JL Enterprise International Middle School Combine

JL Enterprise International Middle School Combine

By Darnell Tate Johnson

HOUSTON, TX – First it was great being back out win the Lone Star state for the JL International Middle School Combine after a year off.

This year’s combine might have had the deepest collection of talent than any previous camp. There was great length and excellent guard play throughout. The camp was so talented you wish it was a 3 day event.  

I watched a lot of kids I feel will have an immediate impact on the high school level the day they step on campus.

Below is just a few of the standouts I covered at the event :

2025 Shon Abaev 6’4 F (Miami Country School) Coral Springs, FL: I first saw this young man in a camp that Bay Area Hoops threw in Tampa and I left highly impressed. Well in 7 month I can’t believe he’s gotten even better. He’s handling and passing it with more discipline. His stroke still sweet and now he’s shooting it from even deeper. I love his length. I would like to see him take his defense up a notch.

2025 Sebastian Williams-Adam’s 6’6 F (St John’s) Houston, TX: He was definitely a top 10 player of the camp. He dominated in the post and also showed he could play from the wing. He went up against a top 5 big in the country and more then held his own. Tremendous upside.

2025 Aliou Badara Diake 6’10 F/C Redemption Christian Academy) NY, NY: He is a total mismatch. The big man can put on the floor, post up and knock down the 3. He’s one of the most skilled 8th graders I’ve seen come through the camp in years.

2025 Nigel Walls 6’8 F (Albuquerque Academy) Rio Rancho, NM: He was a monster the two days. I don’t get into rankings, but if you can show me 10 more 6’8 plus guys in the country I love to see it. He has excellent footwork an a very nice touch.

2025 Micah Tucker 6′ G (Mt PISGAH) Alpharetta, GA: This young fella’s been young to watch progress of the years. He went just being solid at JL camp to coming back and being one of the best players here. He has a nice smooth under control game. He gets where he wants on the court. He can stroke it from deep but loves getting the lane and making positive plays. His journey will be fun to watch.

2026 Deuce Burke’s 5’10 G (Milwaukee Academy of Science) Milwaukee, WI: The young gun is young and plays well beyond his age. He silky smooth with a sweet looking jump shot. He can score at all three levels and passes on a dime. He’s only problem is, at times he can get too cute.

2025 Cedric Jones JR 5’6 G (Bryant MS) Little Rock, AR: You could tell he was one of the kids that took this camp as a business trip. He was focused and ready to go from the door. He stayed aggressive and put pressure on you on both ends of the court. He didn’t back down from no one.

2025 Jamichael Fountain 6′ G/F (George County MS) Lucedale, MS: He’s a heck of athlete that knows how to play one way and that’s attacking. He’s physical and uses it to his strength. He has room for improvement on his skill set but with his attitude and work that should continue to rise.

2025 Shelton Henderson 6’3 WF (St Thomas Moore) Houston, TX: He plays within himself and is a very productive player. He’s physical on both ends and finishes at the rim with contact. He has a nice touch on his jump-shot.

2027 Jadarian Williams 5’10 G (The Woodlands Prep) Spring, TX: The young fella more then held his own. He’s very skilled for his age and already knows how to play. He didn’t come into camp trying to force nothing. He made good consistent and positive plays all camp.

2025 Anthony ‘LJ’ Andrews III (Splaine MS) Houston, TX: Not overly athletic but had very good footwork and was physical around the basket. He showed good touch 15 feet in.

2025 Eian Lowe 5’2 G (Kinkaid) Missouri City, TX: The young fella’s a student of the game and fella in his play. He has excellent handles and very good court vision. He plays to his strengths. He can shoot it and he knows how to drop the floater in the lane. He still need to get stronger and that will come, but it doesn’t take away from his toughness.

2025 Marvin Schindler 5’4 G (Edison MS) South Bend, IN: He’s not very big but he’s a pit bull and will get up in you. I really like the way he defended and didn’t try to over do it on the offensive end.

2025 Davion Hannah 6’5 G (Milwaukee Academy of Science) Milwaukee, WI: This young mans the total package. There’s nothing he can’t do at this stage for his age group. He can post you are pull you out and go by you. He can stroke it from deep are hit you with the mid-range. He sees the floor and will get you the ball when open. He can defend multiple positions

2026 Isaiah Ward 6’4 F/C (Luna MS) San Antonio, TX: He’s very good size for his age. He’s skilled and knows how to navigate in the low post. He has an excellent touch from 15 feet in.

2026 DeAron Watson 6’5 C (Browning Springs MS) Madisonville, KY: The young fellas still a little raw, but I love the energy and enthusiasm he plays with. He’s aggressive on the boards and will give you some buckets in close. He has a lot of room to improve and it’s up to him how much better he is wants to be.

2026 Jonathan Moss 5’5 G (College View MS) Owensboro, KY: He was a young poised PG that’s knows how to play and has a great feel. He plays with a good pace and knows how to truly play his position. He can score when needed, but most the camp was him setting up his teammates to finish.

2026 Koodz Ross 5’7 G (Aki Kurose) Seattle, WA: The young man has a good understanding of the game. He played with poise and patience. He seemed to always make the right play and played within himself. He major strength he can stroke from deep.

2025 Austin Brown 6’3 F (Lufkin MS) Lufkin, TX: He was most effective when he played with energy and was attacking the basket. He could get in trouble at times shooting the jumper. He was aggressive on the glass and physical on both ends. He has decent footwork.

2026 Patrice Mpouli 6’1 G (Olympic MS) Auburn, WA: He’s very poised and he plays the game with great change of pace. He sees the floor very well and can finish at the basket with both hands needs to keep working on his jumpshot and concentrate more on the defensive end.

2025 Calvin Murphy III 5’11 G (Home School) Houston, TX: I don’t want to sound like I’m going overboard, but this young fella has a lot of the attributes his grandfather had and he was one of the greatest players to ever touch a basketball. He has excellent handles, a great IQ, he’s jet quick and can score in bunches. He will be a special talent to watch these next few years.

2025 Johnny Keenan 5’9 G (Greenwich Country Day) Greenwich, CT: He put on a show the last couple days. He has excellent handles and very good Court awareness. He cans stroke it. He passes on a string. Montana Wheeler and him were the best backcourt i saw play.

2026 Trae Nunn 6’3 F (Brentwood Christian School) Austin, TX: The big fella plays with a lot of physicality and has a nice touch around the basket. For his size he runs the floor well. He knocked down an occasional 3. He needs to be more consistent.

2025 Jayden Wilkins 5’8 G (First Presbyterian Day School) Atlanta, GA: He’s a talented guard who’s showed some flashes of how good he can be at the camp. I like how he was aggressive going to the basketball and really liked the energy he played with.  When he understands how good he can be his game will take off.

2025 Tory James JR 6’1 G (Power MS) Detroit, MI: He played with some flair and a lot of substance. He had crazy handles and was dropping dimes. He can stroke from deep and hit you with the floater. He was impressive both days.

2025 Hasan Powell 5’7 G (St Augustine Catholic Academy) Bridgeport, CT: The young fella made a heck of impression on me. He played with a non-stop motor and stayed under control. He navigates well through traffic and can get to the basket at will. He keeps pressure on the defense.

2026 James Singleton 6’2 G (Roy Mann MS) Brooklyn, NY: He has that quirky game that’s hard to guard. He just seemed to get the job done. He knocked down the open jumper and seemed to play almost always under control.

2026 Trevon Lewis 6′ F (Democracy Prep) Bronx, NY: He’s wing that runs the floor and fills the lane with the best of them. He good when isolated on the wing and attacks. He’s a very tough and versatile defender. He just has a good understanding of his game.

2025 Brandon Stores 6’2 F (Democracy Prep) Bronx, NY: He’s a double double waiting to happen. He does most his damage in the post and because of his footwork is very hard to guard down there. He a very good touch on his jumper. He seems to welcome contact and finishes through it.

2026 Dillon Callahan 6’1 G/F (Pierre Van Cortoandt MS) Croton on Hudson, NY: His strength is stroking from deep and he did that with consistency. He does need much room to get his shot off. He also showed when crowed to tight, he could take you off the dribble.

2025 Hudson Greer 6’5 F (Lake Travis MS) Lakeway, TX: He was one of the most versatile bigs in the camp. He could knock down the 3, post you up with his back to the basket are isolate you on the wing and go by you. He surprised me by dunking on a couple people in camp. He’s definite going to be fun to watch in the next few years.

2025 Jayden Jackson 5’8 G (West Monroe High) Monroe, LA: This young mans growing into his game since the last time I watched him play. He’s a coach’s son so he knows the game and was consistently making the right plays. He has good handles and a nice shot. I love he loves the game.

2025 Montana Wheeler 5’9 G (Houston Christian) Houston TX: Some may say I’m crazy but 5’9 Montana Wheeler from Houston may wind up better then his older brother who should start PG for UK this year. He has all the intangibles his brother had at this age and he can really stroke it. He can be special.

2025 Derion Talbert 5’6 G (Carter G Woodson) Lexington, KY: He is a tremendous athlete and you can tell he is a football stud are could be one. He was one of the fastest players in camp and a very aggressive on ball defender. He has decent offensive skills but should improve if he concentrates on basketball. Hands down one of the most intense kids in camp.

2025 Blake Petty 6’6 F (St Michael’s) Round Rock, TX: He was long and athletic and knew how to play. He was aggressive and didn’t back down from no one. He just knows how to play the game the right way.

2025 Dorian Hayes 6’1 G (Ronald Thornton) Missouri City, TX: He’s athletic and understands the game. He’s not afraid to mix it up. He handles the ball well and plays extremely hard.

2027 O’Neal ‘OT’ Delancy 6′ G (Mt amoriah Christian Fundamental): The young mans talented and played wellIn spurts. He can handle it and shoot from deep. He seemed to get out focused at timeshare but the talent is there and the skies the limit.

2025 Jayphon Duncan 5’7 G ( Bleyl MS) Houston, TX: He’s a lil goon that guards 94 feet with his head in your chest. His strength his attacking the basket and does that almost 90% of the time. He set the tone from the jump ball