Prep Hoops Live: Sunday’s Best
In this article:
Division One. Division Two. Division Three. Junior College. We had something of quality for everybody at Prep Hoops Live. Unsigned seniors and young up and comers, dynamic duos and monster performers. My final rundown from Prep Hoops Live.
The Arnold Duo Goes for 65
One thing that I will certainly take away from Prep Hoops Live was the incredible 8am performance of Donavan Gomez Donavan Gomez 6'2" | SG Converse Judson | 2023 State TX and Jalon McKelvey-Munoz for Arnold Elite. This pair of guards spent the entire month of April scoring on whatever team has been put in front of them no matter what event they are in. And I promise you the Minnesota Heat are believers because they combined to score 65 points with McKelvey-Munoz scoring 35 and Gomez putting up the 30.
It amazed me how time and time again Donavan Gomez Donavan Gomez 6'2" | SG Converse Judson | 2023 State TX would produce a basket for his team in some way, and then get back on defense with this sly look of dominance as he continually beat his man. The Gomez jumper is solid, and when he gets hot I’ve seen him twice this year go on a run of buckets. But the passing of Gomez is what really catches my eye. He averaged four assists a game for a 25 win team this winter and he’s likely putting up even more than that for Arnold Elite this spring.
Then you have Jalon McKelvey-Munoz the point producer. Teams just don’t seem to have a clue on how to defend this guy. First of all, U I love his spot up jumper. He’s a really smart transition runner who gets ahead of the defense to either get to the cup and finish with strength or he gets those feet ready for a quick catch and release with as much comfort as I have seen a guy hit in that way. That footwork with the catch to the jumper is as good as anybody out there. Scored 35 and he has been putting up 20+ spots all spring.
Division One! Time to Recognize Kyle McNeal Kyle McNeal 6'1" | PG Dwyer | 2023 #297 Nation FL in a Big Way
If you don’t like Kyle McNeal Kyle McNeal 6'1" | PG Dwyer | 2023 #297 Nation FL of Ball 4 Lyfe as a scholarship guard prospect, then I don’t like you(r basketball prospect opinions). About the only thing that I am good with keeping McNeal from being a scholarship guard prospect is that he is a division one football prospect as well!
Ball 4 Lyfe played five tough opponents at Prep Hoops Live and they picked up four good wins and then lost a one score game at the buzzer to the Iowa Barnstormers, and Kyle was a big part of each of those wins. McNeal is a good sized guard that comes down hill at opponents or runs with others and completes.
I love McNeal’s mix of pull-up and his feel of when to lure in a player and then strike to the cup. His pull-up is deadly because when he reads a defender stepping back on their heels or leaning to a direction, he strikes with it. Finishes at the rim with the right or left, gets out of crossover with a great attacking step, and he’s been consistent!
A to Z Asher Zubich Asher Zubich 6'1" | PG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2023 State MN Creates Buckets!
I love the Asher Zubich Asher Zubich 6'1" | PG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2023 State MN jumper. I love his feel for the game. He’s got good size. And in Indy we learned that he’s an outstanding passer (more on that in a second) and in Kansas we saw Asher take over a game hitting six triples as well as some clutch jumpers scoring 33 points to beat the Chicago Demons.
What is Asher at the next level? Honestly I saw he’s a Brad Davison type at a D2 who may not be your point guard, but he is a smart player who leads as a great passer and a player that can make a large percentage of his shots. Not to mention, he passed for 34 touchdowns as a junior QB against five interceptions and ran for 18 scores. The only way you are talking me out of Asher playing for a good college basketball team, is if he is playing in the fall outside.
Julius Joseph-Brown Julius Joseph-Brown 6'4" | CG Newman | 2023 State NLG Should Be on Your List
Six-foot-4 is surely one of the scholarship sleeper scoring talents that I’ve seen on the Prep Hoops Circuit. Joseph-Brown plays with DC United and he’s had five games of 20 plus points. He’s a wing that scores in bulk and does it in several ways. The first time I saw Julius score he ran the floor ahead of the defense and caught that transition defense with an explosive two hand dunk while getting hit. But his game is more than that.
His speed up the floor is incredible. Joseph-Brown looks like an Olympian with those long strides and he gets into his attacking finish or catch and finish exploding to the cup in a way that has to be defended early or it’s too late. Surely one of the best rebounding guards that I saw in April and a big part of that is his explosive first and second jumps. Big time rim finisher but also has incredible lift on his pull-up. Getting a hand on the Julius Joseph-Brown Julius Joseph-Brown 6'4" | CG Newman | 2023 State NLG pull-up is almost impossible. Physically looks like a division one player in all ways.
Prep Hoops Live Notes
Dillon Cubit of Texas Impact AE (6’8 2023). Cubit is a forward with a 38 inch vertical, good lateral feet, quick bounce, and all the raw talent that could be molded some day into a scholarship talent. One to know for the future.
Isaiah Hanson Isaiah Hanson 6'4" | SG Rochester Mayo | 2023 State MN of Minnesota Heat (6’3 2023). Hanson had one of the best shooting weekends in Kansas making 60 percent of his triples across the four games the Heat played. The won three and Hanson was a key part.
Race Herr of Texas Impact AE (6’10 2023). The more I see Race play, the more I like for his future. We had three different scouts watch three different games and Race hit multiple jumpers in all of them. Used one dribble well in the paint and moves well enough to be a modern big man defender. I’m sold.
Wyatt Hawks Wyatt Hawks 6'8" | C White Bear Lake | 2023 State MN of Northstar Titans Stone (6’7/6’8, 2023). Hawks continues to grow. In all ways. Went from a JV kid to a 12 point per game player this winter to a guy who looks like a prospect now with a good frame and low post production.
Isaac Nyakundi Isaac Nyakundi 6'9" | C MacDuffie | 2024 State NLG of Starks Elite (6’9, 2023). Isaac has always had the potential. The big thing for him was being two way consistent. And we are seeing two way consistency from Isaac as he is an excellent low post defender in a lower D1/high D2 Reggie Lynch way. So much raw talent.
Will Opsahl Will Opsahl 6'8" | SF Goodhue | 2023 State MN of Minnesota Lightning (6’7 2023). Remember Justin Stommes? I think Will reminds me of a D2 level Justin Stommes as he is a point forward that is the ultimate mismatch at PG.
Trey Smith Trey Smith 6'7" | SF Osseo | 2023 State MN of Northstar Titans Stone (6’6 2023). His hair makes it really hard to know how tall he is but there is now confusion with his developing game. Smith is an explosive wing with scholarship potential on both ends of the floor.
Logan Tuckner Logan Tuckner 6'4" | SG Rochester John Marshall | 2023 State MN of Minnesota Lightning (6’3 2023). Logan is that shooting specialist. Makes jumpers from all ranges, depths, types, and circumstances. A bucket finder I would say.
Nygle Williams of BTI (6’8 2023). The right size for a scholarship four, strong, active, and based on the schools that were sitting over on the baseline, a division one prospect.