The Fullcourt Press ventured into Sin City recently to gage the current talent of Vegas’ finest ballers and we can announce without any reservation that the future of Vegas looks bright and is an area that college coaches should focus more closely on in upcoming years – especially on the Classes of 2007 (juniors) and 2008 (sophomores).

Juniors that stood out in this event include 6’8” Billy White (Green Valley/Henderson), 5’10” Henry Thorns Jr. (Valley/Las Vegas), 6’0” Michael Loyd (Palo Verde/Las Vegas), 5’11” Heiden Ratner (Silverado/Las Vegas), 6’3” Jon Atkins (Trinity/Las Vegas), 6’4” Dana Kendrid (Clark/Las Vegas), 6’4” Jason West (Desert Pines/Las Vegas), 6’0” Donte Pool (Mojave/Las Vegas) and 6’1” Chris James (Cimmaron Memorial/Las Vegas).

White showed why he is the most touted underclassman in Vegas – exhibiting both a high degree of athleticism as well as the ability to knock down the 3-point shot.
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White’s size, agility and ability to run the floor like a deer make him a dangerous offensive weapon. Thorns (whose 19 points tied White for game-high honors) is a quick and dangerous point with a sweet stroke from downtown (as his 5 “threes” in this game demonstrate). Thorns is also quick off the dribble and is a pesky defender as well as a versatile athlete (excellent football prospect too). Loyd was impressive here – directing traffic from the point and showing a nice ability to be an effective slashing scorer (had 14 points) and tough defender. Ratner has a well-known reputation as a high scoring lead guard and he did not disappoint as he scored 12 second half points and threw a few dimes as well. Atkins (an excellent student) is a versatile wing guard that comes to play every night and has great hands that allow him to create trouble for opponents on the defensive end while Kendrid is a very nice athlete that can run the floor and finish with regularity and is an active defender. West (12 points) maybe the best athlete of this bunch, attacks the rim with passion and is a more than capable defender, Pool has that special scoring swagger and is also a defender that gets after it and James (12 points) has a nice jump shot and is strong taking defenders off the dribble.

Other juniors that showed promise include 6’8” Greg McWilliams (Canyon Springs/Las Vegas), 6’2” Samuel Goulet (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas), 6’6” Michael Martinez (Meadows/Las Vegas NV), 6’3” Terrence Stewart (Del Sol/Las Vegas), 6’7” Kyle Davis (Bonanza/Las Vegas), 6’5” Taylor Sims (Silverado/Las Vegas), 6’6” Trent Johnson (Centennial/North Las Vegas), 6’3” Michael Stewart (Bonanza/Las Vegas) and 6’0” Quincy Alexander (Del Sol/Las Vegas),

McWilliams is a long and athletic shotblocker, Goulet (11 points) has excellent court instincts and legitimate ability to knock down perimeter shots, Martinez is a rugged rebounder and solid defender, Terrence Stewart is an athletic wing that makes plays on both ends, Davis is active around the basket and had a nice put-back in traffic, Sims is physical inside, Johnson rebounds well, Mike Stewart has a nice outside stroke and Alexander has a solid handle and is a pesky defender.

Other juniors that participated here include 5’11” Brandon Baccus (Meadows/Las Vegas), 6’2” Jacob Hafer (Shadow Ridge/Las Vegas), 6’7” Reese Gneiting (Palo Verde/Las Vegas), 6’2” Brandon Verrett (Chapparal/Las Vegas), 6’1” Ladarius Stennis (Durango/Las Vegas), 6’2” Rocky DiAntonio (Foothill/Henderson), 6’6” Kyle Doble (Spring Valley/Las Vegas), 5’7” Marcus Moore Spring Valley/Las Vegas), 5’10” Eric Dyer Spring Valley (Las Vegas), 5’11” Torrey Parker (Mojave/Las Vegas), 6’6” Spencer Haire (Palo Verde/Las Vegas) and 5’11” Mike Josserand (Centennial/Las Vegas).

Baccus is an active athlete with a nice stroke, Hafer has range on his jumper and is a pin-point passer, Gneiting has ability to get to the basket and finish, Verrett can face-up to pop the perimeter jump shot as well as being a strong finisher inside, Stennis is an effective slashing scorer, DiAntonio is a solid defender with a perimeter stroke that extends to the 3-point arc, Doble is a good rebounder, Moore is a quick point with range on his shot, Dyer has a solid handle, Parker is a nice passer, Haire is a physical rebounder and Josserand is a confident scorer.

Talented 6’0” junior point guard 6’0” Brian Magann (Durango/Las Vegas) was scheduled to play but the heady floor-leader (and great student) was injured and could not compete.

The very competitive Sophomore Game went into OT and before it was all said and done, the Class of 2008 made a big statement declaring itself a class to be reckoned with! Stacked at all positions and in all areas, where does one begin?

Let’s start with the PG position where there are presently four outstanding playmakers that have excellent D-I potential. 5’11” Darian Norris (Mojave/Las Vegas), 5’9” Kevin Loyd (Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 6’0” Mike Elliott (Canyon Springs/Las Vegas) and 5’9” Deremy Geiger (Canyon Springs/Las Vegas) form an excellent point quartet that will make Vegas a hot spot for college coaches looking for quality Class of 2008 PGs.

Norris is a strong and productive playmaker who showed up in the clutch here as his 3-point shot as time expired in regulation sent the game into OT and his timely free-throws in the extra period helped his White Squad outlast the Black Squad 71-69. Norris (who had a game high 20 points in this contest) is not flashy but has very nice poise, efficiency and range on his jump shot and gets it done in the classroom too (3.5 GPA).

Lloyd is a speedy point that has an excellent handle as well as an accurate 3-point stroke (had 17 points here). Loyd (the son of former UNLV player Michael Loyd) is a solid defender and good passer. Elliott is a talented lead guard with ability to score both from the perimeter as well as taking the ball to the rack. Elliott handles the rock well under pressure, has a lethal first step and has the knack of finding the open man in transition. Geiger is not a big PG but we love his energy and competitiveness and his ability to make things happen. Deremy (a good student) is a pesky defender and a slashing scorer that can finish in traffic.

These four guards are a promising group and I expect them to attract much Division I interest.

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Las Vegas’ sophomore wing group is also oozing with potential. The best of the bunch include 6’3” Quintin Dailey (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas), 6’4” Jordan Hill (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas), 6’5” Raveon Samuels (Canyon Springs/Las Vegas), 6’2” James Dean (Centennial/Las Vegas), 6’5” Ben Green (Foothill/Henderson NV), 6’4” Connor Maloney (Faith Lutheran/Las Vegas), 6’3” Kevin Wilson (Canyon Springs/Las Vegas) and 6’5” Cody Aughney (Green Valley/Henderson NV).

Dailey (the son of former USF star and NBA player of the same name) is a smooth silky shooter who has a great feel for the game, Hill is a terrific slashing scorer with a very nice wing physique, Samuels (16 points in this game) may be the best Vegas athlete in this class and loves to attack the basket with authority and speed (a possible

national sleeper), Dean is an excellent perimeter scorer with nice court savvy (great student too), Green, besides having nice range on his jump shot, can score in a variety of ways, Maloney has a terrific perimeter jump shot and impressive courts instincts, Wilson (a terrific student) is a solid defender and underrated passer and Aughney has a very good 3-point stroke and is an underrated defender.

The sophomore forwards/posts also have excellent depth and promise. They include 6’6” Dominic Powell (Spring Valley/Las Vegas), 6’7” Deante Jones (Valley/Las Vegas), 6’9” Joseph Muvana (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas), 6’11” Fernand Rwanteli (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas), 6’7” Ronnie Norsworthy (Spring Valley/Las Vegas) and 6’5” Dalone Upton (Chaparal/Las Vegas)

Powell is a versatile combo-forward and the leader of a young but talented Spring Valley squad coached by Phil McCallister. Dominic (a lefty) has a nice mid-range game and the agility and athleticism to very possibly be a wing forward on the next level. Jones is a strong and burly post forward that rebounds well and defends the paint with authority while Powell’s HS teammate Norsworthy is somewhat raw but has a real upside. Bishop Gorman twin towers Muvana and Rwanteli are rail thin but Turnberry Place high and have tons of potential to develop into real dominant shotblockers and defenders. Upton is a hardworking forward that is a rugged rebounder and can finish on the block.

Other sophomores we took note of include 6’3” Kamana Kaimikaua (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas), 5’7” Earl Jones (Foothill/Henderson NV), 5’9” Robert Bush (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas), 5’11” Blake Moore (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas), 5’11” Tyler Bryant (Chapparal/Las Vegas), 6’0” Eric James (Spring Valley/Las Vegas), 6’3” Solomon Black (Canyon Springs/Las Vegas), 6’2” Tenacious Gibson Spring Valley (Las Vegas), 6’2” Gerald Pitts (Durango/Las Vegas), 6’0” John McCoy (Cimmaron Memorial/Las Vegas), 6’0” Zach Walker-Lieb (Bishop Gorman/Las Vegas) and DeMario Harris (Cheyenne/Las Vegas).

Kaimikaua has a nice shooter’s touch, Jones is a speedy ballhandler, Bush is a quick playmaker Moore is a heady lead guard, Bryant is a solid defender, James is a very nice athlete and slashing scorer, Black demonstrated a nice left hand lay-up off a baseline drive, Gibson runs the floor well and can finish in transition, Pitts is an aggressive defender, McCoy is a pesky defender, Walker-Lieb is a very good free-throw shooter (canned 5/6 shots from the charity stripe here) and Harris has a nice pull-up jumper off the dribble.
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The Fullcourt Press will be releasing its 2006 Nevada Rankings on the www.fullctpress.net web site later on this month.

Special thanks go out to Grant Rice, Geoff Lincoln and the whole Bishop Gorman staff, Rich Young, Mike Elliott Sr., Harvey Perry and Mike Waters and his staff at Phase 1 Sports.

Videotapes of all five of the 2006 Fullcourt Press Las Vegas Spring Showcase games can be obtained by contacting Mike Waters of Phase 1 Sports at (702) 641-0011 or log-on to: www.phase1sports.com. Phase 1 Sports is the premier video service in Las Vegas.

* 1^st part of a two-part series recapping the 2006 Fullcourt Press Spring Showcase which took place on March 27^th at Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas.

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