The third
installment of the 2013 Nike EBL takes place in Dallas, TX this weekend and
marks the first session that will take place without college coaches in
attendance. With each team playing four games spread over three days, the games
throughout the weekend should be competitive and lively. Here is a look at some
of the top games and individual match-ups:
Top Individual Match-Up:
Tyus Jones (Howard Pulley) vs.
Joel Berry (Each 1 Teach 1)
Time: Saturday (12:30pm)
 |
| Tyus Jones - #1 PG |
Two of the
top point guards in the class of 2014 face off against each other in this
Saturday match-up. Jones is currently the top ranked point guard in the country
and is averaging 22.1 points per game and a league leading 7.7 assists.
Meanwhile, the future Tar Heel in Berry is averaging 13.2 points per game and 4
assists per game. Berry has struggled somewhat in the EYBL turning the corner
on his defender, but this weekend is a chance for him to prove that he deserves
mention as one of the top point guards in the country.
Top Team Match-ups:
Expressions Elite (MA) 9-0 vs.
Houston Hoops (TX) 8-1
Time: Saturday (11:00am)
Expressions
Elite is one of the two remaining undefeated teams after the LA and Hampton
sessions, while the talented Houston Hoops squad looks to hand the
Massachusetts based squad their first loss. Expressions Elite joined the EYBL
this year and features four players scoring in double figures led by Abdul-Malik Abu and his 16 ppg.
Meanwhile, the Houston squad is led by a talented wing trio in Justin Jackson, Justise Winslow, and Kelly
Oubre who are averaging 17.1, 14.6, and 16.2 points per game, respectively
and are veterans of the EYBL circuit. Houston was upset in their final game in
Hampton after an 8-0 start and will look to get back on track in their home
state.
Team Takeover (DC) 9-0 vs. BABC
(MA) 8-1
Time: Saturday (11:00am)
Team
Takeover is the other undefeated EYBL team and they are led by sharp shooters
Dion Wiley and Phil Booth. Wiley is currently shooting a nice 30-60 from behind
the three point line while Phil Booth is 10-23. While both of these guards can
score the ball, they need someone to get them the ball. This duty falls to
point guard Tre Campbell, who is fresh off a Wednesday evening commitment to
Georgetown. Campbell is currently averaging 4.7 assists per game with an extremely
impressive 3.5:1 assist to turnover ratio. Takeover faces off against another nationally acclaimed
program in BABC that sits 8-1. Despite losing the majority of their fire power
from last year, BABC’s only defeat came in a 67-68 defeat against Indy Spiece.
BABC is led by the Rhode Island state player of the year in Bonzie Colson Jr. who is currently
averaging 18.3 points and shooting 62 percent from the field. This match-up
features two of the most consistent AAU teams in the circuit and should be a
back and forth affair.
The Rivalry Games:
Cal Supreme (3-6) vs. Oakland Soldiers
(3-6)
Time: Sunday (8:00am)
Both teams
enter the Dallas EYBL with matching 3-6 records; however this California
rivalry is sure to provide some early morning fire works on Sunday. While most
8am games can be quite sluggish, this NorCal / SoCal rivalry should be intense
from the opening tip. Both teams feature familiar faces in point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright for Cal
Supreme and the powerful Stanley Johnson
for the Oakland Soldiers. Jackson-Cartwright is currently averaging 10.9 points
per game to go along with a 2.4:1 assist to turnover ratio. The diminutive
point guard has some help down low with forwards Payton Dastrup and Zylan
Cheatham who are two of the hottest names on the west coast. Leading the
way for the defending champions from Northern California is Stanley Johnson who
is currently averaging 18.8 ppg and 11.6 rbg. With his size and strength,
Johnson is pretty mutch an offensive mis-match for any opponent. Accompanying
Johnson is one of the top players from the class of 2015 in Ivan Rabb. Despite his youth, this
talented big man is currently averaging 13.4 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.
ICP Elite (OR) vs. Seattle Rotary
(WA)
Time: Saturday (6:30pm)
 |
| Shaqquan Aaron |
In a Pacific
Northwest battle, the Portland and Seattle based squads go head to head on
Saturday evening. Similar to the California rivalry game, the records of both
teams are less than stellar with ICP at 2-7 and Seattle at 1-8. Despite the
records, one of the most intriguing individual match-ups will take place
between a pair of lanky small forwards in Kameron
Chatman for ICP and Shaqquan Aaron
of Seattle Rotary. Both players have had an interesting three year high school
career thanks to transfers and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).
After transferring from Jefferson High in Portland to the California powerhouse
in Long Beach Poly, Chatman was forced to sit out his junior year by the CIF. On the other side, Aaron recently helped his
Rainier Beach high school squad (Seattle) win a state championship; however
this came after he was forced to sit out his sophomore year in California after
the CIF ruled him ineligible after transferring to Taft (from Mater Dei) for
his sophomore year. Chatman is currently
averaging 16.3 points and 11.4 rebounds while being heavily recruited by west
coast schools and Michigan. Aaron has already committed to play for Rick Pitino’s
Cardinals and is averaging 10 points per game.
NY Lightning (6-3) vs. NJ Playaz
(5-4)
Time: Friday (7:30pm)
This
northeast match-up between the New York Lightning and New Jersey Playaz on
Friday evening features two teams over .500 and two of the top scorers in the
EYBL. Junior to be Isaiah Briscoe is
one of the top players in the class of 2015 and leads the Jersey squad with
21.8 points per game, currently 3rd in the EYBL. Up I-95, Mike Williams leads the Lightning with
18.2 points per game. Williams started off the EYBL season with a 7-7
performance from the three point line and continued his hot streak throughout
the first weekend hitting 51.4% from deep. While Briscoe is a household name,
Williams will look to continue build his reputation with another stellar
performance.
The Return:
Jahlil Okafor - After dominating the high school season and
his first AAU tournament of the spring, the talented big man and top player in
the country went down with an injury that kept him out of the first two EYBL
sessions. If the three year veteran of the 17U Mac Irvin Fire comes back this
weekend it could mark the start of one of the most unstoppable low post tandems
seen on the AAU circuit in some time. During April, fellow big man Cliff Alexander dominated the
opposition in his first EYBL action averaging almost 15 points and 12 rebounds
per game. Despite being public school rivals, the top big men in the class of
2014 have played on different AAU teams throughout high school. With Alexander
recently joining up with Mac Irvin teaming the top two big men in the country
might just be unfair.
Trey Lyles - A 6’9” power forward will make his return to
the EYBL this weekend after a solid performance in the Fort Wayne Shootout.
Lyles plays for Indy Spiece and will add a strong low post presence to the
already talented team which stands 6-3 and features standouts Jaquan Lyle, Vijay Blackmon, and Trevon
Blueitt.
Other Notes:
·
The CP3
All-Stars are the only team out of 40 on the circuit to have five players
averaging double figures led by the wing duo of Theo Pinson and L.J. Peak.
·
Star
freshman Thon Maker created some
buzz in this same Dallas set-up last year playing for the 17U Jackson Tigers.
Despite the fact that Maker had not set foot in high school he ran the floor and
showed off a skill-set very rarely seen in a player his size and age. He now
suits up for Boo Williams and is averaging 7.7 points and 2.6 blocks per game.
·
Sophomore
stud Malik Newman also blew up in
Dallas last year as well. One of the top players in the class of 2015 and the
current leading scorer in the EYBL, Newman will face off against Ivan Rabb
Saturday morning for class of 2015 bragging rights.
·
One of the
more underrated match-ups will occur on Saturday evening when the up and coming
Jalen Brunson takes on Tyus Jones. Brunson struggled with his shot in LA but
went 7-16 from the three point line in Hampton. Both guards have similar styles
and it will be a chance for Brunson to test his skills against the best. Also, this
game will feature the top two players in the country on the same court in
Okafor and Jones who could also be possible future college teammates.
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