The inaugural March Madness Battle at Bacot was one of the best basketball events Mississippi has seen. The outdoor environment and competitive atmosphere brought the vibes of Rucker Park to the Mississippi Coast.
This event featured some of the top high school and middle school players in the state of Mississippi, including Mr. 6A Dorian McMillian, Matthew Krass, Braylon Barnes and many more.
The event included a special guest appearance from former top-100 prospect and Mississippi’s all-time leading high school scorer Josh Hubbard. The Mississippi State guard earned 2nd Team All-Conference as a freshman and played a primary role in carrying the Bulldogs back to the NCAA tournament in 2024.
The tournament attracted the top players from the Gulf Coast, Slidell, Mobile, Jackson, Hattiesburg, and other surrounding areas. Below are some of the top performers from an electric day on the concrete.
*Listed in alphabetical order according to last name
High School
Braylon Barnes / 2025 6'3 SG / Brandon High School
Barnes has one of the highest ceilings of the camp. 3 level scorer. His intentional, smooth movements reflect the amount of work he puts into his craft. His effective dribble moves and footwork lead to aggressive finishes and nice pull up jumpers. Competent defender, uses his length well. He is a winner. More agility work would make him even harder to guard and score on.
Shawn Barnett / 2025 5'9 PG / Harrison Central High School
Barnett is a slashing guard who leverages angles well and uses his body effectively when attacking the basket. Showcases a strong ability to finish in traffic and over bigger defenders. Aggressively hunts rebounds and second chance opportunities. Improved shot creating ability on the perimeter could create a dangerous scorer.
Aujaylen Barron / 2024 5'8 PG / Harrison Central High School
Crafty ball handler, excels in the midrange and using his body to finish over lengthy defenders. Very impressed with his offensive aggression as he looks to initiate contact every chance he gets. Defensive savant despite being undersized. Quick and anticipates well on and off the ball, and is very strong. Needs to enhance vocal leadership as a point guard. Gulf Coast CC commit.
Kentrell Beasley / 2026 5'8 PG / Biloxi High School
Shifty guard who can blow by defenders in the blink of an eye. Can score on all three levels and facilitate an offense. Showed glimpses of becoming one of the top guards in the state next season. Was highly impressed on how he didn't back down from the tougher competition and wanted to face off against the best players in the tournament. Adding on weight is going to make Beasley reach another level to his game.
Markuese Grady / 2024 6'5 PF/C / Pascagoula High School
The best rebounder at the camp. His determination on both the offensive and defensive glass showed by leading his team in rebounds in all 6 games he played in. Very long build, athletic kid who is a capable shot blocker and inside finisher. Showed that he can shoot from the mid range area, slightly undersized big but I can see him expanding to the wing with the improvement of his shooting and ball handling. Committed to Holmes CC.
Mon Hobbs / 2025 6'7 Wing / Mendenhall High School
Next-level height with the coordination to capitalize on it. Easily affects shots as a secondary defender and has a defensive zone of control. Skilled finisher who prefers to initiate from the perimeter where he can also knock down a shot.
Jaylen Johnson / 2026 5'8 PG / D'iberville High School
Combo guard with a quick twitch that he uses to set up defenders and close out on shooters. Johnson is patient with the basketball, always in control and rarely makes mistakes. Trade off is he never puts the game in his hands.
Elite 4 level scorer. Frequently uses his lengthy frame and great ball handling skills to beat defenders to the rim and score with whichever hand he chooses. Lethal in the post, using his outstanding body control and upper body strength to get to his fadeaway jumper and crafty layups. Dangerous midrange pullup. Consistent three ball causes defenders to guard him closely paving the way for him to use his quick first step on his attacks.
Showed that he is a team player/vocal leader. During the clutch, he emphasized his refusal to be scored on, diving on the concrete for loose balls. Recent official visit to Tarleton State University, has received offers from Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, Jones College, and other JUCOS, along with interest from Division 1 programs. Has the talent and work ethic to make a major impact on the collegiate level.
Malachi Lightell / 2025 5'9 PG / Hancock High School
Quick, nifty guard who loves to get to the rack. Lightell's downhill attacks free up space for him to kick it out to his teammates. Isn't afraid to guard and uses his motor to fuel his game. Needs to work on pace and being under control at times.
Dorian McMillian / 2024 6'3 Combo Guard / Pascagoula High School
Fierce competitor, never backs down from a challenge. Has great size for his position with lengthy frame. High flyer, reliable scorer, can heat up quickly, has a knack for making tough shots. He can get to where he wants when he wants to at any moment. Best part of his game is easily his ability to guard on ball. He takes pride on the defensive side as his passion for guarding on ball nearly outweighs him wanting to score. Shot selection can sometimes cause him to settle for more difficult shots than what he can get.
McMillian currently announced his top 4 college choices including: Itawamba CC, East Central CC, Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, and Pearl River CC. Since that announcement, he picked up a Division I offer from Jackson State University. Dorian will be making his official college decision on April 6th.
Blake Nettles / 2026 6'1 Point Guard / Pascagoula High School
Nettles is a fast-improving point guard with plus size. He leverages his body well and is always in control of the basketball. Nettles is a bull who plays downhill and works to facilitate surrounding scorers. He's a solid defender, as well, and can grow into a legitament prospect with more consistency as a scorer.
Quey’Sean Taylor / 2025 6'4 Wing / Moss Point High School
Taylor was one of the more impressive players on Saturday. He uses good body control and strength to his advantage. Polished post presence who can face up and score or put his back to the basket and utilize his footwork. Can defend the post and the wing. Wins every rebound at max effort. He has a nice touch around the rim and finishes through contact. A consistent jump shot would really help him become that much better. Taylor holds offers from Itawamba CC, Penn State Scranton, Pacific University and others. He's on track to start pulling in some more with the way his game is growing.
Middle School
Ryan Adelphin / 2028 6'0 SG / Biloxi Middle School
Ryan was taking it to the rack on everyone. Aggressive slasher who loves to use his upper body strength to shield off shot blockers. Led his team in scoring with his finishing ability. Lacks fluidity in his jumpshot and needs to be in more control of his emotions during games.
Akayden Arguelles / 2028 5'11 Wing / D'iberville Middle School
Nice size frame with very good footwork. Finished at the rim in a variety of ways. Was able to display his playmaking as he dished off plenty of assists to his teammates. Improving athleticism and explosiveness will help make him more effective attacking the basket. Loved his passion for the game.
Jamari Bradley / 2029 6'3 Forward / North Gulfport Middle School
Long, athletic wing who can use his body extremely well. Attacks the rim with intensity and rarely misses finishes, but could be under more control. His capability to guard every position makes him the versatile player that every coach wants to have on their team.
Andre Bright Jr / 2029 5'8 PG / Clearwood Junior High / Slidell, LA
Quick off the dribble and has advanced court vision and feel for his teammates. Aggressive on-ball defender with active hands. Harasses weaker ball-handlers. Has a smooth jump shot that can be improved which will take his game to another level.
KJ Cannon / 2028 6'2 Forward / McLaurin High School / Florence, MS
Cannon is a rangy rebounder. Improved explosiveness will eventually allow him to take advantage of his high point on the defensive end. Has a good feel for the pick-and-roll. His finishing ability allowed him to help take his team to an undefeated championship.
Zachary Dykes / 2028 6'0 Wing / Ocean Springs Middle School
Impressive playmaking and iq had Dykes standout amongst the middle school bracket. Has great size for his position. Makes the right reads on most plays and has a good shot selection. Great attitude and teammate. Needs to continue to work on having a tighter handle and gametime moves to help him make it easier to score on ball.
Jastan Khan / 2029 5'7 PG / North Gulfport Middle School
Gets to the spot he wants with the ball in his hands. Has a good feel around the rim and is developing a confident outside jumper. Smart defender who stays on the same page as his teammates to create takeaway opportunities.
Kamhad Plump / 2028 5'10 Combo Guard / N.R. Burger Middle School
The standout middle schooler at the camp. The MVP keeps defenders honest with a deadly combination of an efficient 3 pointer alongside an explosive first step. Great feel for the game. Can break down defenders with crafty handle. Fluid mid range pullup. Sneaky athleticism. Led his team in scoring every game he played without playing selfishly.
Ethan Richburg / 2028 5'8 PG / Biloxi Middle School
Silky smooth ball handler with great pace and footwork. Handles pressure well, uses his body to get to his midrange pullup and inside finishes. Though he is a capable scorer, his lack of speed and agility hinders him from getting by defenders with ease and also staying in front of the ball on defense.
Sebastian Schwandt / 2029 5'5 PG / Hancock Middle School
Finds ways to finish under the rim despite giving up plenty of size. Has advanced pocket pass ability and an outside jumper with a set-up move. Disadvantaged when left on an island with the ball.
Synaker Taylor Jr. / 2029 6'2 SF / West Harrison Middle School
Very explosive middle schooler. Attacks the rim with aggression. Persistent rebounder and rim protector. Uses his body and strength to his advantage. Needs to continue working on jumper and ball handling to become more productive on the offensive end.
Eli Walton / 2028 6'1 SG / Stone Middle School
Walton was one of the most polished middle school players of the day. Nice size frame that allows him to get to his spots. Shot making ability covers all areas of the court. High iq allowed for a lot of off ball action and easy buckets. Improved ball handling skills will make it that much harder to stop him from scoring.
JZ Washington / 2028 5'9 SG / Colmer Middle School
Washington was exciting to watch. His resilience showed on both sides of the court as he was crashing the board, playing aggressive defense, and bullying his way to the goal. Loves to get to his mid range pullup when he gets stopped. In one of the most intense games of the day, JZ came through in the clutch to hit a game winner, showing he isn't afraid of the moment. Developing a 3 point shot making ability and a tighter handle will make him more of a complete player.
Jackson Wolverton / 2029 5'10 SG / Bayou View Middle School
He showed that he is ready to play with the best middle schoolers on the Gulf Coast. His ability to shoot the ball opens up the door for him to get downhill and finish around the rim. Always in the right spot at the right time.
Write-ups & Scouting provided by Scott Watkins and Sean Holmes