Potential Breakout Preps from the PH Louisiana Top 250 Expo
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The Prep Hoops Louisiana Top 250 gave plenty of players a chance to show their skills against top players around the state. A few of these preps had very good sessions during their day in Baton Rouge which can be…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Hoops Louisiana Top 250 gave plenty of players a chance to show their skills against top players around the state. A few of these preps had very good sessions during their day in Baton Rouge which can be a springboard into a big season. In this PH Louisiana expo article, I will take a look at a few preps who flashed breakout potential at the Prep Hoops event.
Derrick Morris Derrick Morris 5'8" | PG St. Michael | 2023 State LA (5’10″ / St. Michael’s / 2023) – pictured above
Morris was the second best point guard in the Team Sportsplex during the Prep Hoops Top 250. His communication on defense was the most impressive thing placing players he rarely plays with in the proper place. He was also a great distributor in transition finding players like Donald Butler Donald Butler 6'5" | SF Walker | 2022 State LA with pinpoint passes. Morris can direct an offense better than the majority of the lead guards I have seen. I think he will have a season that will earn him an all-state nod when it is all said and done.
Jamari Markray Jamari Markray 6'2" | SG Doyline | 2022 State LA (6’2″ / Doyline / 2022)
The way Markray looked at the PH Top 250, class B is going to have two thirty point scorers to deal with at Doyline. Jamari attacked the rim from every angle and found a way to get the ball on the glass or in the basket every time. While his running mate is more of a perimeter threat, Markray lives in the paint. Absorbing more contact on layups while getting to the rim will have Markray scoring at the free throw line as well. It will have him in all-state contention also….and I do not mean honorable mention.
Alex Broussard Alex Broussard 6'3" | SG Vermilion Catholic | 2022 State LA (6’3″ / Vermilion Catholic / 2022)
Broussard played next to John-Paul Ricks John-Paul Ricks 6'0" | PG Jehovah-Jireh | 2022 State #206 Nation LA at the PH Louisiana Top 250 expo and looked like they had been playing together for years. He had a steal and dunk sequence, a couple of steals from trapping with Ricks which turned into layups, and made several threes. Broussard was a walking bucket at the expo with his defense and offense. He has district most outstanding player (MOP) written all over him with the skill he showed in Baton Rouge.
Damarcus Jack Damarcus Jack 6'3" | SF Elton | 2023 State LA (6’2″ / Elton / 2023)
A player who has the potential to put up a double-double nightly in class 1A will be Damarcus Jack Damarcus Jack 6'3" | SF Elton | 2023 State LA . At the Top 250, Jack was relentless when it came to gathering rebounds or when his shot was blocked. He dusted that off, gathered the ball again, and went back up. Jack did shoot a couple of triples and looked uncomfortable on them. When he secured the ball 15 feet in, it was pretty much a score or a foul. Even in a district with Deion Ware Deion Ware 6'4" | CG Hamilton Christian | 2023 TX housed in it, I think Jack will make a legit run at district MVP because of the numbers he will put up.
Michael Mouton Michael Mouton 6'5" | SG St. Thomas More | 2024 State LA (6’3″ / St. Thomas More / 2024)
There is no doubt that St. Thomas More will be a younger team this season. That does not mean they will not have talent. One player that I think will make a run at 5-4A district MVP is Michael Mouton Michael Mouton 6'5" | SG St. Thomas More | 2024 State LA . He is deceptively athletic with the ability to defend multiple positions. In Baton Rouge, he showed the ability to score on multiple levels and a willingness to attack the rim. Because he is a threat to score in various ways, Mouton will be a threat to win numerous honors at the end of the season.
Dakota Gasca Dakota Gasca 5'9" | CG West Monroe | 2022 State LA (5’11″ / West Monroe / 2022)
Until the Prep Hoops Top 250, I had rarely seen Gasca pass the rock. He was always on the receiving end of a pass and making a jumper. Well, Dakota was in his bag at the Team Sportsplex. Leading the fastbreak, he made a pinpoint look-away pass to the streaking wing for a layup. From there, he made several threes and played aggressive defense. 2-5A is one of the more competitive districts in the state. However, Gasca’s play looks to be advancing to a higher level and setting him up for a season playing at a high level.
Teddy Menard Teddy Menard 6'0" | CG Notre Dame | 2023 State LA (6’0″ / Notre Dame / 2023)
In a small district dominated by Lafayette Christian, Notre Dame may have a player that can put a team on his back and compete with them. Menard was constantly heading to the rim during the PH Top 250. He made decisive moves with the ball in his hands and is quicker than he looks. Once he got guards on their heels, he dropped the jumpers over there heads repeatedly. Menard has the ability to put up big numbers from inside and out. I would not be surprised if 2A all-state and all-area awards are garnered by him at season’s end.
The Prep Hoops Top 250 was a proving ground of sorts for players looking to get on the recruiting radar. These players proved that they are competitive and can play against some of the best Louisiana has to offer. If they maintain the confidence from this event, we should see a new crop of players breakout on the prep scene in the state.