Showcase of Champions: Bruton’s Middle School Standouts
Showcase of Champions 2022: Bruton’s Standouts
Cumming, GA – NGSHoops.com recently held the Kenny Smith Showcase of Champions. Several young prospects introduced themselves to the world as players to watch over the years. In this article, I decided to discuss some of the up and coming talent that I got a chance to see for myself in action.
Amare Medhin | 5’5” PG | Georgia Stars 2028 (GA)
Medhin is one of the most pure guards in his class currently. He’s got a strong handle, creativity and isn’t afraid to take tough shots when his team needs him most. In almost every game that he plays, you hear the excitement from the crowd when he starts to get into his mode of scoring the ball. He’s got the offensive tools now to become a very difficult player to stop down the road no matter what kind of athlete is thrown at him.
James Holder | 6’3” PF | Jacksonville Heat 2028 (FL)
Holder was impressive with his ability to catch, seal and score inside. As a 6’3” post presence in the 6th grade, he was able to dominate at times with his finishing ability through contact. If he continues to grow and fine tune his footwork, he’ll be a high impact post presence for years to come.
Jeremiah Torchon | 5’11” W | Jacksonville Heat 2028 (FL)
Torchon did a great job as a playmaker and showed versatility as a defensive player. Players this young don’t always take both ends of the floor as serious as he does. Offensively, he’s got some good tools and showed the ability to create his own shot and for others.
Christian Coleman | 6’0” G | CP3 2027 (NC)
Nobody made more long range jumpers than Coleman in the games I saw. He’s got a quick trigger and isn’t afraid of the “moment”, evidenced by his game winner in the championship against TSF. On top of his ability to knock down shots, he does a good job of moving without the ball and always making himself available to create space for his teammates.
Sherod McCormick | 5’6” PG | CP3 2027 (NC)
McCormick is a young floor general that made his mark as a distributor. When teams tried to close up the paint against his big men (Taj Saragba and Andrew Rogers), he burned them up from the outside. He did a good job as well balancing out his attack by penetrating inside, dropping dimes off and mixing it up with pull-up jumpers. One of the true point guards that played in his division.
Quadir Truesdale | 5’5” PG | Huncho 2027 (GA)
In middle school, Quadir may never meet another guard that is as fast or as quick as he is with the ball in his hands. His athleticism with the ball makes it nearly impossible for defenders to contain. Once he’s got his mind made up that he’s going to get into the paint, he gets into the paint virtually at will. If his outside shot is falling, he becomes even harder to stop. As he continues to fine tune his game and finds a good balance of scoring and distributing, he could become a high level guard sooner than later as he progresses to high school.
Janon Singh | 6’3” F | Huncho 2027 (GA)
You have to immediately love the energy that Singh brings to this team. He attacks the glass, protects the rim and wins a lot of 50/50 balls. As an offensive player, the majority of his points right now come from putbacks and layups from dump passes. He’s got some good mechanics on his shot that show he could develop as a pick and pop player. Keep him on your radar. He may be far from done growing as a player and physically.
Caden Earl | 5’11” G | TSF Mack 2027 (GA)
Earl is one of the quickest guards in his division. He’s got a deadly pull-up jumpshot and a lightning quick crossover dribble. He’s shown improvement in every event that I’ve been able to watch him. His playmaking ability is developing rapidly and defensively he’s starting to show signs of being a terror for ball-handlers. Watch him closely.
Jeremy Winston | 6’0” G | SGS 2026 (Rome, GA)
Winston can score the ball in bunches. He has a quick trigger on his jumper, loves to move around off the ball and he’s an adept finisher when he gets all the way to the rim. You can also just look at his frame and tell that he’s going to hit a growth spurt sooner than later. As he develops, I expect his athleticism to take off and make him a dunk threat.
Darnell Collins | 6’3” PG | SGS 2026 (Rome, GA)
From a physical standpoint, Collins may have been the most varsity ready point guard in this division. With a sturdy 6’3” frame, a pass first mentality and finishing ability, Collins stands out immediately to anyone that is watching closely. If his jumpshot continues to improve, so will his
notoriety. He’s already a very well rounded player. Watch his development closely.
Nick Arnold | 5’10” PG | Team EAT 2026 (NC)
Arnold was easily the most dominant player in the 8th grade division. His feel for the game, ability to change directions, court vision and his shot making ability created nightmares for his opponents. It’s rare to see players go through multiple games without making an obvious mistake through the entirety of a game. Nearly every pass he made was crisp, every shot was a good shot and he made his teammates around him better. His game passes the eye test. He’ll be a load to handle in high school for 4 years.
Tarris Bouie | 6’3” G | Team EAT 2026 (NC)
Bouie may have been the best long term prospect in his division. His length, athleticism, shot making ability and activity on defense created problems for everyone he faced. He’s got a knack for the ball, gets a lot of putbacks and he’s a marksman from the outside. He tells me he’ll be attending NC powerhouse J.L. Chambers High School. As long as he continues getting better and growing, he’ll become a well known recruit in his region sooner than later.
Chaise Smith | 6’1” PG | Warriors Life Elite 2026 (NC)
Smith made his mark in several ways. He scored the ball at a high level by driving all the way to the basket, creating fastbreak opportunities by picking off bad passes, pulling up for mid-range shots, dropping off no-look dimes and he scored the ball well from deep. On the fastbreak, he’s a highlight waiting to happen with his athleticism and he’s a slick passer. Excellent prospect.
Tobia Moye | 5’9” PG | Warriors Life Elite 2026 (NC)
Moye proved his worth as a bigtime scorer. He’s got the ability to run a team, but he scores the ball relatively easily. He made several shots from close to 30 feet away from the basket and he loves to get into the paint for pull-up jumpers near the free-throw line. Defensively, he’s got quick feet and gets a lot of deflections at the top of a press.