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OTR Rocky Top Invitational Standouts Part 4 – May 19, 2023

OTR Rocky Top Invitational Standouts Part 4 - May 19, 2023
May 19, 2023

GATLINBURG, Tennessee, – The Rocky Top Sports World was the host venue for the On the Radar Hoops Rocky Top Invitational. The six-court facility along with four other courts provided by the Gatlinburg Pittman school system gave a great experience for teams around the Southeast. Here is a final recap of standout performers from the weekend.

By: Jonathan Hemingway

Our OTR staff has documented the rise of Lawrence Sanford very well this spring. The athletic combo guard is a natural talent. He has an instinct for the game that cannot be taught but only admired. He thrives in transition where he has space to dart from end to end. He is equally effective in the half court where he can take advantage of aggressive closeouts and use his touch off the move to score in traffic. The natural question that many may pose about Sanford is his perimeter jumper. But there are no questions after watching Sanford drain jumpers beyond the arc and off the pull-ups at the foul line with Wood Elite. Sanford is positioned as one of the top prospects in the 2025 class in the state of Georgia.

Class of 2023 guard Jordan Wrancher put in one of the top performances of the weekend and perhaps the top shooting outing at the Rocking Top Invitational. He drained nine 3-pointers in a win for Tennessee Impact in a win. Camping out in East Tennessee for the weekend it is hard not to think of past Tennessee Volunteer players as you watch games. Wrancher invoked some Chris Lofton vibes as he hoisted dagger after dagger in this game. Certainly, this will be a game that he will remember for a long time. College coaches in need of a shooting specialist should check in on the Fulton High School product.

Class of 2026 Cade Murphy was all the rage Saturday morning with Fast Break AAU. Evaluators on the sideline could hardly believe that Murphy was just a freshman given his dominating play versus 17U competition. Murphy has all the tools in the toolbox. Height, athleticism, skill, poise…the 6-5 wing looks to be a polished all-around player. We watched him pour in 28 points in the opening game of the weekend and he did not let up after that. He will be a watch-list player for the foreseeable future.

We remember the first time I watched class of 2025 Luke Jack at the Southern Hoops Report Showcase a year ago. At that time, he was a young, gangly wing with some shooting range. His older brother (Seth, class of 2023) seemed to be more notable and put together at that moment. Fast forward to the Rocky Top Invitational and Luke is filling out into a complete ball player. He has a motor that revs full throttle. His ball skill has grown significantly with Wood Elite. He finds ways to create plays off the dribble to find a bucket for himself and others now.

It is hard not to recognize shooters that find their rhythm and capitalize on opportunities at these events. We watched class of 2025 guard Gabe Davenport score 22 points including six 3-pointers with Stars Basketball Club in a win over Team Breakdown on Saturday night. He played the role of spot shooter perfectly and punished defenders for helping on drives to the bucket. Cunningham displayed a bit more skill than just a standing shooter. He has ball skill that complements his game well. We expect to see his name more this summer and beyond.

Jonathan Hemingway has been a National Evaluator for On the Radar Hoops since 2013. He has been involved in the basketball community since 1995 as a coach, camp director and evaluator. You can reach him at JLHemingway@gmail.com and follow him on twitter @JL_Hemingway.


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