This past weekend, Arizona Preps was in attendance for this year's TR3 Hoop Summit, a summer showcase format event that was organized by the Team Harden club program's staff. The event was held in the West Valley at Ironwood High School and included showcase games and all-star games to conclude the event.
The event was highlighted by the final all-star games on Sunday evening. Here are the top individual performers that I observed from last weekend's event. The rosters for the event did not include the numbers or the grades of the participants or their particular schools, so these are the very best performers that I had information for . . .
Top Performers - 2018 Class
Tevian Jones 6-6 SR SF Culver City High School (CA) - 2018 Class
Jones had his best performance to date last weekend, as he played at a high level and poured in better than 50+ points in the camp's all-star game. Jones scored from everywhere on the floor, and even showed a very much improved long range jump shot. Even when contested, Jones was able to make plays - whether from 25 feet out or off dribble drives to the basket. Jones announced at the event that he will now be attending Culver City High School in Culver City, CA, for his senior season. This may have been Jones' final performance in the state, and, if it was, it was a good one.
Rashad Smith 6-5 SR PG/SG/SF Hamilton High School - 2018 Class
Rashad had the best performance ever for himself in this year's event, and I walked away with an improved feeling about his ability to play at the next level. Smith has added size to his once thin frame, and is now finishing plays over the rim in traffic. He did not have a particular great showing this summer, but he proved that he is much better than has been advertised. A bigger guard prospect with a nice overall feel for the game, a good ability to stretch the defense from the perimeter and a knack for finishing in the lane. A nice sleeper prospect for the spring.
Top Performers - 2019 Class
Jaelen House 6-0 JR PG Shadow Mountain High School - 2019 Class
House put on a show this weekend, as he usually does and has to become expected. House singled out his defender numerous times down the floor and went to work on the opposition with a variety of cross-over dribbles, head fakes, jab steps and got to the basket and finished or made shots from the perimeter. He plays with a superb level of confidence rarely seen by players and is enjoyable to watch. One of the elite overall prospects in the state.
Javon Blacksher 5-10 JR PG Shadow Mountain High School - 2019 Class
Blacksher also put on a show for the spectators, as he knifed his way through defenders and made plays for himself or dropped off passes to teammates for easy baskets. Blacksher is a winner with a serious mental focus and competitive drive that makes his opposition timid. He can do pretty much whatever he wants on the basketball court, and defenders have a difficult time stopping him. A high major quality guard that has received numerous offers at the mid-major level.
Jalen Williams 6-3 JR SG Shadow Mountain High School - 2019 Class
Jalen Williams recently transferred to the state of Arizona from Brookside Christian High School in Stockton, CA. He is another welcome addition to the state, as he is a serious division-I prospect with loads of athleticism and physical talent and will benefit the dynamic duo of Jaelen House and Javon Blacksher. He is a big-time dunker in traffic or in the half-court set, which was very impressive for his size. Williams is a highly competitive and focused individual that wears his game face the entire game. He will be a welcomed edition for the Matadors, and will immediately become a nice recruiting target in the state.
Tyrek Chambers 6-1 JR PG Desert Vista High School - 2019 Class
Chambers made his state debut in last weekend's event, and fit right into the act - playing in a manner which promotes fast-breaks and showmanship. One of the best ball handlers in the country from the point guard position, Chambers looked right at home. A good shooter with range, and an ability to draw the defense and then finish strong at the basket. A floor general with the ball in his hands. A very talented prospect that will become one of the top overall recruiting targets in Arizona's 2019 class.
Malik Smith 6-2 JR SG Ironwood High School - 2019 Class
Smith is an ultra-strong physical presence that has a very well-built physical frame and likes to play in the open floor. He is very compact physically and does not mind using his body for his advantage. Plays very well in the open floor and is a good finisher that likes to play above the rim, if given an opportunity. A good shooter with range and able to shoot off the dribble. A strong rebounder. A capable lock-down defender over time. A very good sleeper prospect for a smaller college program.
Top Performers - 2020 Class
Kyree Walker 6-5 SOPH PG/SG Hillcrest Prep Academy - 2020 Class (Arizona State commit)
Walker is a big-time athletic talent and it showed last weekend, as he was head and shoulders above the rest in terms of athleticism and ability. He threw down numerous highlight reel dunks in the Top 20 All-Star game at the conclusion of the event, and proved why he is considered as one of the nation's premier prospects in the 2020 class. Walker is a load and will be fun to watch this high school season on Hillcrest Prep - teaming up with terrific junior guard Josh Green and 5-foot-10 stellar junior guard Markese Jacobs (University of Kansas commit).
Anthony Garza 6-foot-7 SOPH Peoria High School - 2020 Class
Garza continues to improve a great deal each time I see him play, and I am convinced that this young man will become a serious division-I prospect over the next two years, and will be a highly sought after recruiting target over time. Garza played very well last weekend, and raised my eyebrows with his ability to block and change shots, rebound outside of his area and finish plays at the rim. He is very mobile and possesses a long, rangy body, which allows him to make plays at a high level. He still needs to develop physically, but the upside is glaring.
Top Performers - 2021 Class
Daron Holmes 6-6 FR PF Millennium High School - 2021 Class
Holmes is a big-time young talent with a very bright future ahead of him. While he is still very young and growing a great deal, Holmes was not afraid to mix it up with older prospects in the event. In fact, he took the action right to them. Holmes is a very long and rangy prospect that runs the floor like a guard, and enjoys getting out into the open floor. He is an athletic post performer that is still raw overall offensively, but he has excellent potential and upside for the future. A good shooter with some range on his shot. Has excellent feet and hands. Will grow much more and blossom into a high major prospect over time.
Justice Jackson 5-9 FR PG Millennium High School - 2021 Class
Jackson is a really quality floor general that handles the ball with superior confidence, and is able to make plays for himself and others off the dribble almost at will. He is a very good scorer and shooter of the basketball with range, and is able to create scoring opportunities off the dribble - getting into the lane and making plays, where he is a good finisher as well. A very good ball handler and passer that sees the floor and pushes the ball up the court. A good defender with lateral quickness. Has a very bright future ahead of him, and is one of the state's elite middle school prospects.
Kmani Holmes 5-7 FR PG HS Unknown 2021 Class
Holmes put on a show in the event and was terrific in the Top 20 all-star game for his age group. He is a native of New York and is a true city guard, as he is an excellent ball handler, penetrator and finisher. He finished several plays in the event's all-star game after being fouled and producing a loud roar from the fans. Holmes is small in size but he makes up for it with a nice skillset that allows him to make plays at a productive rate.
Jackson Leyba 5-9 FR PG Deer Valley High School - 2021 Class
Another gifted incoming freshman performer that is a tough, physical guard prospect with a driving mentality. He is a good finisher for his size now, and will only get much better as he matures and grows physically. He is a good mid-range shooter with range on his shot, but is at his best when going hard to the basket and finishing in traffic. Gets to the free-throw line often. Tough and hardnosed - my favorite kind of players. Has a bright future at Deer Valley under terrific head coach Jed Dunn.
DeOtis Nunn 5-7 FR PG Peoria High School - 2021 Class
Nunn is a very skilled but small point guard prospect with an excellent shooting stroke and a nice overall feel for the game. He has excellent range on his shot as well. He will need to get in better shape and get quicker to maximize his potential as a player over time, but he definitely has a nice overall skillset that suggests he will be one to watch for the future.
Top Performers - 2022 Class
Garrison Phelps 6-0 8th Grader Middle School - 2022 Class
Phelps looked very good this weekend, and proved just how promising he will become over time, as a result of his length of body, skillset, and feel for the game. He will grow a great deal over the next few years and should develop into a bigger wing prospect that will be able to play either as a guard or as a small forward. The son of a division-I coach as well, Phelps has learned the game the right way and has a very bright future ahead of him.