Scouting Report: North Louisiana Guards & Wings (Part I)
In this article:
With football still going, the classes from 1A to 5A begin hoops a little later than the smaller classes. Even with the later start and some teams missing their dual sport athletes, other players have shown their talents in the…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith football still going, the classes from 1A to 5A begin hoops a little later than the smaller classes. Even with the later start and some teams missing their dual sport athletes, other players have shown their talents in the early season nevertheless. I will take a look at a number of players who have played well early this season.
Captain Shreve Gators:
John Mitchell John Mitchell 6'3" | CG Captain Shreve | 2021 State LA – G/W (6’3″ / 2021) – During the Gators jamboree game versus Woodlawn and their regular season opener against Huntington, Mitchell displayed one of the better inside and outside games in the Boot. He is a strong wing who can back smaller guards and wings down or take post players of the dribble. When he shoots the three, he only shoots them from his spots (the corner or the top of the key). Mitchell is also one of the better offensive and defensive rebounders around. John has a multi-facted game that makes him very dangerous on the floor.
AC Bryant AC Bryant 6'3" | SG Captain Shreve | 2021 State LA – G/W (6’2″ / 2021) – Bryant is another Gator who has a variety of tricks in his bag. He is very good at creating the necessary contact to get fouled or to finish at the rim. Bryant is a lefty with a quick first step. He can either blow by his defender or set him up for his long range shooting. Bryant can score in bunches like he did in the 4th quarter against Huntington and put pressure on those who defend him. While he could be a better rebounding guard/wing, Bryant can affect a game in several ways when he is on the floor.
Kyron Reed – CG (6’1″ / 2022) – Reed may become the heart and soul of the Gator team by the time the season is done. During their contest with Huntington, he showed the ability to make the three ball. However, he took on the challenge of defending the best guard on the opposite team ( Rayshun McCullar Rayshun McCullar 6'1" | PG Huntington | 2022 State LA ). Reed is not afraid to talk trash and will compete on every possession. He is a competitor on every possession and makes his opposite number work for anything they get.
Woodlawn-Shreveport Knights:
Chris Carpenter Chris Carpenter 5'9" | PG Huntington | 2023 State LA – CG (5’9″ / 2023) – Carpenter is a point guard with plenty of quickness and above average court vision. He is has the ability to breakdown defenders with the dribble and find players cutting or when they find holes in the defense. Against Captain Shreve, Carpenter left defenders in his wake all night to get to the rack or for an assist. While he is more of a streak shooter, he can bury them when it is important. Carpenter is also a pest on defense when engaged. He may be a small guard but Carpenter has a very big game.
Andri Lewis – G/W (6’3″ / 2022) – Lewis knows only one speed and that is full throttle. In scrimmages against Calvary, Southwood, and Captain Shreve, Lewis used his strength during drives and bullied his way to the rim. Other times, he used his quickness to beat slower defenders to the cup. Lewis took the challenge of defending John Mitchell John Mitchell 6'3" | CG Captain Shreve | 2021 State LA and fought him tooth and nail. Lewis is a gifted two-way player who will see his strengths used in the Knights style of play.
Lemuel Adams – CG (5’10″ / 2023) – Adams is a smooth yet shifty guard that has added more playmaking ability to the Knight backcourt. He can get to the rack in a hiccup and finds creative ways to get the ball to the glass. Adams can play either guard position as he did in all of the scrimmages. He has the ability to find holes can make positive offensive plays. Adams will need to get into the weight room and develop his upper body more for the varsity grind. However, he is another potent piece to an already talented roster.
Lakeview Gators:
Javonte Howard Javonte Howard 5'8" | PG Lakeview | 2022 State LA – CG (5’10″ / 2022) – Howard is a guard who is a very talented shooter but is equally distruptive as a defender. He has an ultra quick lefty release and can shoot from anywhere on the floor. His quickness also allows him to get by almost any defender. On defense, he gets into players and causes turnovers. While that part of his game was on display during the Hall of Fame game against Captain Shreve, the flipside saw his aggression lead to several fouls. The Gators frenetic style is definitely highlighted by Howard and the way he plays.
The action in north Louisiana gyms has been fast and furious. In my next edition, I will take a look at other guards and wings from the north in these football playing classifications that have been putting it down on the court these first couple of weeks of the season