Former Arkansas guard Ronnie Brewer liked what he saw of the 16-under Woodz Elite during the Texas Tip-Off in Duncanville, Texas, over the weekend.
“I love our guys. I love our roster,” said Brewer, who played for six different NBA teams from 2006-14. “They’re playing hard and they’re getting ready to have a great summer.”
Woodz Elite went 4-0 and had strong guard play from cousins Ryan and Jayden Forrest of Marion. Ryan scored 15, 18, 21 and 9 points while Jayden averaged 8.7 points and 4.4 assists over three games.
“I think we have some of the top guard play in the state in Jayden and Ryan Forrest,” Brewer said. “They're high-IQ guys. Ryan is very athletic and can get to the basket and facilitate.
"Jayden gets his teammates going but can also score the basketball at a high level. He was All-Conference and All-State at Marion.”
Watson Chapel guard Khamani Cooper, 6-2, 175, has Brewer excited. He averaged 9.2 points over the weekend.
“He shoots the ball at a high clip from the three-point line but also makes very good decisions,” Brewer said.
Brewer called Dumas guard Mike Reddick, 6-0, 170, “very athletic” and also praised guard Tyler Fredericks, 6-3, 160, of Hot Springs Lakeside.
“He’s coming on tremendously, playing well,” said Brewer of Fredericks, who had 14 and 7 points in Sunday’s contests. "Very fundamental team-first guy.”
Guard/forward Joshua Holman, 6-7, 225, of Jackson Academy in Mississippi, has two offers, including one from Ole Miss. He averaged 11.7 points and 8.2 rebounds in the three games.
“Ole Miss is recruiting me hard right now,” Holman said.
He’s looking to improve his game and stock while playing for Woodz Elite.
“When I came to Woodz Elite I wanted to develop my game,” Holman said. “Get a better shot, drive and facilitate for the team and work on being a better teammate and being vocal.”
Brewer likes Holman’s versatility.
“He’s a big, strong inside-outside guy at 6-7,” Brewer said. “He can handle the basketball, can shoot the three and bang inside.”
Forward Jordan Harris, 6-7, of Pine Bluff, received an offer from Central Oklahoma on Monday along with Ryan Forrest, Jayden Forrest and Holman. He also has an offer from Oral Roberts.
“Big, very strong, big hands good post moves,” Brewer said of Harris. “He’s a force inside, rebounds, defends, runs the floor very well. He’s another guy that stands out for us.”
Guard/forward Gavin Brinker, 6-6, 188, of Pontotoc, Miss., averaged 7.4 points during the weekend event.
“He’s got offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Alcorn State, North Carolina A&T and Alabama A&M,” Brinker said. “Getting looked at by Oral Roberts, so he’s on a lot of radars and a lot of coaches. He’s 6-7 and can handle the basketball and can play on the perimeter and play inside.”
Power forward/center Matthew Stokes, 6-8, 205, of Houston High School in Germantown, Tenn., averaged 9.2 points for Woodz Elite in the four games.
“Big body, blocks shots, rim-running enforcer for us,” Brewer said. “He controls the paint, controls the middle, rebounds at a high level and he makes the game a lot easier for everybody else.”