Scouting the Frank: More From Frank Spencer

James Blackburn was able to scout some games at the Frank Spencer Classic, and provided the following scouting notes for the match up between North Forsyth and Ashe County. Ashe features Tommy Spagnolo (PF/C, 6’7″, 2009) a Raford commit who had an excellent game:

Ashe vs. North Forsyth Scouting Notes

Number 4 seed Ashe County defeated North Forsyth in the quarterfinal game tonight 59-56. Ashe controlled the game from the start weaving through North’s defense and press for layups and open shots. There were several players who stood out for both teams.

Tommy Spagnolo (PF/C, 6’7″, 2009) scored 19 pts, grabbed 21 rebounds, and blocked 5 shots while controlling the middle for Ashe. Tommy is a strong/physical force that plays good D, contesting every shot, and rebounds exceptionally well on both ends of the court, boxing out on every shot. He is a great shot blocker, blocking shots from the weak side as well as his own mans shot. He hustles and runs the floor. He has a consistent jumper with a range of 18 ft. in. He is unguardalbe within 4 ft. of the basket, using size and good post moves to score. He has good feet and hands and passes well out of double and triple teams which he often attracts.

Kameko Wells (SG/SF, 6’4″, 2009) for North is a smart player who possesses good basketball IQ. He is long and lanky and uses his length to get to the basket easily and finish. He has good ball handling skills for a 2 guard. He has good form on his Jumper and gets good elevation off the ground when he shoots. He finished with 13 pts.

Jairus Simms (PG, 6’1″, 2009) finished with 23 pts and 10 rebounds for North. He has great ball handling skills and changes speeds and directions well to get to the basket at will. He has excellent court vision and can create for other players after breaking his man down. He is a true scorer who can get his points in many ways; floaters, mid range jump shots, layups, and 3 pointers.

Scouting Report: Mt. Tabor vs. Parkland

I was able to catch the late game of the Frank Spencer Classic, featuring #1 seed and returning champ Mt. Tabor against Parkland. Mt. Tabor’s best known player is C.J. Harris (PG/SG, 6’3″, 2009), who has committed to Wake Forest.

Mt. Tabor uses three big, smart guards to pressure the perimeter and this worked against Parkland repeatedly, who had trouble getting into a flex offense before it was disrupted by the Mt. Tabor guards. Mt. Tabor’s guards are led by C.J. Harris, Mike Grace (PG, 6’0″, 2009), who is committed to Yale, and Josh Hicks (PG/SG, 6’2″, 2009).

Wake fans will be glad that C.J. Harris game is still the consistent, steady and smart play that is a coach’s dream and should add balance and poise to the Demon Deacons. One thing I’ve always liked about Harris’ game is that he doesn’t make silly mistakes, and in this game he was able to put the ball on the floor several times and drive through traffic for a bucket, a dish to a teammate or a trip to the free throw line. Harris is exceptional from the free throw line and the form on his shot is excellent. I originally wondered if he had the speed to play in the ACC, but I think his calm demeanor is deceptive, as he consistently outmaneuvered smaller guards with his ball handling.

The player who impressed me the most in this game was Josh Hicks. While all three guards for Mt. Tabor have a good release on their shot, and all three are strong defenders, Hicks was exceptional in moving his feet to cut off passing lanes, create traps and generate turnovers. He has a good offensive game and although I do not see him as a pure PG or SG, I think he can play either position well. He, like Harris, can also slash to the hoop.

Mike Grace is the player whose game is the most pure point guard of the three, also with a good release on his shot and defensive awareness. All three guards for Mt. Tabor play well together and generate a lot of turnovers out the perimeter which turn into fast break points.

For Parkland, I was disappointed with the team’s overall cohesion, but I did notice Antonio Robinson (SG/SF, 6’2″, 2011), a player with a fluid offensive game and potential. Although Parkland’s lack of size forced Robinson to play some in the paint, he looks to me like he could really have potential as a shooting guard, he has an easy stroke and can handle the ball. I think he will need to bulk up some as well as improve his shot’s consistency, as his release can be a little flat at times. Terrance Surratt (PF, 6’4″, 2010) has an offensive lineman’s build but has great timing on rebounds and blocks, but foul trouble limited his play down the stretch. Flashes of offense from Dontre Barrett (SG, 5’8″, 2009) and nice court vision from Mykjuan Truesdale (PG/SG, 5’9″, 2009) weren’t enough to overcome the dominance of Mt. Tabor’s guards.