Hoophall West Top Performers Day Two

Duncanville (Texas) High vs Montverde (Fla.) Academy was arguably the best game of the week and was a dog fight all night long. To make it even better, the game hosted nine top-100 prospects.

Duncanville guard Aric Demings is your MVP

Aric Demings stole the show Thursday night hitting the game-winner against Montverde. He was hot all night long and played with a sense of confidence and swagger about him that was a joy to watch. The junior point guard only stands 6-feet tall but is the definition of a shotmaker, especially from beyond the arc as he hit five of his eight threes. Demings lead Duncanville with 23 points on 64% shooting. He holds early offers from Morgan State and Texas Rio-Grande Valley.

I was also impressed with Duncanville’s Ron Holland. The 6-8 power forward oozes potential. He’s extremely athletic and has a high motor. He’s also quick on his feet, allowing him to guard multiple positions. What impressed me the most about him was his ability to rebound and his energy on the defensive end. Once he improves his shot, Holland will be a more complete player. Holland finished with 14 points and eight rebounds in the win. He holds offers from Memphis, Kansas, Oregon, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, UCLA, etc.

In the heartbreaking loss to Duncanville, Dariq Whitehead was the star for Montverde. He’s an incredible slasher that can get to the rim with ease. He uses his strong and physical body to overpower smaller guards or wings. The Duke signee has elite athleticism and a high flyer who slams it with authority. He will dunk on you without thinking twice and knows how to put on a show.

Florida bound forward Malik Reneau was also incredibly impressive and had a remarkable game. He couldn’t be stopped on the block and always seemed to have great position in the post. Reneau is very fundamental and exhibits nice footwork. He also has a strong body, allowing him to bang inside. He also showed the ability to step outside the arc and hit the uncontested three-pointer.

Montverde’s Dillon Mitchell and Kwame Evans also turned heads. Mitchell stood out with his elite-level athleticism and his ability to block shots and crash the boards. Evans is only a junior but he’s so skilled and has unlimited potential. He’s 6-foot-9 and is deadly as a catch-and-shoot three-point shooter. He will need to add strength but the sky is the limit for the young wing out of Baltimore.

Oak Hill dominates Legacy Early College

Kentucky signee Chris Livingston was very impressive in their win 90-55 win over Legacy Charter. He has such a strong body and loves to drive and finish at the rim. He’s crafty around the rim and finishes with power through contact. Once he increases his foot speed, he will become a deadly defender and it will pair perfectly with his long arms that allow him to deflect passes and block shots. He does a good job of pushing the ball during transition and can score or kick but makes the right play a high percentage of the time. Livingston also showed the ability to score from deep but there is room for improvement. He can also handle the ball when needed but will need to tighten up his dribble. Livingston finished with 17 points, on 8-of-11 from the field, and grabbed eight boards.

One of the top available guards left in the class, Judah Mintz, demonstrated his scoring and passing ability. He’s slightly undersized but makes up for it with his feel for the game. The biggest strength of his game is being a natural and effortless scorer. He makes scoring the basketball look easy and does it with confidence and composure. He also showed he can be a playmaker for others with his high-level passing ability. The former Pitt commit can handle the ball when needed but will need to tighten up his dribble when facing pressure from elite defenders. Mintz finished with 13 points on 6-of-9 from the field and had five assists. He would like to officially visit Florida, Tennessee, Xavier, and possibly Louisville. Kansas is the newest school interested.

“It’s a lot different than last time,” Mintz said in regards to his recruitment. “Last time, my recruitment was kind of slow. But now that I’ve shown what I can do on the circuit, it’s really picked up. It’s everything you grow up dreaming about. It’s fun.”

Despite the tough loss to Oak Hill, Coen Carr battled all game long. He’s a very good athlete with a strong body. He crashes the glass and finishes hard at the rim and plays through contact. His physicality stands out and plays hard on both sides of the floor. Once he gets more comfortable handling and shooting the ball, Carr will be a more complete player. He finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Vanderbilt, and others have offered.