The Las Vegas Middle School Combine took place Sunday, October 24th at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event which was open to players in the class of 2026, 2027, and 2028, was designed to teach the…
Access all of Prep Hoops Next
Subscribe for access to all premium articles and rankings.
Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inThe Las Vegas Middle School Combine took place Sunday, October 24th at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event which was open to players in the class of 2026, 2027, and 2028, was designed to teach the game, and provide exposure to the next crop of local prospects. The event was run in combine fashion with every player having official heights, wingspans, and vertical jump measured. The players then went through 1 hour of drills led by local high school coaches, and a competitive 5 on 5 format. The 5 on 5 portion was played as a 7 game series with each team having the opportunity to make adjustments at the completion of each game. The camp concluded with an appearance from former Cal All-American and Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Monte Buckley. The entire camp was live-streamed on the 7outz network and featured some of the top middle schoolers in Las Vegas. In this article, we take a look at the superlatives from the event.
MVP: Tyus Thomas Ht |5’9| Wingspan |”73| Vertical |”21| Shooting Drill |21| 2026 – It was a close race for MVP, but in the end, Thomas got the nod, because of his ability to make winning plays. He led his squad to a 4-2 series win, and the lefty seemed to have a knack for making every clutch plays at crucial points of the game. He scored with his jumper, knocking down several 3’s, and he was able to muscle into the lane and finish. Thomas is a winner, that raises the competitive nature of the players around him.
Best Athlete: Tayshawn Caeser Ht |5’8| Wingspan |”71| Vertical |”21.3| Shooting Drill |12| 2026 – Caeser is what I call a game athlete, his measured vertical was in the middle of the pack, but when the lights came on it increased. He’s quick, and displayed an explosive first jump, several times the guard was able to attack the glass and pull down tough in traffic rebounds.
Best Shooter: Timmy Anderson Ht |5’7| Wingspan |”72| Vertical |”22.9| Shooting Drill |28| 2026 – Anderson won the Steph Curry shooting drill, finishing with 28 made 3’s. He transitioned his warm-up shooting into game action, burying several long-range bombs. He displayed good shot selection and good form on his jumper. Anderson was lethal in catch and shoot action
Best Defender: Angelo Imperial Ht |5’2| Wingspan |”52| Vertical |”22.7| 2027 – Imperial was all over the court. Despite being one of the shorter players, he managed to use his speed to make his presence felt. Imperial had several quick-handed steals and then would race past defenders to the opposite end. His best skill was his toughness, as he fearlessly battled against larger players.
Best Rebounder: Tyler Bright Ht |6’6| Wingspan |”81| Vertical |”22| Shooting Drill |20| 2026 – This was an easy one. It wasn’t just that Bright was the tallest player on the floor, he also displayed some of the best hands. Bright showed the ability to rebound alone, even when in traffic and once the ball hit his hands no one was able to take it from him. He showed good fundamentals as well keeping the ball high and away from pesky guards looking to strip him.
Best Finisher: Tai Coleman Ht |5’8| Wingspan |”72| Vertical |”21.5| Shooting Drill |20| 2026 (featured image) – Coleman showed why he is considered one of the top players in the nation. He’s an advanced finisher that finishes well around the rim with both hands. What’s even more impressive is the fact that he can do this even when running full speed. Several times Coleman attacked the paint head-on, eluded a secondary defender, before finishing the layup with his off-hand.
