by Clark Francis

If we had any doubts about the fact that 6'0 7th Grader Bryce Griggs from Lake Jackson, TX is the best player in the nation in the Class of 2022, he eliminated them at this year's John Lucas All-Star Weekend, which was held over the weekend in Houston, TX and featured a number of the top middle school teams and players from around the nation. We're talking about a strong physical athletic combo-guard who knows how to compete, is explosive off the dribble, has deep range on his jump shot, and is capable of putting up prolific numbers. He also handles the ball well against pressure, has a good feel for the game, is not afraid to put a body on you when he attacks the basket, and was the catalyst for his team advancing all the way to the Championship Game of the 7th Grade Division, where NIKE Pro Skills lost to the ATL...

EVENT RECAP

By: Nick Milosevich (Top 100 Talent)

John Lucas All-Star Weekend is one of the premier middle school tournaments in the country, and the 2017 edition, which featured over 160 teams, must be considered the best in the history of the event. Each year, All-Star Weekend seems to attract a deeper pool of talent, and bracket play on Sunday featured several of the most competitive matchups I have ever seen at the 6th-8th grade level. Below are recaps for the teams who had the most success over a busy two days at the MI3 Center.

Houston Hoops Blue Chips 2023 - The core of this group has been together for some time, and that showed in crucial moments throughout the event as the team rallied from deficits in both the quarters and semis before dispatching North Coast Blue Chips 53-40 in the final. Wesley Yates is a fantastic shooter who always seems to knock down big buckets. Corey Kelley is a force inside, and made the game-winner at the buzzer in their 56-54 victory against Tennessee...

John Lucas Top 160 – 2016

By: Shane Laffin (Premier Basketball Report)

Labor Day Weekend 2016 brought us what has become an annual must see skills, drills, and competitive camp in the John Lucas Top 160. Players from classes 2017 – 2021 and from all over the continent, including Alaska, Hawaii, and a few from Canada, visited the Legends Sports Complex in The Woodlands, Texas to participate and gain some wisdom and add to their game.

As registration started and players started pouring into the gym, voluntary early drills were already going on at every basket. There is no wasted time at the John Lucas Top 160 camp. You walk in, get your shoes on, get warm, start working, and you do not stop.

To kick things off, the players and parents were gathered all around so the staff could be introduced and the tone could be set. John Lucas explained the intention of the camp, the methods, a general outline of activity and timeline, and shared his vision for young...

Written By: Darnell "Tate" Johnson (All Metro Hoops)

This year Camp Right Way-Chicago, was loaded with very good guard play. The guards played with higher I.Q's then in past years. This was one of the most unselfish Camp Right Ways I ever covered. Even though its called Camp Right Way Chicago, there was player represented from over 23 states and Canada. Two of the NBA retired players (Juwan Howard and Larry Hughes) had their sons in attendance and felt this camp has value for their kids.

Below is just of a few standout players I observed from the camp:

2021 Michael Mitchell G 5'11 (Harker) San Jose, CA

He has very good size for a PG his age. He was one of the smoothest guards in camp. He played with good pace and made good decisions. He could score at all three levels. He had a sweet stroke that never looked rushed. He could be more aggresive on defense.

2021 Jaylon McDaniel PF-C 6'4 (Delta Woods Middle School) Lee Summit,...

PLAYER EVALUATIONS

Written By: Ben Perkins (Top 100 Talent)

Caleb Corro (2021/5’7/135/Elmwood Park, IL) - Solid point guard with excellent handle. Has a real flair for making plays and possesses a high basketball IQ.

Jeremiah Dotson (2021/6’0/145/Brown Deer, WI) - Athletic slasher that played aggressive all weekend. Finished at a high percentage around the rim. Nice frame and has plenty of upside.

Ihsan Duncan (2021/5’11/160/Hampton, VA) - Elusive guard that made a living getting in the paint. Finished strong at the rim through contact and ran the team well.

Jett Howard (2022/5’9/135/Miami, FL) - Long guard that has a shifty handle. Shoots the ball efficiently and has a quiet release. Has improved finishing ability in the paint.

Elijah Jackson (2021/5’10/145/Mason, OH) - Athletic wing that showed off a variety of moves in the paint. Rebounded at a high rate and pushed the ball to create transition opportunities.

Daylan Jours (2021/6’2/140/Wichita, KS)...

Written by: Darnell "Tate" Johnson (AllMetroHoops.com)

Each year the FOTG-East becomes more of a national event. This year there was kids represented from over 20 states and as far away as California. Its seems like the kids in attendance this year were more attentive and ready to learn. At this age all I can do is evaluate, because 85% of the kids in camp are guards and their true position will not be defined for years to come.

Below are a few standouts from that weekend:

2022 Jaden Bradley 5'11 (Cannon School) Charlotte, NC

Long and athletic for his age. He plays very aggressive and is skilled for his age. He's a very good rebounder on both ends. He's is a man amongst boys at this age.

2022 Jonathan Starling 5'9 (Ray Middle School) Syracuse, NC

He has one of the purest strokes I ever seen for a kid his age. He also knows how to get to the cup and finish with either hand. He's also a very unselfish player, that sees the whole...

Written by: Nick Milosevich (Top 100 Talent)

Coach John Lucas puts on many fantastic camps and clinics, but perhaps his signature event is the International Middle School Combine, which was held this year at Legends Sports Complex in The Woodlands, Texas. Gathered in the gym were nearly 200 of the nation’s finest 7th and 8th graders, who put their talents on display over Mother’s Day weekend. Below are evaluations of the 25 players who stood out the most at the event, listed in alphabetical order.

Jabri Abdur-Rahim (2020/6’6’’/165/W) - Long and athletic, thrives on competition and takes over games for long stretches. Despite his slender frame, is not afraid of mixing it up inside, and is a proven finisher through contact. His size allows him to get off perimeter jumpers without much space. Excellent rebounder on both ends and takes pride in playing strong defense.

Allen Adenadu (2020/6’9’’/210/F) - Raw prospect and excellent athlete who made his presence felt on the defensive...

Written by: Darnell "Tate" Johnson

Each year skill level of the 5th & 6th graders attending the camp, seem to be getting better and better. I like the development of he young kids. I wish they get tougher and get in better shape. If you haven't attended a John Lucas, your in for a rude awakening. It's high intense and non-stop camp.

Below is a list of young players that stood out to me:

2022 Derian Ford 5'9 (Magnolia Central Middle) Magnolia, AR

Derrian has great size and a motor for his age. He goes hard an never seem to take a play off. Hes a craty lefty, that when he attacked the cup was unstoppable all weekend. He seem to get in trouble when he falls in love with his jump shot, it needs a lot of work. He's a physical defender and a very good offensive rebounder.

2022 Jeremiah Dargan 6'2 (Kings Valley Christian) Concord, CA

Jeremiah may have had the highest potenial of any kid in camp. For his height, he has very good coordination for his age. He has good touch and decent range on his jumper. He has...

Written by: Clark Francis (The Hoop Scoop)

We attended the 2016 John Lucas Future of the Game-West, which was held over the weekend at the Tarkanian Center in Las Vegas, NV, and the race really was too close to call among the likes of 6'2 8th Grader Jeremiah Dargan from Concord, CA, 5'1 6th GraderVincent Cruz Davis from Plano, TX, 5'5 6th Grader Jeremiah Johnson from Oklahoma City, OK, and 5'9 8th Grader Derrian Ford from Magnolia, AR when we start talking about who the top player was in camp. However, in the final analysis, we gave the nod to Dargan for a number of reasons. First, he's got the skills, athleticism, and versatility necessary to play both inside and outside. Second, he's got big hands and feet, tremendous length, and it's our guess that he will top out in the 6'10 to 7-foot range someday. Third, he's not a tough customer and will need to get bigger and stronger physically, but we liked the way he ran the court, competed, and was willing to get after it on the boards....

Written By Darnell ‘Tate’ Johnson

This was a first time event for Coach John Lucas and for me it was a great success. The Lab is his baby and it's legendary for not just young kids better, but also bona-fide stars like the Clipper DeAndre Jordan better.

So with that being said my evaluation will definitely be a little harsher because the 'Lab' quote, un-quote isn’t nothing nice.

Below is a few of my standout and high potential players that stood out to me.

2017 DJ Harvey 6'6 SG/WG (DeMatha) Washington D.C.

I been watching DJ play for years now and there’s not a skill set he doesn't possess for you prototypical SG. He can knock down the three, he can take you off the dribble and will drop dimes if your open. He can guard the two and the three and some fours. He athletic with bounce. Now what disappoints me at times he just won't be there. It's like he knows how good he is and feels he can turn it off and on when he wants. That's a no no when a player that skilled has the ultimate goal to play at the top level. Now this weekend, kind...

Published by Clark Francis (The Hoop Scoop)

Among the many things that we did at this year's NCAA Final Four in Houston, TX was attend the 2016 John Lucas Enterprises Lab Experience, which was held from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM on Saturday and on Sunday morning at Legends in Spring, TX And, once again, 6'10 Frosh Charles Bassey from San Antonio (St. Anthony Christian) TX solidified his spot at the top freshman in the nation. We're talking about somebody with tremendous length, agility, and athleticism, excellent post moves, a terrific nose for the ball, and great timing when it comes to blocking more than his share of shots, and has the ability to run the court and step out and hit the mid-range and long range jump shot. And, if that weren't enough, he also has a good motor and plenty of upside, especially if he doesn't lose any of his speed, quickness, and athleticism, as he gets bigger and stronger physically. In other words, we're talking about somebody with incredible...

Once again, Coach John Lucas brought in nearly 200 of the best players from the Houston area and around the country for The Lab, a camp held at Legends Sports Complex in The Woodlands over Final Four weekend. Below are evaluations of the players who shined brightest in both the drills and the 4-on-4 games that took place, listed in alphabetical order by class.

Jase Febres (2017/6’5’’/180/SG) - Streaky shooter was nearly automatic from 3-point range this weekend. Febres is among the best scorers in Houston, and his marksmanship allows him to go by defenders and get to the basket, where he can finish with either hand. His elite size for the position also allows him to fire in mid-range jumpers with little room to maneuver. Should draw some interest from high majors if he continues making shots at this frequency.

DJ Harvey (2017/6’6’’/210/SF) - DeMatha product was in Houston all week and impressed me in his workouts at Fonde and in this event. Harvey is a mid-range shotmaker who can execute several different pivots and fakes, and often...

Written by: Clark Francis (The Hoop Scoop)

Who do you like better - 6'6 8th Grader Jabari Abdul-Rahim from Granite Bay, CA or 6'7 8th Grader Greg Brown from Carthage, TX? That was the big question we kept asking at the John Lucas All-Star Weekend, which was held over the weekend at the MI-3 Center and Legends Sports Complex in Houston, TX And, in the final analysis, we give Abdul-Rahim the nod after watching him knock down four 3-pointers, finish with 24 points, and make a number of big shots and help his team erase most of an 18-point deficit down stretch in the round of 16 against God First 2020. Abdul-Rahim is a big time athlete with long arms, quick hands and feet, a competitive edge, and the ability to play both inside or outside, thanks to his quickness to the basket, aggressiveness on the boards, good ball handling and passing skills for somebody his size, and ability to knock down the outside shot. He also appears to be a chip off the old block, as is evident by the fact that...

Written by: Ani Umana

It’s 9:30 a.m on Saturday in the MI3 center and parking in the lot was almost non-existent for me. I finally found one and when I got in the gym, there was talent on each court. This day one recap I will highlight top performers and also talk about the top games I got to see.

2022

Flight Elite out of California were a very fundamental team. Led by guards Jared McCain, Aiden Mahaney and post Jeremiah Dargan, they were able to lead their team to an impressive victory over Nike D1 - Premier. McCain does a good job breaking defenders down and getting into the lane. He also shot 40% from three in his first two games. His problem is that he didn’t finish well in the paint but he had no problem getting inside. Drew Steffe for D1-Premier was impressive. With that team being down a guard and a post, Steffe stepped up and looked to be more aggressive with the ball. Usually he allows the game to come to him which is fine but on Saturday was coming off screens and looking to score knowing his team needed someone to step up. D1-Premier fought hard on...

Written by: Ani Umana

Championship Sunday consisted of some highly anticipated and close games. When bracket play came around, the intensity heated up and emotions were high.

Lets start with 2022 and Austin Nunez of Hardwork. He has gotten better every time I see him and he is such a threat from the perimeter that it allows his teammates opportunities to score. His IQ is high on offense and his ability to find the roll man on picks and to dribble out of presses was good to see.

Bryce Griggs had a solid showing as well although his team lost earlier than expected. Griggs had to lead the team or be top three in multiple categories this weekend. He was a do it all guard.

Harrison Alexander for GC Ballers is long and athletic. He is versatile on offense and defense which allowed him to play different spots on the floor and still be effective. I liked how he played on Saturday, but on Sunday he was being smarter with the ball and was crashing the boards better.

For Pray and Play, Adriel Smith impressed me on Sunday. The guard loves to push the ball and...

Written by: Nick Milosevich (Top 100 Talent)

John Lucas All-Star Weekend always brings together some of the nation’s finest young basketball talent, and the 2016 event got started on Saturday with pool play action. The oldest three divsions were held at the MI3 Center, and many of the games were well-played, tight contests that were decided on a few crucial plays.

The morning session was highlighted by the spectacular play of the God First 14u squad, who were led by the nation’s top 2020 player Kyree Walker. The overall court vision and passing ability of Walker cannot be overstated, and his presence on the floor led to a spree of easy baskets for an already loaded God First team. They won their two contests by 35 and 37 points, setting a benchmark for the other 14u squads later in the day. Adam Kanafani also stood out for God First, displaying a versatile offensive game that led to scores from a variety of spots on the court.

Among the other pool winners in the 14u division...

Written by: Nick Milosevich (Top 100 Talent)

After an exciting Saturday to open John Lucas All-Star Weekend, Sunday would bring the tournament to a close with the knockout rounds. In the 14u division, the quarterfinals were perhaps the highlight of the event, with the four games being played simultaneously in front of huge crowds lining the courts. Texas Titans, after struggling for much of Saturday, finally found their rhythm thanks to the point guard play of Mike Miles. Miles scored at will and also found teammate Karson Stastny for a couple of long jumpers as they easily defeated Team KC by a final of 64-44.

Team Thad appeared to be in line for an upset victory over Select One, leading by as many as 12 points in the second half behind the superior inside play of Chris Moore. Team Thad was the only team in the tournament who could match Select One’s size in the frontcourt, and Moore outplayed the opposition, making many key plays on the offensive glass. However,...

The best player at the John Lucas Enterprises Camp Right Way - East, which was held over the weekend at Competitive Edge Sports in King of Prussia, PA, was 5'11 8th Grader Posh Alexander from Brooklyn (I.S. 392) NY and he has all of the ingredients necessary to project as one of the next great guards to come out of New York City. We're talking about a tough hardnosed competitor with big time athleticism, the ability to lock his man up defensively, and a knack of being able to both go strong to the basket and beat you with his outside shooting. He also has good ball handling and passing skills, an unselfish demeanor, and is capable of playing either guard spot, although we like him better at the 2-guard spot due to the fact that he's such a great scorer and he's likely going to grow a lot more.

However, it appears that Alexander is the point guard on his club team and, ironically, 6'0 8th Grader Amir Spears from Hartford (Sage Park Middle School) CT, who is Alexander's backcourt mate on the New York Lightning's 8th grade team, checks in as our second best player in camp....