Grind Region Finals: Championship Sunday 16U Top Prospects
Check out my analysis on some of the top performers from the 16U division on Sunday at the Grind Region Finals in Dallas! These guys really turned some heads and garnered positive attention all weekend, and really lead their teams…
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Continue ReadingCheck out my analysis on some of the top performers from the 16U division on Sunday at the Grind Region Finals in Dallas! These guys really turned some heads and garnered positive attention all weekend, and really lead their teams to success!
John Clark 2025 6’7 Klein Cain High School, TX (TJ Ford Basketball 2024)
John is a high level forward with all of the natural skill to become a dominant weapon at the next level, if he continues to develop foot speed and agility he can be an incredible slashing wing, or continue to fill out as a hard working forward. He is great at high pointing the ball as he collects rebounds or protects the rim. I was very impressed to watch him work defensively, routinely blocking shots by simply staying vertical. His size is a tremendous asset for him, and he uses his blend of strength to out work his opponents as he boxes them out and seals them off on both ends of the court. He easily had over 12 rebounds in under the first ten minutes of play in the first game I saw him play in this weekend. He has a natural ability to jump multiple times to finish tip ins, or out leap an opponent for a defensive rebound.
Offensively, he runs the floor hard, both with and without the basketball for easy rim running opportunities. He displayed an impressive and confident handle for his size, going behind the back and crossing over a defender in the open court. He loves to push the tempo after a defensive rebound, whether that is with his handle or his outlet pass. I was very impressed with his post moves, showing off a high level drop step that he used to split two defenders, as well as a soft bunny hook. I would like to see him work on his intensity as he moves without the basketball, he is good at suddenly changing his pace and quickly sealing off a defender, but I would like to see him go get the ball and operate more out of the triple threat on the perimeter. Clark has all the tools to really affect the game across all three levels, and truly on both sides of the court.
Jordan Matthews 2024 6’5 Peabody Magnet High School, LA (CenLA Storm 2024)
Jordan is an a strong defender who can use his foot speed which he uses well to wreak havoc on both ends of the court. He is great at staying vertical and timing up his blocks to protect the rim for his team. He has all the tools to be an explosive forward at the next level with his nice blend of athleticism off the dribble and his ability to consistently dominate in the paint. He is so dominant down low, he finishes everything around the rim and consistently cleans up the class. He has a reliable jumper from the perimeter, which he uses to his full advantage to knock down shots off the catch and off the bounce. His consistency from the outside allows the paint to be even more wide open from the pressure that he can put on the defense from the outside. I was very impressed by his ability to truly do it all on both ends of the court. Matthews has all the tools to become a valuable weapon at the next level.
Koreyan Davis Koreyan Davis 6'6" | SF North Crowley | 2024 State TX 2024 6’5 North Crowley High School, TX (Tarrant Elite 2024)
Koreyan is an incredible athlete who has the ability to play small ball center, but has enough guard skills to play the wing role or combo guard spot if necessary or attack off the bounce with his size and prowess with a live dribble. He is an increasingly more confident ball handler, getting downhill with his handle to finish at the rim. He is great at getting in front of smaller guards and sealing them off from having a chance to contest his shot. I was very impressed with his ability to score from all three levels of the floor. He is a confident shooter out of the corners, and uses the triple threat well to create space within the half court.
Davis is an incredibly dominant player because of his ability to play on the defensive end of the floor, he has active hands and uses all of his athletic ability to wreak havoc on defense. He put his body on the line to draw charges, but is an elite rim protector as the tallest player on his team. Whether he was poking the ball free from his opponents or rejecting shots in the paint, Davis always had his hands involved in the play. I also loved his ability to go coast to coast after forcing a turnover or block!
Jalon Thompson 2024 6’8 Desoto High School, TX (Dallas Showtyme 2024)
Jalon is a dominant team defender with his ability to protect the paint and rebound the basketball at a high level. I was very impressed with his ability to high point rebounds to come away with second chance opportunities and finishing up defensive possessions. He is a very smart outlet passer after collecting a defensive rebound, he always has his head up scanning the court for the home run pass, but makes good decisions in making a smart pass to a teammate who is leading the break on the wings at mid court. He has a great frame and explosive athleticism for his size already and he is a hard worker on the court, allowing him to affect the game through his constant energy and how well he boxes out his opponent and seals them from having a chance at contesting him. I loved his consistency that he displayed in the paint, constantly finishing through contact and cleaned up easy second chance points for his team.
Walker Williams 2024 6’0 Plano West High School, TX (Victory Academy 2024 Blue)
Walker is an incredibly aware point guard who sees the floor at a very high level, which was evident in the reads and passes he made for his teammates and how he attacked space in the defense. I was blown away at the creation and the decision making he made off the drive and kick, making a slick wrap around pass on the baseline to the weak side shooter or kicking it out after drawing the initial second defender. He routinely fit passes through very tight windows, allowing his teammates to get off high level looks. He had a few jaw dropping one handed passes that had the entire gym and opposing parents impressed. He has a tight handle, allowing him to manipulate the defense and get to his spots. He is a confident shooter from beyond the arc and the mid-range, and works hard to get to his spots with and without the ball. I would like to see him get more aggressive when attacking the rim, there was a time where his teammates could not buy a bucket, and he was force feeding them instead of playing selfishly. I do not say this is as a knock on his play-style, just personally wish he would hunt for his own looks more.