Damon Powell and Fresno State

According to messages on the Barkboard SaveMart Center message board, McClymond High's 6-5 forward Damon Powell was in for a visit to Fresno State this past weekend.

NorCalPreps offered an assessment of Powell a while back. Here are some excerpts but the entire analysis needs reading to get a complete sense:

Strengths: Energy and athleticism are Powell's biggest strengths. He is a run and jump forward in the mold of a Wendell Mckines type. Not as bulky or big as Mckines, but Powell can be relentless on both ends of the court. His biggest strength is his jumping ability, as Powell must have a 45-inch vertical leap. He uses his athleticism to attack the boards viciously and any rebound that is not blocked out is probably his...

Weaknesses: ...Powell is a classic tweener. He has small forward size but plays like a power forward. If he was three inches taller, we would be talking about a potential pro prospect based on his intensity, heart and athleticism. Unfortunately, he is not and his lack of size for the power forward position magnifies numerous weaknesses...

...His primary weakness is his shooting ability. While it has improved from non-existent, his shooting is still poor. While his form is not the worst, he flicks the ball when he shoots it...

...In the paint, his post moves are limited...

...Overall Assessment: Despite his weaknesses as a player, Powell has a lot of intangibles that can take him to a lot of schools. He has elite high major athleticism and he plays with a motor non-stop.

Concern (not certainty) is also expressed that he will need to attend eith prep school or a junior college to acquire D-1 eligibility.

As for his jumping prowess, in a dunk contest this summer he lined up three people in a row on the court and still jumped over them while dunking the ball.