Noteworthy 16u Tennessee players at LakePoint: Friday Night
The massive warehouse of a gymnasium named LakePoint Sports glistening with freshness, recently home to incredible players (B.J. Boston, Anthony Edwards, Matthew Murrell, Keon Johnson Keon Johnson 6'5" | SG The Webb School | 2020 State #21 Nation TN ,…
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Continue ReadingThe massive warehouse of a gymnasium named LakePoint Sports glistening with freshness, recently home to incredible players (B.J. Boston, Anthony Edwards, Matthew Murrell, Keon Johnson Keon Johnson 6'5" | SG The Webb School | 2020 State #21 Nation TN , D.J. Jeffries, Tyler Harris, Antonio Thomas) and dominating teams, felt uncommonly spacious and necessarily spread out due to social distancing practices. Players competed, but the typically fiery, boisterous parents were more quiet, respectful, and mask-covered. Digital cameras and phones scanned and captured the action more often than usual. No Tennessee-based teams competed, but several TN-based players showed up. How did they play? How did they look on the court?
Any number to the left of a player’s name is their current PrepHoopsTN ranking within their grade.
Cade Pendleton (Team Curry 16u / East Hamlilton)
Though he worked out with Team Curry during the week, Cade Pendleton made his Team Curry program debut Friday night. How did it go?
The first half was forgettable in that Cade played limited minutes. His second half was more statistically productive thanks to his more meaningful playing time. Rebounding was more common. He ran the floor with purpose most of the time. Frankly, his teammates are still developing trust in him and AAU is rarely friendly to bigs. Guards dominate the ball and are not really enthusiastic of feeding the post. Still, Pendleton managed to make an impact in the blowout.
Recovered 2 loose balls. Worked a nice screen-and-roll. To be fair this is his first weekend with this program. https://t.co/J1CV0oCyHj
— Prep Hoops Tennessee (@PrepHoopsTN) July 10, 2020
The future of Cade will be as a forward, He has the size and a budding court awareness for that position. Though thin, Cade Pendleton is scrappy. Within a minute of subbing into the game, Pendleton was on the floor twice clawing for loose balls. If a big is willing to commit his body to this degree, then he is certainly physically invested in the game.
Willie Walton (Pro One Select 16u / Lipscomb Academy)
The first thing to know about Willie Walton is that he is both a college prospect for baseball and likely basketball. Walton’s father played college basketball for Mississippi State University in the early 90’s. Walton aspires to pursue both throughout high school and college. What can Walton do on the deck? Willie Walton is a taller 2-guard that thrives on outside shooting. He took plenty of 3’s against Team Curry and did not hit many. That said, he appears to be a capable shooter since there were few forced/challenged shots, his feet and legs were wonderfully balanced, and the release point was consistent. Pro One Select did not ask Willie Walton to run the offense, but he showed off quick, sharp passes both around the perimeter and into the paint.
Importantly, Pro One Select 16u (AL) is yet to complete a single practice together. While this is not entirely unique, there are numerous AAU programs that have had anywhere from 3 to 15 players in the gym together in the past two months. Pro One is not one of those programs. Expect their passing and shooting to improve if/when there is any kind of consistency to their weekend schedules.
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