Film Review and Evals: Part 1
With the uncertainty surrounding the grassroots season in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, prospects and coaches at all levels are relying more so than ever on film. Here at Prep Hoops, we are trying to do our part by providing review and evaluation for those prospects looking to boost their profile and find the right match for the next step. In part 1 of our film review player evaluations, we take a look at 5 prospects from Missouri and Arkansas:
6’2 2021 PG Jordan Mitchell | West Memphis, AR
Long, athletic, lefty combo guard that I believe is one of the better two-way guards in Arkansas. He was a key piece to an excellent West Memphis squad that was a co-State Champion. He gets downhill in a hurry and has a unique herky-jerk and hesitation in his handle with quick acceleration/deceleration that keeps defenders off balance and uncomfortable. He can really weave it in transition and has a tough in-and-out into pull-up jumper combo that is hard to guard. Can iso and break his man down as a play-maker in the half-court. Utilizes the jump stop and pivot very well to maintain balance as a scorer or improve angles to hit cutters or kick-out. His athleticism can sneak up on you in a hurry, and he has shown the ability to explode and hammer one in traffic. He has potential to be an elite-level defender. He is a shadow on the ball and anticipates very well in the passing lanes. He can stretch it out to three, but his stock will really take off if he can get more consistent beyond the arc. Still has a lot of room for growth as a prospect. The summer would be huge for him, but he will still catch eyes. LM/MM+ prospect.
6’6 2022 G Joseph Pinion | Morrilton, AR
We’ve always had a feeling that Joseph was going to burst onto the national scene, and he has done that in a big way recently by picking up an offer from Kansas. Joseph has a long, rangy build that suggests he may have another couple inches to grow with room to add some bulk to his frame. This is a young man who spends a ton of time working on the fundamentals, footwork, and finer points of his craft and it really shows on the floor. He has elite range and gets into his shot as quick and fluid as anyone I have evaluated this year. Good elevation on his jumper and can really pull-up and cash in from anywhere at any time regardless of defender. He does an excellent job of brushing shoulders running off screens and having his feet set and in rhythm to pull-up off the catch. Drives it north to south with purpose and has the length and athleticism to develop into a big time finisher. I like his first step and lateral movement defensively. If he gets beat off the dribble his length allows him to cover ground and serve as a shot blocking threat. When it is all said and done, Joseph will be included with the best of a loaded 2022 class in Arkansas. MM/HM prospect with high upside.
5’10 2020 G Caleb Anderson | Batesville, AR
A bit undersized and not the most explosive athlete but makes up for it with good instincts, plus vision,high IQ, and crafty ball skills. Caleb averaged 15.2 points, 4 assists, and over 2 steals per game and was named an All-Conference pick in 4A-3 at Batesville High School. He is exceptional in the pick and roll. Unselfish passer who can hit his roll man in stride. He turns the corner as a scoring threat and does a nice job of placing the floaters/runners high over the top of defenders with soft touch. Reads it well and will pull-up if his defender goes under. He is a knock down shooter with range that will translate to the college game. Can fill it up catch and shoot or off the bounce. Caleb would be a nice spring pickup at the NAIA/D3 level.
5’11 2023 G Jack Steinbach | Ladue H.S, MO
Very promising freshman guard. Knock down catch and shoot threat from the wing with deep range. Very good passer with good vision and feel for the game. He has some craft to his handle and finds his way into the lane off the bounce where he does a nice job of hitting open teammates or going high off the glass to finish. As he continues to mature, he is going to be a household name in St. Louis.
6’4 2021 F Caleb Maassen | Linn H.S, MO
Good length and strong upper body. Can play inside or on the wing. He plays hard and with some physicality around the rim. Uses his upper body strength to absorb and finish through contact well. He can post and convert off the glass with good footwork. Capable rip and go driver from the wing that has a solid spin move that covers plenty of ground in the lane. Rebounds very well on both ends of the floor. Would like to see him add a bit more explosiveness and improve his three point shot, and he could be a nice small college prospect.