Phenom 150: Top Prospects
Report on Phenom 150 at Hardwood Palace Sept 2-3
The Phenom 150 was held at Hardwood Palace Sunday and Monday September 2-3. Here is a report on prospects at the event who caught our attention.
Prospects: (* indicates highest consideration)
*6’7 PF Keandre Burns of Yuba City HS 2022 (YBA Red)
Burns is a fairly athletic four-man with long arms who is one of the bright prospects in the class of 2020. He has some ball handling and passing skills and prefer to play facing the basket. He has a nice one-bounce drive and can shoot it ok mid-range. Burns does need to develop some physically but he clearly belongs on the radar at the top of the 2022 class in Nor Cal.
6’2 SG Vince Cooke of Woodcreek HS 2019 (YBA Black/Blue)
Cooke is a two-guard with some skills and competitiveness. He can handle the ball and has the ability to pull up in the half court. He’s an ok driver and has a solid floater shot. Cooke probably could be more convincing with his perimeter shot.
6’7 PF/C Bryce Fitzgerald of Monterey Trail HS 2019 (YBA Red)
Fitzgerald is a big-bodied post man with offensive skills. He’s a decent ball handler who can get to the basket on the drive some. He is a decent shooter with 3-point range and he has a no-jump hook on the block. Fitzgerald needs to get his body better (more athletic) and develop more post up skills.
*6’3 CG Kolton Frugoli of Bishop Manogue HS 2019 (YBA Red)
Frugoli is a deceptive athlete combo guard who is highly competitive. He has high level ball handling skills and makes a ton of plays in transition. He is a good shooter with 3-point range and he gets to the basket on the drive consistently. His best skill is his pull up game, both in transition and in the half court. Frugoli has a motor that never stop running. Simply put, this guy you want on your side.
6’1 SG AJ Gheintor of Woodcreek HS 2021 (YBA Black/Blue)
Gheintor is a fairly athletic two guard who can score. He’s a capable ball handler who has some ability to make plays in transition. In the half court he can get to the basket on the drive, shoots it ok with 3 range and has a nice floater in the lane. Gheintor needs to show more on the defensive end but is one to watch in 2021.
6’7 CF San Johanssen of American Canyon HS 2019 (YBA Red)
Johansen was one of the pleasant surprises of the event. (He has been injured and had not been seen in the last year.) He is athletic combo forward with fairly good strength. He is a capable scorer from all three levels (perimeter, mid-range, inside) Johansen is also a capable rebounder.
*6’7 SF/PF David Jones of Grant HS 2019 (Team Black Fam)
James is an athletic combo forward with long arms. He handles it ok and show some ability to score inside and outside. He can dribble operates on the block and has a nice jump hood. He has a solid one-bounce drive and has a floater drive as well. Jones needs to prove himself as a perimeter shooter.
6’0 CG Earvin Knox of Modesto Christian HS 2019 (Team Black Fam)
Knox is an energetic combo guard who can make plays in transition and in the half court. He is a confident ball handler who can get in the lane consistently. He shoots it fairly well with 3-point range and has a nice pull-up game mid-range. Knox must prove himself as a perimeter defender.
*6’10 C Jhaylon Martinez of Vanden HS 2020 (Team Black Fam)
Martinez is an elite Nor Cal prospect in the class of 20202 and his stock continues to rise. He has solid post-up skills and is a difficult matchup on the block. He can rebound the ball in his box. Martinez’s biggest need at this point is to develop his body and try to improve on his lack of athleticism.
*6’4 PG Ra’Shjon Martinez of Vanden HS 2020 (YBA Red)
Martinez is an athletic one-man who is on the rise and really coming into his own as a prospect. He has the size, speed and skills that any coach likes to see in a point guard. He handles and passes it well and has a solid pull-up game in the half court. He shoots it fairly well with 3 range and has a nice floater drive. Martinez has been over-shadowed by his brother Jhaylon but he clearly belongs high on the class of 2020 radar in his own right.
*6’7 PF/SF Alesandre Merkviladze of Modesto Christian HS 2020 (Team Black Fam)
Merkviladze is a strong and aggressive combo forward. He has a solid all-around skill set and scores in a variety of ways. He’s a capable ball handler and a very good passer (who sees the court well against a double team on the block). He can post up some and he can shoot it with 3-point range. Merkviladze is a solid rebounder who does pursue the ball outside his box. (An added bonus is that he is a 4.0 student.)
6’7 PF Dee Juan Pruitt of Grant HS 2019 (YBA Black/Blue)
Pruitt is an athletic and energetic four man. He can score with a one-bounce drive, an ok shot from the perimeter and on the block with a decent post up game. Pruitt is a good rebounder who pursues the ball consistently.
*6’5 G/W Steven Richardson of Grant HS 2019 (YBA Black/Blue)
Richardson is an athletic guard/wing who can play on the perimeter. He can score in a variety of ways, both in transition and in the half court. Richardson has a tendency to be too fancy at times and needs work defensively but is a legitimate prospect.
6’9 C/PF Tsotne Tsartisidze of Modesto Christian HS 2019 (YBA Red)
Tsartisidze is a hard- working combo postman with good hands. He can dribble operates and score some on the block. He’s a decent ball handler who has on ok one-bounce drive from the mid-range area. He shoots it well mid range and is a solid rebounder. Tsartisidze is also capable defender.