I just came home off 10 plus days on the road, so there is plenty to discuss here about my evaluations from each stop that we will publish on the website in the coming week. I did a stint at both Puma stops for the July Live Period, so let’s begin with the 2026 class standouts.
Alex Constanza Put On A Scoring Exhibition
The Team Scoot vs YGC matchup was one of the best games I saw this past weekend. A lot of trash talking, physical play and high level shot making. Top 20 wing Alex Constanza for Team Scoot recorded 34 points and most of the points came off the dribble. He’s the primary ball-handler for his squad and he was exploiting the size advantages he had. If it was a smaller guard on him, he drove to the basket or would simply rise over them and make step-back jumpers. When Constanza had someone with more size or taller than him on the assignment, he would still use his strength to his advantage or his speed to get the defender on his hip. Constanza is polished as a scorer and to be that level of an off the dribble scorer translates. He put forward arguably the most complete scoring output I’ve seen this summer.
Others To Note From Team Scoot vs. YGC Game
Paulo Miguel Teixeira, 2025 6’6 SF – Team Scoot: A wing with long arms and good basketball body. Athletic, Teixeira made open perimeter shots and has some off the dribble scoring talent when the ball rotates to him. Checks a lot of boxes from a physical and skill standpoint. Teixeira is a talented available prospect that D1 coaches should consider.
Kamden McGilveary, 6’1 PG – YGC: Tough, long armed guard that got downhill. Wide shoulders, so there’s plenty of weight to put on him. McGilveary is an aggressive driver that initiated contact prior to launching to gain enough space to get his shot off versus the trees. The drive game and full court defensive intensity was on display.
Nasir Price, 6’4 SG – YGC: Price previously suffered an ACL injury and we haven’t seen him play in a while. Even at the start of the club season, you could tell he wasn’t the player he was prior to sustaining the injury. I thought vs. Team Scoot, Price was the best offensive threat for his team. On and off ball scoring, turning the corner on defenders and hedgers, which allowed him to get to the rim. It was a step in the right direction for Price, as D1 schools are calling again.
Placide Twins Up
Gallagher and Gavin Placide for AAO flight have had an impressive thirty days. Both should see their number beside their national ranking shoot up by the fall. Gallagher, at 6’9 is skilled and was operating as a secondary-tertiary ball-handler. His jumper off the catch looks clean and he defends with intensity on the perimeter. For someone at his size to move like that, guard multiple positions and knock down open jumpers is noteworthy.
Gavin at 6’10, is a handful inside the arc. Strong handle for size, gets off the ground fairly quick and navigates in tight spaces very well. Adequate face-up and back to the basket game, but there’s a lot of upside with Gavin becoming an offensive hub down the road. DHO’s, short roll threat…it’s all there.
Buy Stock On Kayden Johnson and Trae Nunn
Southern Ties’ Kayden Johnson showed why high major schools have been calling. A 6’4 pg with a strong frame and mature game. Johnson has translatable size, an adequate drive game and defensive talent. Plays to his strengths well and that allows him to initiate and embrace contact. Defensively, Johnson moves his feet well, and it’s hard to go through his chest as an offensive player. Has an overall make-up to be able to play right away at some role at the next level. Johnson has been hearing mainly from Mississippi State and Washington and several other P5 programs.
Talk about a next level frame, Nunn has noticeably improved his body throughout his high school career; he’s built like a college player right now. He shot it at a high clip this weekend and that was primarily off movement and standstill. I like his deep range on his triples and that he can come off any action, ready to shoot the ball. Nunn is a specialist that competes on both ends and utilizes his strength on the glass as a box-out/gain position guy.
More 2026’s To Note
(Listed alphabetically)
Anthony Avalos, 6’6 PF/SF – Cooz Elite: Athletic, long armed combo forward that made athletic plays all over the court. Blocking shots, deflecting passes, put-backs, dunks, we saw Avalos trying to make a play when he could at each opportunity. A legit D1 prospect.
Toni Bryant, 6’10 C/PF – Tre Mann Elite: He checks all the boxes from a physical standpoint. Long arms, bouncy and mobile. Protected the rim well, a big-time lob threat that can pop out and make open threes. Bryant’s touch from beyond the arc is real. When he brings his A game from a motor and toughness aspect, Bryant impacts winning at a high level.
Marvin Christie, 6’3 Guard – 1 Family: Athletic guard who is great in transition. Unselfish with the ball in his hands and has burst when attacking the rim. Better as an off-ball scorer/playmaker than a primary but Christie has a good IQ, shot-making ability and defensive presence that college coaches desire.
J’Rob Croy – 6’6 SF – CPSA: The son of Cal Baptist coach Rick Croy has blown up in July. Shoots it with deep range and knows how to move well off the ball. Croy has good positional size and is a marksman from deep.
Monte Farmer, 6’7 CF – Louisiana Elite: Gangly big wing that showed ability to stretch the floor and attack as a trail guy. Uses plus length as a finisher and he can start his gather to jump further than most due to size and arm length. Intriguing long-term upside with this one.
Ethan Harris, 6’8 PF – Select Basketball: He’s someone that really has made a splash this weekend. Harris is 6’8ish, very skilled and equipped with a high feel. Harris had 3-point shooting, a functional handle and uses plus footwork to generate space to shoot. Good passer that sees the floor well and finds cutters. The perimeter skills of someone his size is impressive but for me it was the quick reads and flashes of live dribble passing that I liked. Harris has visits set-up with Iowa (July 28-29), Washington (September 6) and Oregon State (September 25-26).
Josh Irving, 6’10 C – CPSA: I think Irving will be a really good college player. At 6’10 and mobile, Irving fits what’s valuable in basketball: Lob threat, hard rolling, play finishing bigs that create opportunities for the guards. He has the ability to stretch the floor too, knocking down a couple of triples. I think that part of his game will grow through the years, but what he does now, is a huge need to D1 coaches. Has an official visit set up with SMU.
Nehemiah Lawrence, 5’5 PG – Southern Ties: Lawrence gives validation to the statement, “It isn’t how tall you are but how good you are.” Very small in stature, Lawrence plays with an outlier intensity blended with skill, that allows him to be effective on the court. Pull-up game is on point, he guards the full length of the court, and he finds teammates on kick-outs. Had a few D1 schools kick the tires on this one.
Autrail Manning Jr, 6’2 PG – Cooz Elite: Speedy guard with a wiry frame. His quick first step keeps the individual defender honest because he can blow by them or stop and pop a three ball. Fine positional size, plus speed and shot creating talent.
Tre Paulding, 6’5 SF – MPJ Elite: A strong body wing that knows how to play. A scorer in spot-up scenarios as a driver or shooter. Rebounds well for size and can guard taller players due to strength and the low center of gravity he plays with. Has an official visit with Drexel coming up.
Collin Ross, 6’11 C – OTP: Tall and bouncy. Ross can make plays on both ends that few can do. He has some freakish blocks and put-back finishes. He showed off a splash of his offensive expansion, too. Once he gets stronger and plays with a lower center of gravity, he can be a consistent two-way impact guy.
Eli Sancomb, 6’5 CG – WV Gold: One of the best passers in league. Samcomb threads the needle and takes risks with his passes. He manipulates the defense with his eyes and dots his teammates. Made shots from the perimeter and is a quick decision-maker with the ball in his hands.
Noah Smith, 6’7 SF – Grand Park Premier: Plays with his length on both ends. Defensively, he covers ground and deflects passes. Offensively, he uses it on finishes and anything inside the arc. Liked Smith’s activity level and low usage, high impact he brings to games.
Joe Sterling, 6’4 SG – CPSA: Big time scorer that needs minimal space to launch and connect. He’s not blowing by guys to get to the rim, but uses craft and frame to generate space. Sterling and Constanza to me are the best scorers in Pro16 and some of the best we have in the country.
Demarcus Surratt, 6’3 CG – Kentucky Basketball Club: Downhill threat that finds his way to the free throw line with regularity. Makes open shots, albeit shot takes a bit longer than normal to get off, but once his feet are set, it’s a bucket. I like how Surratt stays in attack mode and has a variety of ways he finishes and draws contact at the rim.
Ernas Valauskas, 6’4 SG – Sipp United: Big-time performances for Valauskas as he showed expansion in his game. Known as a specialist, Valauskas showed second-side scoring/play-making and quick decision making. Hit clutch shot after clutch shot in Bryan, Texas.
