Super 80 Showcase-Class of 2020 Notebook
This past Saturday, I hosted the inaugural Super 80 Showcase, an event designed to showcase the top freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. There was no shortage of talent in any of the four games that took place. The 2020 had arguably the most talent of all of the games. There are multiple prospects with mid-to-high level potential.
Here are some notes from this game:
Dominick Carrington proves himself
Looking at the rosters from a national scout’s point of view, Dominick Carrington’s name wouldn’t do to much for you. Until you see what he’s capable of. He showed that Saturday by pouring in 31 points, which included eight three-pointers. The 5-foot-10 combo guard shot the lights out throughout the contest to keep his team in striking distance, but ultimately came up short 117-110. It says something to be named MVP and be on the losing side of the game, but between Carrington’s sniping and his flat-out effort on both ends, it was only right to reward him with the honors.
Ace Baldwin puts together a solid performance
Baldwin played a solid all around game finishing with 16 points, five steals, two rebounds, two assists and two blocks. He displayed his ability to do a little bit of everything. One part of his game that continues to improve is his three-point shot off the dribble. We draw dramatic improvements in this aspect from February to April and it has continued to become more consistent. When Baldwin is dialed in and playing his hardest, he is easily one of the best players in the area. Now, the focus for him should be every time he steps on the floor, to be in attack mode from the opening tip.
Jamal West remains a problem to be dealt with
One thing with West that is an absolute guarantee whenever West takes the floor: he’s going to give you 110 percent effort. The 6-foot-5 forward finished the game with a team-high 19 points and six rebounds in a winning effort. West had multiple dunks, but none were more impressive than a two-handed put back he had with Jordan Toles being an extremely rare victim. Those two will put on a high-flying show for the Panthers of St. Frances this upcoming season.
Justin Lewis keeps adding to his game
It’s easy to say that Lewis has the most potential in the entire city to one day play this game for a lot of money. Especially if he continues to add aspects to his game like he has. Lewis finished with a respectable 14-point, 8-rebound effort. What was most impressive is Lewis’ ability at 6-foot-8 to now take his man off the dribble on a consistent basis and finish with authority at the rim. You can see the confidence in his ball handling has improved and once he dips his shoulder down to attack, not many can take the impact effectively enough to dictate his positioning. As a result, Lewis had a few plays that resulted in finishes above the rim whether someone was in his way or not.
“Air” Jordan Toles doing Jordan Toles things
If you have a video camera and need some footage, go wherever Jordan Toles is playing. The 6-foot-2 guard, who is also the top ranked safety in his class, finished with 14 points on a mirage of dunks including a clean windmill in transition. While his high flying theatrics ‘wow’ the fans, it’s Toles’ jumper that makes him most effective. Similar to Baldwin, Toles has improved on his jumpshot tremendously since the high school season came to a close. Now that he is a threat from 15 feet and out with the ball in his hands, his defender has to play him more honestly and must account for him at all three levels. Good luck.
Jermaine Goodwyn puts together a dynamic performance
Goodwyn is another player in the area that when dialed in, can really be an intriguing prospect. At 6-foot-2, the southpaw can shoot it well from three and knows how to set up teammates. He finished with 15 points and crashed the boards well, collecting six total. Goodwyn also made it a point of his to attack the rim and draw contact to get to the charity stripe. He made all four of his attempts.
Zack Blackwell proves why he belonged
Because of the numbers game and the talent in this class, Blackwell was just outside of the bubble for an invite. However, when one player didn’t show up, he immediately came to me and said he was ready to go in case. I gave him a jersey and he made me look stupid for not inviting him in the first place. Like West, Blackwell is going to give his full effort every time he steps on the floor. The 5-foot-10 scrappy, strong guard finished with 16 points, connecting on two triples and multiple strong drives to the basket. It goes to show that whenever he walks into a gym whether he’s scheduled to play or not, he’s always ready to get buckets.