FloHoops is heading to Sin City this weekend for the West Coast Elite Spring Classic, which will be held April 22-24 at Bishop Gorman High School. FloHoops will be on the scene to stream all 17U games from Court 1.

To help prepare you for all the action, we caught up with Coach Jhamar Clark of the 17U Las Vegas Prospects — check it out below.

FloHoops: How did you get your start into coaching? 
Coach Clark: I’ve coached basketball for over 13 years. I started around 19 years old when I began coaching a youth foundation. After that, ended up coaching AAU basketball with the Las Vegas Prospects.

What are some players to watch on your team?
Jeremie Portuondo, a 6-5 wing from the class of 2017 out of Durango High — he can hold all five positions, is extremely athletic, plays hard, and can knock down the three. Portuondo is getting interest from Southern Utah. Next is a 5-9 point guard, Demtrius Valdez, also of Durango. Valdez is our leader on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. He’s a bulldog on the court, and passes and scores well. Finally, we have two-sport (football, basketball) athletes Cullen Highbe and Jordan Simon. Highbe is from Pahranagat Valley High School (Nevada), and is gaining interest from Southern Utah. He has yet to lose a game of organized football. Simon is a 6-3 combo guard, and super athletic. For football, Hawaii, UNLV, and San Diego State are looking at him. For basketball, he’s getting interest from Army.

Why do you think AAU basketball is important to these kids?
It provides a lot more exposure for an athlete than just playing for their high school. The AAU scene has a higher level of competition.

What do you hope to see from your kids?
Success not only on the court, but in the classroom. It’s important for these kids to perform academically. I’ve had kids make it to college on only academic scholarships. Academics comes first.