Evaluating The First Four Games from Day 3 of the 2021 Tampa Bay Pro Combine

June 8^th, 2021

By Alan Lu

The Tampa Bay Pro Comine took place between June 3^rd and the 5^th.  I’m a little behind in watching these games, so it may take me awhile to finishing watching all of them, as there were 10 games in total, as well as a 3 point shootout and dunk contest that took place on the first day.  After the first day, it seems that Georgetown’s Jahvon Blair and Core4’s Jimma Gatwech were the three-point contest and dunk contest winners, respectively.

On Day 3 of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine, I decided to take the time to watch, Team 5 play against Team 3 that took place on June 5^th, as I managed to see it with thanks to SUVtv. For those that wanted to know the rosters of all of the players that played in this tournament, here is the link.

The First Game from Day 3 of the 2021 Tampa Bay Pro Combine (Team 5 vs. Team 3)

Team 5 was able to get a double-digit win, as they managed to grab their first victory in this tournament.  The top performers in this game in my opinion were Justin Gorham, D.J. Funderburk, and D’Mitrik Trice.  Here are my thoughts on how they fared in this game.

Houston’s 6-7 senior forward, Justin Gorham played very well, as his sharpshooting, scoring prowess, and solid rebounding skills helped propel Team 5 to get the victory. Gorham did a great job of knocking down threes to provide floor space for his team on offense.  He showed a penchant for making threes both off the catch and dribble.  He made pull-up threes effortlessly, and he also used a quick crossover move to make a smooth, step-back three in this game.

He also excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  Gorham managed to score on a backdoor cut to the basket.  He also drew free throws on a put back after grabbing an offensive rebound. Plus, he also showed a satisfactory ability to score in one-on-one situations.  Gorham was open around the basket, and he managed to score on a powerful dunk.  However, on a right-handed drive to the hoop, after using a pump fake, he missed on a double-pump layup.  He also struggled to consistently knock down pull-up jumpers from the mid-range.

Also, Gorham showcased adequate playmaking skills in this game.  He is an unselfish player that showed that he can pass out of the post as well off the dribble, and he can make an assortment of passes to set up scores for his teammates.  On the downside, he can also occasionally be turnover prone.  He would sometimes lose the ball when handling it due to carelessness, and he also threw an errant pass off the dribble that got intercepted another time. In addition, Gorham also did a solid job of rebounding the basketball.  He was quite active on the glass, and he would leap up to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor.

Defensively though, he looked to be fairly average.  Gorham is an active help defender that will look to make plays and he will actively challenge shots around the basket.  He was able to rotate to block a shot in the post to a teammate due to possessing solid athleticism and timing.  He also successfully challenge a shot on a drive in transition to get a stop for his team.  On the downside, he can sometimes tend to be too aggressive, which can lead him to commit touch fouls when defending opponents off the dribble.  He also was caught ball watching another time, as he lost track of a cutter and allowed his man to score on a dunk once.

Overall, Justin Gorham played very well, and he showed off tremendous shooting prowess as he really excelled at making three-pointers in this game, especially in the first half.  He made outside shots at will in the first half, and he really helped set the tone for his team to win the game.  He helped himself by having a strong showing in this match, and he could project to be an effective 3 and D type of role player in the NBA.

NC State’s redshirt senior big man, D.J. Funderburk also had a strong showing to help lead Team 5 to a win over Team 3.  He is an athletic, energetic big man that excelled as a scorer when he was on the floor, and he showed off versatile scoring skills to help his team in this game. Funderburk did a very good job of knocking down jumpers to help his team space the floor on offense.  He showed a knack for making deep, spot-up threes effortlessly, and he also excelled at scoring on pull-up, mid-range jumpers off the dribble. He also was able to score efficiently on hustle plays.  Funderburk would run the floor to score quickly on the break, and he also drove up the court to throw down a powerful dunk in transition.  Sometimes though, he would occasionally miss shots due to rushing.  He also tried to score on a right-handed drive, but missed it short that time.

He also displayed solid playmaking skills in this game.  Funderburk was able to pass out of the post to notch an assist.  He dribbled and threw a no-look drop off pass back to a teammate to help set up another score.  Funderburk can pass off the dribble as well as out of the post to get his teammates the basketball.  On the downside, he did drop a pass once, which led to a team turnover.

Also, Funderburk was able to get his fair share of defensive rebounds in this match.  He also managed to intercept a pass to get a steal to help his team defensively.  Overall, Funderburk is a very athletic, high-motor big man that has shown improved range and shooting skills, which could make him an interesting prospect for the NBA.  If he can continue to shoot well from beyond the arc, he could end up being an underrated acquisition for an NBA team at the next level.

Wisconsin’s senior point guard, D’Mitrik Trice played fairly well to help lead Team 5 to a win in this game.  He excelled as a shooter and playmaker, and he was able to continually make plays in the second half to help his team get the victory. Trice excelled at knocking down jumpers to provide solid floor spacing skills for his team.  He showed a knack for making open, corner threes, and he also was able to make pull-up jumpers both from beyond the arc and from the mid-range.  He was a bit streaky with his three-point shot, but he did a good job of making jump shots down the stretch.

He also displayed solid playmaking skills in this game.  He excelled at throwing long passes as well as at passing on fast breaks to notch assists.  Trice played unselfishly, and he would get the ball to open shooters to set up plenty of scoring chances for them.  Trice displayed solid court vision, as he was able to throw an accurate lob pass as well as a very long outlet pass to set up scores for his teammates in transition.  He only committed one noticeable turnover, as he stepped out of bounds in the corner once.

Also, he was able to chase down an offensive rebound to help his team get a board in this game.  Trice also played satisfactory defense.  He was able to get his hands on a pass to help his team force a turnover.  He also contested a long two to force a miss another time.  Overall, D’Mitrik Trice is an agile, skilled playmaker that excelled as a shooter and distributor on offense, and his ability to make plays on that side of the ball could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA either next season or sometime in the near future.

Saint Louis’ 6-3 guard, Jordan Goodwin had a decent showing for his team in Team 3’s loss to Team 5.  The athletic combo guard especially played well in the first half, as he excelled at attacking the basket to score and rebound in the paint in this game, but he also struggled with his outside shot and turnovers as well. Goodwin showed a solid ability to score off the dribble.  He can maneuver past defenders to quickly score on aggressive drives to the hoop, and he also generally excelled at scoring on drives in transition.  He managed to throw down an emphatic, two-handed slam, and he also can absorb the contact to draw fouls upon his defenders to get to the free throw line. He also ran in to score on a tip-in after grabbing an offensive rebound.  Plus, he also drew free throws on a strong put back after getting an offensive board another time.

Goodwin was also able to make a couple of pull-up jumpers to show his improved jump shot.  However, he would sometimes take rushed, off-balanced shots, and he struggled to consistently make shots off the dribble from the mid-range or threes, as he had trouble scoring on outside shots down the stretch.

He showed off fairly average playmaking skills.  Goodwin can throw solid interior passes, and he can pass off the dribble to set up scoring chances for his teammates.  He was able to throw an interior pass to a cutter to notch an assist.  On the other hand, he would sometimes play too recklessly, as he would over-dribble into traffic, and he also threw a hasty pass that got intercepted.  He also dropped a pass off of a cut that led to a turnover.

Goodwin did a great job of rebounding the basketball.  He also played adequate defense.  He would get his hands on passes to get steals and deflections for his team.  Sometimes though, he would be too undisciplined defensively.  He got beat on a cut to allow a score once.  He also committed an aggressive reach-in foul on an opposing ball handler another time.

Overall, Jordan Goodwin is an athletic, high-motor combo guard that can make solid hustle plays on both ends of the floor, but he will need to improve his jump shot and playmaking skills on offense.  He may need to spend more time to hone his game, and he may need to spend a season in the G-League and/or overseas.  If he can make these adjustments and show teams that he can shoot and also run the point, he could end up making it to the NBA someday.

Morgan State’s 6-9 senior forward, Troy Baxter showed some intriguing skills for Team 3 in his team’s loss to Team 5.  He’s a very athletic, versatile forward that showed that he can make some solid plays on both ends of the floor.  He didn’t shoot the ball well overall, but he showed some versatile scoring skills, and he played solid defense in this game. Baxter was able to dribble to his right to make a smooth, pull-up three from beyond the arc.  He struggled to make spot-up threes though, but his size, athleticism, and shooting potential could make him an intriguing prospect for the NBA.

He also was able to use a pump fake, as he dribbled to his right, and he then spun left to score on a quick, long two-point shot while drawing an extra free throw afterwards.  Baxter struggled to make pull-up, mid-range jumpers consistently, but he showed deft footwork, ball handling skills, and a solid jump shot when he made those shots. He also drove hard to the hoop to score on a thunderous dunk.  He also tried to score in the post, but missed on a quick, fadeaway jumper another time.

Baxter showed off fairly average playmaking skills.  On a drive to the rim, and he made a nifty drop-off pass to notch an assist.  He also threw a long outlet pass to help get the ball to a teammate in transition.  However, he would sometimes throw hasty passes that would get intercepted.  He also threw a quick pass that was dropped that led to another turnover.  On one drive to the hoop, he was called for traveling.

He also played solid defense in this game.  Baxter was able to block a shot in transition.  He also jumped on a loose ball and was able to get his hands on a pass to get steals and deflections for his team.  On the other hand, he also fouled an opponent on a mid-range floater another time.

Overall, Troy Baxter is a very athletic, combo forward that can make some solid plays on both ends of the floor.  He may be a player that may have considerable potential, but he will need to be more consistently productive in games.  He will need to show that he can shoot and defend well consistently at higher levels, but if so, he could project to be an effective role player in the NBA someday.

Grand Canyon’s 7-0, Danish center, Asbjorn Midtgaard quietly played well for his team in Team 3’s loss to Team 5.  He showed off versatile scoring skills, and he also made solid team plays on the defensive end. He showed that he can capably knock down jumpers in this game.  Midtgaard made a spot-up three off the catch to show his floor spacing skills.  However, he struggled to make mid-range floaters on offense.

He generally excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  Midtgaard was able to throw down a dunk off of a roll to the rim.  He also drew free throws on another. He also did an adequate job of scoring in the post.  Midtgaard to throw down a dunk down low.  He also scored on a right-handed hook shot.  Sometimes though, he would miss, as he would sometimes struggle to score in traffic.

There was one play though where he held the ball too long, as he then got it poked away from him to commit a turnover.  He was also able to leap up to get his fair share of rebounds, and he managed to get boards on both sides of the ball.  However, he committed a loose ball foul when going for a defensive rebound once. Midtgaard played solid defense.  He would intercept passes to get steals, and he also jumped on a loose ball to help his team get another.  He managed to block a shot on the break, and he also contested a shot in the paint to get a stop for his team.

Overall, Midtgaard is a strong, skilled big man that can make plays on both ends of the floor to help shore up the paint, and he also made a three-point shot to show his stretch big potential.  He is only an average athlete, and he will need to improve his mobility, but if he can continue to shoot well and show that he can defend upper-echelon players on a consistent basis, he could carve out a role as a rotational big man similar to Toronto Raptors’ center, Aron Baynes in the NBA.

IUPUI’s senior point guard, Marcus Burk played well in limited minutes to help get Team 5 the win in this game.  He shot the ball well, and he was very effective as a shooter and scorer on offense.  He made a deep, spot-up three off the catch.  He also pulled up to make a long, two-point shot from just inside the arc.  He also managed to score on a strong backdoor cut to the hoop.  He also drew free throws on a acrobatic, reverse layup off the dribble.

 He also managed to contest a mid-range shot to force a miss defensively.  Overall, Burk did a good job of shooting and scoring the basketball when he was on the floor.  He will need to improve his playmaking skills, but he could be a prospect to keep tabs on in the future.

The Second Game from Day 3 of the 2021 Tampa Bay Pro Combine (Team 1 vs. Team 2, this game went to sudden death, double overtime)

Also on Day 3 of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine, Team 1 played against Team 2 in an early morning basketball game that took place on June 5^th, and I was able to see this with thanks to SUVtv.  It was a hard-fought basketball game that went to double overtime, and Jahvon Blair ended up scoring on a game-winning floater to help Team 1 defeat Team 2 in double OT.  In my opinion, the top performers looked to be Sterling Manley, Jahvon Blair, and Jimma Gatwech.  Here are my thoughts on how they fared in this game.

North Carolina’s 6-11 redshirt junior center, Sterling Manley played very well for Team 1 to help lead them to a double OT win over Team 2.  He excelled as an interior player for them, as he did a good job of scoring and blocking shots in this game. Manley did a good job of scoring in the post.  He would throw down powerful dunks, and he also managed to score on a drop step move.  He also scored on a fadeaway jumper, but he missed on two other occasions.

He also generally excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  Manley managed to score on a tip slam after grabbing an offensive rebound.  He also ran the floor and caught a lob pass to score on an alley-oop dunk.  He also drew free throws on a roll to the rim, though he should’ve been given continuation, as he would’ve then scored on a layup off of a lob that time.  He missed on a put back slam once, but Manley still did a good job of scoring on off-ball motion plays in this contest. On the downside, he was fairly turnover prone, due to carelessness.  He was called for basket interference once.  He also threw a bad pass that got intercepted.  He also would leap up to get his fair share of rebounds, and he was able to get boards on both sides of the ball.

He also played satisfactory defense in this game.  Manley excelled at blocking shots off the dribble to help his team defensively, and he also was able to poke a ball and deflect a pass to nearly get steals other times.  He also jumped on a loose ball and tied up an opposing ball handler to nearly force a turnover.  He also excelled at contesting shots in the paint to force misses.  Sometimes though, he would be late to contest shots or to make his rotations, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores. Overall, Sterling Manley had a strong showing in Team 1’s double OT win over Team 2 in this game.  He particularly excelled as an interior player for his team, and he could project to be a defensive specialist in the NBA.

Georgetown’s senior point guard, Jahvon Blair had a decent showing in helping to lead Team 1 to a double overtime victory over Team 2.  He especially played well in the first half, and while he struggled with his outside shot a bit, he managed to score on a game-winning floater in sudden death, double overtime to get his team the win. Blair showed an adequate ability to knock down jumpers in this game.  He showed that he can comfortably make pull-up threes, and he has a lot of range on his shot.  He made a buzzer beating, bank three towards the end of the first quarter, and he also made a spot-up three from way out.  Blair also drove to his left to score on a clutch, mid-range floater in double OT.  He struggled to consistently knock down jumpers, but he made big shots when his team needed him the most.

He also managed to score on a speedy drive in transition, and Blair was able to score on a layup high off the glass.  After using an overhead ball fake on a half-court drive another time though, he ended up missing on a tough shot in traffic.  He also missed on a tip-in after trying to score off of an offensive rebound. He also exhibited satisfactory playmaking skills in this game.  Blair can throw solid interior passes, and he also can throw accurate passes off the dribble to set up scores for his teammates.  He showed solid court vision, and he can throw accurate passes to find his teammates on the move.  He did commit a couple of turnovers.  He stepped out of bounds in the corner once.  He also threw a hasty pass that got intercepted another time.

Also, Blair did a solid job of rebounding the basketball, and he was able to pull down boards on both sides of the ball.  He also played adequate defense in this game.  Blair would pick off passes to get steals for his team.  He also contested a three to force a miss.  Sometimes though, he would have lapses on the defensive end.  There was one play where he didn’t actively contest a three, which led his team to allow a score.  He also got beat on a cut to the hoop another time that led his team to allow a basket to his opponent.

Overall, Jahvon Blair is an agile, skilled combo guard that can ably play either backcourt position, and he is a shooter that can put up points for his team in a hurry.  Right now, he projects to be a borderline second round candidate in the upcoming draft.  He may not be the most consistent player, but his ability to shoot and score could enable him to compete for and maybe land a roster spot in the NBA next season.

Team 2’s 6-4 guard, Jimma Gatwech also had a solid showing, as he especially played well in the first half in his team’s loss to Team 1.  He is a very athletic combo guard that competes hard on both ends of the floor, and he also showed a solid jump shot as well as some defensive skills in this game. Gatwech shot the ball fairly well in this game, especially from downtown.  He showed a knack for making quick, spot-up threes off the catch, and he was able to make one from way out early on.  He struggled to make mid-range jumpers off the dribble though, as he couldn’t quite find his rhythm from the mid-range.

He also showed a solid ability to score off the dribble.  Gatwech favored going to his left, as he used a quick hesitation move to score off the glass.  He also managed to go to his left to score on a tough, fallaway, reverse layup.  He missed in traffic another time, but he generally excelled at scoring when driving hard to the basket. He also managed to draw free throws on a switch of hands layup on a drive in transition.  Gatwech also ran the floor to catch a lob pass, but he ended up missing hard on an alley-oop dunk late in this match. He also displayed decent playmaking skills in this game.  Gatwech is an unselfish player that can pass off the dribble to set up scoring chances for his teammates.  He can make drive and kick passes. He also drove the baseline to get the ball to a cutter due to making a solid read on that play.

Also, Gatwech was able to get an offensive rebound in this game.  He also played solid defense.  Gatwech would poke balls away to nearly get steals.  He also appeared to block a shot hard off the glass, as it looked to be a very athletic play, but he instead was called for a goal-tend.  He also was called for committing a hand-checking foul when defending an opponent off the ball once.

Overall, Jimma Gatwech had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Team 1, and he showed considerable potential as a prospect for the NBA.  He is a very athletic combo guard that can shoot, finish plays above the rim, and defend.  He will still need to show that he can play well at the higher levels, but he helped himself in this game by playing well on both ends of the floor.  He still may be far from being a lock to be drafted, though.  Right now, he projects to be a borderline second round candidate, and if he things pan out for him, he could end up being an energetic combo guard off the bench similar to Brooklyn Nets’ guard, Tyler Johnson in the NBA.

UMass Lowell’s 6-4 guard, Obadiah Noel played very well for Team 1 in their double overtime win over Team 2.  He excelled at attacking the basket to score the basketball in this game. He did a good job of scoring on strong, right-handed drives to the hoop.  He also was able to score on a strong drive in transition.  He also showed a knack for drawing lots of free throws on aggressive drives in transition, and he did a good job of converting them when he was at the foul line.  Plus, Noel managed to back his man down to score on a turnaround jumper in the post.

He also was able to make a quick, pull-up jumper from the mid-range.  Noel also made a deep three from way out, but he struggled to make three-point shots consistently from beyond the arc.  On the downside, he was fairly turnover prone on offense.  On one good play, Noel threw a lob pass to a roll man to get the ball to him.  However, he would tend to get his passes intercepted.  He also lost the ball on a cut to commit another turnover. Overall, Noel is a strong, fairly athletic combo guard that excelled at driving the ball hard to the hoop to score the basketball.  He will need to improve in the other elements of the game, but his ability to score combined with having above average athletic gifts could enable him to carve out a solid playing career in professional basketball.

Austin Peay’s 6-5 forward, Terry Taylor had a decent showing to help lead Team 1 to a double overtime win over Team 2.  He generally excelled at attacking the basket to score and rebound in the paint.  He struggled with his outside shot and with turnovers, but he was able to adjust to help his team get the victory. Taylor excelled at scoring on hustle plays in this game.  He showed a knack for scoring on aggressive drives in transition.  He also managed to score on a strong put back, while getting an extra free throw afterwards.

He also did a decent job of scoring off the dribble.  Taylor managed to use a spin move to score on a strong drive to the hoop.  However, he missed in traffic on another drive.  He also tried to score in the post, but he ended up missing too hard, as he didn’t get enough touch on his shot. Also, Taylor used a crossover move to score on a pull-up, mid-range jumper.  However, he was unable to knock down his three-point shots, as he generally struggled to score from longer distances.

He also displayed average playmaking skills at best in this game.  Taylor was able to make a drive and kick pass to get the ball to an open teammate.  He also threw a long outlet pass to find a teammate on the break.  However, he threw a pass to a teammate that stepped out of bounds in the corner once.  He also committed a clear-out foul with his arm that led him to commit an offensive foul and a turnover another time. Plus, Taylor did a tremendous job of rebounding the basketball.  He is a terrific rebounder, and he would frequently come away with boards to help his team get rebounds on both ends of the floor. He also played solid defense in this game.  When defending a baseline drive, Taylor blocked a shot to himself due to possessing solid athleticism and timing.  He also jumped a pass to get a steal.  He also would contest jump shots to force misses.  On one play though, he ended up getting beat off the dribble to allow a score.

Overall, Terry Taylor showed a knack for scoring and rebounding in the paint to help his team in this game.  He will still need to extend his range and improve his outside shot to help him expand upon his offensive skills.  Currently, he projects to be a borderline second round candidate.  In a favorable scenario, if things break his way, he could project to be a defensive specialist in the NBA.

Wisconsin’s 6-10 senior center, Micah Potter also had a decent showing to help lead Team 1 to a double overtime win over Team 2.  He generally excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  He excelled at scoring on rolls to the rim, and he managed to score on an emphatic dunk once.  He also would run in to score on tip-ins, and he also scored on a tip slam another time. Plus, he also made an open, spot-up three off of a pick and pop play to show his versatility.  On the downside, Potter struggled to make spot-up threes consistently, and he also missed on a couple of contested hook shots in the post.  Another time, he threw an inaccurate high pass that ended up getting intercepted.

Also, Potter did a very good job of rebounding the basketball.  He managed to haul in a lot of boards on both ends of the floor.  He also played adequate defense.  He managed to poke a ball away to nearly get a steal, and he would contest jump shots to force misses.  Sometimes though, he would commit fouls due to over-aggressiveness.  Another time, he sagged too far off of a shooter, which led him to allow his man to score on a three-point shot. Overall, Micah Potter is a skilled, mobile big man that can score and rebound the basketball.  He will need to improve his defense, but his ability to score on offense could enable him to be a rotational big man in the NBA.

Saint Joseph’s 6-5 senior guard, Ryan Daly had his ups and downs for Team 2, but he shot and passed the ball really well in the second half to help his team to the first overtime in his team’s loss to Team 1. Daly showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble.  He would score on quick, right-handed drives to the hoop, and he also managed to score on a tough, reverse layup once.  He also was able to score on fast breaks, and he also used a ball fake to score on a drive in transition.  Sometimes though, he would struggle to score in traffic, and he also had some trouble scoring from the mid-range. He also ran in to score on a tip-in after grabbing an offensive rebound.  However, he also had his shot blocked on a cut to the hoop.  Daly also had trouble knocking down three-point shots in this game.

He displayed adequate playmaking skills in this game.  He is a solid passer that can do so off the dribble, and he also managed to throw a behind the back pass to loop it to a teammate to set up a score late in this match.  On the downside, he can sometimes play too recklessly at times.  He lost the ball on a drive and got tied up to nearly turn the ball over.  He dribbled to his right but picked up his dribble, and he then threw a hasty pass that got intercepted by a defender another time.

Also, Daly did a solid job of rebounding the basketball.  He was able to get boards on both ends of the floor. However, he committed a foul on a put back that led his team to allow a three-point play.  Defensively, he looked to be about average at best.  He was able to contest a three to force a miss.  However, he struggled to defend more athletic opponents out in space.  There was another time where he didn’t actively contest a three-point shot, which led him to allow the basket to his opponent.

Overall, Ryan Daly put forth an uneven performance, but he consistently scored and passed the ball well off the dribble late in the second half to help send his team to overtime.  He will need to be a more consistent shooter and scorer in games, and he will need to improve his defense.  He may be a long shot to be drafted right now, but he may have the skills to carve out a solid playing career in professional basketball.

The Third Game from Day 3 of the 2021 Tampa Bay Pro Combine (Team 4 vs. Team 3)

In the third game of Day 3 of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine, the Blue Team (also known as Team 4) played against the Red Team (also known as Team 3) in a very competitive basketball game. 

Team 3 got off to a big lead after a strong first half start, but Team 4 was able to rally back to get a hard fought, comeback win, as Quade Green made clutch free throws to get his team the victory.  In this game, I felt that the top performers were Troy Baxter, Quade Green, and Jordan Goodwin.  Here are my thoughts on how they performed in this game.

Team 3’s Troy Baxter also played very well in his team’s loss to Team 4.  He is a very athletic combo forward that excelled at making plays on both ends of the floor, and he was able to turn some impressive, highlight reel-worthy plays on both ends of the court in this game. Baxter excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  He would run in to frequently score on tip-ins and put backs after grabbing offensive rebounds, and he was able to throw down a couple of powerful dunks in this match.  He also excelled at scoring on quick drives in transition.  He was able to score on a crafty, acrobatic layup while getting an extra free throw.  He also managed to score on a high-flying, windmill dunk.

Plus, he also did a good job of scoring on pull-up jumpers.  Baxter was able to make a smooth, step-back, mid-range jumper.  He also scored on a one-legged, fadeaway jumper.  He also managed to draw free throws on an aggressive drive after using a spin move.  He struggled to score consistently on one-legged, fadeaway jumpers, as that is a high degree of difficulty shot, but he still managed to show that he can reliably score from the mid-range, nonetheless.

He also was able to pull up to make a three-point shot off the dribble.  On the downside, he struggled to make threes on a consistent basis, as he really struggled to make spot-up threes off the catch.  On the downside, Baxter seemed to be quite turnover prone at times on offense.  He threw an inaccurate pass after receiving an inaccurate pass that ended up getting intercepted.  He also got tied up on a drive that led to a team turnover.  After getting a ball on a cut to the hoop, he dropped a pass that time.  He also appeared to be called for basket interference late in this contest, although he would’ve scored on a nice tip slam had they not waved off the basket. Also, Baxter was active on the glass, and he was able to help his team get some rebounds.  He was especially active at crashing the glass to help his team get offensive rebounds.  He also managed to push the ball up the court after getting a defensive rebound once.

Plus, Baxter also played solid defense in this game.  He blocked a mid-range shot hard out of bounds.  He also jumped a pass to get a steal, and he also poked a ball away to nearly get another.  Also, he managed to contest a mid-range shot to force a miss another time.  On the downside, there was one play where he committed a blocking foul when defending a drive in transition, as that led his team to allow a score and an extra free throw on that possession.

Overall, Troy Baxter is a very athletic forward that may possess considerable upside, and he showed a fairly solid set of all-around skills in his team’s loss to Team 4.  He may be a sleeper candidate for the late second round of this draft, and he may have the skills to project to be a solid role player in the NBA.

Team 4’s Quade Green shot the ball very well, especially from downtown, and he is an agile, skilled playmaker that excelled as a scorer down the stretch to help lead his team to a well-deserved, comeback victory. He showed a knack for making spot-up threes off the catch, as well as for scoring on quick drives to the basket.  Green also used a crossover move to make a smooth, mid-range floater, but he struggled to make pull-up jumpers on a consistent basis. He displayed fairly average playmaking skills.  Green is an unselfish player that will look to find the open man, and he can ably pass the ball off the dribble.  However, he would sometimes struggle to handle the ball when heavily pressured, and he also threw a couple of hasty passes that got intercepted.

Also, Green was able to get a defensive board, as he was able to push the ball up the court afterwards.  He also played solid defense in this game.  Green managed to poke a ball away in the post to get a steal.  He did a very good job of holding his ground and contesting shots when defending in the post to force misses.  Another time though, he was called for a blocking foul when trying to draw a charge on a drive once.

Overall, Quade Green showed his sharpshooting and scoring prowess, and he is a crafty, offensive player that can get to where he needs with the basketball.  Right now, he may be a borderline second round candidate, but if things pan out for him, he could project to be an effective backup point guard in the NBA.

Team 3’s Jordan Goodwin had a fairly solid showing in his team’s loss to Team 4.  He especially played well in the first half, and he is an athletic, energetic combo guard that excelled at making hustle plays to help his team on both ends of the court. Goodwin excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  He ran in to score on a tip-in, and he also managed to score on a quick, reverse layup on a put back another time.  He also showed a knack for absorbing the contact to draw free throws when crashing the offensive glass to score on those possessions.

He also showed a solid jump shot, as he especially excelled at pulling up to make long two-point shots from just inside the arc.  Goodwin also made a pull-up three to beat the buzzer midway through this match, but he struggled more to score from long distances.  He was able to use a pump fake to score on a right-handed drive when taking it to the rim, but Goodwin struggled to score in one-on-one situations where he would look to go all the way to the basket. He also displayed adequate playmaking skills.  Goodwin showed that he can find the open man, and he also can throw long passes and solid interior passes to set up scoring chances for his teammates.  He also took good care of the basketball on offense.

Also, he did a very good job of rebounding the basketball.  He was able to haul in multiple boards on both sides of the ball, and sometimes he would push the ball quickly after getting his team defensive rebounds.  Goodwin also played adequate defense.  He would poke balls away to get steals and deflections.  Late in this game though, he would get beat off the dribble when defending out on the perimeter, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Jordan Goodwin played fairly well in his team’s loss to Team 4.  He is an athletic combo guard that made solid hustle plays on both ends of the floor, and he has shown an improved jump shot lately.  He will still need to show that he can consistently knock down jump shots and reliably run the team at the point.  If so, he may be an underrated prospect that could play either backcourt position, and he could capably fill a backup role off the bench in the NBA.

Team 4’s Joel Ntambwe had a decent showing in his team’s comeback win over Team 3.  He showed off versatile scoring skills, and he made big shots down the stretch to help his team get the victory. Ntambwe excelled at scoring on hustle plays in this game.  He managed to score on a put back as well as on a roll to the rim.  He also displayed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble.  He showed that he can finish plays using either hand, and he also drove the baseline to score on a powerful dunk late in this match.  He struggled to score in traffic at times, though, and he also missed on a one-legged, fadeaway jumper in the post.

He struggled to make outside shots consistently, though.  Ntambwe was able to make several spot-up threes, but he also missed plenty of other three-point shots off the catch.  He used a crossover move to make a fadeaway, long two-point shot, but he also missed his fair share of mid-range jumpers as well.  He also was a bit turnover prone.  Ntambwe had some trouble handling the ball when pressured, and he would sometimes be inaccurate with his passes.  He also tried to shoot a mid-range floater once, but he committed a charging foul instead. He also was able to grab rebounds on both sides of the ball.  He also played solid defense, as he would get his hands on passes to get steals, and he also managed to successfully challenge a mid-range shot to force a miss.

Overall, Joel Ntambwe struggled early on, but he made big shots down the stretch when his team needed him the most.  He’s an athletic, skilled swingman that can shoot and score the basketball, and he could project into a 3 and D type of role in the NBA.

Team 3’s Keith Williams played fairly well in his team’s loss to Team 4.  He especially played well in the first half, but he struggled to consistently make his shots in the second half of this game. Williams generally showed a knack for scoring on off-ball motion plays.  He would run the floor to throw down dunks, and he also caught a lob pass to score on an alley-oop dunk.  He also ran in to score on a tip slam after grabbing an offensive rebound.

Plus, he also showed some ability to score in the post as well as off the dribble.  Williams was able to get deep position to score over a smaller defender in the post.  However, he struggled to consistently score on turnaround jumpers.  Williams also drove hard to the hoop and used a quick hesitation move to score on a quick drive to the rim.

On the downside, he struggled to consistently score on pull-up jumpers from the mid-range.  He did make a quick three from way out, but he also had trouble consistently knocking down threes from beyond the arc. Also, he was a bit turnover prone in this game.  Williams would throw inaccurate passes, and sometimes it would get intercepted by his defenders or dropped by his teammates. He also was able to leap up to get an offensive rebound in this game.  He also played satisfactory defense in this match.  Williams would poke balls away to get numerous steals and deflections.  On another play though, he got beat off the dribble to allow a mid-range basket to his opponent.

Overall, Keith Williams is a very athletic, energetic swingman that can score and defend on the floor, but he will need to improve his jump shot and passing skills.  He may need to continue to hone his game, but in a favorable scenario, he could project into a defensive specialist role in the NBA someday.

Team 4’s Jayvon Graves had his up and downs as he struggled in the first half, but he played really well in the fourth quarter to help lead his team to a comeback win over Team 3.   He especially excelled at attacking the basket to score the basketball late in this game. He showed a solid ability to score off the dribble.  Graves would tend to favor going to his right to score on quick, strong drives to the hoop.  He also would score on speedy drives in transition, and he also can score on quick, reverse layups.  Sometimes he would miss shots in traffic, especially when he wouldn’t get foul calls. He also ran in to score on a tip slam after leaping up to grab an offensive rebound.  Another time though, he missed on a put back.  He also showed a decent mid-range shot, and he was able to go to his left to score on a mid-range floater.  However, he struggled to make threes, as he missed on all of his three-point shots from beyond the arc.

He also was fairly turnover prone, and he had a couple of balls poked away when handling it under duress.  He also was able to get his fair share of boards, as he was able to get rebounds on both sides of the ball.  Graves also played decent defense in this game.  He was able to jump a pass to get a steal.  He also managed to contest a mid-range shot to force a miss.  On the downside, there was one play where he committed a foul when defending in the post.

Overall, Jayvon Graves played his best basketball down the stretch to help his team get a comeback win over Team 3.  He will need to improve his outside shot and playmaking skills, but his athleticism and ability to score off the dribble could allow him to carve out a solid playing career in professional basketball.

The Fourth Game from Day 4 of the 2021 Tampa Bay Pro Combine (Team 5 vs. Team 2)

In the fourth game on Day 3 of the Tampa Bay Pro Combine, Team 5 (White) played against Team 2 (Green).  It was a little confusing, as the announcer, and my tally had Team 5 as having defeated Team 2, but the score of the telecast said it was the reverse. 

Therefore, in this part of the write-up, there will not be references to wins or losses in this specific game.  Also, in my opinion, the top performers of this game were Micah Potter, D’Mitrik Trice, Justin Gorham, and Team 2’s Jimma Gatwech also made a couple of really solid plays in this game.

Team 2’s Micah Potter showed off strong shooting and scoring skills in this game, and he also made some fairly impressively athletic plays to help his team when he was on the court. Potter did a terrific job of shooting and scoring the basketball.  He excelled at knocking down quick, spot-up threes off the catch, and he also made a very deep three-point shot to beat the buzzer at the end of the first half. He also excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  He would tend to score on rolls and put backs, and he would throw down dunks to finish plays around the basket.  Potter also ran the floor to score in transition.

Plus, he also excelled at scoring in the post.  He would tend to score on quick, fadeaway jumpers due to possessing good footwork, agility, and shooting touch.  He also can use subtle moves to score on powerful dunks around the basket.  He also drove to his right and used a crafty ball fake to score off the glass.  He did miss a mid-range shot completely from the baseline once, but overall, Potter did a tremendous of making shots from all over the floor. Also, Potter displayed solid playmaking skills.  He is an unselfish player that would look to find the open man to rack up assists.  He would throw crisp, accurate entry passes to get the ball to his teammates in the post, and he also can pass out of the post.  He also set an on-ball screen to help his teammate score on an open jump shot.

He also was active at crashing the glass to help his team get rebounds, and Potter especially excelled at hauling in offensive rebounds.  He also played satisfactory defense in this game.  Potter was able to deflect a pass out of bounds.  He also rotated on a switch and successfully forced an opponent to throw up an air-ball when contesting the three-point shot.  He also appeared to block a dunk attempt in the post, as it appeared to be all ball, only for him to be called for a foul instead.  On the downside, there was one play where he bit on a pump fake and fouled an opponent on a baseline, fadeaway jumper that led to a three-point play.

Overall, Micah Potter scored early and often, as he put on a strong showing to help Team 2 in this game.  He played very well, and he was able to show that he can score the ball at will as well as make some solid defensive plays in this setting.  He may not have much draft stock at the moment, but he is an agile, skilled big man that could project to well into an NBA team’s rotation as a skilled, stretch big at the next level.

Team 5’s D’Mitrik Trice played a strong all-around game, and he especially excelled as a shooter and facilitator for his team on offense.  Trice did a great job of knocking down pull-up jumpers both from beyond the arc and from the mid-range.  He would dribble left off of screens to knock down threes, and he would use quick, crossover moves and pull up to score on md-range jumpers.  He also was able to make a couple of quick, spot-up threes off the catch as well.

He also displayed solid playmaking skills.  Trice did a good job of making good passes off the dribble, and he would throw solid, drive and kick passes to notch assists.  On the downside, he was called for a five second inbounding violation, as he didn’t throw the ball in on time early on.  He also mishandled the ball once and lost it to commit a turnover later on in this match. Also, Trice played satisfactory defense in this game.  He would pounce upon loose balls after his teammates would deflect or poke balls away to help his team get steals.  He also managed to get his hands on a ball and tie up an opposing ball handler on the ground to nearly get another steal.

Overall, D’Mitrik Trice did a very good job of shooting and passing the basketball, and he consistently made solid plays to help his team on both ends of the floor.  Though he may not have much draft stock at the moment, Trice is an agile, skilled playmaker that could project to be a fairly solid backup point guard in the NBA.

Also, Team 5’s Justin Gorham quietly had a good game, as he excelled as a shooter and rebounder when he was on the floor.  He showed a knack for making quick, spot-up threes, as he can knock them down from way out.  He also excelled at scoring on hustle plays.  Gorham drove in to score on a powerful dunk on the break.  He also scored on a floater off of a put back.  Plus, he also scored on a baseline, fadeaway jumper while getting an extra free throw shortly after grabbing an offensive rebound another time.

He also showed that he can capably score off the dribble as well as in the post.  Gorham managed to score after being left open around the basket.  He also used a spin move off of a drive to score on a floater.  Plus, he also used a jab step to make a fadeaway jumper from just inside the arc.  On the downside, Gorham struggled to consistently score on pull-up jumpers from the mid-range.

He also showcased solid playmaking skills.  Gorham is an unselfish player that showed a penchant for throwing long outlet passes to get the ball to his teammates on the break.  He also would capably pass out of the post, and he also managed to throw an accurate bounce pass to a cutter to notch an assist another time.  On the other hand, there was one play where he dropped a pass off of a backdoor cut that led to a team turnover.

Plus, Gorham did a great job of rebounding the basketball.  He was able to haul in plenty of boards on both ends of the floor, and there was one possession where he brought the ball up after grabbing a defensive board.  Defensively, he looked to be fairly average at best.  Gorham showed a willingness to play passing lanes and he was active defensively.  On the downside, he would sometimes struggle to defend at times.  He committed a reach-in foul when trying to swipe a ball away from an opponent in the backcourt once.  He also rotated but got beat off the dribble by a pick and roll ball-handler, as his team allowed a score on a drive late in this match.

Overall, Justin Gorham has played very well in the Tampa Bay Pro Combine, and he has helped himself by having strong showings in these games.  He has played well, as he’s shown his sharpshooting prowess and has scored the ball very well in these games.  If things pan out for him, he could end up projecting well into a 3 and D type of role in the NBA.

Team 5’s Justin Jaworski also had a strong showing, as he did a very good job of shooting and scoring the basketball on offense.  He showed a knack for scoring on spot-up threes off the catch.  He also got fouled after having made a deep three to draw an extra free throw, and he also made a step-back three-pointer late in this game.  Plus, he also did a good job of driving to his left to score around the basket.  On the downside though, he struggled to make mid-range shots when he would hoist them up.

Jaworski also passed the ball well, and he would make drive and kick passes to set up scores for his teammates.  He also was able to get a defensive rebound in this game.  Defensively though, he seemed to struggle at that end of the floor.  On one good play, he intercepted a pass to get a steal.  However, he struggled to defend quicker opponents on the floor, which would lead him or his teammates to commit fouls as a result.

Overall, Justin Jaworski excelled as a shooter and passer to help his team on offense.  This was a really strong performance that he put forth in this game, and his ability to knock down jump shots could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA either next season or sometime down the road.

Team 2’s Ryan Daly also excelled as a shooter and passer when he was on the floor on offense.  He showed a knack for scoring on three-pointers, as he would do so off the catch and dribble, and he also showed that he can run and dribble off of ball screens to do so.  He also did a decent job of scoring on aggressive drives to the hoop.  He tended to favor going to his right, and he also would draw fouls upon his opponents to get to the free throw line.  He also tried to score in the post once, but he ended up missing on a fadeaway jumper.

He also passed the ball well.  He threw solid interior passes to find teammates on the move to notch assists.  He also threw a no-look, skip pass to set up a score for an open shooter another time.  Daly also was able to help his team get some defensive rebounds.  Defensively though, he struggled in this game.  On one good play, he managed to deflect a pass out of bounds.  However, he struggled to guard shooters on the defensive end.  He fouled a three-point shooter that gave the other team a four-point play.  He also gave up too much space to a shooter another time to allow his man to score on a three-point basket.

Overall, Ryan Daly played well in this game, and he did a good job of shooting and passing the basketball.  He will need to improve his defense and show that he can continue to play well at higher levels, but if things break his way, he could project into a shooting specialist role in the NBA someday.

Team 5’s Justin Turner excelled as a shooter and scorer on offense.  He showed a penchant for scoring on quick, spot-up threes.  He also did a good job of scoring on hustle plays, as he scored off of a backdoor cut, and he also ran the floor to score on a powerful dunk another time.  He also used a quick crossover to score on a smooth, pull-up, mid-range jumper, but Turner struggled to consistently make shots off the dribble in this game.

He also was able to make a drive and kick pass to notch an assist.   Turner was also active at crashing the glass to help his team get offensive rebounds.  He also was able to get his hands on a pass to help his team get a steal on the defensive end.  Overall, Turner turned in a solid showing, and he is an athletic combo guard that can shoot and score the basketball, which could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA someday.

Mississippi State’s 6-6 forward, Jalen Johnson (not to be confused with the former Duke player) had a decent showing to help Team 2 in this game.  He did a good job of scoring on spot-up threes off the catch.  He also was able to score on a strong, left-handed drive as well as on a tip-in.  However, he struggled to score out of the post, and he also would sometimes miss on put backs. 

Johnson also showed a fairly solid ability to make passes off the dribble to get assists.  However, he also threw a bad pass that got intercepted.  Another time, he was called for clearing out with his arm on a put back attempt that led him to commit an offensive foul and a turnover.  In addition, Johnson did a terrific job of rebounding the basketball on both ends of the floor.  He also played adequate defense in this game.  Johnson was able to block a shot off of a drive to himself.  Another time though, he didn’t hustle back hard on the defensive end, as his team allowed opponent to score off the dribble.

Overall, Johnson is a fairly athletic, skilled swingman that can shoot and rebound the basketball.  He will need to improve his ability to create his own shot and be a more focused defender in games.  If he can continue to improve as an overall player, he could project well into a 3 and D role in the NBA.

Team 2’s Jimma Gatwech had his ups and downs, but he was able to make some highlight reel-worthy plays in this game.  Gatwech was able to pick off a pass to get a steal, and he drove up the court to make an open, pull-up three early on to show his shooting and defensive skills. He also showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble.  Gatwech was able to score on a quick drive in transition.  Late in this game, he drove off of a screen and split a double team to go left, as he then scored on a thunderous, two-handed dunk.  However, sometimes he would take tough, off-balanced shots that would lead to misses.

He also was a bit turnover prone on offense.  For the positives, Gatwech is an unselfish player that showed that he can make drive and kick passes to set up scoring chances for open shooters.  On the downside, he would sometimes play too fast and out of control, as he sometimes overdribble into traffic, and he would struggle to handle the ball when pressured. He also played adequate defense in this game.  Gatwech quickly jumped a pass to get a steal early on.  He also contested a mid-range jumper to force a miss.  On one play though, he didn’t get his hand high enough when contesting a shot another time, as his opponent then scored on a mid-range shot.

Overall, Jimma Gatwech is a very athletic combo guard that can play either backcourt position, and he was able to show the potential to make some really solid plays on both ends of the floor.  He will need to continue to work on his decision-making skills, but he could be an intriguing prospect, as he could project to be an athletic, combo guard off the bench in the NBA someday.

There was one more game that was played on the final day of the 2021 Tampa Bay Pro Combine, and it will get a separate write-up, as that was the championship game of the tournament. Thanks for reading.