Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a ultra-competitive high school game at Towson University between Patterson High School (MD) and Lincoln High School (NY). The game ended up going into overtime and each team's stars came through with applaud-able efforts.
The last time I saw Patterson play was during last years State Championship game where they took on North Point. After watching Carr then, I wrote this report on him. Everything I wrote then still remains true, but after another experience watching this kid, I can say that he is the most exciting high school player I have seen to date for sure.
One concerning thing was how he was demanding the ball during crunch time. On a few possessions in OT he stood around the arc with a man shadowing him and didnt even attempt to work his way to the ball. Patterson could have won the game if Carr made more of an effort to get the ball because when he have the rock, he was unstoppable getting to the hoop.
During the state championship game last year, he settled for more threes than he should have as that isn't his strong point. In this game, he focused more on getting to the hoop and taking advantage of his outstanding speed, explosiveness, and body control. He made Sebastian Telfair's younger brother look silly on a number of occasions, culminating with this move here,
On another note, Carr has only made 1 3-pt shot this year out of 22 attempts. He was money from the FT line against Lincoln (16-20), but his overall shot needs a lot of work.
Telfair was one big name for Lincoln, but their best player was hands down sophomore Isaiah Whitehead. The 6'4 shooting guard had 11 less points than Carr (36 compared to 25), but showcased the complete game that has scouts calling him one of the best prospects in the 2014 class.
For a sophomore, I was very impressed with the tempo he played at. He picked his spots and was able to drive and dish when the lane collapsed on him. He found guys inside as well as kicking the ball back out. His passing ability and decision making are definitely advanced for his age. He had good handles, but his quick first step was usually all he needed to get past a defender. He got into the lane at will this game and I didn't see his mid-range jumper, but apparently that is another strong part of his game. He did hit a three, although he doesnt appear to be a sniper from behind the arc at this point in his career. Defensively, he showed signs of being a good asset. Athletically he is good, but not a freakish athlete. If I were to compare him to a current NCAA player, I'd go with Tim Hardaway Jr.
The last time I saw Patterson play was during last years State Championship game where they took on North Point. After watching Carr then, I wrote this report on him. Everything I wrote then still remains true, but after another experience watching this kid, I can say that he is the most exciting high school player I have seen to date for sure.
One concerning thing was how he was demanding the ball during crunch time. On a few possessions in OT he stood around the arc with a man shadowing him and didnt even attempt to work his way to the ball. Patterson could have won the game if Carr made more of an effort to get the ball because when he have the rock, he was unstoppable getting to the hoop.
During the state championship game last year, he settled for more threes than he should have as that isn't his strong point. In this game, he focused more on getting to the hoop and taking advantage of his outstanding speed, explosiveness, and body control. He made Sebastian Telfair's younger brother look silly on a number of occasions, culminating with this move here,
On another note, Carr has only made 1 3-pt shot this year out of 22 attempts. He was money from the FT line against Lincoln (16-20), but his overall shot needs a lot of work.
Telfair was one big name for Lincoln, but their best player was hands down sophomore Isaiah Whitehead. The 6'4 shooting guard had 11 less points than Carr (36 compared to 25), but showcased the complete game that has scouts calling him one of the best prospects in the 2014 class.
For a sophomore, I was very impressed with the tempo he played at. He picked his spots and was able to drive and dish when the lane collapsed on him. He found guys inside as well as kicking the ball back out. His passing ability and decision making are definitely advanced for his age. He had good handles, but his quick first step was usually all he needed to get past a defender. He got into the lane at will this game and I didn't see his mid-range jumper, but apparently that is another strong part of his game. He did hit a three, although he doesnt appear to be a sniper from behind the arc at this point in his career. Defensively, he showed signs of being a good asset. Athletically he is good, but not a freakish athlete. If I were to compare him to a current NCAA player, I'd go with Tim Hardaway Jr.
