https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/ncaa_logos/memphis.png

Tigers

DeMatha was leading Sierra Canyon by almost double digits in the fourth quarter, but the Trailblazers were mounting a comeback and chipping away at the lead.&nbsp;
The electrified crowd was enthusiastically cheering on the hometown Stags. It felt like an NBA-playoff atmosphere.&nbsp;
Senior point guard Jaden Winston led a very balanced DeMatha attack with 10 points, but his real impact was felt on the defensive end where he harassed the Sierra Canyon backcourt the entire night. The guards were visibly uncomfortable, which at times led to them struggling to get into their offensive sets and contributed to Bronny James being held to 11 points on just two field-goals.
Ashton Hardaway, who led Sierra Canyon with 14 points, had a very impressive night scoring in a variety of ways &mdash;from fastbreak dunks to offensive putbacks. Down the stretch, he displayed great footwork with a mid-post move to a turnaround fade that brought "ooohs" and "aaaahs" from the DeMatha-heavy crowd.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, a crowd disturbance caused the game to be cancelled with less than two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. (DeMatha was leading 52-51 at the time the game was called).
Following the game, Rashid Ghazi, the president of Paragon Marketing Group, issued the following statement through social media: "Given the incident in the stands tonight during the CBC vs. Stags game at Wise High School, we have cancelled Sunday&rsquo;s event. We are making the decision out of the utmost of caution to ensure player and fan safety. Refunds will be available via Go Fan."
I spoke to a group of teenage girls outside of the Wise High School gymnasium who were witnesses to what happened (including my daughter Imani Thomas) who told me:
&ldquo;I was walking by the concession line when I just saw everyone start running. They were jumping down from the bleachers and stampeding toward the exit. I have never seen anything like this before. People were so scared; they looked like they were running for their lives, so I started running too. Not like I was going to ask anyone what happened or what was going on. I saw running so I ran.&rdquo;&nbsp;
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Another teenager added: &ldquo;They should&rsquo;ve had this at a bigger place, like where the Mystics play in Southeast. That&rsquo;s a big arena, so you wouldn&rsquo;t have had to have people all in the aisles and packed around the balcony. That was just a bad set up. Someone could&rsquo;ve really gotten hurt.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Another teenage girl passionately chimed in with,&nbsp;&ldquo;This was all Sierra Canyon&rsquo;s fault. They were so busy trying to protect Bronny, they caused all of this themselves. Nothing even happened. There was no fight, not even any punches were thrown. It was some young boys running off at the mouth at each other.&rdquo;&nbsp;
One of Imani&rsquo;s schoolmates added, &ldquo;Hey, they gotta protect LeBron's son. They can&rsquo;t be having him out here risking it all.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Another girl responded: &ldquo;Yeah, but them being all scared for no reason caused all this and it wasn&rsquo;t even that serious. Nobody would&rsquo;ve reacted if they didn&rsquo;t see them start running for their lives off the court. Ain&rsquo;t nobody gonna do nothing to Bronny. I wanted to see them finish the game and send them back to Cali with an L.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Imani chimed back in with,&nbsp;&ldquo;There were just way too many people in there in the first place. Wasn&rsquo;t that a health-code violation or fire-marshall issue or something?&rdquo;&nbsp;
They were all absolutely correct in their assessments.&nbsp;
From where I was standing in the overly-crowded balcony they were referring to, I could see everything and what I saw was two young kids who couldn&rsquo;t have been any older than 6th or 7th grade start arguing with each other. Then, I saw security rush over toward them and everyone started to look up into the stands to see what was going on. I looked back onto the court and I saw Sierra Canyon literally running for their lives off of the court. What followed could only be described as complete panic and pandemonium. But as the teenager pointed out, this was 100% prompted by Sierra Canyon&rsquo;s sprint off the court.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s a shame because it was an amazing display of basketball being played by both teams filled with highlights.&nbsp;
A three-pointer from freshman phenom Ashton Meeks after Jaden Winston makes the defender almost do the splits:
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Jaden Winston finds Ashton Meeks for the 3-ball. Meeks is the younger cousin of former DeMatha star Earl Timberlake. <a href="https://twitter.com/DeMathaHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeMathaHoops</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaeewinston1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jaeewinston1</a> <a href="https://t.co/gmKfk4tUy3">pic.twitter.com/gmKfk4tUy3</a>
&mdash; Capitol Hoops (@CapitolHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolHoops/status/1586567933886701568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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A rebound putback and-one by Malcolm Thomas brought the crowd to its feet:
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Jaden Winston steal on one end. Malcolm Thomas Follow up on the other. <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaeewinston1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jaeewinston1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/princ3_thomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@princ3_thomas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DeMathaHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeMathaHoops</a> <a href="https://t.co/QoBJoUmVTs">pic.twitter.com/QoBJoUmVTs</a>
&mdash; Capitol Hoops (@CapitolHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolHoops/status/1586570558401138688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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A pull-up three-pointer by Bronny James:
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Bronny James pull-up tonight for Sierra Canyon. <a href="https://twitter.com/DeMathaHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeMathaHoops</a> did a tremendous job on James defensively tonight. This was one of his buckets. <a href="https://t.co/RoFwUmN7oq">pic.twitter.com/RoFwUmN7oq</a>
&mdash; Capitol Hoops (@CapitolHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolHoops/status/1586545569480179712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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But the play that brought the house down was made by DeMatha&rsquo;s Chris McElveen. It&rsquo;s a play that will be talked about in the DMV for quite sometime. A fastbreak dunk over Bronny James that almost caused the game to be paused in itself:
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Bronny James and Sierra Canyon put on a show tonight at Wise before some unfortunate circumstances ended the game with 2 mins left and <a href="https://twitter.com/DeMathaHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeMathaHoops</a> up 1. But many will remember this game because Chris McElveen (<a href="https://twitter.com/iam_cris21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iam_cris21</a>) put one on Bronny&rsquo;s head!! 😱😱😱😱 <a href="https://t.co/CzYm5KHK45">pic.twitter.com/CzYm5KHK45</a>
&mdash; Capitol Hoops (@CapitolHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/CapitolHoops/status/1586535252784095232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Regardless of the unfortunate ending, this was a great display of basketball played in Prince George&rsquo;s County on Saturday night. Yes, adjustments will have to be made the next time as suggested by the group of very astute and keenly aware teenage girls. But overall, the crowd definitely got their money&rsquo;s worth (even if it was a hiked up $15 a pop for a preseason scrimmage game).
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A few things impressed me with this play. The fact that Malcolm <a href="https://twitter.com/princ3_thomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@princ3_thomas</a> challenged Bronny up top (yes he did foul him but he also got a lot of the ball too) but the fact that he didn&rsquo;t move out of the way and just allow the Bronny highlight <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoNo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoNo</a> (Shout out to Mutumbo) <a href="https://t.co/HK6fKMrSdg">pic.twitter.com/HK6fKMrSdg</a>
&mdash; Etan Thomas (@etanthomas36) <a href="https://twitter.com/etanthomas36/status/1586712529421705217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Credit to <a href="https://instagram.com/tariqa1i?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tariq Ali</a>, who contributed the photo of Bronny James.

Etan Thomas was in attendance for Saturday's game between DeMatha and Sierra Canyon that ended due to a crowd disturbance.

DeMatha-Sierra Canyon game ends early after minor crowd disturbance

Across the country, teams are competing in conference tournaments and trying to punch their ticket for the NCAA Tournament. Selection Sunday is tomorrow, and then the tourney starts next Tuesday. Here's a recap of Saturday's action.
The Upsets, the Madness
Virginia Tech def. Duke 82-67, ACC Final Hunter Cattoor put on a clinic, hitting 11 of 16 from the field for 31 points. The teams were neck and neck in the first half, as the Hokies took a three point lead into the break. They would slowly extend that lead during the remainder of the contest, when a Justyn Mutts dunk gave them an advantage of 12 points with 2:28 left, all but sealing the deal. Virginia Tech enters the NCAA Tournament red hot. Tough night for Duke.&nbsp;
Memphis def. SMU 70-63 - AAC Semifinal You do not want to play the Tigers right now. They have been red hot over the last few weeks and will take great momentum into the American Championship game. They had three players in double-figures in this one, along with strong outings from Earl Timberlake and Tyler Harris off the bench. Watch out.&nbsp;
Texas A&amp;M def. Arkansas 82-64 - SEC Semifinal Even after strong performances this week, the Aggies were given only a 31% chance of winning today, but they put on a clinic. They held a 12 point lead at the break and never let off the gas. Quenton Jackson poured in 20 points in a great showing, and now the Aggies look forward to playing for the SEC Championship.
Tennessee def. Kentucky 69-62 - SEC Semifinal The Volunteers took a 7-4 lead 3 minutes into the game and never gave it back. TyTy Washington was able to cut that lead to 3 points with 1:31 to play, but Zakai Zeigler hit clutch free throws to ice it. Kennedy Chandler, Santiago Vescovi and co. move on to the SEC Championship game.
Richmond def. Dayton 68-64 - Atlantic 10 Semifinal Dayton had an eight point lead at the break and a 14 point advantage with 13 minutes to play, but simply couldn&rsquo;t hold on. Grant Golden, Tyler Burton and co. stormed back to steal the four point win. The Spiders move into the A10 Championship game and will look to steal an auto-bid in the NCAA Tournament.&nbsp;
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Best Games of the Day
Iowa def. Indiana 80-77, Big Ten Semifinal The Hoosiers led by nine with 5:31 to play, but Keegan Murray did what he usually does &mdash; turned on the jets late. Jordan Bohannon banked in a last-second three which sent the fans into a frenzy, propelling the Hawkeyes into the Big Ten title game. This ends a great run from Indiana &mdash; now they await their fate on Selection Sunday.
Boise State def. San Diego State 53-52 - Mountain West Final The biggest lead in this one was three points. However, once the Broncos took a 48-47 lead with 6:41 to play, they never gave it back. Degenhart led them in scoring with 13 points, and now they look ahead to the Big Dance.
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Headed to the Big Dance, Tickets Punched
Kansas def. Texas Tech 74-55, wins Big 12 Championship
Arizona def. UCLA , wins Pac 12 Championship
Virginia Tech def. Duke 82-67, wins ACC Championship
Villanova def. Creighton 54-38, wins Big East Championship
Boise State def. San Diego State 53-52, wins Mountain West Championship
Akron def. Kent State 75-55, wins MAC Championship
UAB def. Louisiana Tech 82-73, wins C-USA Championship
Texas Southern def. Alcorn State 87-62, wins SWAC Championship
Vermont def. UMBC 82-43, wins America East Championship
Norfolk State def. Coppin State 72-57, wins MEAC Championship
Saint Peter&rsquo;s def. Monmouth 60-54, wins MAAC Championship
Montana State def. Northern Colorado 87-66, wins Big Sky Championship
Texas A&amp;M-CC def. SE Louisiana 73-65, wins Southland Championship
New Mexico State def. Abilene Christian 66-52, wins WAC Championship
CSU Fullerton def. Long Beach State 72-71, wins Big West Championship
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Derek Murray takes us through the latest developments from NCAA basketball's conference tourneys.

March Madness: Conference tournament Saturday recap

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Jalen Duren had 22 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks as No. 11 Memphis beat Western Kentucky 74-62 in a sloppy game on Friday night.
DeAndre Williams added 13 points and Earl Timberlake finished with 10 for the Tigers (4-0).
Camron Justice led the Hilltoppers (1-3) with 18 points, while Jairus Hamilton scored 14. Dayvion McKnight had 11 points and eight rebounds as Western Kentucky lost its third straight.
It was the play of Duren controlling the middle that kept the Tigers from dropping their first game of the season.
&ldquo;Jalen&rsquo;s energy definitely made up for those mistakes that we made shooting the ball in the first half. We shot the ball horrible,&rdquo; Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said, adding: &ldquo;Thank God for Jalen Duren tonight because he kept us in the game and won it for us.&rdquo;
Duren had 11 points and 12 rebounds in the second half and helped the Tigers pull away.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why he&rsquo;s one of the best players in America,&rdquo; Western Kentucky coach Rick Stansbury said &ldquo;He beat us up around that rim. He got those put-backs. He&rsquo;s hard to keep out and keep off that rim.&rdquo;
The game ratcheted up the competition for the Tigers, who travel to New York next week to play in the NIT Season Tip-off. They will face Virginia Tech in the opener.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thankful for a game like this right before we go on the road,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;I think everything has been so easy that the guys get a little complacent. Tonight, we got into a good game.&rdquo;
Memphis shot poorly from 3-point range and committed 26 turnovers, keeping Western Kentucky in the game even when the Tigers stretched their second-half lead to double digits.
Western Kentucky had its own problems with 25 turnovers and poor free-throw shooting.
&ldquo;You can point to a couple of things. You can point to turnovers. We had 25,&rdquo; Stansbury said. &ldquo;Then the free-throw line. You can&rsquo;t go 5 for 13 from the foul line. Those kinds of things just take the air from you.&rdquo;
The Hilltoppers gave Memphis by far its toughest challenge this season, leading by as many as 10 points in the first half. Memphis went 1 of 7 from 3-point range in the first half against the Western Kentucky zone defense. A late rush by Memphis left the game tied at 38 at the break.
&ldquo;Give them credit for going to a zone,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;We work on zone every day. Got a little stagnant on the offensive end.&rdquo;
Western Kentucky had its own turnover issues in the first half, preventing any kind of flow to the game. In the second half, Memphis&rsquo; defense held the Hilltoppers to 26.5% shooting. Memphis was better at 39.4%, but made only one of its nine 3-point attempts after halftime.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t win the game, but I&rsquo;m awful proud of the way our guys came in here and battled,&rdquo; Stansbury said. &ldquo;We just played one of the better teams in the country. And we were right there.&rdquo;
BIG PICTURE
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers can give opponents plenty of trouble with their zone defense, along with busy hands swatting away passes. Western Kentucky&rsquo;s 3-point shooting kept the game close until it finished the game by missing six of its last seven shots.
Memphis: Turnovers continue to plague the Tigers. The 14 first-half giveaways resulted in 19 points for the Hilltoppers. And the ballhandling was just as bad in the second half.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
It wasn&rsquo;t pretty, but it was a win and Memphis should at least hold onto its spot in the AP Top 25.
HOLD ONTO THE BALL
In the first five minutes of the game, the teams combined for 10 turnovers. The Tigers came into the game averaging 20 turnovers a game, and Western Kentucky was forcing their opponents into roughly the same amount.
UP NEXT
Western Kentucky: Hosts Alabama A&amp;M on Wednesday.
Memphis: Faces Virginia Tech on Wednesday in the NIT Season Tip-off in New York.

Jalen Duren had 22 points, 19 rebounds and 5 blocks as No. 11 Memphis beat Western Kentucky 74-62 on Friday night.

Memphis beats Western Kentucky behind Jalen Duren's 22-19-5

In 2006, I worked as a summer intern for a sports agency called Wasserman Media Group. With that job, I had a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. One of my duties was being the travel companion and, essentially, manager for Joel Freeland, a British NBA prospect who ultimately became the No. 30 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
Among the many stops that Joel and I made together prior to that draft was Memphis, Tennessee. He auditioned in front of then-Grizzlies general manager Jerry West ("The Logo" himself) and his staff. That was the first time I ever made a trip to Memphis, and little did I know at the time that I would come back to visit many more times throughout my career.
Well, this past week, I traveled to Memphis yet again. This season, in addition to my typical draft coverage, I will also be providing some NBA rookie coverage for BasketballNews.com.
So the first thing on my agenda, other than stopping by Gus&rsquo;s to get their world-famous fried chicken, was to take in a preseason game that had the Milwaukee Bucks facing off against the Memphis Grizzlies. In that contest, Ziaire Williams &mdash; who was selected No. 10 overall by the Grizzlies &mdash; was the highest pick from the 2021 NBA Draft who was playing.
I must say, I really enjoyed watching him lace 'em up and play in NBA threads for the first time. I have been following Williams since he was in high school, and it is a joy to watch players as they gradually tip-toe toward accomplishing their goals. Williams didn&rsquo;t start, but he was put into the game pretty quickly and got a steal right away. He ended up with 4 points on 2-for-4 from the field, playing 18 minutes in total. He had some rookie mistakes, but overall, I&rsquo;d say this was a productive first NBA game for the rookie.
Also worth mentioning is Sandro Mamukelashvili, the No. 54 pick by the Bucks. Last year, &ldquo;Mamu&rdquo; was among the favorites among our BasketballNews.com scouting staff. At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, Mamu is a fun player to watch, as he is extremely versatile for a big man; he can handle, pass and shoot the ball. He also plays with a high motor and a great pace. In that game vs. the Grizzlies, Mamu scored 9 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 3 assists in 29 minutes of floor time. I&rsquo;ll admit I&rsquo;m a bit biased here (my dad is <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/growing-up-a-buck-millewahque-milwaukee-bucks-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">director of player personnel of the Bucks</a>), but Mamu looks like a great pick considering he was taken at the tail end of the second round.
I'd be remiss if I didn&rsquo;t mention how incredible Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant was in this game, and in general. He scored a smooth 27 points in 24 minutes. I remember watching Morant score 27 points and dish out 12 assists at a Murray State home game against Southeast Missouri State a few years ago. In hindsight, even considering the lower level he was playing on, it was one of the most memorable performances that I&rsquo;ve ever seen by a draft prospect. It has been great to see Morant develop into the star that many of us thought and hoped he&rsquo;d become. It&rsquo;s crazy to think that he&rsquo;s still developing.
Perhaps the key storyline of the night was the game's abrupt end. Following the third quarter, the fire alarm went off, and the fans and teams subsequently evacuated the building, prematurely concluding the game. Although I attend games on a regular basis, that was quite different. Also, this was my first game of the 2021-22 campaign&mdash; certainly a strange way to kick the season off.
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I&rsquo;m set to watch many games throughout the 2021-22 season. The Bucks vs. Grizzlies game tonight was my first. It ended in an evacuation and cancellation after the 3rd quarter due to a fire alarm. And I thought things were getting back to normal&hellip; 😬 <a href="https://t.co/Fyh68OYWOs">pic.twitter.com/Fyh68OYWOs</a>
&mdash; Matt Babcock (@MattBabcock11) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattBabcock11/status/1445586285368729612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Although I enjoyed attending the Bucks and Grizzlies game, let&rsquo;s not forget that I&rsquo;m an NBA Draft Analyst first and foremost, so my main focus when putting together my travel schedule is to see NBA prospects. Well, with that strategy in place, Memphis was naturally a top-priority destination for me, as the Memphis Tigers are loaded with NBA talent.
I attended the Tigers&rsquo; pro day on Wednesday afternoon and walked away impressed. Here are my thoughts on a few of their top NBA prospects:
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jalen-duren" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jalen Duren</a> | Center | 6-foot-11, 250 pounds | Freshman
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I have watched Jalen Duren for years. I first saw him at a USA Basketball camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado. At the time, Duren&rsquo;s physical tools instantly popped, and they still do. However, he has grown physically since then, as he is now 6-foot-11 and a chiseled 250 pounds while sporting an impressive 7-foot-5 wingspan. He has also grown as a player and seemingly as a young man. In high school, I first questioned his motor and approach, but he has improved in those areas significantly.
From a skill-set standpoint, Duren's key attributes are certainly his physical tools; he is an absolute brute. He will be most effective utilizing his physicality and explosivenss. Expect a lot of powerful dunks, blocks and rebounds. However, he continues to show flashes of skill as well; he has a good feel as a passer and a soft touch as a mid-range shooter. In fact, on one possession during live-play at pro day, he made an incredible move in the mid-post where he jab-stepped into a stepback turnaround jumper. I looked over and gave a staff member a look and simply said, &ldquo;Wow." Duren is currently slotted as the No. 4 prospect on our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>, and after attending that pro day, I can confidently say he&rsquo;s in a good spot.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/fivestar-recruit-emoni-bates-commits-to-university-of-memphis-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emoni Bates</a> | Guard/Forward | 6-foot-9, 190 pounds | Freshman
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At this point I think anyone that follows basketball knows of Emoni Bates. I mean, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was 15 years old, with the headline being &ldquo;Born for This.&rdquo; In <a href="https://www.si.com/high-school/2019/10/29/emoni-bates-nba-draft-prospect-kevin-durant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the article</a>, it suggested that he was a prodigy next in line to follow in the footsteps of LeBron James. The hype surrounding Emoni has taken on a life of it&rsquo;s own. In the last year or so, Bates has seemingly become a target of constant criticism due to the unreasonable expectations of him. Following the Memphis pro day, social media platforms went crazy over Bates&rsquo; physical measurements and testing. Although he was measured at an impressive 6-foot-9, his wingspan was measured only 6-foot-7 1/4, and his standing vertical was only 24.5 inches. I&rsquo;ll admit those numbers are very underwhelming but let&rsquo;s not lose sight of Bates&rsquo; talent, versatility, and upside. He&rsquo;s 6-9 and is just a natural scorer and playmaker.
I believe that long-term Bates would be best used as a shooting and scoring wing, but it seems as if head coach Penny Hardaway is going to use him at point guard &mdash; at least some of the time. Although I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s his long-term position, it&rsquo;s impressive that at 6-9 they have the confidence to even try to use him that way. My biggest concern with Bates is not his short wingspan or his underwhelming vertical jump, it&rsquo;s his lack of physical strength. However, let&rsquo;s not forget Bates is only 17 years old; in fact, he is not even old enough to be eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft. Despite the criticism, I still think Bates is a big-time prospect. The good thing for Bates is that he has plenty of time to prove the naysayers wrong. Either way, I&rsquo;m looking forward to continuing to watch his development.
Earl Timberlake | Guard/Forward | 6-foot-6, 220 pounds | Sophomore
Although I had watched plenty of film of Earl Timberlake, I had not seen him in person prior to the Memphis pro day, so I was eager to see him. At 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, Timberlake has a strong and physical profile for a wing. Aside from his physical tools, he has what seems to be a knack for passing and playmaking; I expect for those parts of his game to be utilized greatly this year, as the Tigers&rsquo; overall guard play is questionable. We do not currently have Timberlake on our Big Board, as I&rsquo;m still working toward a more conclusive evaluation of him. But I am indeed intrigued, and will be tracking Timberlake closely.
Landers Nolley II | Forward | 6-foot-7, 220 pounds | Junior
I spent a lot of time watching Landers Nolley II while he was at Virginia Tech. I first saw him at the Maui Invitational, and then saw him in Blacksburg as the Hokies played Florida State, which included current NBA players Patrick Williams and Devin Vassell. At 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, Nolley's key attribute is a good one &mdash; he really shoots the ball well from outside. He&rsquo;s capable of putting the ball on the floor for mid-range pull-ups or straight-line drives; however, I view him as a shooter. Possessing a quick release, the issue has not been his ability, but more so his decision-making and shot selection. After watching him at the Memphis pro day, it seems as if he has improved his shot selection. He is not currenty on our 2022 NBA Draft Big Board, but like his teammate, Earl Timberlake, we will be tracking him closely.&nbsp;
DeAndre Williams | Forward | 6-foot-9, 205 pounds | Senior
If DeAndre Williams is able to put together another quality season for the Tigers, I would not be surprised at all to see him claw his way into the NBA somehow. As a senior, Williams will certainly be a high priority for the <a href="https://www.tampabayprocombine.com/">Tampa Bay Pro Combine</a> Player Selection Committee, which I am co-chair of alongside former coach and current ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla.
Lester Quinones | Guard/Forward | 6-foot-5, 208 pounds | Junior
A do-it-all glue guy, Lester Quinones is a great piece for the Tigers&rsquo; team. Since I first saw him at the Memphis pro day a couple of years ago, he has transformed his body; he looks great! I&rsquo;m looking forward to watching his progress this season.
Josh Minott | Forward | 6-foot-8, 205 pounds | Freshman
Josh Minott is a long and athletic hybrid forward worth keeping a pulse on. I&rsquo;m not certain of the role he&rsquo;ll fill for the Tigers this season, but I do like his upside long-term.
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During my time as a sports agent, I represented two former Tigers in D.J. Stephens and Chris Crawford. I came to Memphis multiple times to recruit each one of them, and I also had each of them train locally with my friend Frank &ldquo;Hell&rsquo;s Trainer&rdquo; Matrisciano following their senior seasons. I remember having dinner with D.J. at Itta Bena, a great restaurant above B.B. King&rsquo;s that is a speakeasy and can only be entered through a fire escape. I also remember signing contracts with Chris at the historic Peabody Hotel, which is known for their ducks that march throughout the hotel on a red carpet. I became fond of the city during that time.
Since leaving the agent business in recent years, I have continued to come back to Memphis as an NBA Draft Analyst somewhat frequently to scout NBA prospects. I attended the Tigers&rsquo; pro day a couple of years ago to see James Wiseman and Precious Achiuwa. In addition, I watched R.J. Hampton&rsquo;s team, the New Zealand Breakers, play an exhibition game versus the Grizzlies and Anthony Edwards&rsquo; Georgia Bulldogs play the Tigers. I also spent time with and watched local product Kennedy Chandler, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tennessee-volunteers-point-guard-kennedy-chandler-intent-on-showing-size-isnt-everything">who is now a freshman for the Tennessee Volunteers</a> and is currently slotted as the 13th-best prospect on our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>.
Once again, attending the Tigers' pro day was certainly fruitful from a scouting standpoint. Memphis will certainly be a high priority for our scouting staff to keep an eye on moving forward.&nbsp;
I thoroughly enjoyed my latest trip to Bluff City: great food, great people, warm southern hospitality and even better basketball.
Until next time, Memphis.

Matt Babcock details his trip to Memphis for the Tigers' pro day and NBA preseason action, and what he took away from both events.