Noble Notables: Prep and Post Grad
DeShawn Gory, PHH Prep – As a 6-foot-7 guard/wing who levitates above the rim and is prone to deliver extravagant dunks, Gory is a freakishly athletic open court finisher.
He’s refined his all-around game by polishing up his guard skill set, as he’s sticking the 3-point shot with more consistency than ever.
Gory is a seasoned in-traffic scorer, going right at the teeth of the defense without a trace of trepidation.
He possesses a 6-foot-9 wingspan and will guard various positions for decorated Phoenix area coach John Ortega, who has revitalized the national team’s roster with a sudden influx of transfer talent.
With a prep year, the re-classed 2025 recruit has the chance to pack muscle onto a spindly 180-pound frame and prepare for the rigors of the next level. He’s upped his workload, as the Diamond Doves have orchestrated a full slate of workouts, open gyms, and practices at this embryonic stage of the 2024-25 season.
Gory recently rattled off TCU, UNLV, Siena, and Cal Baptist as programs he’s hearing from at the most consistent pace. Offers from Fresno State, Old Dominion, Portland State, and DePaul are on the table.
Gory’s motor and knack for swooping in for put-backs have been noteworthy this fall.
Ethan Crowley, PHH Prep – With the build of a Division-I tight end, the 6-foot-9, 240-pound Class of 2025 forward is a bulldozing and space-eating presence in the trenches.
Crowley, who is wide open after de-committing from Troy, is a catch-and-dunk threat with the ability to bully smaller defenders into the paint. He moves fluidly at his size and should be a critical role player in PHH Prep’s go-go, souped-up offensive attack.
Crowley has developed a delicate touch from 16-18 feet. He’s registered his presence as a pick-and-pop option. Crowley has been working to make the 3-point shot a finer component of his hardwood trade.
With his frame and college-ready physicality, he possesses the intangibles to be a rim protector capable of steering the driving lanes clear.
Kelvin Odih, Southern California Academy – SoCal Academy has capitalized on one of the most prized transfers in the Class of 2025, Odih.
The 6-foot-5 high-octane guard is long, athletic, and high-motored. He’s also arguably one of the best rebounding guards at the prep level in recent memory.
Odih takes everything he’s tasked with on the floor to maximum levels. He expends maximum energy grappling for 50-50 balls.
He’s made maximum use of his scoring – an arsenal that includes fall-away jumpers, twisting layups through traffic, authoritative two-handed dunks along the baseline, and a transition 3-pointer which he’s looking to make a polished point of his hardwood trade.
Jachai Cantave, Southern California Academy – The crafty, shifty 6-foot-1 Class of 2026 point guard was a revelation on the UAA Session III and IV circuit, as he displayed poised scoring and game management prowess.
He’s able to dribble into his shot effectively and shoot it on the move, with significant elevation.
The Houston, TX native is also adept at hitting tightly contested shots amid hard closeouts. He’s shown a proficiency for freeing up space and scoring off the ball as a catch-and-fire threat.
Utah was recently in to see Cantave, who handles the changing of speeds and picks his spots effectively offensively.
He’s able to get around defenders, bury difficult and highly contested shots, and finish ambidextrously around the rim.
Cantave has active hands on defense. His game is sprinkled with innovation, as he’s able to create looks for his teammates and hit unique shots on hard surges to the rim. Cantave is a high academic prospect as well.
Mbaye Babacar, The Academy of Central Florida – At 6-foot-9, the Senegalese forward is a multi-dimensional two-way threat.
His advanced footwork and budding catch-and-post game allow him to score between defenders and the basket.
He’s adapted to the position-less mentality embedded in today’s Division-I game, with a knack for corner 3-pointers and his ability to hit the 3-pointer on the trail and in transition.
Babacar brings a motor, grittiness, and has been communicative on defense. He’s able to pull off dazzling in-traffic dunks and soar over rim protectors.
He’ll play an instrumental role for a deep team under exalted prep coach and known program builder Chris Chaney in Orlando, Fla. Babacar is a menacing presence on the boards, as he snatches rebounds outside of the box and grapples for 50-50 balls.
Rashad McKinnie Jr., The Academy of Central Florida – The Chicago native comes to Florida after a notable stay at Simeon HS, where he turned in multiple games of 22+ points and 10 or more rebounds.
A well-built guard at 6-foot-3, McKinnie Jr. applies a fearless approach in his thorough surges to the rim.
He’s able to drag defenders into traffic with his crafty around-the-rim scoring.
As he showed at Simeon, the left-handed McKinnie Jr. possesses ingredients such as a fall-away jumper. He’s shown a deft 3-point touch and he’s able to get his shot off quickly.
At Central Florida, the onus will be on McKinnie Jr. to defend for all 40 minutes and also create.
The aforementioned Chaney is known for nationally acclaimed teams at Laurinburg Prep (NC), The Patterson School (NC), DME Academy (FL), and Scotland Campus (PA), which routinely neutralized formidable foes and held opponents under their scoring average. Expect much of the same this season.
McKinnie Jr. was recently offered by Tarleton State.
Josh Powell, Skyline Prep –
As the late and legendary prep scout Tom Konchalski was known to say, “he scores like the rest of us breathe.”
This statement accurately depicts the 6-foot-5 Powell.
A lethal mid-range threat, the Class of 2026 Powell is able to spark game-breaking runs and reel off points in a hurry.
He had a handful of games in which he stuck four 3-pointers or more as a sophomore at Archbishop Molloy (NY) last year.
Quickly emerging into the primary weapon, Powell averaged a New York CHSAA “AA” best 21.4 PPG.
He takes his wide-ranging scoring repertoire and physical defense to Arizona following a productive summer.
Playing for Wiz Kids on the 3SSB 17U circuit, Powell scored 27 points and tore down seven boards against Iowa United.
He blitzed the Compton Magic to the tune of 20 points and four boards. Against the Washington Warriors, Powell scored 22 points to go with five boards and three assists.
The New York City native has played at a high level since he was an unproven freshman at Molloy, with multiple games of 20+ points and 10 boards or more.
He brings a Chauncey Billups-like, football-basketball build and seasoned toughness. Both aspects are tailor-made for an elite-level schedule which crisscrosses the country, with multiple nationally televised games.
Travis Triplett, Skyline Prep – With broomstick long arms at 6-foot-9, Triplett is one of the most underrated defenders in the country with his tendency to be a fly-swatter.
He’s able to block shots around and at the rim, influencing and changing the trajectory of countless shots.
Triplett is a thunderous open-floor finisher who keeps possessions alive with his ability to hastily rip down boards and swoop in for putbacks.
He’s been proficient at attacking along the baseline and finishing on nifty up-and-under moves.