Mad talent found at Elite 75

Nearly 200 kids showed up for the Elite 75 Prep basketball camp at Cannon School in Concord, NC. The event gave 9th - 12th graders the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of some of the top scouts in the nation, including college scouts, representatives from NIKE, and ESPN’s Dave Telep and Paul Biancardi. The camp featured some of the top up and coming players in the nation. Here are several players that caught my eye. 

Kennedy Meeks - PF/6’8/Charlotte, NC

Kennedy Meeks was probably the most recognizable player at the camp. The 6’8 junior is nearly impossible to miss when he walks into the gym. Meeks is currently ranked No. 29 on ESPN’s 2013 Class and is easily compared to former UNC player Sean May. The obvious plus for Meeks is his size but scouts agree its his hands that separate him from the pack. Meeks is strong when he gets the ball in the post and has nice touch on his shot. I saw him hit several jump shots and he showed some nice spin moves in the post. Meeks still has a lot of work to do on his body and needs to get better at running the floor. Meeks is a junior at West Charlotte High School and will graduate in 2013.

Dwayne Morgan - 6’7/SF/Baltimore, MD

The first name I heard when I arrived at the camp was Dwayne Morgan from Baltimore. The scouts are very high on the 6’7 tenth grader because of his size and skill level at his age. I heard one scout predict Morgan would be the number one player in Baltimore. Morgan can shoot from the outside and take the ball to the basket. I saw him hit three or four jump shots in a row. None of the players that defended Morgan could check him. Morgan’s game and body screams “potential”. Again, he’s only in the tenth grade. It will be interesting to see how his game develops as he gets stronger and puts on more weight. However, he certainly left an impression at the Elite 75. I had never heard of Morgan before Elite 75, 12 hours later he was the headline on ESPN’s recruiting page. Morgan attends City High School and will graduate in 2014.

Josh Newkirk - PG/6’1/Raleigh, NC

One of the dominant players at the camp was Josh Newkirk. The 6’1 point guard is very quick and can blow past defenders off the dribble. One attribute that separated Newkirk from the rest of the camp was his attitude. He showed more killer instinct than anyone else.  The strength of his game is driving to the basket and finishing. When he drives to the hole he’s looking to dunk it. Newkirk can hit the open jump shot but needs to work on shooting off the dribble. Newkirk is a junior at Word of God Christian Academy and will graduate in 2013.

Labryan Shiftlet - SF/6’4/Greenville, SC

A player that quickly caught my eye was Labryan Shiftlet of Greenville, S.C. Shiftlet has a similar game to Newkirk. His jump shot is a little better than Newkirk’s, but Newkirk is more explosive. Shiftlet is a very high energy player. He was able to score with a dribble step back jump shot and in transition. Shiftlet is a junior at Greer High School and will graduate in 2013.

Da’Jon Streeter - PG/6’5/Logan, WV

Coaches like to have players that are match up problems and Da’Jon Streeter is just that. He’s a 6’5 point guard that can break you down off the dribble. I saw him constantly  blow past defenders, get to the hoop, and finish. I also saw him make a number of good passes showing he can find the open man. The strength of his game is dribble penatration, but he gets a little out of control at times. If he can run the point in college he’ll be tough to stop. Streeter is a junior at Logan High School and will graduate in 2013.

Blake Cranor - F/6’5/Lake Norman, NC

Blake Cranor is not the flashiest or quickest man on the court but he could make a good roll player. Cranor is a good spot up shooter and has the body to bang inside. 

He’s a junior at Lake Norman High School and will graduate in 2013.

The pace of the games at Elite 75 were “run and gun” so it was hard to gage how well players played defense in a half court setting.

The camp put a real focus on work ethic. Skills guru Ryan Goodson of Goodson Basketball talked to the kids about having intensity and passion in their workouts. He shared stories about how NBA star Kevin Garnett is a leader when it comes to getting his team motivated. Goodson told the kids that on some occasions, Kobe Bryant doesn’t leave the gym until he makes 150 shots in a row. Goodson also showed off some of his dribbling skills, dribbling two and three basketballs at a time.

Judging from this camp, we’re in store for a lot of good high school basketball this season. The talent coming out of high school over the next four years is special so college basketball fans get ready!