GASO DFW Memorial Day Weekend: Friday Night Standouts
Check out my scouting reports and analysis on some of the top prospects in attendance at the GASO (Great American Shoot Out) Dallas Fort Worth Memorial Day Weekend tournament! These guys really popped on night one, expect them to begin…
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Continue ReadingCheck out my scouting reports and analysis on some of the top prospects in attendance at the GASO (Great American Shoot Out) Dallas Fort Worth Memorial Day Weekend tournament! These guys really popped on night one, expect them to begin to garner some real attention over the next few circuit months!
Kuol Atak Kuol Atak 6'9" | SF Haltom | 2024 State #109 Nation TX 6’8 2024 Haltom High School (3D Empire 16U)
Kuol is a high level forward due to his ability to run the floor and get easy looks in transition, but also score from the mid-post with his back to the basket. I loved watching his non stop motor, he wanted to beat everyone down the floor every chance he got, and truly did so. He always seemed to be the first one down the court every time I looked up and he finished with ease, even in traffic. He finished through contact and converted 2 and one opportunities on the fast break which I loved to see. He was comfortable with his handle, even in traffic and spinning out out of post moves. I was very impressed with his overall confidence with his back to the basket, he showed an ability to not only back his defender down and finish over the top, but spin away on his left shoulder and score. He was very comfortable operating at the mid post and displayed an ability to pass over the top of the defense. I would like to see continued development with his shot off the bounce and out of the triple threat, and more skill with a live dribble in transition. He does well to get to his spots already, I cannot imagine the kind of force he will become on the fast break if he truly tightens up his handle.
Peyton Gusters 2023 6’5 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy (AJ1)
Peyton is a long athlete who has an ability to truly do it all on both ends of the floor. His length allows him to defend all positions on the floor and his foot speed allows him to harass high level guards in the full court. His ability to defend the best players on the court and seemingly tale them away really allowed his defense to take advantage of relaxing a bit more on the defensive end. It allowed his center to stay back in the paint and everyone else just deny the ball when he was on the court. He is a strong trapper of the basketball who uses his ability to seemingly swallow up his opponents by his harassing nature on the ball. On the offensive end of the floor he is a very active player off the ball, he can run off screens, create offense at the high post or flash to the rim. I was very impressed with his willingness to get on the offensive glass, every time a shot goes up he is sprinting and leaping towards the rim at the highest level.
Peter Serunjoji Peter Serunjoji 6'5" | SF Mansfield Summit | 2024 State TX 2024 6’5 Mansfield Summit High School, TX (3P Elite 2023)
Peter is an aggressive player who thrives off his ability to get downhill and into the teeth of the defense with his creative handle and ability to turn the corner on seemingly anyone. I loved watching him manipulate on ball screens and attack the defense on the short screen. He is such a consistent and patient finisher down low, he loves bating his opponents into leaping and giving him a free look at the rim. He was great at attacking space when they sagged off of him to avoid the screen, he routinely got past his opponent and made the right decision. He also showed an ability to play the small ball center role for his team, after his team lost their normal big man due to an injury, and he stepped right in and rebounded the ball at an incredibly high level. He smartly high pointed the ball multiple times, and is great at using all of his length laterally and vertically to be a harassing on ball defender. He is so smart at bating his opponents by staying in a low defensive stance and then exploding up to snatch a pass.
Shane Barrett 2024 6’6 Chisolm Trail High School (Texas Force Tha Answer)
Shane is an elite defender in all aspects of the game, and has the ability to flip the game on its head with his non stop energy and how many turnovers and blocked shots he forced. I loved watching him bait opponents into committing to shots in the paint and sliding over to erase them. He came up with multiple blocks as both the help defender in the half court but also some emphatic blocks in transition as well, coming from behind and sending the ball onto another court. He is a very smart on ball defender as well who was good at angling his opponent towards the sideline or the help defense in transition. I would like to see him get more confident with a live dribble and continue to score off the bounce in transition and attack the rim.
Tim Okojie 2023 7’0 Spring Creek Academy, TX (Athletic Elite 2023)
Tim is a massive force on the interior with his tremendous size and ability to protect the paint and clear the glass. He is great at turning away shots in the paint, from behind or as the defender is coming at him. He has good defensive instincts and knows how to high point the ball on his opponents release. He came up with multiple chase down blocks with his non stop motor. He moves very well for his size, and showed an ability to run the floor and finish, much like how Clint Capela does in the NBA. He is an aggressive player on the fast break who understands the importance of keeping the ball high and out of his defenders reach, He is a force as he is coming down the lane, even as the trailer option and can catch the defense off guard by flying down the lane. Okojie has grown tremendously as a player from the last time I saw him less than 2 months ago. If he continues to develop his overall feel for the game and his basketball IQ at this rate he is going to show rapid development.