After holding Session 1 in Indianapolis 2 weeks ago, the Adidas 3SSB Circuit was back in action in South Carolina this past weekend. The 3SSB teams came down to the Upward Star Center and surrounding high schools in the Spartanburg area to compete in front of a big group of college coaches April 22nd through April 24th. 2024’s were first, in this piece we highlight some 2023 prospects who performed well and helped themselves during the weekend. There’s a lot of size in this group but they all have distinct qualities.
6’11” C James Scott (Team Loaded NC)
Scott kept things simple in Spartanburg and when you’re as tall & long as him, that’s all you really need to do. He was reliable operating in the dunker spot as he converted above the rim consistently throughout the weekend. Scott gets off the floor very well for a prospect of his size and has a good 2nd jump that made him a constant factor on the offensive glass also. If he has just a bit of space around the basket, it is likely to end in a dunk. He also caught some attention with his mobility; Scott showed that he can move some on the perimeter when having to defend in ball screens with pretty nimble feet and was good getting up & down the floor in transition. While he is pretty thing right now, Scott’s frame should fill out well, and when it does, he’ll be even more of a force in the paint. Georgia State, Appalachian State, and Loyola Chicago all pulled the trigger after the weekend.
6’7” SF Jordann Dumont (EAB)
The buzz around Dumont’s name got louder as the weekend went along and it ended with Oklahoma State extending an offer after Radford offered earlier at the event. Although he is pretty productive right now, Dumont had coaches most excited about what he could develop into down the road. He’s a long, rangy 6’7” who showed the potential to defend at different spots on the floor. He had some impressive moments getting down in a stance and moving his feet against shorter guards and as he keeps adding muscle, he should be able to guard 4’s at the next level. Offensively, Dumont has a projectable shot with good form that he connected on both from 3 & the mid-post at different points. He is also effective in transition with long strides and some straight-line speed to get ahead of the pack and create easy baskets. Dumont is going to be a closely tracked prospect through the summer.
6’9” PF/C Rashaud Marshall (Arkansas Hawks)
Marshall has been one of the breakout prospects on the 3SSB Circuit this spring. He put everyone on notice in Indianapolis and helped himself further in Spartanburg. It all starts with his combination of motor and physicality. He has a defined, bulky frame and looks to get involved in the action seemingly every possession. Marshall is light on his feet and quick off the floor, which results in him getting his own misses or creating 2nd chances frequently. Although still pretty raw on offense, Marshall is very aggressive when posting. He does a great job of getting low, sealing, and fighting hard for deep positioning. This makes it easier on him when he does catch and it usually puts the defense in a bad spot & forces them to foul often. He does have some potential with his back to the basket and showed a bit of mid-range shooting touch as well. All things accounted for, Marshall is a hot name right now and has a chance to keep rising through July.
6’7” PF Collin Murray-Boyles (Upward Stars)
A little bit more of an old school forward than many others who are getting recognition this spring, I appreciated the approach and versatility that Murray-Boyles showed during the 2nd 3SSB Session. He gives up some inches in different situations but has a wide, physical frame with strong shoulders in addition to the mentality & toughness to level things out and even give himself an advantage in some matchups. While he did have good moments banging around in the interior, Murray-Boyles was also very impressive as a passer. He sees things well out of the high post and is capable of handling the ball in the open floor and then making the right decision. I liked the timing and smarts he showed when contesting shots and although his appearance might suggest otherwise at first glance, Murray-Boyles has some vertical athleticism off of 2 feet and adding that to a high effort level allowed him to be effective in traffic on both sides of the ball. The variety of flashes he showed during the weekend had numerous coaches talking and it should pay off with an uptick in his recruitment soon.
6’7” F Khali Horton (Wildcat Select)
A player I watched a good bit last summer, Horton has made improvements in the last year and has taken his aggression to another level. Both times I watched Wildcat Select in Spartanburg, he was extremely confident and hunted his shot from 3. In previous viewings, Horton showed the ability to stretch the floor but he’s now finding ways to get himself more looks and displayed a very quick release over the weekend, getting right into his from with hardly any extra movement. He has soft touch that allows him to get some favorable bounces on the rim and after solid outings on Saturday, he had a huge 28-point game on Sunday. He left his mark with this outside prowess but Horton also possesses a strong body that I think he could use to his advantage even more often. Pretty much every bigger guy wants to shoot 3’s and thinks he can, but Horton is a serious, legitimate threat in that area and his consistency there will be attractive to coaches.
6’0” PG Quentin Meza (Utah Prospects)
Meza was an under-the-radar performer for the Prospects in Spartanburg and helped them beat a talented Trae Young group on Friday night. He’s small but is tough, smart, and scrappy. The Prospects have good chemistry and move the ball well on offense, it starts with Meza’s pass-first approach. On the break he always has his head up and even when pushing the pace he showed that he can come to a controlled stop off 2 feet & then hit open teammates with crisp passes. A needed trait for a smaller guard, Meza is pesky on the defensive end and can bother ball-handlers with his pressure & active hands. He can knock down shots when needed and makes sure the defense stays honest when it comes to seeing him as a scoring threat. His style should gain the likening of coaches sooner or later.