Smack in the traditional hoops hotbed of Atlanta, The Grind Session and Tanager Sports will host another prospect-packed event this weekend with Paul Millsap’s MLK Classic.
The event features a bevy of the nation’s heavy hitters and signed and unsigned Division-I players across all teams. At Tharell High School in Atlanta, a number of high level prep programs will compete on Jan 18th and Jan. 19th. All games throughout the event will be live-streamed via The Grind Session Youtube.
Florida has representation from its traditionally powerful SIAA-FL conference with West Oaks Academy in Orlando and Central Point Christian Academy in Kissimmee.
West Oaks possesses a high-scoring and athletically gifted guard in Selton Miguel, who will prolong his illustrious prep career at Kansas State next season. With a man-child build and an ability to convert turnovers into transition leakouts and above the rim finishes, Miguel is your quintessential West Oaks Academy guard. Similar to Andres Feliz and Tyrell “Turbo” Jones before him, Miguel is a defender first.
Head coach Kenny Gillion has always preached wall to wall defensive pressure with an iron fist, and Miguel’s full throttle style mirrors this relentlessness.
Beyond his ability to guard multiple positions and make vital defensive plays, Miguel is a heady and crafty offensive player who scores it at three levels consistently. He knows how to create his shot off the bounce and shoots it with reliability from outside.
The Flame have found themselves a big, skilled guard in Class of 2020 Jadrian “Bam” Tracey. The Fort Meyers native has steadily earned high major attention this winter, proving he can score it gracefully and also orchestrate the offensive tempo.
Tracey, who holds offers from St. Joe’s, Murray State, South Florida, Canisius, FGCU, and others. He’s been hearing from heavy hitters such as Texas and Depaul and the 6-foot-5 Tracey recently scored 28 points–including 4-for-4 from the foul line to seal in the final 37 seconds–to go with seven rebounds and three steals during a 64-60 win over Central Point Christian Academy. It’s easy to see the threat he poses with his size and ability to handle the ball and facilitate.
A.J. Neal and AJ Staton, both veteran guards with an advanced skill-set, have improved their Division-I stock in the last few weeks. Neal recently turned in a near triple double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, nine rebounds, and three steals during an 84-62 win over Wildwood. A shot-maker and a heady guard who has vast experience, Neal brings a battle-tested and calming presence.
Staton, who is another big guard who can facilitate and shoulder the role of go-to scorer, has been an eye-opening recruit since his performance at the HoopExchange JUCO All-American Jamboree back in October, where he averaged 17 points and five rebounds. With Staton’s status as a shot-maker who provides high-energy as a multi-positional defender, coupled with 3.7 GPA, he’s got special attributes that would appeal to MM-HM coaches.
West Oaks has depth with a number of fluid athletes and above the rim finishers such as highly-touted 6-foot-8 sophomore wing Fray Nguimbi and high-rising 6-foot-7 Kobe Gibbs. The Flame have catapulted to No.1 in the state following the aforementioned win over CPCA.
Over in Kissimmee, Central Pointe boasts one of the most talent-rich rosters since the inception of the program. They have a rugged, hard-driving and dish-first point guard in FGCU-commit Luis Rolon, who has been able to string together multiple games of 10+ assists this season.
A bullish attacker who sees the floor well and knows how to turn in big plays, Rolon has been a calming influence with the ball in his hands for head coach Richie Dalmau.
After shooting it at a scalding 52-for-105 from 3-point territory as a junior and shooting 14-for-22 from beyond the arc at the aforementioned Hoop Exchange All American Jamboree, Rosa joined Rolon in committing to Florida Gulf Coast University in the fall. He’s been a steady shot-maker who can dial it in from downtown and his bolt-quick shot release makes him difficult to guard. He’s become more adept at knifing his way to the rim and finishing through contact.
Perhaps the most prized recruit in the program, 6-foot-6 Ramses Melendez has been a deadly scorer with an all around game. The Class of 2021 wing brings springboard bouncy above the rim finishing and has a knack for scoring around the rim.
He’s also capable of spreading out foes with his outside shooting and knows how to pick apart a defense. Melendez recently scored 17 points as Central Pointe overcame a deficit to stamp a convincing 69-48 win over Edgewater. The White Tigers locked up defensively throughout the final scoring sequences of the game, holding the opponent to just four points after reeling off a 10-0 run.
In the post, the White Tigers have a key interior presence in 6-foot-9 Class of 2020 forward Jonathan Aybar, from the Dominican Republic.
Wiry and bouncy, the North Florida commit is adept at finishing lobs and scoring in the paint. He’s developed a back to the rim game and is active on the glass throughout. There is considerable help in the trenches with 6-foot-9, 240-pound Modibo Sanogo, who has the build of an MMA fighter and has shown flashes of a skilled scorer.
Having improved incrementally with his footwork, Sanogo knows how to attack the basket and score over rim protectors and shot-altering bigs defending the goal. Sanogo, who is effective on the glass and brings a physically imposing style as a rim protector, has earned an offer from Siena while entertaining heavy interest from South Florida.
All the way from Sweden, point guard Ali Abdou Dibba has been a sleeper. The 6-foot-4 guard is a fluid athlete who knows how to attack the rim and finish and can knife his way through traffic and beat defenders in the one on one game. He’s got an on-ball defensive presence to him as well. He’s steadily become the additional leg of scoring, as he’s had a 20-point, 19-point, and most recently a 15-point game during the aforementioned win over Edgewater. Buoyed by an explosive first step and an above the rim game, Dibba is beginning to garner interest from college coaches.
Victory Rock Prep is again loaded with high-level athletes and college-ready prospects who play at a frantic pace and know how to get above the rim and finish. Class of 2021 guard Kevin Miller Jr. has been a catalyst as both a facilitator and a scorer.
The tough, 5-foot-10 Class of 2021 guard from Chicago has a tight, deft handle and knows how to quarterback a team. Like other diminutive guards of his type, Miller Jr. is a ferocious competitor who can score off the dribble, create his own shot, and knife his way to the rim gracefully. He recently put together a wild, eye-opening 28-point performance during an 80-75 win over NW Guilford in North Carolina. Miller Jr. also doled out seven assists to go with four steals.
Coach Loren Jackson has another promising Class of 2021 product in 6-foot-7 Mouhamdou Mbao, an active presence on the glass and a consistent double double threat upfront. Mbao scored 15 points and tore down 12 boards in the aforementioned NW Guilford win.
Meanwhile outside of the conference, Surge Christian Academy boasts its own big guard in 6-foot-6 point guard Skylar Wicks. An adept slasher and crafty finisher, Wicks knows how to use his size in the back court to his advantage. He’s skilled and possesses the high end athleticism tailor-made for the next level, especially with his above the rim game.
Wicks’ versatility is also evident in his ability to create his shot off the dribble and stick 3-pointers. Wicks currently holds a handful of offers, including TCU, DePaul, Siena, Missouri State, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast University, and North Florida. Wicks is currently averaging 19 points and six assists per game.
Surge will also showcase a burgeoning prospect in Eric Lee, also a bigger guard at 6-foot-4. With knockdown shooting ability and the deft handle that enables him to play both guard spots, Lee is also a quality defender and can also quarterback a team.
A number of coaches are beginning to discover this, as he currently holds offers from Radford, Elon, Stetson, and Ohio. He’s capable of impacted the game in a variety of ways, with his statistics (15 PPG, five boards, four assists, and close to four steals per game) indicative of this.
An adequate playmaker who sees the floor, Lee could either be the primary ball handler or play off the ball at the next level. He’s an intriguing threat because of his above average size in the back court and shooting ability.
