PARIS, KY -- This past weekend was the start of scrimmages for High School ball in Kentucky so we had to get into the gym. Mingua Beef Jerky sponsored an event at Bourbon County High school that hosted 16 teams to play 8 games on Saturday. The event was well ran and there was a solid amount of talent to be seen. Here are some of the standouts from the games. 

Lafayette 

2022 PF Abe Nelson 

Nelson made his inside physical presence known right from the jump, making his mark in the paint on both sides of the floor. Has good hands, a soft touch around the basket, and good footwork. Rebounds anything in his area while using his body effectively to box out. 

2022 PG Logan Taylor 

A heady guard that made his teammates better in this game. An unselfish player with a high IQ. Showed a nice handle, ability to get where he wanted off the bounce, and a good looking perimeter jump shot. 

Danville 

2022 PG Dante Hayden 

Hayden came out guns blazing offensively and was cooking his opponents. This PG that stays in attack mode, showing us that he can score in a variety of ways. Has in the gym range on his jump shot with a very quick trigger. Although he can score it well, he also got his teammates involved showcasing his vision and passing skills throughout the game. 

2023 G Jarius Bryant

A strong bodied guard that is tough to stop when he’s going downhill. Scored from all 3 levels. He is going to impose his will and get where he wants. Defensively he impressed with his active hands and quick lateral movement. He and Hayden are a tough duo to prepare for. 

Bryan Station

2023 F Jaden Biggers 

Biggers is a promising prospect with a lot of upside. He is a very strong kid with a body that is ready for the next level. Finishes inside over either shoulder with both hands and nice touch. Can step out , put it on the floor, and face up. Although he didn’t have his best game, it is to tell why Division 1 coaches are intrigued. 

2022 G/F Bless Kamuena 

This young man came off the bench and played with a lot of energy. He is a lengthy wing that is still a bit raw, but showed some promising skills. More of a slasher that like to attack the rim, but showed a capable jump shot from the perimeter as well. Good athlete that defends multiple positions. A versatile player that is a sleeper in Lexington. 

2023 PG Jaden Green 

An absolute bully ball guard. Built like a stout running back and uses his physicality to his advantage. Strong with the ball when attacking the basket. Loves to get out and run in transition. Showed us a couple of nice euros to finish, avoiding charges and getting a bucket. 

Frankfort High

2022 PG Jordan Blythe

Blythe is an extremely shifty guard that has the ball on a string and a quick first step. He is tough to guard one on one and is extra crafty when finishing on the drive around the big men. Has great court vision and plays like a true PG. This is the type of PG you want on your team because he makes everyone around him better. 

2022 G Caleb Hack

Caleb had a good game overall. He can really score it and does so from all over the court. Has a good jumper, but likes to attack off the bounce. Has the ability to draw contact when getting into the paint. Looking for him to have a promising year. 

2022 G Ashtin Austin

Tough is the best word to describe Austin. He seemed to be everywhere defensively and is the player that gives you that extra effort on every possession. Had no problem getting to the bucket as he showed, scoring the majority of his points off the dribble, driving to the bucket. 

Henry Clay 

2022 G Kanye Henderson

This young man was one of the best prospects in the entire event. Kanye has a knack for getting to the cup and getting wherever he wants. Has a nice game offensively mid range and in. A good athlete that had a nice dunk on an opponent in transition. He is also a lock down defender. The one thing he needs to improve on in his game is his perimeter jumper. Do not sleep on this prospect, if he can get that 3 ball consistent, he could be a serious problem in the future at the next level. 

2022 G AZ Blackwell

Blackburn had a silent game, but you can see his skills. Would love to see him be more aggressive offensively, but he did show that he can get a bucket at times. He is an unselfish kid, almost too unselfish. However, in the 4th quarter he scored 9 points when his team needed it the most. Has a college ready body, good guard skills, and defends at a high level. 

2022 C Brenden Wicker 

Wicker is a long, wiry Center that runs the floor rim to rim and understands his role. A good athlete that rebounds anything around him and gets the ball out to his guards quickly on the outlet. Has good touch around the rim. Defensively, is he is not blocking your shot, he is altering it, making it tough on opponents to finish anything in the paint. 

Campbell County 

2023 G Aydan Hamilton 

Hamilton is a UK baseball commit, but showed us that he is a hooper as well. He is a bucket and can get it anyway he wants. A fun guard to watch because he is a tough kid that plays hard. Has a good looking jump shot. Mixes it up, scoring at all 3 levels. 

Woodford County

2022 PF Jackson Twombly  

We have watched Jackson develop his game and his body over the years and he continues to make good progress. A strong, physical PF that has a good skillset in the post. Rebounds and defends well. Sneaky athletic and can throw it down if you give him the chance to take advantage. Showed ability to face up, put the ball on the floor, and attack off the bounce. 

2023 F John McCrear 

John is a high level prospect with a lot of potential. He is a long, athletic Forward with a good looking jump shot. Defends multiple positions and could be an elite rebounder and shot blocker if he would impose his will. Has all the potential in the world to be a stud, but would like to see him be more aggressive on both ends and not settle for jump shots offensively. He plays for a great coach that I truly believe will get his game and mindset together to be one of the best players in KY by the time he graduates. 

2024 G Taylor Penn

Taylor was impressive in his game. He is a hard nosed guard that isn’t afraid to take matters into his own hands. He took over for his team offensively down the stretch when they needed points the most. A kid to keep an eye on for the next couple of years as he is only a Sophomore. 

Cooper 

2023 F/C Caleb Brooks 

Lengthy big man with a nice skill set. Stretches the floor effectively with his ability to shoot and knock down the 3 ball. Has a variety of post moves that keep defenders guessing. Runs the floor hard. Defensively, he alters and blocks shots. Brooks was impressive this weekend. Really loved his game. 

2023 G Gavin Lutz 

Lefty guard with a clip. Has good range on his jump shot. A solid player overall on both ends of the floor. Brings good effort and energy. 

Bracken County

2024 PG Blake Reed

Blake is the big brother of the guard duo from Bracken County. He is a tough kid that knows how to score it from all over. Has a good looking shot with range and can shoot coming off screens, off the bounce, or set. He is crafty offensively and doesn’t settle for the jumper. He utilized his shot fake getting defenders off balance and then attacks off the dribble. 

2025 PG Cayden Reed 

Cayden, the younger brother of the backcourt Reed duo. This young man is fiery on the court and plays with a lot of passion. While watching him, you can tell that every possession means so much to him. He has a nice handle and loves to attack the cup, read the defense reaction, and make the right read. He makes people around him better and his teammates feed off of his energy. Keep an eye on he and his brother as they have multiple years ahead of them and surely will continue to improve their game. 

Berea 

2024 G Trenton Wilson

Wilson is a natural scorer and you can tell this easily while watching his game. He can score from wherever and has a good looking, consistent stroke from beyond the arc. The savvy guard put his team on his back and got them points when most needed. Trenton finished with 21 points and made it look easy. 

Paris

2026 PG Malachi Ashford

Ashford is a High IQ, quick, crafty PG that is an 8th grader starting Varsity. This kid is beyond his years and put on a show this past weekend. He has a really good floater, which he needs right now since he is a bit smaller than the average varsity player. But, do not let his size fool you, he does not let that hinder his play and can make tough shots. The young PG has the ball on a string and is a playmaker with great court vision. Very fun to watch and a kid to keep an eye on for sure. 

2022 G/F Tyzian White

Ty brought a ton of energy to his team and made some big plays down the stretch. He is the kid that is going to make the hustle plays for you when you need them the most. Rebounds well and plays hard on every possession. 

Tates Creek 

2023 G Eric Hackett 

This kid has some real talent and upside. He can slash and get buckets attacking the basket, but also has a good looking jumper. A strong guard that doesn’t shy away from contact, finishes well with it actually. Eric is one of the better players in Lexington and if he will put in the hours and work hard to continue improving his game, not only will he get a scholarship at the next level, but he can make an impact on the team he goes too.

2022 G Camdyn Combs 

Combs is a strong, physical guard. He can go and get a basket for himself. Excels in transition and finishes well around defenders. He scored at every level and showed a good looking shot. 

2023 G Jacobi Commodore

Cobi is a coaches dream because of how hard he is going to play for you. He is a lockdown defender with high energy on every possession. Does a little bit of everything to make his team better. Made plays for himself, for others, and played good defense. 

Montgomery County 

2024 F Breccan Decker 

This skilled Forward is one to keep on a watch list and track his development. Has a good frame with length that will fill out over time as he adds muscle. Scores inside and out. High IQ big that passes the ball well.

2023 PG Trey Carroll 

Carroll had a good game and helped lead his team to victory with solid play from the PG position. He ran the offense and made plays accordingly. Has a good feel for the game, a good passer, and shoots the ball at a high percentage rate from 3. 

Lexington Christian Academy 

2024 PG Brayden Mirus

Mirus had a silent 1st half with just 3 points, but stole the show in the 2nd half scoring 13 more points when his team needed him most. The Sophomore showed that he is not going to shy away in crunch time. He was raining 3’s and dropping dimes off the drive. A great overall performance. 

2023 F Tyler Hall 

Tyler had a good game offensively. He has a polished post game and also showed us that he can get a bucket off the bounce. Facing up or posting up, he can score both ways which makes him a more versatile forward. Late game he had a clutch pull up Mid range shot to solidify the lead and win. A good player to watch in the city of Lexington. 

 

Bourbon County 

2023 G Cortayvion Smith 

A lefty slashing guard that finished well in traffic. Showed us a plethora of offense, scoring from 3, pull up jumpers, and at the cup. Good length for the guard position. Defended well, gave his opponents problems. 

2023 PG Todd Dumphord 

A strong guard that has a toughness to his game. Was locking down his man, converting steals into points. Knocked down jumpers from 3 and mid range. 

2023 F Layton Starks 

Starks gave Bourbon County a good spark off the bench. He is a strong, athletic forward that can out rebound anyone in his area. His athleticism is impressive, but needs to polish his game offensively. Has good upside and potential.