Will Barton Elite Camp: Out Of State Standouts
This past Saturday, the annual Will Barton Elite Camp took place on the campus of the University of Maryland Baltimore. There was no shortage of talent from Baltimore, D.C, Delaware, Texas, Philadelphia and Oklahoma. For this article, I’ll be taking…
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Continue ReadingThis past Saturday, the annual Will Barton Elite Camp took place on the campus of the University of Maryland Baltimore. There was no shortage of talent from Baltimore, D.C, Delaware, Texas, Philadelphia and Oklahoma. For this article, I’ll be taking a look at some of the out-of-state prospects who stood out at camp.
A.J. Hoggard| 6’2 | ’20 Huntington Prep/PSA Cardinals
Hoggard showed why he has been getting heavily recruited from many high major programs around the country with his play on Saturday. The 6-foot-2 guard offers a unique blend of size, strength and quickness to help create space on his way to the basket. Once he gets there, he scores in a variety of ways with either hand and by utilizing a plethora of fakes to get his defenders off the ground. Hoggard is extremely crafty with the ball and displayed advanced vision that resulted in open looks for teammates.
Jamir Watkins | 6’7 | ’20 Trenton Catholic (NJ)/Team Final
Watkins was one of the most versatile players I saw on Saturday. At 6-foot-7 with a strong frame and impressive athleticism, Watkins guarded just about every position at one point throughout the game portion of camp. The Trenton Catholic (NJ) standout had more than a handful of over the rim finishes and found his mark from beyond the arc regularly.
Prince Aligbe | 6’6 | ’22 Minnehana Academy (MN)/Team Sizzle
Adam Ayalew included Aligbe in his superlative defenders article from Saturday, and while the rising sophomore used his long wingspan to cause problems on that end, he also used it to his advanced offensively. The 6-foot-6 wing supplied constant pressure on the defense by attacking the rim and finishing with his supreme athleticism. Aligbe hit a number of jumpers from mid-range and three as well, where it seemed like he had solid rotation on the ball and good form on his shot.
Jayden Pierre | 6’1 | ’22 Patrick School (NJ)/Team Rio
This was my first time seeing Pierre and I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I saw the skinny, 6-foot-1 guard. Once again, you can never judge a book by its cover. On one particular possession, Pierre blew by his defender at the top of the key on a fast break and proceeded to explode up to the rim for a one-handed dunk that caught many of the onlookers by surprise. I’d describe Pierre’s entire game as sneaky, like his athleticism. He made great reads as a ball handler and was pesky guarding the ball defensively. He was a player that had to be accounted for at every moment on both ends.
Devon Barnes | 6’0 | ’21 Lawton Christian (OK)/Team Thrill
Barnes made a name for himself at last year’s event coming off of a strong sophomore season. Since that time, the Lawton Christian (OK) star has drastically improved on his understanding of the game. Barnes can shoot with anyone from three, but he has honed in on becoming more of a play maker off the bounce. He got into the paint much more than I was used to seeing and always made correct reads. Defensively, Barnes doesn’t know anything but working hard. His consistent production on both ends were key in his team winning the camp championship game.
Christian Moore | 6’2 | ’21 Nasemond River (VA)/Team Thrill
This was my first time seeing Moore in action after a productive spring and July. The 6-foot-2 scored steadily throughout the day by utilizing his quick first step to create separation for his smooth mid-range jumper. In isolation situations, Moore is very shifty and difficult to keep in front as a defender. He wasted no time in getting out on the break whether he had the ball or not and created easy scores for his team, who were ultimately crowned champions of the camp.