Top 2-Way Underclassmen at OTRH’s Elite 32 Showcase
Class of 2020
- Kaleb Mack (Team South Carolina / Legacy Early Charter(SC))
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Kaleb Mack
Team South Carolina, in every age group, has developed the reputation of playing hard nose defense and guarding the opposition for the entire game every time out on the floor; Mack is the epitome of that reputation. From the jump he defends with tenacity but uses his basketball IQ to guard without fouling which I thought was the most impressive part of his game. He was also effective on the offensive end when getting to the basket on drives but was more effective simply finding teammates in transition a distributing nice lob passes to his athletic teammates at the rim. He makes the game that much easier for the other four players on the court and as the primary ball handler on some possessions he did a good job of controlling the tempo before creating chaos when they were back on defense. Mack has good strength to finish through contact and makes the right plays off his own penetration. I loved the positive impact he had on the game and his teammates as he seems to be a good vocal leader out on the floor as well.
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Kaleb Mack
Class of 2021
- Eric Rivers (Atlanta Celtics / McCallie( TN))
- Eric Rivers was efficient offensively in the two games I saw over the first July live period weekend at Wheeler and Allatoona high school. In the first matchup it was more about his speed and finishing ability at the rim when he was able to get out in transition, finishing with 15 points. Saturday however was more about his shooting ability as he made several threes from different spots around the perimeter, giving the defense fits as that speed and finishing ability was still present in a 26 point effort. He’s a pest on the defensive end with quick hands and feet to gamble and recover if necessary and that ability gave him several opportunities to get ahead of the defense after steals for easy scores. Rivers is a flat out playmaker and proved so on both ends this past weekend.
- Iajah Phillips (Game Elite / Mill Creek)
- Phillips is a two way, combo guard with good strength only going into his sophomore campaign. He is coming off freshman of the year accolades with Mill Creek high school and his impact on the game makes that accomplishment easy to believe. He has good athleticism to rebound on both ends and a motor that allows him to break opponents down as games go on. Offensively, once he picks up steam, he is hard to slow down on the way to rim and has a good handle on the basketball to get by defenders as well.
- Myles Rice (AOT / Morgan County)
- Rice, although only a rising sophomore, has been an AAU standout throughout his middle school years and his game has only expanded since then. He is a do it all point guard that makes a coach comfortable knowing the ball is in his hands late in games and against pressure. He has a nice hesitation game that he uses to get past initial defenders and he did as good a job as any guard I saw over the weekend at finishing with nice floaters before the second defender was able to contest his shot or step up to take a charge. Rice has very good footwork in traffic and had some good finishes in transition, some ending with him heading to the free throw line for a chance for more points afterward. He has long arms to make steals and deflection on defense, which he used to get easy transition points proving beneficial in a close win down the strectch for AOT .
- Isaac Abidde (Atlanta Celtics / Westover)
- Abidde is a raw athlete that is starting to put it all together on the basketball court. He is 6’7” with big time leaping ability and length which makes him effective immediately around the rim on both ends. Blocks, rebounds, and shot altering capabilities make things hard for any opponent looking to attack the rim but it is now the polishing of his game on the offensive end that makes this prospect one to look out for. He is starting to develop consistent touch around the basket and is stretching his game out to the mid-range area to become a more versatile scorer. He understands spacing and diving to the basket in the half court and has always ran the floor for emphatic dunks in his freshman campaign at Westover and during the AAU season this spring and summer. Abidde can change games single handedly and will be another Middle Georgia prospect to the watch for in Georgia’s 2021 class as Mississippi State is the latest to offer him.