GASO Fall Classic- Pasadena... Now you know

Pasadena ISD - The Great American Shoot-Out Fall Classic made its first of three stops and Houston was the first stop this past weekend. With over 40 teams participating, the high school coaches had a chance to see their team in live action. Here are some thoughts from TexasHoops/GASO analyst, Blue Zertuche.

• Will Baker, Westlake is finally his team

• Steve Fontenette is on the rise, already

• Sam Rayburn, talented, but that’s an understatement

• Atascocita, Elisk and Sam Rayburn and more...

2019 Rankings | 2020 Ranking coming soon

Jordyn Adams • 2019 • Silsbee

To start, I hope I’m not alone when I say that Adams is a complete basketball player. When you brush away all the pressure and chaos that Silsbee causes on the court (along with the freedom on offense), Adams stands out as a true basketball prospect. He can definitely score the ball, but he is an excellent passer, rebounder, and athlete. When on the court, Adam shows leadership skills and leads by example. Sure, he can rush a shot and give up an easy basket on defense, but Silsbee’s style leads to those types of plays. When a rebound is to be had, or a stop needs to be made, or a bucket is needed, Adams is always in the mix.

Will Baker • 2019 • Austin Westlake

We aren’t in the market of throwing out who are future NBA players, but Baker sure does look like a “one-and-done”. The 2018-2019 Austin Westlake Chaps team belongs to Baker, finally. After spending the past two years behind three high-majors (all three have graduated and moved on), Baker has taken on the role of the leader and the offense goes through the 7-footer. He did try to do too much at times, but he dominated inside and out and when he wanted to score he did it. He came off the dribble to finish with spin moves in the paint and made precision passes. He set up from behind the arc and nailed the three and he used his body to create space and contact. Every time Baker found himself within arms reach of the basket, he threw down the dunk. Defensively, Baker did his usual shot-blocking and rebounding.

Nathan Clover • 2020 • Port Arthur Memorial

If there is one prospect that is ready to make a leap into the highest level of college basketball, it’s Clover. Port Arthur Memorial’s big man is a beast around the rim and is a talented finisher. Every ball that is missed is an opportunity that Clover sees as his. He scores with his back to the basket, grabs trash buckets and runs the floor ready to score in transition. Defensively, Clover protects the rim and has a frame that makes him hard to move off the block.

Aaron Davis • 2019 • Klein

Davis is a do-it-all standout with his Klein High School team. His steady rise has continued for over a year now. As a prospect, Davis handles the ball, is a scorer, a rebounder and a positive teammate. Davis plays within the offense of Klein and gets a ton of opportunities on the offensive side of the ball. Davis is a guard that is active and will get his teammates involved as well.

Steve Fontenette • 2019 • Katy

Leading the category of “should be ranked higher” is Fontenette. A trim 6-foot-4, Fontenette was noticeably better at every part of his game. A year ago, Fontenette was an interior player and showed a lower skill set but has now turned himself into a wing with upside. The Katy product was active throughout the day and exhibited body control in the lane while finishing with soft lay-ins or a dunk. Out on the perimeter, the No.124th ranked player also had his jumper working for him. Should be an interesting year for the talented Katy Tiger.

Zach Iyeyemi • 2019 • Cypress Fair

A below the rim big man, Iyeyemi proves to be effective with his big body and the space he creates to score. He is 6-foot-7 and he didn’t mind playing against smaller players, and why not? He is a brut and takes full advantage of every situation that is in his favor. He is a post that will clear out the middle of the paint and go to work.

Tramon Mark • 2020 • Dickinson

Mark played one of his better games in recent memory as he played in the comforts of Dickinson’s offense. The wiry 6-foot-4 Mark displayed a smoothness to his game playing against Fort Bend Elkins. The Dickinson lefty was scoring off the bounce and using his length to score over his opponent. He also had a few off the dribble three-pointers.

Max Smith • 2020 • Austin Anderson

Smith carries a touch of swagger with him onto the court, and it goes great with his overall game. The 6-foot combo guard has good speed up the court and hits the mid-range jumper and scores in bunches behind the three-point arc. He may not have a lot of bulk to his frame, but Smith is a scorer. He can handle pressure as he weaves through defenders.

Collin Warren • 2019 • Fort Bend Elkins

Warren was one of the surprises of the weekend as he took command of the ball for the always dangerous 5A Elkins squad. Warren showed off his handles out on the perimeter and scored off the dribble from behind the arc. Where Warren showed the most flash was in the open court as he excited the crowd with his above the rim finishes.

• Pasadena Sam Rayburn has a three-headed monster in two sophomore sensations and one junior. Sophomores Keon Edwards and Jerrell Colbert are two of the state’s elite players in the class of 2021, and not too far behind is class of 2020 shooter, Jalen White.

Edwards is a 6-foot-7 wing who steps up and strokes the three and will contribute to the team’s ball handling up the court. Edwards has high-level skill and showed growth in his overall play by not over-dribbling or by forcing passes. Edwards was recognizing defenses and took the ball to the hole to score or decided to pull up from 15-feet. His counterpart, Colbert is a long lengthy target inside and has a finesse style to his interior play. Colbert was a problem for his opponents because of his reach and his shot blocking instincts. Rebounding for Colbert isn’t an issue as he moves in and out of his area to snatch rebounds and keep the ball alive. Being 6-foot-10 pays off when he is near the basket. He simply puts the ball in the hole.

White has become a favorite of mine because he has the size at 6-foot-5 and athleticism to go along with his shot making ability. Going back to the July GASO and even this weekend, White is a consistent three-point shooter and his dribbling ability to get inside the arc to score is one of the best in the state. After watching him this weekend, Sam Rayburn has one of the state’s top front lines. White is a bucket getter and a heady overall basketball player.

• Never know where to start and stop when talking about the Humble Atascocita Eagles. Every year at this time, Atascocita has been a staple of the GASO Fall Classic and the Eagles always seem to be ready for the challenge. They are a guard-heavy team with shooters all over the floor in senior Nick Gazelas, junior Dylan Dawson and sophomore Christian Ashby. They are a well-oiled machine and are lead by Senior point guard Joe Rollins who is also a guard that you can’t leave open from deep. Atascocita has depth and will be a top team by the time November rolls around.

• Alief Elisk is full of athletic jumping jacks, but the two who stood out the best were Tristan Dick and Jeremy Coleman. Standing 6-foot-1, Dick is a fast athlete who runs the floor and gets open looks at the basket. Nicely built and with a strong transition game, Dick is intriguing with his ability to stroke the three and get to the rim. Coleman plays the role of the undersized forward, but he can play bigger than his 6-foot-4 frame. Another swift-footed player for Elsik, Coleman brought toughness and a knack for being around the ball. And for him to be an interior forward, Coleman fought his way to scores around the basket.

• Don’t try to pinpoint and label Silsbee’s guard Devin McCain. The 6-foot-3 guard is a straight “baller”. He is a prospect that is fun to watch and just makes plays. McCain is a stat-filler and is a well-rounded prospect with ball handling skills and a bull targeting the basket.

• Pearland is always in contention for a district title and the play and leadership of Robert Charles is definitely one of the reasons why. Charles is a tough competitor who is a penetrating guard that will set up his teammates and also be the vocal leader. The 6-foot guard is fast and quick and can make things happen on both ends of the court.

• Kansas State commit Montavious Murphy looks to have settled in nicely with Tomball Concordia Lutheran. As usual, the 6-foot-8 Murphy showed off his bouncy style of play and he makes himself an easy target for his new teammates. Murphy was getting the ball around the rim and finishing easy attempts. His teammates look for him in certain situations as he streaks to the basket. And Murphy’s shot is looking great from the perimeter and he was sinking the three and getting by his defender.

Teammate and also new to the program, Evan Palmquist gives the team a scorer who can get it done from all three levels. Palmquist is skilled and smart and doesn’t rush things out on the court. Palmquist is an interesting guard prospect who has a chance to turn heads in his final year of high school.