On the Road with Texas Hoops- Texas Jamboree; John Shanu shines in Day One

Houston - The Texas Jamboree is always a stop for the TexasHoops.com staff and it never disappoints. TexasHoops.com recruiting analyst Blue Zertuche shares a few thoughts on Day One of the two-day even.

Jonathan Massie • Houston St Thomas • Guard • 2021

Massie went for 33 points as he carried the St Thomas Eagles to a 71-65 overtime win against Richmond George Ranch. Listed at 6-foot-3, Massie was the main ballhandler, main scorer and was the leader of the Eagles squad. Massie hit threes and got to the basket when he wanted. He is a lanky guard who can score in a hurry. Massie missed out on a double-double adding nine rebounds.

John Shanu • Houston Sam Houston • 2020

Some bigs need a little more time than others to develop and in the case of Shanu, I don’t think he’s done with the development side of his game. He is all of 6-foot-9 and has a wingspan to cover a lot of space in the middle of the paint. He has a high school head coach (Ralph Barreras) who I believe is getting him college-ready and making him aware of the details it takes to be successful. Shanu is strictly an interior prospect who is a rim runner. He blocks shots and rebounds, and when his teammates throw the ball to him anywhere near the rim, Shanu catches the ball at the highest point and dunks it. Shanu is still raw and is learning the game and needs to add weight to compete at the Division I level, but he is what most college programs look for when starting the process of recruiting a future big.

Tyler Simon • Houston Heights • Combo Guard • 2021

The junior guard wants to do everything for Heights, and he does. He is the primary ballhandler and scorer. Simon can shoot the ball and looks for his shot whether from behind the arc or by taking his man to the hole. Simon has a good feel for the game and plays at a good pace. Never was he in a rush, as he handled the ball with his head up and scanned the floor for the open lane to the rim. Simon finished with 24 points playing Manvel.

Shaun Walker • Manvel • Post • 2021

Manvel’s big man, Walker, is a space eater and uses every bit of his body on the block. He has soft hands and the footwork needed to be productive as a post. Waller spun off his defenders and scored over his shoulders. Walker also does his part on the boards as he pulled down eight while scoring 10 points against Houston Heights in a 69-50 win.

• Richmond George Ranch might have several players throughout the season lead them from game to game, and against Houston St Thomas, class of 2021 guard, Jordan Lewis stood out. The lefty showed a soft touch hit four three-pointers as he totaled 15 points on the day.

• Junior wing Mason McBride plays with spring around the basket and utilizes his athleticism to score. Teammate Myles Levine dropped in 19 points and hit six three-pointers. Levine had his eye on the basketball and led Manvel in scoring.