Daeshun Ruffin, MEBO Team Hood (2021 PG – Offers: Alabama, Houston, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn and Southern Miss):
Simply said, Ruffin knows how to score the basketball. In the 13 games played on the circuit this Summer only 3 have resulted in less than 20 points on the stat sheet. This run includes 4 30+-point performances and 51-point explosion this weekend against NY Renaissance.
At the point guard position, Ruffin is very crafty with the ball in his hands and can easily create space for his shot. Possessing good speed and agility, the smaller floor general is very shifty inside the lane and keeps defenders on their heels. However, his game is equally as dangerous on the perimeter as it is inside the paint. Scoring on 44.3% of his attempts and 41.3% from 3, defenders cannot fall asleep against him. He was just as likely to shoot it deep as he was penetrating when resetting the play.
To this point, the talented PG has only received interest from in-state schools and regional states. It’s likely that his height has played a role in not receiving more attention nationally, despite his scoring tallies, but his tape and play provide me with no concerns about the ability to excel at a high-major level.
CJ Anthony (2020 PG – Offers: Towson, Air Force, Stony Brook and Toledo):
This weekend’s session proved to be huge for Anthony, who has not had a ton of success on the circuit this Summer. The point guard was able to tie or break his previous circuit high of 13 points in each of the five outings in Dallas, despite coming off the bench. Seemingly adjusting to the competition, Anthony is showing a lot more confidence in his play and converting on his shots.
A stout defender, Anthony makes opposing guards work at both ends of the floor. In simple terms, he is an energizer: He makes the plays that give teams momentum and produce runs. During a matchup against Team Takeover, Anthony rattled off a series of positive plays to pull All Ohio Red within single-digits including multiple 3-pointers, steals and assists.
As was the case with Daeshun Ruffin above, the lack of suitors largely resides on Anthony’s build. At 5’11, he production would have to be extremely high or consistent to warrant the big offers. However, I feel that Anthony has regained that consistency and has a ton to offer bigger programs.