High Upside International Talent
Louis Bangai, SCS
The former West Oaks (FL) big has sneaky athleticism at 6-foot-11. While his rawness his evident during certain moments, he’s also exemplified flashes of brilliance with hard baseline dunks and forays to the rim.
Bangai has rapidly grown into a stabilizing defensive presence with his ability to swat and influence shots inside the key. He’s still developing a fluid mid-range game. He’s additionally working away at making plays with or without the ball in his hands.
Bangai has committed to UNLV, having been recruited thoroughly by head coach Marvin Menzies while in California.
“I think he could either be amazing or a total flop,” said one Division-I assistant coach, who has assessed Bangai during his stay in both Florida and California and most recently Scotland, Pa.
Simon Wal, The Nation Prep
A native of Windsor, Canada, the 6-foot-5 and 200-pound wing has the build and consistency to become a knockdown shooter. If Wal continues to invest in the proper workload, he’s got the mechanics and potential to be a Rashad Anderson type shooter (albeit at the mid-major level). The Class of 2019 prospect averaged 14 points, six boards, and 4.1 assists, in 2017-18. He plays tough, confrontational defense and can bang down low as well.
Dylan Andrews, NTSI Orlando
All the way from the U.K., the hard-driving 6-foot-3 and 195-pound guard brings toughness. He’s able to really find seams in the defense and take advantage with thorough, acrobatic finishes in which he exhibits good hang time and body control.
Andrews is jarringly similar to prized Providence-signee David Duke in that he looks to drive first and finish at the rim in crafty fashion above all. At the same time, he’s in the process of building up a reliable shot. This aspect of his game still needs to fully develop. It’s a necessity, especially with the smorgasbord of defenses and bigger, longer defenders he will encounter at the elite prep level.
Shawn Barthelemy, Athlete’s Institute
The 6-foot-1 guard is a tad bit wild at times, albeit the erratic guard has a toughness to him in how he’s able to manufacture points and get through defenses off the dribble.
He’s improved drastically with his 3-point shot. After playing sparingly at The Conrad School (Orlando, Fla.) as a sophomore, Barthelemy has emerged into a legitimate scoring guard who really produces in the one-on-one game.
A product of Canada’s highly reputable Brookwood Elite travel program, under the player development ace Nelson Osse, Barthelemy experienced success at an early age. While he’s had some up and down, topsy-turvy times in between, the Class of 2019 product is stoked with the confidence to prove he’s as good as advertised during his final scholastic season.
The progression with his shot and the smoothness of his release was best evidenced during the January-February period of last season, when he altered hs image as a steady 3-point rainmaker. It was certainly a rapid transformation that entailed work with his mechanics and consistent work on the shooting gun.
Julian Surla, Potter’s House
One important aspect preached consistently by Surla’s trainer, former Arkansas Little Rock guard Nicola Cicic, is constantly active hands on defense. Cicic actually charts the number of deflections and shots influenced by Surla, a 6-foot-2 guard in the Class of 2020.
Surla steadily improved in all of those categories. At the same pace, he was able to stake his claim as a viable 3-point threat. As Surla continues to diversity his scoring and shot selection, expect to see the Sweden native increase in value as he slides into a more prominent role during the 2018-19 campaign.
Freddy Zotchi, The Conrad School
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound small forward is the classic case of a multi-tooled guy who can play quite bigger than he is. He’s physical, he’s a pest on the offensive and defensive glass, and he’s a timely scorer. There were several games where he imposed his will by getting into the lane and scoring and also knocking in a 10-footer here and there.
The native of France was a double-digit scorer alongside 7-foot-6 UCF star Tacko Fall at Liberty Christian in Tavares, Fla. A role player on a team that additionally featured recent FIU-signee Cameron Corcoran, high level basketball is nothing new for Zotchi.
Milan Stakic, BPA
The 7-foot-2, 238-pound forward can be a real game-changer when he is engaged throughout two halves of basketball. He’s got a habit of sleepwalking through games, despite appearing like an All-American in practice at times.
Still, there have been powerful and promising signs of what could be. Static’s 15-18 foot jumper is a sheer mismatch issue for foes. He’s worked furiously at developing back to the rim moves and imposing his size advantage against smaller defenders.
He’s a space-eater down low and possesses the type of big, soft hands which translates to a smooth touch at the next level. The big Bosnian will prolong his career at East Carolina, where assistant coach Ken Potasnak recruited him strictly on upside from the very beginning.
Kai Jones, Brewster Academy (N.H.)
As an unsung and little-known backup at Orlando Christian Prep last year, Jones was buried behind the radiant troika of deft dishing guard Renaldo Segu (Buffalo), All-American Nassir Little (UNC), and burgeoning five star talent C.J. Walker.
Versatility is a weapon for Jones, who underwent a jack and the beanstalk like growth spurt. He skyrocketed from 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-11, sustaining the guard skill set he originally developed.
Miami, Louisville, Baylor, Vanderbilt, Texas, and countless others have offered the rapidly rising Class of 2019 prospect from the Bahamas.
“His high motor and versatility makes it difficult for me to constrain him to any specific roles,” Team Breakdown head coach Kenny Gillion said of Jones.
“He’s a 6-foot-10 forward that can defend the post and move his feet against perimeter players.”