Devan Cambridge took one dribble, ascended to the rim, and crushed a thunderous two-handed dunk during the second half of Believe Academy's win over Legacy Charter (S.C.) during Swanny's Roundball Review in Myrtle Beach this weekend.
The wowing display of freakish athleticism was indicative of the bouncy, explosiveness possessed by the 6-foot-6 guard forward. Cambridge, out of Nashville, Tenn., was on constant aerial watch throughout the afternoon.
Cambridge scored an efficient 13 points (6-for-8 FG) during a 43-33 win over Covenant. He submitted 14 points during a loss to Bull City Prep (N.C.).
During the tournament finale, against a Legacy team which features a similar high-rising guard in Sharone Wright Jr. (son of the legendary Clemson guard), Cambridge scored a game-best 17 points.
The hyper-efficient and virtually unguardable component of Cambridge's theatrical above the rim game poses a threat for defenses. He's a precise lob pass away from an easy bucket whenever close to the rim.
This superior leaping ability, along with an advanced defensive skill-set has made Cambridge appealing to programs such as Georgia Tech and Auburn. Both programs have plunked down an offer for Cambridge, whose length and shot-blocking acumen along with his ability to turn teams over makes him a two-way gamer.
"He's one of the most gifted athletes I've been around in a long time, said Believe Prep's high school head coach Randy Casey, who has nurtured myriad All-State and All-American players in the Kentucky high school ranks and at No.1 nationally ranked UPike.
"Once we get him to where he's a knockdown shooter and he's able to defend multiple positions, we see him as a high-level and maybe an elite level college player. At 6-6, he's a shot-blocker. The thing about Devan, too, is the energy he brings and the fact that he's a great kid. He does everything that's asked of him with a smile."
As his game continues to develop and Cambridge relishes the role of lockup man, he'll be tasked with negating some of the country's top scorers.
Cambridge got an early whiff of this role when he applied pesky and confrontational defense on All American probable and USC-bound guard Elijah Weaver of Oldsmar Christian (FL).
Believe survived a late Oldsmar rally for a 64-61 win against the reigning SIAA Florida state champ during Hoop Exchange's All American Jamboree in Apopka, FL.
Among those in Cambridge's corner and keeping tabs on his production this season is his older brother, Jalon Cambridge. The Cambridge brothers combined to average nearly 30 points while simultaneously leaving their respective statistical feats across the program record book at Pope John Paul II (TN). Jalon Cambridge generated headlines when he became just the seventh player in school history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He would conclude his career as the program's second all time leading scorer.