Evaluating Jared Butler and Jahm’ius Ramsey

March 3rd, 2020

by Alan Lu

Recently, I took the time to watch Jahmi’us Ramsey, a Texas Tech guard that is being considered by some to be a first round prospect, play against one of the best teams in college basketball in Baylor in a game that took place yesterday.  Ramsey and Jared Butler shined early on, as both made plenty of buckets in the first half in a competitive match between the two teams. Both teams fought hard, as it went all the way into overtime, but Baylor was able to get key stops, and junior guard, MaCio Teague made a couple of big shots to help them get the win over Texas Tech. Here are my thoughts on how various prospects fared in this game.

Baylor’s sophomore guard, Jared Butler had a solid showing to help lead his team to a riveting, overtime victory over Texas Tech. He excelled as a shooter and scorer when he was on the floor, and he also showed off some playmaking and defensive skills as well.

He showed a fairly good ability to knock down jumpers to space the floor for his team. Butler can knock down spot-up threes off the catch, as he has a lot of range on his shot, and he also has a quick release that allows him to easily get his shot off.

He also did a decent job of scoring on strong drives to the basket. Butler is a very good ball handler that can maneuver through traffic, as he was able to weave past defenders using a variety of ball handling moves to get him crafty scores at the rim. He also was able to draw fouls to get to the free throw line. Sometimes though, he would struggle to score in traffic, as he would use creative moves to get to the hoop, but would not always be able to finish plays in the paint. Butler also showed a good ability to score on hustle plays, and he was able to score on a tip-in early on after crashing the glass to get an offensive board.

Butler was able to display adequate at best playmaking skills in this game, although he also was fairly turnover prone with the ball in his hands. Butler is a skilled ball handler that was able to handle the ball deftly on the sideline when crowded, as he was able to keep his dribble and find an open shooter to notch an assist. He has fairly good court vision, as he will look to find the open man, and he also utilized a nifty, behind the back pass off of a drive in transition to set up a scoring chance for a teammate. However, he did have a couple of his passes intercepted, and he also threw a catchable pass that was dropped by a teammate. On a separate play, he was called for committing a charging foul on a drive to the hoop once.

He also did a good job of rebounding the basketball. Butler was quite active at crashing the glass, and he was able to help his team collect boards on both ends of the floor.

Also, Butler played fairly good defense. Butler is an active, alert on-ball defender that has good lateral footwork, and he did a good job of cutting off penetration when defending opponents off the dribble to prevent them from easy getting chances to go all the way to the basket. On the downside, he can sometimes be too aggressive defensively, which can lead him to commit touch fouls, and he also was late to contest a pull-up jumper once, which led him to allow an opponent to score on a three-point shot.

In general, Jared Butler is an athletic, skilled combo guard that handles the ball well, and he excelled in many different ways to help his team get the win. He is a good shooter that can put up points in a hurry, and he also can lock down his man on defense. He may need to show that he can effectively run the point at the next level, but he is an intriguing prospect that could be a good find for an NBA team in the late first to the second round range of the 2020 draft, as he could end up being a reliable role player similar to former Cleveland Cavaliers’ guard, Daniel Gibson in the association.

Texas Tech’s freshman guard, Jahmi’us Ramsey put forth an uneven performance in his team’s overtime loss to Baylor. He got off to a hot start in the first half, as he excelled as an outside shooter, and showed off versatile scoring skills in that time span. He struggled after that however, as he tended to commit careless ball-handling turnovers, and he had trouble getting all the way to the rim, so defenders could crowd him more effectively as they made it tough for him to score late in this contest.

Ramsey did a fairly good job of knocking down jumpers to provide floor spacing for his team on offense. He used a pump fake and dribbled left to make a smooth, pull-up three off the dribble early on, and he also showed a knack for making open, spot-up threes off the catch. However, he struggled to make pull-up, mid-range jumpers, and he tended to struggle more when opponents would guard him tightly rather than give him ample space to shoot the basketball.

He generally showed a decent ability to get scores off the dribble. On one play, he drove left to score on a floater. Ramsey also can score using off-ball motion plays, and he also was able to score off of a cut stemming from an inbounds play once.

In this game, he was fairly turnover prone on offense. For the positives, Ramsey played unselfishly, and he would look to find the open man to set up scoring chances for his teammates, and he can pass off the dribble to get them the ball on the move. However, he tended to commit too many silly turnovers, as he would tend to dribble the ball off his foot to lose it out of bounds, and Ramsey had trouble handling the ball when faced with heavy ball pressure. He also was called for a charging foul, as he had some trouble getting his shots off when taking the ball to the basket.

He also did a good job of rebounding the basketball. Ramsey would leap up high to collect defensive boards and he would chase down balls to get others. However, there was one play where he was called for pushing an opponent in the back when his team was going for a defensive board once.

Also, Ramsey played decent defense in this game. He was active in playing passing lanes, as he would get deflections, and he also tipped a ball to help his team get a steal early on. He also managed to successfully draw a charge when defending an opposing ball handler, and he also actively contested a long two to force a miss. Ramsey can defend well when he’s in position, as he will look to contest shots if he’s able to keep his man in front of him. However, he can sometimes struggle to defend quicker players off the dribble, which led him to commit fouls as a result. There was another play where he sagged too far off his man and was too late to rotate back, as he ended up allowing an opponent to make a three-point shot in transition.

In summary, Ramsey had his ups and downs, but showed flashes of his potential by making a barrage of shots in the first half to help his team. Early on, it looked as if Ramsey would end up having a good game, and he was able to score 11 quick points early in the first half. He only scored two more points the rest of the way though, and Ramsey struggled to get his shots off or to handle the ball when being tightly guarded. Right now, Ramsey is a skilled shooter that may project into a microwave scorer type of role at the next level, but he will need to show that he can consistently make shots when significantly pressured by defenders, and he will need to show teams that he can effectively run the point at the next level. His lofty draft stock may be a bit too high for the time being, but Ramsey could be a worthwhile pickup for an NBA team in the second round on draft day.

Baylor’s 6-3 senior guard, Devonte Bandoo played very well in his team’s overtime win over Texas Tech. He excelled as a shooter and scorer when he was on the floor, and he had a solid all-around game to help get his team the victory.

Bandoo did a great job of knocking down threes to space the floor for his team. He was able to make a couple of corner threes, he also ran off of a ball screen to make another, and he also used a jab step to make one from way out. He has a lot of range on his shot, and he also has a quick release that enables him to easily get his shot off.

He also showed an adequate ability to score on strong drives to the hoop. He was able to draw free throws on one drive, and he would’ve been able to get continuation if they played under NBA rules. However, there was another play where he ended up missing a fadeaway jumper off the dribble.

Also, he displayed adequate playmaking skills.   He is a fairly good passer off the dribble, as he can kick balls to open shooters, and he can throw long, interior passes to set up scores for his teammates on the move. However, he also committed a couple of ball-handling turnovers due to carelessness, as he stepped out once, and he lost the ball off of his own foot another time. On a separate play, he threw a hard, inaccurate pass that sailed of bounds late in this match.

He also was able to chip in to get his fair share of boards, as he would leap up to get several rebounds to help his team on the glass. Bandoo also managed to intercept a pass to get a steal, defensively.

Overall, Devonte Bandoo had a very good game in his team’s win over Texas Tech. He’s an athletic, skilled combo guard that thrives at knocking down spot-up jumpers off the catch, and he could end up being a solid addition to an NBA team’s summer league roster later this year.

Baylor’s junior guard, MaCio Teague played well late in this game to help his team get an entertaining, overtime win over Texas Tech. He did struggle to consistently make shots for most of this game, but he made timely shots down the stretch when his team needed him the most.

Though he struggled to score off of drives early on, he used a quick crossover and a ball fake to score on a left-handed layup in overtime, and he also made a step back, pull-up three to help seal the win for his team. Teague showed a decent ability to knock down threes and mid-range jumpers, and he also defended well. He was able to intercept a pass and also jumped on a loose ball to get steals for his team, but sometimes would commit touch fouls when defending off the dribble.

Overall, Teague is an athletic, skilled combo guard that can make tough shots, as he was able to get his team key buckets to help them get the win over Texas Tech. Right now, he’ll need to show that he can consistently score against upper-echelon defenders and show that he can effectively run the point at the next level, but he is a talented player that could potentially end up being a second round pick in the 2021 draft.

Texas Tech’s redshirt senior point forward, Chris Clarke played well for his team in their overtime loss to Baylor. He made shots efficiently, made smart passes, and played a solid all-around game when he was on the court.

Clarke excelled at scoring on strong drives to the hoop. He would often go to his right, and he would overpower his defenders to get scores in the paint. He also managed to score off of a roll after slipping a screen, as that allowed him to score on a quick layup.

He also displayed good playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that passes well out of the post as well as off the dribble, and he can throw sharp, accurate passes to set up scores for his teammates. He also can handle double teams, as he was able to quickly dribble out of one before throwing an entry pass due to possessing a good presence of mind to do so that time. Sometimes though, he would throw inaccurate passes that would go astray, as he had one picked off, and he threw others that his teammates ended up dropping. He also dropped a post pass that led his team to commit another turnover on a separate play.

He also rebounded the ball well. Clarke would leap up high to get tough boards on both ends of the floor, and he would frequently haul them in to help his team on the glass.

Plus, he also played solid defense. He would get his hands on passes to get deflections, and he also will actively play passing lanes to help his team force turnovers. Clarke was able to contest a drive to force a miss, and he also showed good lateral footwork and quickness when defending a smaller guard out on the perimeter, as he forced his opponent to pass off of a drive another time. On the other hand, he was called for fouling an opponent on a roll to the rim, as he was called for the swing down after trying to block the shot. On a separate play, he got beat off the dribble once, which led him to allow a score.

Overall, Chris Clarke is an intriguing prospect, as he is an atypical pass-first, point forward that seems to be a throwback type of player that may resemble a player type of an older era. He doesn’t look to shoot the ball very much, but he also is a skilled facilitator that can rack up assists. He is a well-built, athletic specimen that has the size and ability to guard multiple positions, but the question is how well would his game translate to the NBA. Clarke doesn’t shoot the ball very much or take many jumpers, and he would likely have to knock down outside shots at the next level, as NBA teams might not be as willing to let him run the point like they do in college. Right now, he may be a borderline second round candidate for the upcoming draft, but if he does make his way to the NBA, he could perhaps end up being a similar player to former Houston Rockets’ forward, Chuck Hayes in the association.

Other Notes:

Baylor’s 6-8 senior forward, Freddie Gillespie had an up and down game in his team’s win over Texas Tech. On one hand, he struggled to score the basketball, as he missed too many shots off of put backs and in the post, but he did manage to get the ball on a roll, as he dribbled in to score on an emphatic, rim-rattling dunk once. Despite that, he did not shoot the ball well from the field.

On the other hand, he excelled as a rebounder and defender in this game, and he also managed to find a cutter when posting up to notch an assist. Gillespie frequently hauled in boards to help get his team numerous rebounds, and he also was an active help defender.

On defense, Gillespie would poke balls away and intercept passes to get steals for his team, and he also blocked a shot when defending a post to a teammate. He also would actively contest shots when defending out on the perimeter, as well as in the post to force misses, but he also would commit touch fouls due to over-aggressiveness, as he struggled a little more to defend out on the perimeter.

Overall, Gillespie didn’t shoot the ball well, but he excelled in the non-shooting or scoring related elements of the game to help get his team the overtime win. He’s a high-motor player that can make solid hustle plays on both ends of the floor, and he is a player that could compete for a roster spot as a Lou Amundson type of player in the NBA.

Baylor’s 6-9 sophomore forward, Matthew Meyer is a fairly athletic, skilled basketball player that made some solid plays off the bench to help his team get the win. He made an open, spot-up three off of a kick out, ran the floor to get a strong score on the break, and he also scored on a quick cut to the hoop. He struggled a little more to score off the dribble, but he did show the ability to draw fouls when taking it to the rim. However, Meyer was unable to make his free throws in this game. Meyer also defended well, as he was able to poke a ball away, and he also intercepted a pass, as he did a good job of helping his team get steals in this game.

Overall, Meyer is a mobile, skilled combo forward that can knock down threes as well as score on hustle plays, and he also is an active help defender that will look to help his team force turnovers. He has not gotten much playing time this season, but he’s played well when he’s been on the floor, and he could be a prospect to keep an eye on in the future.

Baylor’s sophomore point guard, Davion Mitchell struggled to make shots overall, but he played good defense, and he also showed a decent ability to attack the basket to garner scores. Mitchell did a good job of getting scores off the dribble, as he can frequently draw fouls upon his defenders, and he is a solid ball handler that can finish plays using either hand. He also ran the floor to score on a high-flying dunk on the break. He struggled to consistently make his threes though, and he also missed both of his free throws.

He also displayed solid playmaking skills. Mitchell passed the ball well off the dribble, which helped him net plenty of assists, but he also had some careless ball-handling turnovers in this game.

Mitchell also played solid defense. He would play passing lanes to get steals and deflections for his team, and he also managed to successfully draw a charge on an opposing ball handler. He also managed to switch onto an opponent and actively contested a pull-up three, as he got into his opponent’s feet and defended straight up to force the miss. On the downside, he would sometimes commit touch fouls due to over-aggressiveness.

Overall, Mitchell is an athletic, energetic player that showed a good ability to attack the basket to garner scores, and he also looked to be a solid playmaker and defender in this game. He will need to improve his ability to shoot the basketball, but he may be an interesting prospect that could be worth keeping tabs on down the road.

Texas Tech’s freshman swingman, Terrence Shannon Jr. had some good moments in this game, as he especially made a slew of solid plays in the first half in his team’s loss to Baylor. He seemed to fade into the background as the game wore on, but he showed the ability to excel on both ends of the floor.

Shannon scored efficiently within the limited touches he had on offense. He was able to use a spin move to score in the post, and he also made an open mid-range shot. Plus, he also was quite active on the glass, and he was able to leap up to get defensive boards to help his team get rebounds. Sometimes though, he had trouble protecting the basketball, which would lead him to commit some turnovers.

He also defended well. Shannon managed to block a shot ferociously out of bounds due to possessing very good leaping ability, timing, and instincts, and he also successfully drew a charge on a drive to get another stop for his team.

Overall, Shannon was able to make some good plays when he was on the floor for Texas Tech. Unfortunately, he did not shoot the ball enough, nor seemed to be on the floor that much late in this game. He’s a very athletic swingman that could project to be a defensive specialist at the next level, but he will need to improve his jump shot and ball handling skills. Still, he may be an intriguing prospect worthy of keeping track of in the future, and he could end up being a second round pick for the 2021 draft.

Texas Tech’s 6-6, redshirt freshman guard, Kevin McCullar played very well in his team’s overtime loss to Baylor. He made all of his shots, even though he didn’t take many of them in this game, and he scored 13 points on 4 shots in this game. He would run off the ball to make quick, mid-range jumpers, he showed a good footwork, agility, and body control to score in the post, and he also made an open corner three. Overall, he’s a skilled scorer that can move off the ball to score on mid-range jumpers as well as in the post. He will likely need to stay in school to hone his overall game, but he could be a player worthy of keeping tabs on for a future draft.

Texas Tech’s junior guard, Davide Moretti did not have a great game overall, but he played well late in the second half to help his team send it to overtime. Though he struggled to make three-point shots, Moretti showed a knack for going to his right to score on pull-up, mid-range jumpers, and he also made a couple of good passes off the dribble to collect assists. Overall, he struggled to knock down threes, struggled with foul trouble as he had trouble guarding his man on defense, and threw a couple of passes that got intercepted, but Moretti also made mid-range jumpers and was able to get timely assists late in the second half, and he is a skilled combo guard that may have the skills to make an NBA team’s summer league roster sometime down the road.