Kyky Tandy
Every year the Next Up Recruits Camp, hosted by NUR’s Taylor Hicks, brings the top talent from the state of Kentucky together for a day of competition in front of scouts and college coaches. While we’ve been impressed with the Kentucky talent in the past, this trip was even better, as the camp featured premiere talent from West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania and some other states as well. With plenty of future NCAA D1 prospects from the classes of 2019, 2020 and 2021 on hand, here are the ten performances that really stood out from the games that we took in on Saturday in Wilmore, KY….
Dekeyvan Tandy – ’19 University Heights/KY: “Kyky” is the top prospect in Kentucky not only in the rising senior class but in the state regardless of class, and showed why on Saturday, as the powerful and ultra-athletic 6’0 guard dominated the game at the rim. Playing in the Russell Westbrook mold where he is always in attack mode to try and dunk on someone, Tandy reeled off some highlight plays. Already with offers from Cincinnati, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Virginia Tech, Iowa State and Wichita State, Tandy is a top-100 player nationally and will continue to attract high-major attention in July.
J.J. Eubank – ’19 PG/SG First Love Christian/PA: Playing an opposing style to Tandy, Eubank is a smooth and skilled combo guard with good vision and a knack for changing pace to create offense. Eubank is equally skilled as a shooter who can play off ball or a ballhandling guard who can create in the pick-and-roll, and as he continues to add weight on his frame he’ll become one of the best guards in the region. Eubank currently holds offers from South Florida, DePaul, New Mexico, UMass and a slew of mid-majors.
Michael Moreno – ’19 SF/PF Scott County/KY: Moreno’s play would never be called “sexy”, but the 6’6 forward out of Georgetown/KY is one of the toughest dudes you’ll ever see on the court, and his effort can never be questioned. Moreno was at his best on Saturday around the rim, as he has power and explosiveness around the rim to finish rebounds, but has also improved considerably with the consistency of his perimeter jumper. With offers from Iowa, Winthrop, Evansville, Toledo, Bradley, Eastern Kentucky and others, Moreno will be heavily tracked in July with his Indiana Elite team.
Devin Cambridge – ’19 SF/PF Believe Prep/TN: Perhaps the top athlete at the camp, the 6’5 Cambridge came into the event somewhat unknown but made waves with his jaw-dropping dunks and blocked shots. A high-motor player who can also stretch the floor as a shooter with a streaky but dangerous jump-shot, Cambridge is a late bloomer who certainly could catch the eye of NCAA D1 coaches in July.
Jaemyn Brakefield – ’20 SF/PF Huntington Prep/WV: Not just the best 2020 prospect at the camp but the best prospect regardless of class at the event, Brakefield has the talent to one day make a lot of money in basketball. A 6’9 forward who can shoot it from three effortlessly with a lefty stroke, Brakefield is also a high level athlete with a college-ready frame. When he’s engaged, there’s no stopping Brakefield on either end, as he just has so many weapons at his disposal as a forward who can put the ball on the floor and attack. A top-20 prospect nationally, Brakefield, a native of Mississippi, has early offers from Kansas, LSU, Xavier, UCLA, Florida, Mississippi State and most other high-majors within reach of either Mississippi or his Huntington Prep/WV high school program.
Zach Loveday – ’20 PF/C Gallia Academy/OH: The player at camp whom we were most familiar with heading into the event, Loveday had a solid showing in Kentucky, as the 6’11 post was active on both ends and showcased the ability to be one of the best floor-running big men in the country. While he got limited touches offensively, Loveday knocked down quite a few perimeter shots, finished offensive rebounds and showed a willingness to both communicate and compete on the defensive end. With offers from Ohio State, Purdue, Xavier, Florida, Indiana and others, July will be a huge month for Loveday with his Louisville Magic AAU team, as he tries to solidify himself as Ohio’s #1 prospect in 2020.
Ike Herster – ’20 SG/SF Kennedy Catholic/PA: A knockdown shooter with limitless range and a killer mentality, Herster caught fire from three on Saturday. A strong and mobile 6’5 wing with versatility, Herster was able to take big men to the basket when they crowded him, or shoot it over smaller matchups. Expect Herster to play a big role on a loaded Kennedy Catholic team next year, as he should be one of the breakout players in Western Pennsylvania. Already holding offers from Youngstown State and Stony Brook, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Herster pick up a few new offers in July with his ITPS Wildcats squad.
Jokhow “JT” Thor – ’21 SF/PF Huntington Prep/WV: The rich just keep getting richer, as, along with Jaemyn Brakefield, Thor was of the elite prospects at Next Up Recruits Camp. At times Thor looked like a baby-Kevin Durant as his 6’9 frame is blessed with a skill-set that lets him handle and shoot the ball like a true wing forward. With a long and surprisingly nimble frame, Thor has the ability to be one of the top-50 or so prospects in the nation in his 2021 class in time and will certainly become a well-talked about name with the always talent-loaded Huntington Prep team next year. Currently with one high-major offer, from California, look for many, many more to jump on the Thor bandwagon very soon.
Jayden Taylor – ’21 PG/SG Indianapolis Perry Meridian/IN: A big and smooth combo guard at 6’3 with a slippery handle and a lot of swag to his game, Taylor was able to score in bunches in the two games we watched him play Saturday. While he falls in love a bit too much with long-range pull-up jumpers, Taylor can create whatever he wants with the bounce and has the athleticism to get to the rim and finish as well. Playing with G3 Grind on the circuit, Taylor has established himself as top-10 prospect in a 2021 class in Indiana that is full of high-level talent.
Trey James – ’21 C Sheldon Clark/KY: A throwback center with a supremely physical approach for a young big, James did not back down one bit from older competition, as the 6’10 post was active on both ends all day long. Capable of scoring inside with a fairly refined low-post game, James utilized his hook-shot to score, while also controlling the paint and the boards. The game sometimes plays a little too fast for this bulky young center, but he has as much upside as just about any center in his class nationally.
Other Standouts: Christopher Monson (’19 Rossview/TN), Deionte Miles (’19 Walton Verona/KY), Isaiah Cozart (’19 Madison Central/KY), Naim Miller (’19 First Love Christian/PA), Jamier Fletcher (’19 First Love Christian/PA), Curt Lewis (’19 Aspire Prep/KY), Mattia Acunzo (’19 Kennedy Catholic/PA), Obinna Ancholi-Killen (’20 Chapmanville/WV), Ryan Kalkbrenner (’20 St. Louis Trinity/MO), Jamel King (’20 Tuscaloosa Bryant/AL), Dayvion McKnight (’20 Shelbyville Collins), Kenny White (’20 North Hopkins/KY), JJ Traynor (’20 Bardstown/KY), Sheena Goodson (’20 Lexington Douglass), CJ Meredith (’20 Spring Valley/WV), Cearius Warren (’21 Louisville Southern)
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