The top performances I saw at the Tarkanian Classic
Las Vegas, Nevada – While still under the Tarkanian Classic umbrella, an entirely new event started on Monday for the high school teams. On3s Jamie Shaw was on hand for the massive event, with teams from across the country participating.
With so many teams and six or even gyms going at once, I was not able to be at every game. However, here are the best single games performances my eyes saw during the high school portion of the 2022 Tarkanian Classic.
Four-star PG Dedan Thomas, Jr.
Dedan Thomas, Jr. simply found a way to produce. His high IQ game got him open opportunities, and the 2024 point guard was able to capitalize. Thomas, whose Henderson (NV) Liberty High team is the defending Nevada state champion, simply understands advantage and how to exploit that.
Thomas will have questions about his size, his jump shot consistency, and his overall burst; however, there is something about him with how he is able to create opportunities for himself and his teammates that continues to have him produce. He finished with a game-high 26 points on Monday. He followed that up with a 33-point performance on Tuesday.
Thomas issued his top-six schools early in October. UNLV, Gonzaga, Florida, UCLA, Arizona, and Houston were the schools.
Four-star SF Jalen Shelley
Jalen Shelley finished his game on Tuesday with 33 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 blocks. It was an impressive all-around performance that came on seven made threes. As you looked across the sidelines, you could see some of the NBA personnel furiously typing notes on their laptops.
Shelley is an explosive 6-foot-7 wing. He is great in transition, getting high above the rim as he attacks the basket. In this setting, with his new Plano (TX) Prestonwood Christian, Shelley played a lot on the ball. While this is not his primary position moving forward, it was to see him able to handle the ball in the half-court.
Shelley again dominated the Tarkanian Classic game from start to finish. Every part of his game, on both ends of the floor, seemed to be clicking.
NR G Ty Virgil
Like Shelley’s game, this performance happened in the back gym at Bishop Gorman. Ty Virgil is a lefty, 6-foot-4, high-scoring guard. He finished his Tuesday night game with 30 points on 8 made threes. Not only was it an impressive showing of shot-making, he was also very impressive in creating his own shot.
Virgil played as Sacramento (CA) Sheldon High’s primary initiator. He showed an array of dribble moves to get into his shot, and he knocked down his catch-and-shoot opportunities. It will be interesting to see where Virgil’s recruitment goes; right now, all he’s is a Portland offer.
Four-star C Peyton Marshall (Auburn)
You can take your pick from which performance was better, but Peyton Marshall dominated the competition on both Monday and Tuesday. At 6-foot-11 and nearly 300 pounds, you would not expect him to be able to move the way he does with the footwork he has.
The Auburn commit from Mariette (GA) Kell High secured the 21-point double-double on Monday then he followed that with another double-double on Tuesday. Marshall showcased his strength on the block with strong but soft hands with the ball. He finished each game with multiple dunks in traffic, simply getting annihilated each time he got a touch on the ball.