trey McGowens. A native of South Carolina, McGowens will prep into 2018, and should see his recruitment expand this month. Ole Miss extended an offer yesterday, and more will likely follow their lead.
ANTHONY NELSON A SMOOTH OPERATOR
New York Lightning guard Anthony Nelson has been a matchup nightmare all week. A lefty, the class of 2018 guard who will attend South Kent Prep can beat his man off the dribble going either direction. Nelson demonstrates a great feel. He can make shots, and is an ambidextrous finisher in traffic.