The 2006 Fullcourt Press Sacramento Showcase was held on May 10^th at El Camino HS (Sacramento CA). Besides the Fullcourt Press’ own Dinos Trigonis, other media/scouts in attendance included Lee Hubbard (CaliforniaPreps.com and NorCalPreps.com) and Quivan Spears (Sacramento Bee). The report below recaps this event which featured over 70 of Sacramento’s and the surrounding area’s top underclassmen.

Freshmen (Class of 2009)

While there were several talented members of the Classes of 2007 and 2008 on hand showing off their skills, it was the Freshmen and 8^th graders (2009 & 2010) that displayed why the future of Sac-town basketball is so bright.

In the Freshmen Game (Class of 2009) the players who showed the most promise included 6’3” Xavier Thames (Pleasant Grove/Elk Grove CA), 6’7” Brendan Lane (Rocklin/Rocklin CA), 6’2” Chase Tapley (Sacramento/Sacramento CA), 6’5” Caleb Johnson (El Camino/Sacramento CA) and 6’3” Ra’Shauwn Brooks (Pleasant Grove/Elk Grove CA).

Thames is already a nationally ranked player in this class and every time he laces them up and steps on the floor he exhibits the kind of confidence you would expect from a player of his caliber. Xavier (the game’s high scorer with 21 points) is an exceptional slashing scorer who attacks the basket and uses his excellent athleticism to make plays at both ends of the floor. As he improves the consistency of his perimeter shot, Xavier will be able to keep defenders off balance and be a special player that will be highly sought after by high-major programs. Lane is a skilled “big” ala James Keefe (UCLA) as he has the ability to work the low-post for scoring opportunities and as well step away from the basket and “face-up” for the perimeter shot or make the high-post entry pass. Tapley was not a “name” player going into this event, but Chase served notice that he will be a contender for serious future college attention. Chase (15 points here) is an athletic wing player (had an impressive dunk in traffic) and very pesky defender. Tapley’s fundamentals are above-average and with continued hard work and normal development, he could evolve into a high-major player. Johnson reminds me of another NorCal product Decensae White (Texas Tech). Long, skilled and smooth, Johnson has a very nice feel for the game and the upside to be a multi-dimensional player with real college value.
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Brooks is a strong off-guard with a nice outside stroke that extends to the three-point arc. Combining with Thames, Brooks should have Pleasant Grove making serious noise during the next few years.
Other freshmen standing out here include 6’7” Adam Eakles (Woodland/Woodland CA), 6’2” Darrin Payne (Del Campo/Fair Oaks CA), 6’0” Kyle Odister (Rio Americano/Sacramento CA), 6’4” Chris Browning (Oak Ridge/El Dorado Hills CA), 6’4” Paul Sykes (Christian Brothers/Sacramento CA) and 5’7” Paul Howard (Laguna Creek/Elk Grove CA).

Eakles is a skilled forward with size, Payne is an athletic wing that is active around the goal and has range on his jump shot, Odister has a crafty handle as well as nice scoring skills, Browning bangs the boards well and has good hands, Sykes had a nice catch and finish in traffic and Howard is a quick PG with a solid handle and a knack for finding open teammates as well as having the ability to knock down the open shot. Additional freshmen making a positive impression include 6’1” Garrett Barbic (Bear River/Grass Valley CA), 5’9” Isaiah Robinson (Natomas/Sacramento CA), 6’5” Glenn Akerland (Pleasant Grove/Elk Grove CA), 6’7” Pierce Burton (Davis Senior/Davis CA), 5’2” Bryce Sullivan (West Campus/Sacramento CA), 6’2” Amir Kashiff (Pleasant Grove/Elk Grove CA), 6’2” Chris Henry (Del Campo/Fair Oaks CA), 5’10” Ray Holston III (Logan/Union City CA) and 5’6” Angelo Bridges (Monterey Trail/Elk Grove CA).

Barbic is a slashing scorer, Robinson is a good defender, Akerland is a combo-forward that has ability to finish in the paint, Burton has nice size and potential for a freshman, Sullivan is small but scrappy, Kashiff is a solid defender, Henry has a nice perimeter stroke, Holston is a tough point that defends well and Bridges is quick off the dribble.

There were a couple of 8^th graders that played in the Freshman Game and they served notice that they will be heard from next year (2007) when they enter high school. This group includes 6’6” Ramone Eaton (Sacramento CA), 6’3” Darius Nelson (Sacramento CA), 6’0” Cody Kale (Rocklin CA), 6’5” Ammitpal Dttaliwal (Sacramento CA) and 6’4” Cyrus Stutts (Sacramento CA).

Eaton is a raw but athletic lefty forward that has some definite physical skills and a lot of time for his immense potential to develop. If the Nelson name is familiar, you are an astute follower of NorCal high school basketball as Darius is the younger brother of Duke guard DeMarcus Nelson and quite a player in his own right. Big and physical, Darius has nice ball skills as well as the same scoring instincts that run in the family. Kale is a very good ballhandler and passer, Dttaliwal is a physical rebounder and defender and Stutts is an active wing that runs the floor well.

Sophomores (Class of 2008)

Top sophomores (Class of 2008) on hand here were 6’7” Tim Williams (Antioch/Antioch CA), 6’6” Norman Wilson (Natomas/Sacramento CA), 6’0” Justin Jones (Capitol Christian/Sacramento CA), 6’5” Drake U’U (Rio Americano/Sacramento CA), 6’5” Armond Armstead (Pleasant Grove/Elk Grove CA), 6’3” Kyron Brown (Elk Grove/Elk Grove CA) and 6’8” Andy Shannon (El Camino/Sacramento CA).

Williams is an athletic forward that runs the floor well and has a nice package of offensive skills. Tim is an excellent shotblocker and an effective outlet passer as well. Wilson is a wing forward with size that gets after it on the defensive end and is active on the offensive glass. Jones is a very good lead guard that beats defenders off the dribble and can finish either via use of a quick drive to the basket or utilizing a very soft floater deep in the gut of the lane. U’U has one of the most unique names I have seen and is a fierce competitor whose strong and athletic dunk in transition here definitely got my attention. Armstead is a beast in the paint and is a strong and physical rebounder and punishing defender. Brown is a versatile lead guard with nice all-around skills and a real upside. Shannon’s very nice size and agility make him a prospect to keep an eye on in this class.

Other sophomores of note include 5’7” Anthony O’Neil (Mesa Verde/Citrus Heights CA), 5’11” Nick Peterson (St. Mary’s/Stockton CA), 6’3” Camden Taylor (Franklin/Elk Grove CA), 6’0” Will Olsem (El Camino/Sacramento CA), 6’1” Julian Welch (Franklin/Elk Grove CA), 6’1” Antione Newsome (Mesa Verde/Citrus Heights CA), 6’6” Bobby Evans (Mesa Verde/Citrus Heights CA) and 6’5” Kyle Baxter (El Camino/Sacramento CA).

O’Neil exhibited his sweet passing skills here including one very nice dime that was memorable, Peterson is a sharpshooter with range, Taylor is an athletic defender, Olsem has very deep 3-point range, Welch also has a nice perimeter stroke, Newsome displayed a nice floater in the lane ala John Stockton, Evans is a really fine athlete that is raw but oozing with potential and Baxter is a spot-up shooter with attractive wing size.

Other sophomores present included 6’1” Roop Kahlon (Monterey Trail/Elk Grove CA), 6’2” Alfred Kikau (Rio Americano/Sacramento CA), 6’3” Kenny Burkey (El Dorado/Placerville CA), 6’1”Jeremy Smith (Logan/Union City CA) and 5’11” Ben Rogers (McClatchy/Sacramento CA).

Kahlon is a combo-guard that defends well, Kikau is an effective slashing scorer, Burkey is a nice spot-up shooter, Smith is an athletic guard that can score and Rogers is a scrappy point that has a solid handle.

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Juniors (Class of 2007)

Several of Sacramento’ s top juniors (Class of 2007) (including one senior who will be attending a prep school as a 5^th year senior next fall) were present and several stood-out.

These standouts included 5’10” Jamelle Barrett (Foothill/Sacramento CA), 6’7” Kyle Thomas (Folsom/Folsom CA), 6’6” Zach Nelson (Natomas/Sacramento CA), 6’4” Eddie Miller (Antioch/Antioch CA) and 6’1” Melvin Flemings (El Camino/Sacramento CA).

Barrett is only 5’10” (if that) but he is a point that plays with a ton of energy and is a very stingy defender. Jamelle is quick off the dribble – being difficult to guard in the open court – and a deluxe scorer. Barrett is planning on spending next year at a prep school to solidify his academic credentials and qualify for NCAA Division I eligibility. Thomas (one of the West Coast’s top sleepers) reminds me of Utah’s Shaun Green – a versatile and skilled forward that can make shots. Kyle (a lefty) is a crafty scorer around the basket and is an underrated rebounder, defender and athlete. Nelson is a very good athlete that is productive in an up-tempo environment, but whose shot needs further refinement in order to enhance his threat as an offensive weapon. Miller is an athletic and skilled swingman that has lots of upside and Flemings is an excellent long range shooter (made 6 “threes” here) as well as an underrated passer.

Other juniors that impressed were 6’1” Darren Baker (Campolindo/Moraga CA), 6’3” Royce Mitchell (Natomas/Sacramento CA), 6’0” Calvin Davis (Davis Senior/Davis CA), 6’4” Keith Arrington (El Camino/Sacramento CA), 6’1” Marquis Robinson (Natomas/Sacramento CA), 6’2” German Madueno (Woodland/Woodland CA), 5’11” Ryan Silva (De la Salle/Concord CA), 6’9” John Appel (Monte Vista/Danville CA), 5’11” Joey Fuca (San Ramon Valley/Danville CA), 6’3” Austin Bracey (El Camino/Sacramento CA), 5’8” Jon Pettus (Emery/Emeryville CA), 5’9” Robbie Leszczynski (Oak Ridge/El Dorado Hills CA) and 6’3” Erik Joseph (Emery/Emeryville CA).

Baker is a smart floor leader who can bury shots from the perimeter, Mitchell is a very good shooter with deep range, Davis has several offensive weapons at his disposal including a very nice pull-up jump shot, Arrington is a slashing scorer that finishes well in traffic, Robinson is a jet quick point that penetrates defenses well, Madueno impressed us with ability to finish while being fouled, Silva is a hardnosed lead guard that understands the team concept, Appel has plenty of size and a nice touch inside, Fuca is a tough point that passes well, Bracey is a deceptively good athlete with nice court savvy, Pettus is a small but quick PG, Leszczynski is a very solid point guard who is a fine passer and Joseph is a crafty scorer.

Other juniors participating were 6’2” Ryan Dudrass (Foothill/Sacramento CA), 6’5” Josh Duckens (Franklin/Sacramento CA), 6’1” Taylor Silva (Davis Senior/Davis CA), 5’9” Brian Stamps (Del Campo/Fair Oaks CA), 6’0” Christopher McIntosh (Bear River/Grass Valley CA), 5’10” De’Mario Crosby (Emery/Emeryville CA), 6’1” Eric Salazar (Del Campo/Fair Oaks CA), 5’8” Ray Carter (Rodriguez/Fairfield CA), 5’9” Dante Miller (Fairfield/Fairfield CA), 5’10” Brandon Barreras (California/San Ramon CA) and 6’4” Chris Blees (Jesuit/Carmichael CA).

Dudrass moves well without the ball and scores in bunches, Duckens is an inside/outside offensive threat, Silva has a nice basketball IQ, Stamps is a hard-working floor general that takes care of the rock, McIntosh has a perimeter stroke that must be respected, Cosby is “tough as nails” point that is scrappy on defense, Salazar has nice ability to “catch and shoot,” Carter handles defensive pressure well, Miller has ability to beat defenders off the dribble, Barreras is a heady playmaker that makes few mistakes and Blees is an agile swingman that can rebound.

Special thanks to Bobby Steinburg, Lee Hubbard and El Camino coach Justin Clymo and his basketball staff for all their help and efforts in making this a memorable event.

** photos in this article are courtesy of Lee Hubbard.

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