The Cassidy Awards: Double Trouble Academy

NORCROSS, Ga. -- The Double Trouble Academy event in the Atlanta suburbs is in the books and there was no shortage of impressive showings over the weekend. Rivals’ Rob Cassidy was on hand and dishes out some awards based on the performances he saw.

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Cassidy's Takeaways: Double Trouble Academy

2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2023 Rankings: Rivals150

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WHAT HE DID: Howard, a sophomore, was the most complete prospect of any age at the three-day event. At 6-foot-6, the class of 2024 wing’s blend of length and athleticism is rare but he shined as a ball-handler as well as a passer over the weekend. Howard shines when it comes to cheating his own shot and finishes well at the rim. He’s becoming a better shooter and has the raw tools to shine as a defender as well. Rivals hasn't ranked 2024 prospects just yet, but it’s clear that Howard will push for top-five status when the time comes.

RECRUITMENT: Howard has visited Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn in unofficial capacities. He recently received an offer from Texas, which has piqued his interest due to the fact that Kevin Durant is his favorite player. It’s difficult to get a clear picture of what shape his experiment will take, however, seeing as the budding star is just a sophomore.

WHAT HE DID: Chol plays a little upright and needs to become a more consistent shooter, but the potential in the 2023 big is massive. He’s all of 7-foot tall and is already a menace on the defensive end when it comes to blocking and changing shots. He plays incredibly hard and doesn’t mind throwing his massive frame on the floor to secure loose balls. He also runs the court well for a 7-footer and has some explosiveness to his game. He’ll need to add muscle and refine his game from a shooting standpoint, but the tools to make a massive impact on the college game are certainly there in spades.

RECRUITMENT: Georgia, Auburn, Georgia Tech and Tulsa have offered Chol. He’s visited Auburn on multiple occasions and has also toured the campuses of Georgia and Georgia Tech.

WHAT HE DID: Carlyle made an appearance on Saturday morning, running through drills and looking like his smooth, explosive self in the process. The five-star guard didn’t hang around to participate in the afternoon games, but managed to update his crowded recruitment before he hit the road.

RECRUITMENT: On Saturday, Carlyle said Georgia, Stanford, Kansas and Auburn are the schools most involved in his recruitment. And while that certainly isn't an “official” top four, it serves as something relatively close. He’s set to take an official visit to Auburn next month, which could provide the Tigers with an opportunity to separate themselves in the race to land the Milton (Ga.) High School standout.

WHAT HE DID: Not many people in the gym knew Page’s name when he arrived on Sunday, but the 6-foot-8 frame had people asking who he was. The questions grew louder when the games tipped, as Page dominated the glass, got to the bucket at will and showed the ability to knock down an open jumper from deep. The class of 2023 prospect needs to grow as a defender and become more consistent from a ball-handling and shooting perspective but his blend of size, athleticism and motor had people talking. At one point in the day, national prospect Jahki Howard was asked who Page was and his response was simple. “I don’t know his name but he’s a bully,” Howard said.

RECRUITMENT: Page holds offers from Kennesaw State and Eastern Tennessee State. Penn State has also signaled interest.

WHAT HE DID: The event’s youngest standout, Nickens is a member of the class of 2025 and is already starting to make a name for himself. He’s incredibly strong for his age and handles the ball relatively well. Nickens gets to his spots and finishes well with either hand. He showed off a decently consistent three-point stroke on Saturday, knocking down a couple difficult shots from range despite being closely guarded. Right now, Nickens relies a lot on his raw strength and elite athleticism, but he has a chance to be a special prospect if he continues to develop from a skill standpoint as he matures.

RECRUITMENT: Nickens arrived at the event without a scholarship offer, but that changed before the weekend was over. On Sunday afternoon, he landed one from Auburn, which likely received word of his strong performance. Memphis, Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Tulsa have also signaled interest in Nickens through his coaches or via social media.

WHAT HE DID: DT Academy was a welcome back event of sorts for Gibbs-Lawhorn, who missed roughly a year with a foot injury. The four-star point guard looked back to full strength over the weekend, however, cutting with quickness and creating for his teammates during scrimmages. Gibbs-Lawhon needs to add muscle and develop a bit when it comes to creating his own shot, but he showed off a nice stroke from deep and shined as a creative playmaker at the event. He took home camp MVP honors for a reason, after all.

RECRUITMENT: Gibbs-Lawhorn saw his recruitment slow a bit while he was sidelined, but noted that Purdue and BYU stayed in close contact through his injury. The two schools, among others, remain near the top of his recruitment as things stand.

WHAT HE DID: There were certainly longer and more polished prospects at the weekend event, but the list of players more athletic than Mier Panoam was extremely short. The 6-foot-2 guard was one of the most explosive scorers at the event and plays above the rim incredibly well. He’s proficient in creating for himself and is a willing defender. He finished with an unofficial 23 points in one of Saturday's contests, scoring at all three levels in the process.

RECRUITMENT: Panoam holds an offer from DePaul.

WHAT HE DID: Bond shined as a defender on Sunday and was best when challenged by high-level competition. His effort and footwork on the defensive end are elite and he managed to frustrate national prospect Jakhi Howard on a handful of occasions during one-on-one work. But while it was his defense and quickness that attracted attention, it later became clear that the junior has progressed as a shooter in recent months. Bond knocked down a handful of 3-pointers in game action and is developing into a more versatile offensive player. Bond will have a lot of eyes on him this season playing for a loaded Norcross team and should see his recruitment pick up.

RECRUITMENT: Bond holds an offer from St. Louis University.