We appreciate the folks at The JUCO Showcase for allowing us to attend their event in Orlando, all the while putting on a platform, for the best Junior College and Prep School talent in the nation. Coming to you straight from the perspective of our Florida Regional Analyst, we are pleased to present the standout athletes from this event :
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil || Indian River State (FL) || G 6’7 || Sophomore (in College)
Mostapha El Moutaouakkil had great size for a guard and he used it to his advantage. He was relentless on offense as a shot-creator and scorer. Indian River as a team continually looked for him on offense as he was their #1 option. While running the Indian River offense he had a score-first mentality but he was able to find teammates open when the defense paid him too much attention. He generated his points from driving to the rim or shooting 3-pointers. He finished through contact well at the rim and shot 3-pointers well. He had a niche on defense to disrupt the passing lanes with his active hands. Areas of improvement for him are to elevate his teammates' game by empowering them to be the best version of themselves on the court. A lot of times his teammates were just watching him just waiting for the ball. I would also like to see the intensity that he brings to the offensive end to also bring it to the defensive end.
Deng Majak || Indian River State (FL) || F 6’11 || Sophomore (in College)
Deng Majak impressed me. He was Indian River’s anchor on the defensive end. He was a good interior defender who wouldn’t get into foul trouble because he defended straight up. He continuously got into good positioning defensively whether that was being in the right place at the right time or boxing his man out. He also had the ability to block shots which his opponents were aware of driving to the rim. Areas of improvement for him would be to improve his offensive side of the game. On that side he was basically non-existent and I would also like to see him have the ability to switch on to guards. Improving those two things would bring his game to another level.
Marvin McGhee || Bishop State (AL) || F 6’7 || Sophomore (in College)
Marvin McGhee was a shot creator. A possession that he displayed this was when he broke down his defender and shot a mid range pull-up jumper. He had athleticism and he used it well on defense when he was sliding his feet while also contesting shots. He also had good court vision and the ability to pass which I was impressed with when I saw him make a great outlet pass in the fast break that led to his teammate scoring. Areas of improvement for him was just having more of an impact on the game. I saw the skill-set and talent that he had but he didn’t do enough of everything I just listed. At times I thought he needed to take over more on offense.
Angelo Mack|| DME National PG - FL || F 6’3 || Year: 2024
Angelo Mack was on fire from 3-point land. It was fun to watch his talent and skill-set, his tools reminded me of Donovan Mitchell. He had a strong upper body which he used to finish through contact at the rim. He had tight handles which he used to bring the ball up. Honestly I thought he was better suited to be listed as a Guard than a Forward because of his size and handles. Areas of improvement for him was his lack of intensity or desire to take over the game. He was too passive on offense and continued to wait for the game to come to him instead of asking for the ball and being aggressive. That is what I would leave Angelo with, to be aggressive.
DeAndre "Benji" Nelson|| Golden St. Prolific Black PG - CA || F 6’8 || Year: 2024
Benji Nelson had great size for a wing and he moved well for his size too. He was athletic and had a high-IQ. He understood that his teammates had rhythms going and looked for each different teammate when they were hot. On offensive he was patient in waiting for the game to come to him while also continuously looking for the best decision during each possession. Areas of improvement for him are to fill out. He was too on the thin side, he needs to get stronger.
Walt Hill Jr|| Golden St. Prolific Black PG - CA || F 6’1 || Year: 2024
Walt Hill Jr. looked like the perfect pure point guard with a ton of potential to grow. He had his finger-print all over the game from his defense, to his passing, and his scoring. He had active hands in the passing lanes on defense. He showed that he was a great decision-maker finding open teammates while having tight handles to accompany it. He was shifty on offense while having a quick-first step and the ability to shoot the 3-pointer well. He was an impressive finisher which he showed by finishing through contact and acrobatically at the rim around traffic. Areas of improvement for him are to master the pick & roll as the ball handler. If he does that in my opinion, the sky's the limit.
Contributor: Dylan Ramirez