Zooming in with Rick Lewis, at the Phenom Hoop Report, on the players Then and the players Now, that were coming out of last year’s Dave Telep Carolina Challenge and we have Theo Pinson(WES) and Josh Level(Christ School/Greensboro, N.C.) and you can see what Rick has to say, about the way they can play and you can visit all day and night, when you go to www.phenomhoopreport.com…….
We took a look at last year’s Dave Telep Carolina Challenge yesterday and highlighted some of the players at the event and how they are doing today. We continue our series today with more players from the prestigious event.
Theo Pinson – 6’5”, 170 SG (2014 – High Point Wesleyan)
THEN: Just looking at Pinson’s frame gets people in basketball excited. At 6’5” and a wingspan that goes for days, there’s no telling how tall TP will be in three years time. At this moment in time the young SG (WF?) is flashing a fairly consistent stroke from deep and above average ball handling. Continued honing of his perimeter skills and a couple more inches, which seems inevitable when you look at the kid, could mean Pinson could fill any number of needs for a high-major college coach. Quincy Miller-like upside? That being said, Pinson is a very unselfish (team first) player, which is an unusual character trait of someone so young and talent.
NOW: Theo Pinson is widely considered one of the elite level players in the 2014 class. Pinson has solid basketball IQ and fundamentals accompanied with his athleticism. The next stage in his development is to fine tune his shooting technique and become more of a consistent outside threat. Pinson is extremely dangerous off the dribble and has little to no problem getting into the lane and finishing well at or near the rim. He will become a major recruiting target on Tobacco Road in the ACC.
Patrick “Microwave” Rooks – 6’3”, 170 SG (2013 – Charlotte Christian, Charlotte, NC)
THEN: Rooks took over the first game of the day. Mixing in a steady diet of runners, pull-ups, and gliding finishes around the rim with both hands, the 6’3” lefty did more than announce his arrival as one of the best players in North Carolina – he screamed it. Beautiful mechanics on the jumper and can light it up quickly and in bunches and thus why we nicknamed him “microwave.” He is long and lanky and looks like he could fill out to a 6’5 or taller frame. He is definitely one to put in your SIM CARD.
NOW: Since the DTCC, Rooks has verbally committed to the University of Clemson. Rooks is currently one of the premier shooters in the state for the 2013 class. He has deadly accuracy from the perimeter and his shot is textbook. He has proper lift and extension and outstanding ball rotation. He is one of those guys that when he shoots, every shot looks like it is going through the net. He has worked hard in the off season to improve his ball handling and passing skills and is now a better all-around player.
Madison Jones – 6’1”, 165 PG (2012 – Ravenscroft, Raleigh, NC) –Jones
THEN: Completely dominated the first game of the day in Gym 2, producing points for his squad virtually every time down the floor. The junior point guard thrives in the open court and, like the injured Tyler Lewis, has flair to his game while managing to keep his passes “user-friendly”. What that means for onlookers is that he’s fun to watch. Jones dialed it up from long range, finished in transition with both hands (including dunks with both hands), and fought through contact to manufacture buckets on a couple occasions. Midrange game is something we didn’t see Saturday (because he didn’t need it in the up and down affair), but Jones’ well rounded offensive game would be even more polished with a consistent floater in the arsenal and a consistent outside jumper.
NOW: We have always been a big fan of Madison Jones and he has enjoyed an outstanding senior season for Ravenscroft, which is one of the premier teams in the state. Jones has good length and surprising athleticism and does possess good hops and quick leaping ability. The next stage in his development to gain strength and muscle which will come in due time once he gets to college.
Allerik Freeman – 6’4”, 200 SG/PG (2013 – Olympic, Charlotte, NC)
THEN: The best way to describe Freeman is this: he’s the random guy nobody’s heard of who’s lighting up your favorite college team before the conference season starts. Freeman scored in transition, from midrange off the bounce, and finished at the rim in the half court. He’s exceptionally well built for a HS soph. and uses his upper body strength quite well to get to “kill spots” from 15’ in. Prospect to watch! Does EVERYTHING well, though not exceptional at anything. Freeman will also need to work on shot selection, but is going to be a promising young prospect for 2013.
NOW: Freeman used the DTCC as a springboard for his rapid accession in the national rankings accompanied by an outstanding performance at the Nike Camp in St. Louis. Freeman does sport a college ready frame and his strength and power for his position is appealing. While many people are touting Freeman as a potential PG, we see Freeman best used as a SG at the next level. He is excellent in creating his own shot off the dribble and is extremely dangerous in attacking the rim.
Josh Level – 6’4”, 190 SF (2014 – Christ School, Arden, NC)
THEN: Level has really grown into his body over the last year and he’s now reaping the benefits against high level competition. The freshman SF played well above the rim at the CC and displayed a level of athleticism that was a notch above most of the other ‘athletes’ in attendance. Finished with his left hand through contact. Showed range out to 20’ spotting up. If he can hit those shots off the dribble this time next year, he’ll shoot way up this list.
NOW: Level has attended the NC Phenom on several occasions and he has always been one of our favorites. He sports high elite level athleticism and could easily fill up a “mix tape” with acrobatic dunks in a hurry. He has worked extremely hard on his outside shooting and has become a lethal 3 point shooter for Christ School. Level is only scratching the surface on his ability as he as the unique blend of skill and athleticism that will project him as a high major prospect.
James Demery – 6’4”, 170 SG (2014 – Oakwood School, Greenville, NC)
THEN: Demery lit it up in the final game of the day in Gym 2. The long SG utilized ball fakes nicely before blowing by opponents for pull-ups or finishes at the rim. Absolutely fearless for a kid his age/size. HIGH ceiling with his skill set – I’m not sure how high, but he was one of the quickest and more explosive players at the CC. In addition, he played extremely hard on the defensive end and counted for countless steals in the game I watched. Clearly, he was one of my favorite young players at the event.
NOW: Demery is one of those young prospects that doesn’t realize how good he can become. He has elite level athleticism combined with advanced skill sets in his ball handling and passing ability. More importantly, Demery is a high character young man and when speaking with Demery, he is a “yes sir, no sir” type of kid and has already mastered the words “thank you.” While Demery has a high ceiling, he is very well grounded in his approach to the game and life in general. He is a very humble young man! Don’t be surprised to see him skyrocket up the national rankings this spring and summer.