The Nation’s Petion Making Strides In Class of 2019
One of the state’s fastest-rising recruits is adding new facets to his game right here in sun-baked Port St. Lucie.
At 6-foot-6 and possessing an advanced scoring arsenal at all three levels, Class of 2019 guard/forward Marvens Petion is emerging into an appetizing and unheralded mid/high major prospect. Laced with the multi-positional attributes and infectious swagger which NCAA coaches tend to prioritize, Petion has garnered offers from Louisiana Tech, McNeese State, Tulsa, and Illinois State.
“He’s a tenacious defender who guards from the 1-4,” explained The Nation head coach Mike Woodbury. “He’s quick, the muscle fibers are there. He’s the type of kid who can dunk on you and over you. He really glides to the rim. He’s a freak athlete overall.”
Petion has spent the summer refining his game. With an extra two and a half months to add bulk onto his spindly 185-pound frame, he’s working at shedding the habit of gambling defensively. Having shaped himself into a heady and instinctive on-ball defender, an added layer of toughness would augment Petion’s development. Tuning up his body and embracing the physicality of the game would turn outside interest from Ole Miss, Wichita State, UConn, and Rhode Island into offers by mid-season. How much he subscribes to the day to day workload over these next two months will determine this.
He’s also adapting into a primary ball handler. As a returning starter who has gutted out the battles against in-state foes such as DME Academy and IMG, Petion will be tasked with becoming a vocal leader and guiding the team with or without the ball in his hands. Woodbury’s team must fill a significant void in leadership and production with recently graduated Illinois State signee Abdou N’Diaye. The 6-foot-10 stretch four averaged 27 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks in 2017-18.
Mamadou Gueye, The Nation Prep
A legit 7-footer with the length and athleticism to become a true rim protector, Gueye has quickly become a tireless worker. His offensive skill set is still evolving as he packs on multiple moves together. A recent arrival to the United States via SEEDS, a program which helps enroll kids from the Senegal into American schools, Gueye still needs to capitalize on attention to detail. The length and shot-blocking and shot-manipulating ability is already there. Gueye is developing a face-up game and has big, soft hands. The ball leaves his hands smoothly from 18-20 feet out. He oozes of the potential as a knockdown shooter, one capable of taking interior defenders out of the paint.
Rayquan Everett TLAP Academy
With TLAP Acad. losing a significant percentage of scoring by bidding adieu to Jamal Ellick (20 PPG), Class of 2019 product, expect Rayquan Everett to cushion some of that void in his post-grad year. The San Diego native is a 6-foot-5 combination guard with dependable perimeter scoring. Everett has a smoothness and quality to has ability to create his own shot and free up space for the catch-and-stick game. He’s become more of a baseline attacker who can get to the rim. Head coach Louis Graham, a West Palm Beach native, hopes to mold him into an adept all three levels scorer while simultaneously tightening up his handle and decision-making as a playmaker. Expect Everett to offer immediate contributions as an innate scorer with a full repertoire of offensive gifts.
Milan Stakic, Believe Prep Academy
When the big Bosnian Center first arrived at The Conrad Academy in Orlando, he posted up with his hands in his pockets. He was 285 pounds and lacking the motor and competitive drive. Less than two years later, Stakic has trimmed his way down to 235. Becoming lighter on his feet, he’s developed a deft touch from 15-20 feet. As a big, space-eating Center, the 7-foot-2 behemoth can manipulate and change the trajectory of shots inside. While he’s still developing a refined back to the basket game, you can’t deny the presence and mismatch issues he could create. Stakic recently committed to East Carolina, which was the first program to recruit him.