Standouts From Crossroads of the South Part 2
Here is my continued coverage of The Crossroads of The South Camp in Jackson, MS.
Matthew Krass / 6’0 / Point Guard / AAU: Community Saved 2024 / St. Patrick School (Biloxi MS)
Instagram: matt1krass
Twitter: matt_krass
The younger brother of Nick Krass, an Ole Miss commit, Matthew was a big-time scorer at camp and got it done in a variety of ways. He is listed as a PG, but during camp, he was a scoring first PG. He made it look easy at times as a playmaker, whether making plays for himself or creating opportunities for teammates. When it came to the Soph and Fresh group, Matt had one of the best feels for the game amongst the group. His toolbox is loaded with tools. He is a creative passer, lethal from behind the arc, has elite vision, has a brilliant floor game, changes speeds well, and is just an overall skilled player at the guard spot. His set-up crossover dribble put defenders on skates at times and helped him get to the paint, and once there, he was just a nightmare for those on D.
His decision-making with the ball in his hands was literally outstanding at times.
Opportunities for Growth: Matthew has to get his feet faster. As good as he is on the offensive end when I see him again, I challenge Matt to show that he can get it done on the defensive end of the court as well.
Jakobi Thompson / 6’1 / Point Guard / AAU: MCE 2024 / Provine High School (Jackson MS)
Instagram: solo.kobii
Twitter: solo_kobii
One of the most aggressive players in the Soph and Fresh group was Jakobi. When J was getting to the rack off the bounce, he was nearly unstoppable. He has a quick first step, and once he got going downhill, he was determined to score the rock. He thrived in transition, and when he was in transition, whether with the ball in hand or running the lane, he was pushing and running hard. He brought a lot of effort and energy to the court throughout the day. He was definitely among the top-tier scorers at the camp. Jakobi, along with Dorian McMillian, had an exciting battle down the stretch of one game, and J showed his tenacity as he went after Dorian on both ends of the court. They pushed each other into another zone, and J was scoring at all levels. J showed that he is not afraid of the spotlight and is a player that is ready to play when the lights come up.
I left MS having no doubt that J is a productive player and full of potential.
Opportunities for Growth: As hard as J played, as much of a big-time scorer J is, as much as an emerging prospect J is, I want to see J continue to let his game do all his talking. To do that in an even greater way, J has to work on being more consistent from behind the arc. As I often mention this disclaimer, this is just an overview of what I saw in 1-day during a camp setting. J might be a player that can light it up from behind the arc, but he struggled at times during camp, and I challenge him to continue working on his shot from the 3 as he continues to elevate his game.
Marc Dylan Rowe / 5’10 / Point Guard / AAU: MBA Hoops 2025 / Madison Central School (Madison MS)
Instagram: _dylanrowe
Twitter: N/A
Marc is a developing PG prospect. He was one of the most skilled freshmen at camp. He is a PG that showed a balance between scoring and facilitating. He is instinctive and has a good vision of the court. While watching Marc play, I saw him seeing plays before they were even there. He has a keen sense for the game from the PG spot. He was not flashy, but he was efficient and productive. Marc showed that he is a trustworthy, skilled, true run-your-team type of PG. He is definitely a PG that a coach can put in the driver’s seat of a team.
For the most part, Marc played under control and got others involved, and he has a lot of promise.
Opportunities for Growth: Marc has to be quicker with his feet and faster with the ball in his hands. At times, he was careless with the ball, but that could have been attributed to fatigue, which leads me to my following statement. As a PG, Marc should always be the best in shape on his team. I challenge Marc to continue to work on getting his body right to be a top PG in the state of MS over the next couple of years.
Dorian McMillian / 6’3 / Shooting Guard / AAU: MEBO 2024/ Pascagoula High School (Pascagoula MS)
Instagram: doriandagoat
Twitter: doriandagoat1
The buzz throughout the facility was that Dorian was the #1-ranked Sophomore in the state of MS. I have not searched that out, but Dorian showed me that he is definitely in the top tier if he is not the #1 ranked Soph. From what I can recall, he is the only player that I saw that split time between the Senior/Junior group and the Soph/Fresh group. He held his own in both but was stunning with the Soph/Fresh group. He has the physical tools and the scoring tools and knows how to use both. He has good size at 6’3 and a good wingspan that helps him when attacking the rim and shooting over defenders. His scoring tools are extremely robust, and the scary part is that he is still adding to his toolbox. Let me just go ahead and say that scoring is the strength of D’s game. I mentioned earlier about the back and forth battle that he had with Jakobi Thompson, and it was during this, I saw something special from Dorian. Yes, the crowd was going crazy, and people from the other court stopped watching the other game and began to watch what was going on between Dorian and Jakobi; yes, Dorian made the game-winner at the buzzer; yes, it was a fantastic back and forth battle. Still, this one thing stood out for me regarding Dorian. You ready, ok, here it is; after every time he scored the rock against Jakobi, Dorian sat down on D and picked Jakobi up full court and made him work the entire length of the court.
While Jakobi was coming at Dorian and the crowd was cheering, I was looking at the tenacity and energy Dorian gave on the defensive end.
I walked away from the court where the battle took place, thinking to myself that Dorian is a diamond in the rough, and one program at the next level is going to get a gem. Opportunities for Growth: Now, with all the accolades that I just gave Dorian, for a good amount of time during the camp, he had his game in cruise control and, at times, in neutral. I challenge Dorian to understand if he is the #1 ranked Soph in MS or even in the top 10; thousands of other kids are working for that spot. Every time he is in a gym and steps on the court, I challenge him to show all in attendance why there is even a buzz about him being the best in his class in MS. Leave no doubt no matter where you are.
Javin Cooper / 5’7 / Point Guard / AAU: MBA Hoops 2024/ Murrah High School (Jackson MS)
Instagram: 1k.javinn_
Twitter: Javincooper3
Javin was a steady factor at the lead guard spot throughout camp. He is a crafty ball-handler that knows how to use his dribble to get to areas on the court where he can be productive. He plays with his eyes up, handles on-ball pressure when the ball is in his hands and knows how to change speeds and change direction. He showed throughout camp that he is a pass-first PG who contributes beyond just scoring the rock. He impacts both ends of the floor and is extremely active on both ends. He showed his ability to run the show on the offensive end, and he showed his ability to disrupt the flow of the offense on the defensive end.
He was also a player that had good vision and could make timely passes.
His ability to create opportunities for teammates made them look good throughout camp. As a current sophomore, his size could be a factor for some, but he plays hard, makes good decisions with the ball in his hands, and takes care of the ball, having very few turnovers. Opportunities for Growth: As mentioned earlier, at 5’7, I am not sure how much growth he has left physically, so it will be important that J continues to work on creating separation from defenders and continue learning how to play in space. I challenge J to continue working in the weight room to get stronger, as he will at least have the strength and build to play against bigger, stronger guards.
Stay tuned as more coverage is coming.