The 2020 Future 50 Camp and Showcase, held at Strafford Sports Center on Sunday August 16th, was a huge success and overall a great experience for the players and their respective families! We saw a lot of great players from the area do their thing, with a good portion of the games being very competitive, particularly on the high school side. And now, we get to write about each of the players.

Here, we take a look at some of the older players on the boys side. This will be one of several parts we will be publishing over the coming days. The players for the most part are listed in order of the numbers they were assigned at the camp.

Ahlante Askew, 2023 Republic, 5’11 – Askew is a playmaker on both ends of the court. An excellent athlete with a high basketball IQ, he is one of the up and coming players to watch in the area. He handles the ball and can run a team like a point guard should, he can shoot from deep and get to the rim. His defense is a step above most players and he relishes playing it, whether on the ball, or off of it, playing the passing lanes well and getting steals. Bright future ahead…

Amarre Clark, 2023 Parkview, 5’11 – Clark is a pure shooter, can knock them down with consistency from well behind the 3 point arc. He uses an array of dribble moves to create space for himself, also rebounds well for a player his size. Another young player just starting to make his mark on the area varsity high school scene.

Gavin Lux, 2021 Forsyth, 6’1 – Lux showed off his polished offensive skills and consistently was able to put the ball in the hole from game to game. He can stroke it from the perimeter, but may be even better at finding his way to the basket off the dribble. He is a competitor, coaches never have to worry about him bringing heart and effort to the game and is a player that needs to be out there in close games.

Brandon Mayes, 2023 Clearwater, 5’8 – Mayes has both quickness and strength, making him a tough defender, able to defend most any position. On the offensive end, he is adept at attacking defenders who are closing out on him and either getting to the basket or kicking it to open teammates. A player to watch for as he matures.

Sage Welch, 2022 Aurora, 6’0 – Welch is a lengthy perimeter player, described as “smooth”. He is a good perimeter shooter and got high marks for his passing acumen and overall high basketball IQ, a player that can make his teammates better. His length and leaping ability allows him to both contest shots and grab rebounds.

Brenden Thom, 2022 Miller, 6’1 – Thom is a rangy player who showed good ability to score at all three levels, has a knack of weaving through the defense and getting to the rim. A good rebounder who uses his size, athletic ability and good timing to alter shots around the rim on defense.

Caden Kowal, 2023 Camdenton, 5’5 – Kowal isn’t the biggest player but he makes an impression with his toughness – he doesn’t back down from anyone. Relishes playing defense and can apply relentless pressure on whoever is in front of him. Very quick, he seems to be all over the place. Has a great floater that seemingly always goes in, able to get it off in traffic against taller players. A fun player to watch, an underdog type who is easy to root for.