Will Barton Elite Camp Superlatives: Post Players
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 the post players that stood out during the game portion of camp.
Josh Gray | 6’11 | ’20 Putnam Science (NY)/PSA Cardinals
Gray separated himself as the best big on Saturday. The camp environment is always difficult for bigs because of the hectic pace and heavy guard play. There were spurts when Gray struggled to run the floor consistently, but when he did, he was usually involved in the play. Even if he wasn’t the one shooting, Gray crashed the offensive glass and finished strong put backs. When he did get his touches on the block or at the high post, Gray’s size overwhelmed any player that matched up with him.
Zaakir Williamson | 6’6 | ’21 Rock Creek Christian/D.C. Premier
Williamson displayed much improvement with his play. He did his damage from all three levels, but when he put the ball on the floor and got into the paint, he muscled through defenders on his way to earning a bucket. What was most impressive was his footwork once he got into the paint. Williamson utilized pump fakes, up and unders and euro steps to help create an easier look.
Adam Walden | 6’9 | ’22 Poly/Team Melo
At this point with Walden’s development, his skill set pretty much consists of a guy who catches and finishes around the rim. Even in that area, he showed improvement as a result in being in better shape. Walden consistently finished over the rim with two hands and is showing a better understanding of how to find openings as the defense reacts to penetrating guards.
Elijah Rantin | 6’9 | ’20 Mervo/Team Thrill
Rantin continues to show progressions overall in his game. It was good to see him play with talented guards and catch no-look passes that resulted in dunks. Rantin was effective in running the floor consistently and establishing solid post position.
Jamal West | 6’5 | ’20 St. Frances/Team Thrill
West is an undersized forward at 6-foot-5, but he plays as if he was 6-foot-9. Combining his strength, athleticism and aggression in the paint has made him a dominant presence in the post no matter who is guarding him. There were times when taller defender got a piece of his shot, but West isn’t going to let that stop him from locating the ball and trying to punch it on that same defender that just blocked his shot. More times than not, he gets the ball back and puts in the hoop. He doesn’t have many post moves in his repertoire, but overwhelms his defender with his initial bump and quick first jump.