Presbyterian commit Austin Venable of Homer, Ga., showed why he will be problem for opponents while playing at Banks County this year. Photo Cred – Ty Freeman/PSB
Click here for the Full BrandonClayScouting.com class of 2015 ELITE 100 Rankings
BUFORD, Ga. – The Elite Basketball Academy All-American Camp is designed to bring some of the nation’s top prospects together to compete and showcase their skills in front of BrandonClayScouting.com and OTRHoopsReport.com evaluators.
By: @JLHemingwayPSB
Desmond Simpson – (Chattanooga, Tenn.) – Walker Valley HS – 2018
One of the advantages of the Elite Basketball Academy is to identify talent and potential before players hit the big stage. That is what our staff of evaluators observed with Simpson. The active, scrappy guard found ways to impact the game even while playing against players who were not only more mature, but also more experienced than him. He showed good instincts on the defensive end as he was able to get several deflections and turn those into offensive opportunities. With much physical maturity still left in front of Simpson, it is still too early to tell whether he will be a full time point guard or wing player. However, he did show skills that could point to him playing either position. He showed the ability to handle the ball with his head up while also showing solid form on his jumper. The real work is still in front of Simpson as he enters his first year of high school. We will keep a close eye on his development in years to come.
Kevin Stamps – (Lawrenceville, Ga.) – Central Gwinnett HS – 2016
Stamps is an athletic forward that made a good impression with our Elite Basketball Academy staff last weekend. The 6-foot-5 swing player moved well without the basketball and was also active on the glass. He showed the ability to leap quickly and keep rebounds alive in 50/50 situations. Stamps is best right now in transition where he has space to move and navigate. That coupled with his athleticism, he is a threat to finish plays through ready defenders. The next step in his progression will be to add upper body strength, which will help his explosiveness on both ends of the floor.
Austin Venable – (Homer, Ga.) – Banks County HS – 2015
At 6-7, Venable might have been the most complete post player at the camp. He has a college ready frame on the interior, which allows him to dish out contact as well as he can take it. Even though he possesses a big body, the Banks County native still has the lift to be able to finish above defenders in the lane. For those reasons alone Venable verbally accepted a scholarship offer from Presbyterian College this year. However, a closer look at Venable’s game will show that he is more than just a physical specimen on the interior. He matches an equal amount of skill with his back to the basket. He shows seasoned experience as he is rarely to quick to make a move without an angle to score. The left-handed post counts on his jump hook to score over defender’s outstretched hands and with his soft touch, this equates to point production for his team. As with any big man, conditioning is critical for his success. It was obvious that Venable was far from mid-season form last weekend. Once he does regain his wind, he will be poised to be one of the better post players in North Georgia this high school season.
Elite Basketball Academy Series
***Designed for evaluation purposes, these are great opportunities for upperclassmen and underclassmen alike to get valuable game broadcasts that can be sent to college coaches with a single email message. For underclassmen, it also serves as the gateway for prospects with remaining high school eligibility to play in front of our National Evaluators.
October – Elite Basketball Academy Top 40 Fall Workout
CoachHemi.com Showcase Series
October – CoachHemi.com Boys Fall Workout (Lebanon, Tenn.)
Jonathan Hemingway is the Assistant Director of Scouting for the JumpOffPlus.com. The service is used by more than 150 colleges and universities nationwide. He also serves on the selection committee for the EBA All-American, Fab Five and Super 64 Camps. He has been involved in the community since 2002 as a coach, camp director and evaluator. You can reach him via email at [email protected] and follow him on twitter @JLHemingwayPSB
