Saturday, November 8, 2008

NJ Adidas Jr. Phenom Camp Recap: Day 1 Class 2013

Jordan Forehand (Bridgewater, NJ)

Basketball Spotlight traveled to Wayne, NJ to check out the NJ Adidas Jr. Phenom Camp. He gave us a chance to see some familiar faces and new talent on the horizon. Here’s a report from the Class of 2013

Class 2013 Report

Jordan Forehand Guard (Bridgewater, NJ)- Forehand terrorized opponents on both ends of the floor. His Stephon Marbury type finishes at the hole was too much for this competition to handle. He bullies defenders in traffic and uses the backboard very wisely. I think he needs to show more confidence in his outside shot to keep defenders honest. Defensively he applied tremendous pressure to the ball handlers and forced numerous turnovers. He had a very dominant morning session.

Rakwan Kelly Forward (Newark, NJ)- The Brick City has a bona fide scorer in Kelly especially in transition because he runs the floor like a deer. He has good length for the wing spot and has a nose for the rock. Kelly does run into a little trouble while shooting from the perimeter, this area will need some work. On defense I like his energy and his ball hawking skills.

Will Joyce Forward (Newark, NJ)- Will is an intriguing prospect. Very long, wiry and can put the rock on the floor a little. As he gets older he must pack on some muscle in a big way. Right now he can hold position on the blocks but his lack of strength causes him to miss some makeable shots. But for the most part I like what I see out of this youngster especially his upside.

Hakeem Saintil Guard (West Orange, NJ)- Hakeem caught my eye with some clever moves going to the basket. I like his balance on the floor and his court vision in traffic. He’s like a quiet assassin on the floor. He beats defenders to the cup and hits teammates cutting regularly.

Kody Jenkins Guard (Hackensack, NJ)-The last time I saw Jenkins he was playing with the Harlem Kings at the MIT. Not much has changed; he still handles the pill well and sees the floor. He also has the height at this position that would make any high school coach salivate. Kody does need to be cautious about over dribbling and fine tune his outside shot.

Chris Jenkins Forward (Hillside, NJ)- Jenkins is a work horse on the glass and is very efficient around the basket. He’s strong, runs the floor well and even tries to handle a little. He does need to extend his range on his outside and work on his form. Because it seems like he will settle into a guard size when it’s said and done.

Jonathan Azzinaro Guard (Voorhees, NJ)- Azzinaro has the point guard frame but likes to shoot high arching shots from 3-point land. He does possess some point guard skills and needs to show that side a little more. He can be very heady at times.


Bernard Brantley Guard (Bridgeport, CT)- Bernard is tough as nails and has the body frame that allows him to get to the tin whenever he wants. He gets out into the open floor and finishes with either hand. Right now he’s a combo guard with the ability to finish in traffic. I like some if his attributes.

Corey Edwards Guard (Union, NJ)- The pint size guard made some plays that caught my eye including some drive, draw and dish flavor. I also can see that he has total confidence from the perimeter. Edwards does run into a little trouble when he over dribbles and forces the action a little too much. Other than that I love his posture and energy.