I was able to check out some quality scrimmages this past weekend at John A Logan College and East Mississippi CC that included John A Logan, East Mississippi, Indian Hills and Tallahassee. Here are some takeaways from these four teams:
Standouts
6’8 F Sydney Curry (2021) of John A Logan (Pictured) - Curry was relentless on the glass. He finished everything at the rim and made the extra pass when he saw a double team. He should average a double double this season
6’7 F Chris Payton (2021) of Indian Hills – Payton did a great job rebounding and scoring in a variety of ways. He has a soft touch around the rim and his midrange jumper looked great. Payton's jumper really elevates his game and makes him one of the toughest players to guard in Junior College
6’3 PG El Ellis (2021) of Tallahassee – The Louisville Commit was in constant attack mode and did a great job of getting into the paint to create. He did a good job of scoring in transition and defending
6’6 F Jakorie Smith (2021) of East Mississippi - Smith played with motor and toughness. He is tough to guard with his versatility, he scored inside and out. As always with Smith, he did a good job of rebounding
6’2 PG Mario McKinney (2021) of John A Logan - The D1 Transfer from Missouri excelled in transition and attacking the basket. His motor and athleticism from the PG position was impressive
Sleepers
6’3 G Ismael Cruz (2021) of Indian Hills - The JC Transfer from Lee College can score it. He made several contested 3's and got to the FT line. He has good feel and confidence
6’6 SG Amir Gholizadeh (2021) of Tallahassee – The D1 Transfer from Chicago state shot it well from deep and made plays for teammates off the bounce
6’7 F Xavier Ball (2021) of John A Logan – Ball was able to step out and make deep 3's as well as short jumpers. His shooting stoke was impressive and he has good frame for rebounding
Qualifiers To Know
6’4 G Curtis Jones of Indian Hills - Jones played PG all weekend for the Warriors, he filled up the stat sheet with rebounds and assists. He played with poise and made several deep 3's over the weekend. Jones has a great feel and makes winning plays
6’3 G Detrick Reeves of John A Logan - Reeves is a scorer and he showed he can do it from all 3 levels. He finished thru contact and made several tough jumpers. Reeves plays with a constant motor and is fearless attacking the rim
Freshman to Watch
6’3 G Taj Anderson (2022) of Indian Hills
Other Notes
7’3 C Jamarion Sharp (2021) of John A Logan – Sharp has worked hard on putting on weight and he is now 235. Sharp’s presence in the paint leads to rushed shots and/or bad decisions. He will likely lead the NJCAA in blocked shots
6’6 G Shawn Walker (2021) of Tallahassee – Walker is a D1 Transfer from George Washington and is an intriguing prospect for TCC. He has great size for a guard and is good athlete. He can knock down jumpers and is versatile defender