KYDA Invitational-2023 Prospects
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This weekend in Scranton, Pennsylvania the KYDA Invitational took place featuring teams from MD, NY and PA for a great slate of games throughout the various age groups. I was in attendance for the Saturday action and was fortunate enough…
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Continue ReadingThis weekend in Scranton, Pennsylvania the KYDA Invitational took place featuring teams from MD, NY and PA for a great slate of games throughout the various age groups. I was in attendance for the Saturday action and was fortunate enough to get my eyes on some prospects that I haven’t seen live before. For this series, I’ll break down some of the standouts that I witnessed starting with the 2022 class.
For part one of the 2022 prospects, click here!
For part two of the 2022 prospects, click here!
Isaiah Coleman Isaiah Coleman 6'5" | SF Word of God | 2023 State #59 Nation NC | 6’3 | Team Thrill
Coleman left a lasting impression on me after his performance against Team Final. It was Coleman’s first weekend playing with Thrill and in his first game he came off the bench to explode for 24 points. The 6-foot-3 guard had it going in just about every way after banking in his first three-pointer. From there, he took advantage of defenders sprinting closeouts and was also an impact as an off-ball defender where he caused a couple deflections to ignite transition opportunities that he’d finish with explosive dunks. I’ll be watching Coleman with a close eye going forward.
Justin Edwards Justin Edwards 6'6" | PF Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #3 Nation PA | 6’6 | Team Final
Edwards is a prospect that I could watch shoot the basketball all day. The 6-foot-6 southpaw has one of the smoothest releases I’ve seen and gets textbook rotation on the ball as it’s in flight. He’s an efficient marksman from three off the catch, but can also get to his spots in the mid-range with 1-to-2 dribbles and convert with regularity. His size, length and underrated athleticism make for routine posters at the rim, which Edwards did throughout Saturday’s games.
Derik Queen Derik Queen 6'9" | PF Montverde Academy | 2024 State #18 Nation FL | 6’8 | Team Thrill
Queen continues to make his case as being a top 10 prospect nationally when the 2024 rankings are released. There just aren’t many other freshman (if at all) that have his size, versatility and overall skill set. Queen finished with a modest 13 points in the win over Final, but had his usual array of high-level passes that set up easy scores for others. Queen won’t be one of the more athletic players on the floor, but he plays the defensive end with high IQ and it was on display as he protected the rim not by out jumping the offensive player, but remaining vertical to avoid the foul and still make for a very challenging attempt that usually resulted in a miss.
DJ Dormu | 5’8 | Team Thrill
Dormu only finished with three points in the win over Final, but he impacted the game immensely on the defensive end. You’re simply not going to find many players in the 2023 class that guard the ball with such tenacity and determination like Dormu. He refused to allow the ball-handler any sort of comfort once they crossed half court, which junked up the Final offense and even resulted in a few turnovers along the way.
Rahmir Barno Rahmir Barno 5'10" | CG Imhotep Charter | 2023 State #223 Nation PA | 5’11 | Team Final
Barno led Final in the loss to Thrill with 14 points. The 5-foot-11 lead guard is extremely shifty and quick enough to make his defender pay for any error in footwork. He knocked down two triples and had a handful of strong takes to the rim where he either finished with craft or embraced contact to draw a foul and convert at the charity stripe.
Malachi Palmer Malachi Palmer 6'6" | SF Mt. Zion Prep | 2024 #53 Nation MD | 6’5 | Team Thrill
Palmer didn’t have his usual scoring performance against Final, but he didn’t let that stop him from making his presence felt. The 6-foot-5 guard showcased his vision while operating off the dribble and recorded multiple assists. What made it more impressive is his ability to do so off the live dribble and quickly squeeze bounce passes into small windows to teammates cutting backdoor. Palmer also provided value defensively with his knack for guarding multiple positions and keeping the ball in front of him.