Kobe Samake–The 6-foot-6 Class of 2019 prospect is beginning to realize his potential as a bullish interior finisher. The international product emerged into the focal point against a fleet of sharpshooters (all under the height of 6-foot-4) and Combine Academy during an 85-74 win last week. Exploiting the mismatch, Scotland fed the post early and often as Samake scored a team-best 22 points.
He was able to back down defenders, get loose for putbacks, and use his sheer manpower to power up and score it.
While he’s a bit of an undersized forward, Samake has the strength and workmanlike game to be an intriguing “get” at this stage. He’s gone from raw offensively to developing a feel for the game, materializing as a high efficiency threat.
Arion Lewis–The 6-foot-3 combination guard has embraced a scorer’s mentality, a necessity as he’s been the primary shoot-first source on which Prep White has leaned on throughout the 2018-19 campaign.
With his knack for carving out space and crafty in-traffic finishes, Lewis has submitted several 30+ point and high 20-point performances under head coach Dave Gobrogge.
He has come a long way at being more of a vocal leader, Lewis has additionally led by action in multiple games throughout the season.
He’s got a natural playmaking ability, one which allows him to aggressively manufacture points and earn trips to the free throw line. The cerebral Lewis improved exponentially as an outside shooter and had several intensified, heated battles with other high-scoring guards this season. He’s got a point guard skill set to him as well, as evidenced by his passing and ability to deliver pocket passes.
It certainly helps that he possesses a 3.8 GPA. Lewis has targeted Division-I basketball as his aim. While he’s generated interest and offers across the high Division-II market, he won’t deviate his focus from prolonging his career at the highest level possible. That was a considerable part of his reasoning when he elected to do a post-graduate season. A crafty, heady guard with a competitive edge to him, Lewis is a willing defender who knows how to convert turnovers into easy buckets.
Louis Bleechmore–The 6-foot-6 Class of 2020 played in a different postal code during the 85-74 victory over Combine Wednesday, plying his trade against a slew of hot-shooting guards and guys with perhaps more experience than the burgeoning Division-I prospect.
Bleechmore put his stamp on the game. He drilled a 3-pointer in the first half as Scotland whittled down a 17-point deficit following a shaky, anemic start. In the second half, Bleechmore showed his IQ and advanced skill set. He threw a head fake and knocked in a contested 16-foot jumper. He read the defense and exploited it, driving from the 3-point line to the rim on a thorough drive. He also unveiled a nifty baby hook as Scotland scored a significant come from behind victory. The bounce-heavy Australian wasn’t just an offensive catalyst. He displayed an ability to use his length on guards and stay in front of smaller players, closing out significantly after Combine’s handful of 3-point shooters gave Scotland fits throughout the first half.
Oli Jacquot–The 6-foot-1 senior came in with the mentality of leading by example and seems hell-bent on proving his actions prophetic during the stretch run. After returning from a nagging injury that shelved him for over two weeks, Jacquot showed a potent outside shot. He hit four 3-pointers during a tight loss to KOA Prep. He barricaded himself in the gym this summer, firing a fusillade of 3-pointers and working at his repetitions. Beyond the unrequired on-court work, Jacquot showed tremendous energy and tone-setting leadership during pre-season conditioning drills. He led by example, helping assimilate several newcomers to the program.
Gerald Jarmon–The 6-foot guard has good rise on his on his 3-point shot and a real feel for how to score the ball, an attribute which translates to his ability to provide timely shots. If the team is mired in an extended drought or needs an instant jolt of offense, Jarmon is the source to go to. Recently, he’s shown an aptitude for making heady and ambidextrous passes.
He’s got valuable experience under his belt, having been thrown into meaningful varsity minutes since he was a freshman in high school. The Class of 2020 prospect is constantly in attack mode and understands the nuances of how to read what a defense gives him and how to hunt for his shot without forcing the issue in a hurry.
A.C. Kelly–The 6-foot-6 Class of 2019 prospect has upside with his ability to rebound the ball and score it at all three levels. While he didn’t get a great deal of playing time his senior year in high school, he’s used the post graduate experience and the uptick in games to prove himself, turning in numerous 20+ point performances this season. He registered a double double at Upper Room (N.Y.) and has the chance to be a pick-and-pop four at the next level, with his ability to hit from outside and also crash the boards with urgency. The Pennsylvania native had 10 points in the recent win over Combine.
Johannes Kirsipuu–The Class of 2021 guard from Estonia has improved incrementally on the defensive end, where he made several key plays in Scotland’s win over Combine.
It was Kirsippu’s knack for turning defensive plays into offense that stood out in last week’s win.
The heady guard scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, including a big momentum-swinging 3-pointer. An all around offensive threat, Kirsippu has shown he can score it in a variety of ways and on the attack.
As he proved in this performance, he’s plenty capable of getting into the nooks and crannies of the defense and finishing in crafty fashion.
