Larry Morton (Lexington, KY)Basketball Spotlight spent several days in Kentucky and was present at the Hoop Dreams Showcase. This event gave a chance to see the best young talent in the Blue Grass State. We have a 3 part report and here’s a report on the Class of 2013 and 2014 players that were present.
Top Class 2013 Performers
Larry Morton Forward (Lexington, KY)- Morton was a monster during the showcase. He powered his way the tin on several occasions using his wide frame to shield defenders and shot blockers. He had a fierce battle with Braxton McFarland which was entertaining. Larry’s strong moves give him easy access to the hole.
Braxton McFarland Forward (Lexington, KY)- McFarland has the size and the game of a future legit prospect. He can get anywhere on the floor off the dribble and can shoot the jumper though his shot is a needs more arc right now it’s kind of a line drive type shot. Defensively his length causes some problems and also helps him make an impact on the glass.
Dylan Avare Guard (Lexington, KY)- I got a chance to Avare pass that rock and I was impressed. He got into the crest of the defense and drop of passes that made scoring very easy for his teammates. I also noticed that he has a nice stroke and form even though his shot wasn’t falling.Top Class 2014 Performers
Jackson Davis Forward (Lexington, KY)- Davis is very long and is capable of changing a game with his shot blocking ability. His offensive skills are still in the development stages but he looks like he might reach between 6’10 and 7 foot one day. I like how he runs the floor which shows his quickness and versatility. He had some intense battles with Dakari Johnson. His future should be very bright.Dakari Johnson Forward (Lexington, KY)- Speaking of Johnson he was in the building and seemed to grow a few more inches since I saw him at the nationals. He’s a very intimidating force inside defensively but on the offensive end he still needs to improve his footwork and mobility. But when he gets deep position near the basket he still can score the ball rather easy.
Marcellas Washington Guard (Lexington, KY)- Washington has some Brandon Jennings type flair to his game. The lefty is a true showman and looks very good setting up teammates with no look passes. He also likes to hit the step back high arching jumper but can settle for it a little too much at times. In the open floor he’s exciting to watch.Donnie Lewis Guard (Lexington, KY)-Lewis pushed the pill with the best of them. The slender guard penetrated the defense and found teammates cutting to the cup. In transition he really made his presence felt by zipping past defenders and making plays.
James Cunningham Guard (Georgetown, KY)- Cunningham started out a little sluggish but picked his play as the event rolled on. I didn’t dominate the ball enough but when he did get his hands on it he made some good things happen. He made some sweet plays including dropping a few dimes.Charles Johnson Guard (Lexington, KY)- The kid named Snoop is a tough guard with some sneaky moves that allow him to get rid of defenders off the bounce. He’s sort of a scoring point guard as he likes to shoot floaters and tough lay ups in traffic.
Robert Shaw Guard (Louisville, KY)- The little lefty has a nice southpaw stroke and can handle the pill enough to stay out of danger. He likes to create space with a crossover and step back move that allows him to shoot his jumper.
