NBA Draft: Quick Scouting Black Friday’s Sleeper College Games

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Black Friday has us set with shopping deals, the NFL’s first Black Friday game and a bevy of intriguing college basketball games. Let’s get ready to scout a few of today’s sleeper scouting games.
Bryant vs. Xavier (12:00 pm ET)
Top Prospect: Desmond Claude | Wing | 6’6 | 207 pounds | Sophomore | Xavier
2023-24 Stats: 16.4ppg | 3.6rpg | 3.8apg | 47.5% FG | 31% 3P (3.2 3PA) | 72.2% FT | 5 G
Other Xavier Prospects to Watch: Trey Green (Guard, Freshman), Quincy Olivari (Guard, Grad Student), Lazar Djokovic (Big, Freshman), Gytis Nemeiksa (Wing, Senior)
Bryant Prospects to Watch: Earl Timberlake (Wing, Senior), Sherif Gross-Bullock (Guard, Senior), Rafael Pinzon (Wing, Junior), Daniel Rivera (Wing, Junior)
*Xavier’s Zach Freemantle is out for the season with a foot injury and Jermone Hunter is out indefinitely
Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh (3:00 pm ET)
Top Prospect: Carlton Carrington | Lead Guard | 6’5 | 190 pounds | Freshman | Pittsburgh
2023-24 Stats: 17.2ppg | 5.2rpg | 6.4apg | 50.9% FG | 47% 3P (6.8 3PA) | 75% FT | 5 G
Carlton Carrington’s start is a very encouraging sign of his ability be a tall lead guard on an NBA floor. At 6’5, he’s shown his vision, processing, and live dribble playmaking + connective hit ahead passes.
— Jam Hines (@jamontheboards) November 17, 2023
21 assists to 4 turnovers through 3 games so far pic.twitter.com/RxXksJRqSP
Other Pittsburgh Prospects to Watch: Blake Hinson (Wing, Senior), Ishmael Leggett (Guard, Junior), Guillermo Diaz-Graham (Big, Sophomore), Jorge Diaz Graham (Big, Sophomore), Jaland Lowe (Guard, Freshman), Zach Austin (Wing, Redshirt Junior), Federiko Federicko (Big, Junior)
Oregon St. Prospects to Watch: Jordan Pope (Guard, Sophomore), Tyler Bilodeau (Big, Sophomore)
Pepperdine vs New Mexico (6:45 pm ET)
Top Prospects: Houston Mallette | Guard | 6’5 | 185 pounds | Junior | Pepperdine
2023-24 Stats: 20.7ppg | 3.6rpg | 1.6apg | 0.9 spg | 47.5% FG | 54% 3P (5.3 3PA) | 82.9% FT | 7 G
INTERVIEW | Putting the clamps on for tonight’s win⛓️#WavesUp pic.twitter.com/k9BaMcYfK9
— Pepperdine Men’s Basketball (@PeppBasketball) November 14, 2023
Houston Mallette is an ultra confident shot maker both on and off the ball. It’s easy to envision him as a microwave scorer that can provide some punch off an NBA bench. Second round prospect that has room to play himself into the first next year pic.twitter.com/yk0273jXJa
— Jam Hines (@jamontheboards) February 21, 2023
JT Toppin | Big | 6’9 | 210 pounds | Freshman | New Mexico
2022-24 Stats: 14.8ppg | 8.4rpg | 1.2spg | 1.8bpg | 75% FG | 90% FT (10-11 FTA) | 5 G
Back2️⃣Back Double Doubles from @JToppin5 💪#WhyNotUs #PlayYourPart pic.twitter.com/XhGfF5INMG
— 505 Sports Venture Foundation (@505SVF) November 22, 2023
Other Pepperdine Prospects to Watch: Michael Ajayi (Wing, Junior), Malik Moore (Guard, Sophomore), Jalen Pitre (Big, Sophomore)
Other New Mexico Prospects to Watch: Jamal Mashburn Jr. (Guard, Senior), Donovan Dent (Giard, Sophomore), Mustapha Amzil (Big, Senior), Tru Washington (Guard, Freshman)
*New Mexico’s Jaelen House is out and considered day-to-day with a hip injury.
*Pepperdine’s Jevon Porter and Boubacar Coulibaly are out indefinitely.
VCU vs. Boise St (8:00 pm ET)
Top Prospect: Max Shulga | Guard | 6’5 | 200 pounds | Senior | VCU
2023-24 Stats: 14.2ppg | 4rpg | 5apg | 0.8spg | 48.7% FG | 46.7% 3PA (6 3PA), 82.6% FT | 5 G
Mad Max 🤯#LetsGoVCU pic.twitter.com/pX2g02B5Er
— VCU Basketball (@VCU_Hoops) November 18, 2023
🤯 Tobi Lawal jumping over his teammates, the Disney castle and everything else in his way.#LetsGoVCU pic.twitter.com/o28IGobi5y
— VCU Basketball (@VCU_Hoops) November 23, 2023
6’4 guard Max Shulga is one of the many prospects thriving in Utah St’s free flowing style. Fun deception here on the assist. Capable playmaker and an excellent shooter.
— Jam Hines (@jamontheboards) December 27, 2022
12.7 PPG I 5.5 REB I 4.7 APG I 37% 3P on 4.3 attempts per game pic.twitter.com/2VJF8qWtjc
Other VCU Prospects to Watch: Zeb Jackson (Guard, Senior), Toibu Lawal (Big, Sophomore), Christian Fermin (Big, Sophomore), Alphonzo Billups III (Wing, Redshirt Freshman)
Boise St Prospects to Watch: Tyson Degenhart (Big Wing, Junior), Chibuzo Agbo (Wing, Senior), O’Mar Stanley (Big Wing, Junior)
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Jam is a scout with nearly a decade of evaluation experience through his time with former NBA scouting and consulting services, EV Hoops and BPA Hoops. From the high school to NBA level, he brings a wealth of knowledge on prospects.
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