Edmond, Oklahoma — The Prep Hoops Next Southwest Kick Off, hosted at The Hive, brought some of the best rising talents out of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The competition was competitive and high scoring for all ages, these prospects brought…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inEdmond, Oklahoma — The Prep Hoops Next Southwest Kick Off, hosted at The Hive, brought some of the best rising talents out of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The competition was competitive and high scoring for all ages, these prospects brought an abundance of intensity and energy from day to day. Here we’ll take a look at a few of the most effective scoring standouts that made major contributions and game-changing buckets throughout the weekend.
Landyn Nelson | Dallas, TX | AKR Texas Summitt / Vols Elite 2029
Very poise and confident high-volume shot-taker and shot-maker that got the bulk of his points from three-pointers or dribble penetration layups and runners. Landyn Nelson walked the ball up the floor and let it fly from deep on a consistent basis, if the defense didn’t pick him up the moment he crossed halfcourt Nelson looked to shoot immediately. Once the defense finally began to step up to keep him from shooting Nelson was proved to be capable of distributing the ball and finding his shooters in the short corners. On the drive, Landyn Nelson loved to take the baseline looking to score and if he didn’t have the shot he didn’t force his offense, he knew where a teammate would be on the opposite side of the basket and made timely bounce passes that led to easier scoring opportunities for Vols. Landyn Nelson did a fantastic job of creating open looks for himself as well as his teammates while keeping the turnovers down to a minimum by utilizing his off-hand to seal off the defense and protect the ball. This kid stood out as one of the best offensive talents of the weekend.
Eric Melendez | South Valley, NM | ABC Spotlight 2029
Throughout the weekend, Eric Melendez had times where he was the best player on both ends of the floor, displaying true potential as a bucket getter and as a playmaker off the dribble. Melendez was one of the toughest players to defend in one-on-one situations, particularly in the mid-range where Eric was at his best, showing off his stellar footwork, smooth handle, mean hesi, and powerful crossover with a long stride in his first step that led him to the rim in one dribble. Good shot selection due to his basketball IQ, always spotting a defensive mismatch and exploiting it to the best of his ability. Melendez must be defended by a player his size or taller or you can count on him to take his defender straight to the rack or easily rise up and shoot over the top of them with his high release point, whether he’s contested or not.
Roman Dees | Siloam Springs, AR | Arkansas Athletes Outreach 2029
Roman Dees impacted each game with his all-around competitiveness and his confident scoring mentality. Dees went into his ba and put the moves on defenders, creating separation or freezing his man looking to take advantage of the slightest bit of space before instantly attacking low and at an angle. When allowed to get to his hot spots in the mid-range Dees put up points efficiently, showing an effective dribble-drive pull-up with a nice shooting stroke combined with great touch on his leaning jumpers and floaters. In transition, Roman Dees was a blur, burning teams with elite breakaway open court speed without the ball, and with the ball in hand, he constantly looked to push the pace, the moment Dees grabbed a rebound or steal he instinctually looked up the floor for the fullcourt pass or an open path to the rim. It was very important to get back on defense whenever this kid is on the floor.
Lendale Johnson II | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa Hawks 2029
Big guard with good scoring instincts and capabilities, Johnson destroyed defenses with a well-balanced offensive attack, beating guys right and left, and scoring from all three levels of the floor in each game. Lendale Johnson was a tough matchup for all guards defensively, Johnson’s solid frame allowed him to not only get into the paint at an incredibly high rate but also get to any spot on the floor whenever he pleased by turning the corner and changing speeds and directions just as quick if not quicker than most other guards.
Carmelo Mason | Albuquerque, NM | ABC Spotlight 2029
Carmelo Mason is a 2030 prospect playing up with the 2029s and he didn’t seem out of place one bit, in fact, his skills and scoring prowess were superior to most prospects in the entire tournament. Mason displayed an abundance of potential as an elite jump shooter starting with his phenomenal shooting mechanics off the catch and on his stop on a dime for pull-ups off the dribble. Carmelo let it fly with a quick snap of the wrist and a high arcing release whether he was shooting on balance or falling away, and you’ve got to love how he holds his shooting form until the ball splashes through the net. A truly highly confident shot-maker that shows all of the qualities of a future three-point marksman. This young prospect was a threat to score anywhere within the halfcourt but was most deadly from the corners. Whenever Carmelo Mason got hot he scored in bunches from all over the court, he also stepped up and made some big shots in clutch moments filling his squad with energy and life, Mason’s shooting display was the best in the 11U division.
