17U Kansas College Prospects (3/4 & 5)- Prep Hoops Series: Kansas City
This is by no means a comprehensive list of college prospects from the Prep Hoops Series in Kansas City but the following prospects are all players who have a future at the next level and are homegrown talent right here in the state of Kansas.
This list of prospects consists of 3/4 & 5’s who stood out over the weekend. Depending on my familiarity and times seen, a recommendation of level may or may not be given.
Blais Keita (2019)- KC Pacers Blue 17U
Blais’s size and strength were unmatched this past weekend as he saw 2-3 bodies everytime he caught the ball in the paint. Blais is a 6’11” traditional center who physically could step into a college game tomorrow and be just fine.
Defensively, he is a natural rim protector and bullied teams all game long on the boards, both on the offensive and defensive ends.
Once Blais goes towards the rim consistently on offense and stops fading away even when he could power through his defender, he will really raise eyebrows on the Division I level.
Jevaughn Ferguson (2019)- Mokan Select 17U
A fantastic role player for Mokan Select, Jevaughn showed this weekend that he had transferrable skills at the next level.
He originally hails from the Bahamas and plays football and basketball here in the states, using his strength and muscular build to his advantage in both sports. That combined with his motor make him a factor on the boards consistently.
At 6’6” Jevaughn is considered an undersized five man if he doesn’t grow anymore and is most comfortable on the low block and with his back to the basket. He has good post moves and good athleticism that allow him to make an impact in scoring and on defense.
He is currently seeing NAIA interest at the present moment.
Thomas Lipscomb (2018)- KC Pacers Blue 17U
Although Thomas is the class of 2018, he has been in action with the KC Pacers and had a great weekend in Kansas City. 6’8” and a long defender, Thomas showed he was a valuable guy for the Pacers this weekend and has potential at the next level.
He can score in the paint, is fundamentally sound as a defender, rebounds the ball well, and also caught fire from three-point range in the championship game versus Mokan Select.
He would definitely be a great snag for a school this late in the recruiting cycle, showing his upside many, many times over the weekend.
Kael Kordonowy (2019)- River City Elite 17U
Kael was even more dominant in the paint than the last time I saw him earlier in the year when he was playing for his high school, Maize South.
Everything around the rim was his, offensive and defensive rebounds and shots that could be contested or blocked.
At 6’7” for a traditional five man, he is a tad bit undersized in terms of weight but he is deceptively strong and a great athlete, showing his athleticism multiple times, usually resulting in two handed dunks.
I was also very impressed by his midrange game as he caught fire against the KC Pacers Blue, making a bigger and slower defender pay for giving him space outside the paint.
Kael has heard from a handful of schools, mostly on the NAIA and Division II level but I’d expect his recruitment to really start picking up if he plays at this level all summer.
Peyton Downey (2019)- KC Premiere
At 6’5” and 200 pounds, Peyton is a very intriguing prospect for this summer. He fundamentally has good footwork which will be even more evident once he is able to trim up a bit and add more explosiveness.
Defensively he remains effective due to his activity level and length, disrupting ball handlers at all times.
Offensively he displayed some good shooting ability and was able to get into the paint and use his size and strength to finish against contact.
He has definite upside and could really be an asset to teams at the next level if he continues to develop.