USF Elite Camp Insider Part III
Tampa, Fla. – In the third and final installment in our recap of Brian Gregory’s first Elite Camp at the University of South Florida we take a look at campers who are off-the-radar players, underclassmen or good players who haven’t yet had much coverage.
Tai Strickland 6-foot-1, 170 pounds: Strickland is a high IQ player who can create off the bounce and get to the rim to score. He knows how to control tempo and plays with poise. His jumper is a work-in-progress. Strickland is an active defender who kept opposing guards in front of him. He has transferred from Tampa Catholic to St. Petersburg High School where he’ll team up in the backcourt with Serrel Smith for his senior season.
Reece Wilkinson 6-foot-8, Class of 2018: He is a big and strong post player who has the look of a double-double player for Miami Norland. Wilkinson has a nose for the ball and could be a high volume rebounder in college at the right level. He is aggressive defensively and gives a shot-blocking presence in the lane.
Chris Spenkuch 6-foot-6, Class of 2019: An energetic wing with a good frame, Spenkuch oozes upside. While his perimeter jump shot needs improvement, Spenkuch can score off the catch, can create off the bounce and can get out on the break and finish above the rim. He was active on the glass and as he gets stronger he’ll become an even better rebounder.
Wilkinson and Spenkuch are two-thirds of a formidable front court at Norland. In the Tweet below, Wilkinson is on the left and Spenkuch on the right.
Kobe Opoku 6-foot-8, Class of 2018: His physical attributes really stand out. He has good length, runs the floor, leaps well and plays hard. He has good hands and passed well. Opoku best basketball is ahead of him, he is a player we want to see more of.
Justyn King 6-foot-6 – King is a very active defender and makes his presence known on the glass. He can grab a rebound and start the break, he made good decisions with the ball in his hands. He is an unselfish player but we’d like to see him be a tad bit more aggressive offensively.
Yussif Basa-Ama 6-foot-9, Class of 2020: He is a bouncy big man with a great mix of size, athleticism, shot blocking and rebounding prowess. Basa-Ama has great feet and, for a young big man he runs the floor well getting to where he needs to be both offensively and defensively. He has soft touch around the basket and can knock down 10-foot jump shots. Basa-Ama projects as a high major power forward.
Lynn Kidd 6-foot-8, Class of 2021: This pup (class of 2021) who has transferred from Spain Park HS (Ala.) to The Rock School (Fla.) caught our attention because of what he did when he did not have the ball. Kidd was active setting screens and he boxed out for rebounds better than some kids three years older than him. Kidd showed good footwork in the post but he looked a little raw at times. Which is acceptable since he is just a freshman. His ceiling is high and we expect his recruitment to pick up fairly quickly.