California prospects Tyler, Hamilton stand out at Hax Fall League
The first annual HAX Fall League has the potential to evolve into the "must-see" event during the fall evaluation period on the West Coast, especially if you're a recruiting pundit and/or fan of the sport. With the exception of Mater Dei and Fairfax, the league was chock full of quality teams and talented prospects.
Dominguez High (Compton, Calif.) was the most dominant team in the league; the Dons' depth could be the strongest in the nation. Their roster has a plethora of Division 1 prospects -- Jordan Hamilton, Norvel Pelle and Keala King to name a few -- and the intensity to match; their man-to-man pressure can be suffocating.
Hamilton, who will sign with Texas in November, was the most gifted offensive player in the league while 6-8 sophomore Norvel Pelle and 6-9 UCLA commit Anthony Stover (Los Angeles/ Windward) were the most dominant shot-blockers.
Joe Burton, a 6-7 Oregon State commit out of Hemet, Calif./West Valley, dazzled the crowds with his precise passing skills while teammate and San Diego State commit Eric Lawton exhibited his extraordinary "hang time" while finishing in traffic.
However, the most exciting aspect of the league was the host of newcomers -- 6-7 junior Steven Adams (Pasadena, Calif.) and 6-5 freshman Anthony January Jr. (Compton, Calif.) come immediately to mind -- who showcased their skills and immense upside.
Steven Adams (6-7, 225)
Junior, Pasadena, Calif.
Adams is one of the fastest-rising juniors in the West. He has had a terrific fall and should start getting some serious Division I looks this coming season. His frame has trimmed down since the summer and that has helped his overall game. He has nice length and he's deceptively quick despite his rather thick frame. Adams has a remarkably soft touch out to the stripe and his release is terrific -- he could be deadly in a pick-n-pop situation. He has great hands and his interior passing is special. Although he has a large frame, Adams runs well and can finish with impressive fashion (usually a dunk) in transition. Although he has some impressive face-up 4-man skills, his post moves are solid. He uses the glass (turning over his left shoulder) quite often in the paint and his footwork has improved since his sophomore campaign. Due to his soft hands, he has shown signs of a developing jump hook.
Joe Burton (6-7, 255)
Senior, Hemet, Calif./West Valley
Burton's framet is huge -- Glenn "Big Baby" Davis huge -- but he carries his weight very well on the court. He has some of the softest hands around and his passing skills are extraordinary. Despite not having great bounce, Burton is a solid rebounder and uses his body well. He is deceptively quick and has very nimble feet -- he had one of the most remarkable shots I have ever seen when he reversed spin twice along the baseline and converted a shot over the backboard. His outlet passing is high-level and he gets the ball out quick. In the half-court set, Burton can hit the spot-up 15-foot shot or deliver one his nifty passes. He still needs to get into better shape for the next level; he struggled to score in the paint area against smaller opponents on occasion, but he is one of the more unique talents in the country.
Jeremy Tyler (6-8, 220)
Junior, San Diego, Calif.
Tyler is going to be one of the most interesting prospects to follow the next few years and beyond. He thoroughly dominated UCLA commit Anthony Stover at both ends and had a number of impressive plays around the basket. In a nutshell, he has all the upside and athletic ability to be an NBA power forward someday. However, his game has some major kinks in it and he loses his composure frequently. He has poor fundamentals (brings the ball down every possession) and he travels quite often in the post. Tyler is blessed with very quick feet -- he has a face-up reverse spin move for a dunk that is quite impressive -- but he isn't blessed with great hands. He can step out to nail the 3-pointer and his jump hook is quite good, as well. On the other hand, he needs to become a much better defender, specifically his shot-blocking and his rebounding intensity need to improve.
Jordan Hamilton (6-7, 215)
We should know in the next week if Hamilton will be eligible to compete this season. Despite his volatile personality on the court -- he was ejected a couple of weeks ago against Pasadena -- Hamilton's skills and overall talent are quite impressive. There are not too many wing types in the country who have his offensive package. His jump shot is very consistent out beyond the stripe and he has a tremendous knack to score in transition. He can be selfish with his shot selection and quicker defenders can give him a headache, but overall he is a scoring machine. He has an assassin-like mentality on the court and when attacking the basket. He also can be a very good passer. Overall, Hamilton has very good straight-line speed, but he struggles going laterally and that is why he may have to guard a 4 at the next level.
Eric Lawton (6-1, 160) Senior, Hemet, Calif./West Valley Although his frame is slight for the Division I level, Lawton is definitely a talent. He is one of the quickest guards in the West and can get his shot at any time. He is very explosive in the open court, where he usually finishes with a dunk. He is quite good weaving his way to the basket and hanging in the air to finish among the bigs. He needs to continue to polish his jump shot (very streaky), but his release is solid. In addition, as he adds strength, that alone should smooth out his shot. He's an undersized combo-guard at this stage, but he has shown the ability to pass the ball and possibly play some point at the next level.
Zach Smith (6-10, 255)
Junior, San Diego, Calif.
Smith is very similar to current sophomore Kyle Caudill (Brea, Calif./ Brea Olinda). He has a huge frame with decent length and extremely broad shoulders. He runs the floor decently for a big, but that is certainly not his strength. He is a blue-collar 5-man who sets very good screens and can roll to the basket. Smith has very good hands and he keeps the ball high most of the time. He doesn't have much bounce, but he knows how to post up and establish position. In addition, he has a decent touch around the basket -- although that area could use some polishing. Overall, Smith is a solid prospect who plays hard at both ends, but he needs to continue to develop his post skills.
David Swartz (6-6, 220)
Senior, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Swartz is one of the better under-the-radar types on the West Coast. He won't wow you with his athleticism, but he'll intrigue you with his savvy and toughness. He is a blue-collar 4-man who can beat you in many ways. Despite not having great bounce, he has great instincts around the basket and has a tremendous knack to score. In addition, he can step out and hit the 3-point shot with regularity. Due to his toughness, skill and savvy, Swartz could play at the low Division I level.
Anthony January Jr. (6-5, 180)
Freshman, Compton, Calif.
January projects to be one of the more highly sought-after prospects in the Class of 2012. He has a willowy frame with long arms and could add a couple of more inches. He is quite slick in transition, where he utilizes his length and quickness to slither his way to the basket. His ball skills are solid, but that is an area that could improve -- he tends to struggle when defenders get into him. His jump shot is a work in progress, but he makes enough of them to keep you honest. He has a nice feel for the game and he made a number of sweet passes, especially in transition. Overall, he is a high-level athlete with an enormous amount of ability. If he works on his game and overall feel for the game, January should be a high-major recruit.
• One of the best overall prospects in the event was 6-1 sophomore Gelaun Wheelwright (Corona, Calif./Centennial). He is an explosive combo-guard with an improved jump shot, and he possesses significant upside.
• Norvel Pelle, a 6-8 sophomore out of Compton, Calif./Dominguez, may have had the most upside of any prospect in the league. His length is impressive, and he may be the quickest leaper in the West. His post skills are raw, but he can step out and hit the 15-foot pull-up with regularity.
• He is still quite raw at both ends and needs to figure out what position he's going to be at the next level, but 6-7 junior Dwayne Polee's (Los Angeles/Westchester) athletic prowess is something special. He covers so much ground due to his length and bouncy nature it's simply jaw-dropping. However, his handle, jump shot and overall feel for the game are not Division I ready.
• He has a long ways to go on the offensive end and needs to get considerably tougher (Jeremy Tyler dominated him), but 6-9 UCLA commit Anthony Stover (Los Angeles/Windward) has great timing on the defensive end and may be the best shot-blocker on the West Coast.
• Six-foot-1 senior D'Shawn Gomez (Inglewood, Calif.) is one of the toughest players in the West. Although his jump shot is iffy at best and he plays too fast most of the time, he always brings an honest effort and his point guard skills are solid.
• Dominique Dunning, the 6-3 sophomore out of Corona, Calif./Centennial, needs to continue to polish up his outside touch. however, his decision-making and overall feel for the game are quite good.
• He isn't overly quick or explosive, but 6-2 junior Jordin Mayes (Los Angeles/Westchester) has one of the smoothest pull-up games in the West.
• Los Angeles (Winward) has an intriguing freshman in 6-3 Nick Stover (the brother of UCLA commitment Anthony). He has a gangly frame and a soft-looking stroke out to the stripe.
• La Verne (Lutheran) has a solid young backcourt in sophomores 6-0 C J Cooper and 6-1 Bruce English. Cooper is a nice-looking point guard prospect with an excellent pull-up game while English is an explosive finisher in the paint area.
• One of the top sleepers in the Class of 2010 is 6-4 Keala King (Compton, Calif./Dominguez). His game has catapulted to the high-major level this fall due to his savvy and improved jump shot -- not to mention he is one of the better offensive rebounders for his size. However, he needs to display more intensity on the defensive end.
• Chris Bridges, a 6-0 junior out of Pasadena, Calif., is a solid point prospect for the next level. He doesn't possess great quickness, but his feel for the game is outstanding and his shot is smooth in the midrange area.
• He has limited skills around the basket, but 6-6 junior Jordan Salley is quite the beast at this level. He is explosive in the paint area, but he needs space to finish. He plays hard at both ends and is a solid passer out of the post.
• Terrence Boyd, a 6-3 senior who has transferred to San Diego, Calif., from Oklahoma, is an explosive talent. He is very tough in the open court and quite the nifty passer in transition to boot. However, his jump shot is questionable and he has a tendency to force the action when the play isn't there.
• One of the most underrated guards in the West is 6-4 senior Jordan Mackie (Los Angeles/Dorsey). He has a terrific frame, combo-guard skills and the tenacity to shut down opponents at the defensive end.
• Justin Hawkins, a 6-2 senior out of Woodland Hills, Calif./Taft, doesn't have great quickness or bounce, but he has a great feel for the game and has improved his jump shot since his junior campaign
Joel Francisco has been a high school basketball scout for 15 years. He has written for Hoopscoop Magazine and Basketball Times and organized "So-Cal's Finest," his own scouting service.
