2018 Starkville Swish Tournament Notes and Results
Starkville HS
Armstrong Middle
Henderson Ward Intermediate
Starkville, MS
May 4-6, 2018
17U
Starkville Swish, Starkville
Cameron “Beno” Bell 6-6 ’19 F/C Starkville HS: Beno continues to wreak havoc in the paint. I watched him play in Birmingham earlier in the travel season and he was solid as could be. He continued that this weekend with his dominant play down low. He alters and blocks shots. He scores down low and is a good passer from the high block.
17U Champs
Starkville Swish
16U
16U Champs
Starkville Swish
15U
TCF Jayhawks, Meridian
The Jayhawks have two very solid teams in the 14U and 15U divisions. They play very hard and play together. They play with a high defensive intensity. Game winning shot video below.
Qavion McClendon 5-8 ’21 G Kemper County HS: He hit the game winner in the championship game.
North MS Jayhawks, Pontotoc
Rock Robinson 6-4 ’21 G/F Pontotoc HS: Rock is starting to develop and gain some guard skills to go with his long range shot.
Isaiah Thompson 6-3 ’20 F/C Amory HS: Beast. He was a shot blocking monster. And I do mean monster because he tried to bust every ball he got a hand on. He is a great athlete with serious ups. He is developing some handles and it will be nice to see how he progresses the next few years.
Joe Haze Austin 6-4 ’22 G/F Pontotoc HS: The long range shooter with some guard skills was playing up on the weekend. If there is any indication on his size potential with his hands and feet suggest he will be about 6-9 to 7-0 when he stops growing. Massive potential coming up in Pontotoc. Coach Tipler might be adding a few more State Championship trips to his resume.
Tyson Smithey 6-0 ’21 G/F Ingomar HS: Several summers ago I noticed this really young kid (not even jr high age yet) that couldn’t stay off the court during summer league play. Every timeout, every intermission, every stoppage of play or any random chance he got he was putting a shot up. He wasn’t any good at all. I told someone that I was sitting with that he would eventually be a solid player. His love for the game and drive to get better has gotten him to the point to where he is a legit high school player now (and that was a long way from where he started). I’m really impressed with how much he’s improved. If he continues to improve at the same rate he could be a next level player by the time he gets to that point. Keep the love for the game and keep working hard.
15U Champs
TCF Jayhawks
14U
MEBO/MS Express, Meridian
Shane Davis 6-4 ’22 C Madison Central: Got size and a physical presence around the paint.
Garrison Sharpe 5-8 ’23 SG West Alabama Charter School (Livingston, AL): Shooter with extended range was another one playing up. He nailed the side-step three for the semifinal win. Just a simple shot fake will take you a long way.
MS Flight, Tupelo
Janard Davis 6-0 ’22 G/F Tupelo: Wow what an athlete. He runs the floor hard on both ends with his high motor. He rebounds very strong and plays much bigger than his size suggests. He finishes around the basket when he gets the ball down low. You don’t hear this next statement much about 6-0 junior high kids. He plays above the rim. On both ends. He caught a put back body in the championship game that didn’t count and it should have. In the semifinals, he caught an alley of the backboard then raced to the other end of the court and swatted a ball well above the rim.
Devin Hodges 6-1 G/F ’22 SF Plantersville Middle/Shannon: He has size. He has some handles. He has a nice mid-range touch. He doesn’t look like he should have all of them skills because he is a big beastly looking player that you would think plays in the low post.
Braxton Bishop 5-8 ’22 G Tupelo: One of the best ’22 kids in the state. He showed that he has the ability to take over a game at any time. He can score at will. He is sneaky on the defensive end.
Starkville Ballers, Starkville
Jarius Jordan 5-8 ’22 G Armstrong Middle/Starkville: A point with a very muscular build. He sets up his teammates with his movement on the court. When he gets a defensive board he gets the ball up the court fast while always having his head up looking for an open man. He finishes with both hands around the basket.
Drew Huskison 5-7 ’22 PG Heritage Academy: He has the ability to drive and find. If you get any kind of open space, he will get you the ball. He is a sick passer. He sees passes that is rare and most people can’t even spot. He creates the right angles to make the passes when they are not there. On one play the open man was on the left low block while he was on the left wing. He saw him, didn’t have an angle to make an open pass so he dribbled to the right side of the free throw line and made a bullet bounce pass back across the lane so his man was the only one that could get it. He put it right on the money so his guy caught it in motion going up for the layup.
14U Champs
MEBO/MS Express
13U
Starkville Swish, Starkville
Mack Howard 6-1 ’23 SG Heritage Academy: Shooter from anywhere on the court. He was knocking down mid-range and long-range jumpers at a high rate.
Trey Naugher 6-2 ’23 F/C Heritage Academy: Nice length. He moves and uses his size well. He is a textbook rebounder. I see a developing pattern here with all these really nice Heritage players to go with that dominant ’20 class. I see a MAIS Overall in their future.
Whitt Altmyer 5-2 ’24 G Armstrong Middle/Starkville: He was another one playing up. He was a lights out shooter the whole weekend.
MEBO/MS Express, Meridian
Jordan Gowdy 5-10 ’23 G/F Meridian: High IQ basketball player. He makes great passes by looking off the defenders and making the right moves. He has very good eyes and sees the whole court. He has adequate handles. He rebounds hard on both ends. He’s a very solid player in all areas.
Kedrick Osby 6-3 ’23 F Northeast Lauderdale: He was a shot blocking machine with his long wingspan. He has some handles and can take the defender off the dribble. He is a very versatile player that could end up being able to play all five positions. He shot the three ball good too. It’s going to be fun watching the younger brother of Romero Osby as he progresses over the next several years.
13U Champs
Starkville Swish
12U
12U Champs
MEBO/MS Express
11U
MEBO/MS Express, Meridian
Keaton Gray 5-2 ’25 SG Newton: Looks like Coach Gray has a big time shooter comign up the ranks. He knows because he’s been teaching him for years. He knocked down plenty of long ball this weekend.
Jamarion Fleming 6-1 ’25 C Canton: Speaking of younger brothers. If there wasn’t 8 years of age and 8 inches of height between him and his brother you would think they were twins. His older brother had the troubling task of either breaking the heart of Avery Johnson or Patrick Ewing and that would be Javian Fleming. Little Jay has a game just like the big brother. He rebounds hard and scores easily off of put backs. Big Jay might not want to hear this but little brother could end up being better.
Magnolia Hoops 