Top Row Takeaways: TB5’s The Scrimmage

Calling Tom Konchalski a pioneer in the grassroots scouting world would still be an understatement - Konchalski’s devotion to scouting every player on the floor was as firm as his handshake. No matter the game, no matter the competition level, Tom took pride in his ability to properly evaluate and find a level of basketball for each player that laced them up. Everyone who’s been around knew that once the ball tipped, you could find Tom in the top row, notepad in hand, attention fully invested in the game at hand. We hope that this small nod to the titan, as well as the work that follows, will honor his guiding principles - to invest fully in the game & to cover every angle of scouting, for every player, for every game. To rise to that lofty standard, we have brought together a group of the brightest minds in this space from all across the country, offering their own unique insights on the prospects, teams, and data that you need to know. 

Roll Call

PD Web, Writer, Cerebro Sports (@abovethebreak3)

Derek Murray, Head of Basketball at Cerebro Sports (@DMurrayHoops)

Aneesh Namburi, Cerebro Sports (@AneeshNamburi)

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What Prospect Across Any Age That Gave a Great First Impression?

AN: San Antonio Brennan is an extremely young team but boasts high-level talent across the board. One of their many standouts was freshman Isaiah Ward, a 6-foot-6 forward that led the team with a 10.5 C-RAM in the event. His slashing and finishing both in the half-court and transition combined with his flashes as an on-ball defender provides a great complement to teammate Kingston Flemings from the wing spot. 

PD: 2024 6’8 PF Jaxson Ford out of Prosper HS really stood out to me. Now, I’m cheating a little bit as I’ve seen him before in an AAU setting for Team Griffin, but seeing his motor and effectiveness around the round in a setting where all of the attention was on his impact was a totally different scouting lens. Ford’s blend of extremely quick off the floor and tenacious hunting of opportunity made for impactful play (9.5 rebounds p40, 1.8 blocks). Most interestingly, for a young rim protector, Ford is disciplined with his hands in the air and rarely fouled (1.5 PF per 40) a huge factor in his 89 DSI for The Scrimmage 

DM: He’ll be mentioned later on by PD as well, but this was my first viewing of 2025 Kingston Flemings. The 6’2 guard from SA Brennan has a chance to rise and be one of the top PGs in the country. Intelligent, instinctual, reads the game at a high level as well. I liked every bit of what I saw from him and would urge all college programs to get on it.

2023 Prospect To Shout-Out

AN: With many of the top prospects off the board in 2023, I wanted to highlight some “under the radar guys” that have impressed over multiple viewings going back to the spring and summer. 

Quinton Perkins’ (Lake Highlands G) ability to generate paint touches with his first step against elite competition like Link and Sunrise was impressive to watch. While his efficiency and decision-making were up and down over the course of two games, Perkins definitely was a net positive, with multiple stretches in each game that kept Lake Highlands in the contests.

Peyton Gusters was a do-it-all wing for Faith Family in this event, scoring at least a 60 in all 5 of our skill scores. I first noticed Gusters this summer with AJ1 as a high-level slasher with an outstanding balance of fluidity and athleticism. Not only has he showcased those tools consistently, but he seems to have taken steps as a complementary playmaker (4:1 A/TO ratio) while also oscillating well between an off-ball role with some tertiary creation. 

I had seen Garrett Falls briefly over the summer playing well with RJ Hampton Elite at King of the South, but a focused look at him with Prestonwood playing off HM prospects in Jalen Shelley and Francis Chukwudebelu created real intrigue as a prospect. The 6-foot-5 wing is a true dribble/pass/shoot wing who plays with athleticism and possesses feel for the game. Falls averaged 14.0 points per game while showcasing his ability as a 3-level scorer. 

PD: 6’5 wing Garrett Falls of Prestonwood impressed me with his on-ball savvy as a secondary ballhandler and his feel for the game in the half-court. Playing alongside national 2024 recruit Jalen Shelley on the perimeter, Falls picked out his spots well - showing flashes of being a scalable dribble/pass/shoot wing with further development. Wings who understand when to push the pace and when to set offense, know how to find offense for themselves with cuts & can operate out of slot PNRs are a valuable commodity at the next level. It isn’t a surprise that Falls finished The Scrimmage with a gold C-RAM (10.0). I’m very interested to see if Falls will take 3s at a higher clip, he knocked down both his attempts across the two games, but the form is projectable and he moved well off the ball to find opportunities.

2024 Prospect To Shout-Out

AN: Kuol Atak was one of the biggest risers of the summer as a 6-foot-8 forward who possesses one of the most dynamic shooting profiles in his class. The most obvious area of his frame. In the 3-4 months since I last saw Atak, his footwork in on-ball scoring reps looked significantly more fluid, and he was able to generate space in a way that was previously not present in his game. 

PD: 6’9 Kuol Atak of Haltom was phenomenal. During the summer, Kuol plays with 3D Empire, one of the most advanced offensive programs in the country, running continuous well-spaced actions that always put Atak in the right spots to operate. In a high school setting, there is more responsibility for Kuol to be the offensive fulcrum as a decision-maker and driver of possessions. In this environment, Atak handled responsibilities with aplomb while shooting the hell out of the ball. A true 5-tool shooter, as comfortable shooting off negative momentum as from deep range.

DM: Isaac Williams of Faith Family was really solid on both ends, scoring 18.5 PPG while shooting 44% from deep, as well as recording a DSI of 97. Silky smooth at 6’2, he shows promise as both a lead ball-handler and shooter; he had multiple college coaches’ attention as a shooter OTD from 3. He’s crafty around the rim and can finish in a variety of ways, intrigued with the offensive upside.

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2025 Prospect To Shout-Out

AN: In my first viewing of Dallas Hillcrest, sophomore big Jed-Ethan Nansha made his mark against Guyer with 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting and grabbing 6 rebounds. Nansha’s calling card was his motor and activity around the hoop as a scorer and rebounder, and Guyer’s small lineup pulling him out to the perimeter allowed him to flash some defensive ground coverage. 

Mikel Brown’s (Sunrise Christian) pull-up shooting is among the best in high school basketball. Not only does Brown have range past the NBA line, but his confidence and willingness to shoot at just about any point during a possession provide the gravity that truly pulls a defense. Obviously still in the early stages of development, Brown uses that weight in tandem with high-level vision to attempt some of the wilder passes you will see in a high school setting. Having an advantage creator is one of the more rare archetypes for most high school teams, and Sunrise having his shooting to pair with Layden Blocker’s speed will give a great balance to their team. 

PD: Kingston Flemings of San Antonio Brennan is a wonderful long-term national point guard prospect. At around 6’2, Flemings has the positional height to see over defenders, using that taller vantage point to see and make high-level reads out of PNR. Poise is a word that comes up a lot in scouting reports - a calm presence running an offense and able to pick his spots to attack downhill (61.5 FG%, 64.4 TS% in the 2 games). Flemings is a ballhawk defensively, able to apply heavy pressure while maintaining scheme integrity at POA as well as challenging the passing lanes in help siding. At The Scrimmage, he made his presence felt on that end, averaged a whopping 5.5 steals per game (115 DSI)

DM: King Grace, Waxahachie - already holding offers from LSU, SMU, Miss. State, TCU, and Texas Tech, he’s impactful on both ends of the floor at 6’4. Grace runs the floor well, shows promise off the dribble, and is capable of creating events on the defensive end, but in Dallas he also posted a 3PE of 99 (3rd among all ‘25s in the event). He finished 11-for-22 from the field including 6-for-11 from deep and 4-for-4 from the FT line.

Overarching Takeaways

PD: For all of the highlights of Matas Buzelis’ handle and offensive skills, I believe his truly special skill is his ability to defend as a POA menace to guards at 6’10. A lot of bigs can hold their own in space with the right matchup, but Matas has the bend to get under real point guards’ handles and make them uncomfortable. He can lock and trail off the ball, he can navigate any number of screens, and also defend using his frame and length to contest when guarding more winglike actions. Defensive technicians rarely get highlights on their hand placement or hip swivels when changing directions or footwork reattaching after screens, but to see a big young player do it this well this early… It’s wonderful to watch.