Djuan Piper: Stepping Into the Spotlight

He’s a tall, athletic wing with two state championships to his name and plays for a school that’s produced a handful of NBA players including Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson, and Terrence Williams. His name is known in the Pacific Northwest, but he currently sits in the shadows behind certain high school and AAU teammates. Have you heard of Djuan Piper? Probably not, but you can be sure that college coaches from coast to coast sure have.

Background

photo by Max Preps

Piper is a 6’5” wing with long arms and is active on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. He excels in transition and also possesses great quickness. In the half-court set Piper can usually blow by his man on the perimeter and finish above the rim. Defensive pressure is his strongest attribute as he noted that “my defense is always there.” He has range on his outside shot and can knock down three’s, but is also well aware that he needs to improve the consistency of this three point shot while also gaining confidence in his ball-handling skills. 

High School:

In his high school career, Piper has played an integral role the past two years in helping Rainier Beach capture back to back championships in the state of Washington. As a sophomore he chipped in four points and six rebounds while teammate Anrio Adams led the way in a championship win over Seattle Prep. This past year as a junior, Piper teamed up with Shaqquan Aaron, a transfer from California and soon to be Louisville Cardinal. Both players share similar height and build and Piper said that coaches often compared the two. While Aaron was the new man in town, it was Piper who contributed 10 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals in a 62-59 state title win over Lakeside. 

Recruiting:

During the spring and summer, Piper is playing AAU ball for the Tacoma based Team Bradley NW Panthers that are led by future California point guard Ahmaad Rorie. While Rorie is the star player, the national tournaments have provided Piper with increased national exposure. During the second live April period, Piper caught the eye of Richmond head coach Chris Mooney in Dallas at the Adidas VIP Exclusive Run. 

“They liked that I was aggressive and said they needed a lanky big two-guard to come in. I could play right away and the year I graduate (high school) they might be playing in the Big East and I always wanted to play in the Big East” said Piper. I’ve built a good relationship with the coaches so far.”

This past weekend at the UA Summer Jam outside of Milwaukee, Mooney made sure that Piper knew how interested he was. While 450 coaches visited this tournament on the first day, only a handful remained on Saturday night and Sunday. Most of the remaining coaches were assistants, but Mooney was front and center for the Panthers’ playoff run sometimes standing directly behind the basket in full view. Piper showcased his talent averaging 9 points and 3.5 rebounds a game throughout the tournament.

While many west coast schools have shown an initial interest in Piper, USC and their new coaching staff made it clear that he was a priority. 

“The first day Coach Enfield went to USC, he called my high school coach and called my phone. He said this is my first day and you’re at the top of my list” noted Piper.

At the Adidas Invitational in Indianapolis two weeks ago, Piper piqued the interest of Kansas coach Bill Self.

Piper said “This just happened, in Indiana. He must have been at my game and he called my coach. He said they wanted to start recruiting me.”

While Piper has not taken any official visits he knows for sure he wants to get out to Richmond and USC and hopefully Kansas. Two schools that have not expressed interest that could jump quickly to the top of his list are Washington and California. When asked if he would be interested in Washington, Piper noted “Oh yeah, easy they would be Top 3.” Despite being a local product he hasn’t seen Lorenzo Romar or any of the UW coaching staff at his games. 

As for Cal, Piper loves to play with his AAU teammate Ahmaad Rorie and wouldn’t mind joining him in college as well. 

“Ahmaad’s my guy,” Piper said. “I would definitely like to play with him at Cal.”

Other schools currently in contact with Piper are Washington State, Utah, Boise State, along with the Oregon schools and Boise State.

For now, Piper is ready to put on his best effort for college coaches one last time in Las Vegas and then he is off to the Adidas Nations in Los Angeles. After the AAU season winds down, it’s back to Rainier Beach as he looks to team up with Aaron for another championship run. This year the team will step out onto the national stage with a potential game in the Hoophall Classic as well as one against Jahlil Okafor and Whitney Young in the Les Schwab Invitational.

“We’re going for our third in a row this year,” Piper said. “I think we are gonna be nice and compete not just for a state championship, but also the national championship.”

While college coaches started to take notice of Piper’s skill set, a third state championship along with a national title could go a long way in bringing Piper out from the shadows of his teammates and into a nationally recognized name.

UA Summer Jam: Names to Remember

Four days down in Milwaukee and the well known teams, players, and coaches are starting to drop like flies. In a day full of playoff action, the stands were light on big name coaches but the games were still competitive. Going into the final day the 17U Final Four has a definite Midwest flavor with three of the four remaining teams all within driving distance of the gym. While there is one day left in the second live recruiting period, here is a look at some names that are a bit under the radar: 

Names to Remember:

Michael Tucker Jr., 6’6”, G, 2017, Atlanta Xpress

One of the few upcoming freshmen playing in the 16U age group, Tucker put on a show in both of his games on Day 4. In the morning he was the team’s leading scorer in a win over Dream Vision. Tucker hit several first half three’s and had impressive lift on all of his outside shots. In his second game against the Wisconsin Playground Warriors, Tucker attacked the basket off the dribble in pick and roll’s and in isolation. He showed nice body control on his drives and appears to be a solid all around athlete. Expect Tucker to make his mark as a freshman at Alcovy High School in Covington, Georgia this year.

Travon Bunch, 6’11”, C, 2014, DTA

Bunch is a long and lean center that is pushing 7 feet. While he did not make much of an impact on the offensive end, he was dominant on the defensive side of the ball. With his team trailing in the second half, Bunch turned the paint into his own personal playground. Anytime a player drove the lane his shot got blocked and anytime a jumper bounced off the rim, Bunch was there to grab it and ignite the fast break. He ended up with six blocked shots and had at least 10 rebounds in the second half. This performance was one of the most impressive non-scoring stretches seen in the tournament so far.

Lamont Turner, 6’2”, PG, 2015, Atlanta Xpress

Turner is a smooth 6’2” point guard that can score and create in a multitude of ways all while playing under control. He helped lead his team to the 16U quarterfinals with his strong play as he routinely hit open jump shots and baskets in transition. On a team stocked with small guards, Turner impressed the most.

Ryan Kreklow, 6’3”, SG, 2015, KC Run GMC

In a big win over Diamond Stone’s Young Legends team, Kreklow put on one of the more impressive shooting displays on day four. He hit four three pointers in the game and scored 18 points in total as he caught fire in the second half when he scored 15 of those points. He hit back to back three’s from the wing to keep the game out of reach and made sure his shooting stroke was on display for the coaches in attendance.

Brevin Pritzl, 6’3”, SG, 2015, WI Playground Warriors

While it’s usually point guard Nick Noskowiak who gets the attention, Pritzl played a key part in a win over the Atlanta Xpress which propelled his team to the final four. He led the way in a close affair and finished with 18 points. Pritzl is a tough guard that can knock down an outside jump shot or throw down a dunk in traffic. A lot of his baskets came in the paint as he exhibited a nice knack for avoiding the taller defenders and finding a basket.

Championship Sunday:

In the 17U Final Four, the Wisconsin Swing take on another Wisconsin team in Ray Allen Select. The Swing won their Sweet 16 match-up on a tip-in and then took apart the Milwaukee Rebels and Kevon Looney. The Swing are led by athletic guard Lamonte Bearden while Ray Allen is led by the shard-shooting duo of Riley LaChance and Reed Trimmer.

The other semi-final features the Iowa Barnstormers vs. DC Assault. The one non Midwest team has been destroying its competition thanks to the strong play from point guard Romelo Trimble. The Barnstormers are a gritty team that needed overtime to advance to the quarterfinals before dismantling the Houston Defenders and top scorer Joe Burton. Wyatt Lohaus leads the way for this team.  

UA Summer Jam: Day 2 Recap

Two days down in Mequon, Wisconsin for the UA Summer Jam and this time the 16U age group got to share the main stage at Homestead High School. On Day 1, the who’s who of college basketball filled the bleachers to watch Cliff Alexander take on Myles Turner and while several big time match-ups occurred it was the young kids that drew the coaches in the morning.

Top Players (16U):

Diamond Stone, 6’10”, 2015, PF/C, Young Legends

photo from NY2LA Sports

One of the top players in the class of 2015 drew the most attention early in the morning on Day 2. For Stone’s game against Dream Vision, he had head coaches such as Roy Williams, Rick Pitino, Tom Izzo, Travis Ford, Buzz Williams, and Bo Ryan front and center. Stone flashed his skills for the coaches and while he struggled at times he still finished with 22 points. He scored off put-backs, on the break, and in post-up situations. While Stone dropped weight this spring, he still has his strength which allows him to overpower opponents in a graceful manner. He didn’t connect on his jump shots in the first game, but nailed a three in his second game against DC Assault. One area that Stone will need to continue to fine as he continues to play in the 16U age group relates to his concentration. He missed on four dunks during the day which should not happen with a player his size and athletic ability. Despite the misses, all of the coaches were imagining how good he would look suiting up for them in two years.

Ray Smith, 6’6”, 2015, G, LV Prospects

In the first game of the day, Smith had UNLV head coach Dave Rice front and center at 8am along with a variety of other west coast schools. Smith is a long and lean wing player with a high arching shot. He didn’t waste any time as he nailed a three to start the game en route to seven first half points. In the second half, Smith helped spur a comeback from double digits with his all around play. He grabbed key rebounds and also dished to cutting teammates when he wasn’t too busy driving to the basket. He had a key assist off of penetration in the remaining seconds of the game before the opponent forced overtime. Smith is a talented wing that can do a little bit of everything and a guy that all the west coast schools would love to have.

Daquan Bracey, 5’11”, 2016, PG, Baltimore’s Finest

Bracey is a jet quick guard that wanted the ball in his hands even though he was the youngest player on the team. He made his mark early on coming off the bench with his quick first step and ability to get by defenders off the dribble. He hit one three in the first half but then turned up his play which led to increased playing time. After a basket by the LV Prospects which put them up two with five seconds left, Bracey went coast to coast for a right handed lay-up that sent the game into overtime. He eventually miss-fired on a three pointer to put the game into a second overtime, but one has to admire his cojones. 

Kani Coles, 6’6”, 2015, SF, Baltimore’s Finest

Playing forward for Baltimore, Coles attacked the offensive boards throughout the game. In the first half he scored 10 points with six of them coming off offensive put-backs. On all the put-backs Coles flew through the air for the rebound before tipping the ball in or going back up for a contested lay-up. He continued his domination on the glass in the second half and created many additional scoring opportunities for his team.  

John Davis, 6’2”, G, 2015, DC Assault

DC Assault went 2-0 on the day with Davis playing a huge role as a key scorer. The combo guard was explosive and strong with the basketball and mixed in outside shots with athletic drives to the basket. In both games, Davis went for double digit points and kept the defense off balance all day long. Upon penetration, if Davis did not have a lay-up he also had enough court vision to find the open man for a lay-up.

Leroy Butts, 6’7”, F, 2015, DC Assault

The senior to be at Bishop O’Connell was the leader of the DC Assault team and led through his stellar play in both the morning and afternoon games. The lanky left-hander showed a smooth touch on his jump shot and excelled in knocking down anything within 15 feet. He also could score in the post and often caused problems on the defensive end when he guarded the other team’s center. The DC Assault team had a variety of east coast college’s at their games with Butts being a major recipient of their attention. 

Nick Blair, 6’4”, SF, 2015, Dream Vision

In an early morning loss to Diamond Stone and the Young Legends, Nick Blair was one of the bright spots for the west coast based AAU team. Blair combined his leaping ability and strength to score off drives to the basket. He also showed off an outside shot connecting on two three pointers. Overall, Blair finished with 18 points and was a tough wing to contain.

Players of Interest (17U):

Daryl Gaynor, 6’2”, 2014, G, LV Prospects

A combo guard out of Nevada, Gaynor played a key role in two wins for the Las Vegas Prospects. His key attribute is his quickness which he showcased frequently in transition. In an up-tempo first game, Gaynor pushed the pace and knifed his way to the basket. In his second game, Gaynor continued to push the pace and put defenders back on their heels. Against Team Loaded – NC, Gaynor went off for 24 points on 10-17 shooting.

TJ Haws, 6’3”, 2014, G, LV Prospects

Gaynor’s back court mate in the two wins was TJ Haws, the star from Lone Peak. With Gaynor pushing the pace, Haws was able to slide over to his more natural shooting guard position. Haws scored 13 points in the first game on 5-8 shooting and 14 points in the second game on 5-10 shooting. During the games he used several basket cuts for right and left handed lay-ups while also draining several smooth looking outside shots. 

DJ Wilson, 6’8”, 2014, SF, Team Superstar

In the morning session against the LV Prospects, DJ Wilson had the college coaches buzzing with his play. Standing at 6’8” with a skinny frame, Wilson showed off a text book jump shot and went 3-3 from behind the line in a strong first half performance. His shot was smooth and effortless with range several feet behind the arc. When pressured Wilson used a pump fake to drive to the basket and finished with a soft floater. A Sacramento native, Wilson could see his stock start to rise after his first game in the tournament.

The Headliner:

Similar to Day 1, there were two top notch individual match-ups going on at the same time. Unfortunately coaches had to choose one or the other as the Cliff Alexander vs. Karl Towns Jr. match up was going on in a side gym, while the Myles Turner vs. Kevon Looney match-up was going on in the main gym. 

Both Turner and Looney had their moments in their match-up, but it was the 5’7” Demontrae Jefferson that stole the show and helped lead his Milwaukee Rebels team to a win. While super athletic, Jefferson can often play out of control and force shots from all over the court. For the most part that wasn’t the case as he went 11-21 for 23 points and dished out six assists. Jefferson got out on the break and finished at the rim time and time again and also ran the pick and roll with Looney and other teammates leaving them with pin point passes for easy baskets. Looney finished 13 points and eight rebounds while Turner scored nine points to go along with nine rebounds. Looney’s offense came primarily off drives to the basket and shots down low, while Turner hit a deep jump shot and turnaround over Looney to go along with two baskets down low. The coaches came for the big men, but were instead treated to highlights from Jefferson.

Other Notes:

Joe Burton scored in the 30’s again as he went for 31 points on 12-20 shooting.

The Utah Prospects put on a rare performance in the afternoon holding ISTI Elite from Houston scoreless in the first half. At halftime, the Prospects had a 28-0 lead behind the shooting of Brekkott Chapman and Jared Stutzman. ITSI featured center Tacko Fall who was listed at 7’5.” He went 1-3 from the field in a 48-12 ball game.

UA Summer Jam: Big Cliff vs. Myles Turner

The second live July recruiting session kicked off Wednesday evening with the UA Summer Jam held at Homestead High School in Mequon, WI. Normally this tournament has to play second fiddle to the Nike Peach Jam, but this year the Summer Jam sits alone at the top as 450 coaches passed through the doors on Day 1.

Battle of the Big Men

The most anticipated game of the evening pitted two of the top big men in the country against each other in Cliff Alexander of the Mac Irvin Fire and Myles Turner of Texas Select. Both big men drew rave reviews throughout the spring and summer with their dominant play and were set to go head to head in an evening tilt. Alexander, a Chicago native has been climbing up the recruiting rankings steadily over the past year and now sits as the 2^nd best player in the country per ESPN. Myles Turner, on the other hand came out of nowhere in the spring and vaulted into everyone’s top 10 almost overnight. While the two players missed each other at the Lebron James Skills Academy two weeks ago they were ready for each other once the game began. 

Despite all the hype and attention, the one on one match-up did not live up to its billing. While Turner guarded Alexander on defense, the Mac Irvin Fire spent most of their game in a three quarter court trap or a zone defense. From the outset, Alexander was initially bothered by Turner’s height and length as he was giving up a few inches. He missed his first four shots as Turner gave him space to operate just outside of the post. 

On the other side, Turner was bothered by Alexander’s strength and seemed to float around the perimeter. His first shot was a missed three from the top of the key, but he then hit a corner three a few possessions later which was quickly followed by an eight foot jumper from the baseline. 

In order to combat Turner’s length, Alexander realized he needed to attack Turner in the post, which he began doing every time he got the ball midway through the half. His first basket came on a right hand hook from the left post. Turner blocked the next shot, but then Alexander hit another right hand hook on Turner, this time from the right post. Alexander called for the ball on the next possession in the post and was blatantly fouled by Turner but the refs let the play go on. 

After his two jump shots in a row, Turner was fairly quiet on the offensive end until the end of the game when his team was down twenty points. Towards the end he scored on a reverse pivot in the post and then on a tip dunk.

Overall:

Cliff vs. Myles Shot Chart

Alexander finished with 10 points on 5-15 shooting with eight rebounds and two blocks. One of his blocks came on a Turner three pointer. Turner finished with 9 points on 4-8 shooting with ten rebounds and three blocks. 

Neither player got it going offensively throughout the game. Alexander was initially bothered by Turner’s length and while he put together a few right hand hook shots he was far off on all of his jump shots. Turner was bothered by Alexander’s strength and floated around the perimeter and didn’t touch the ball during Mac Irvin’s second half run. Tom Izzo and Bill Self were front and center for this match-up.

While these two players did not dominate, the young Mac Irvin guards sure did. Juniors to be Jalen Brunson and Luwane Pipkins took turns running the point guard spot to perfection. Brunson showed off his feathery left handed touch from deep, while the speedy Pipkins hit two as well.  Along with these two point guards, shooting guard Miles Reynolds hit two three’s to start the second half which turned a four point halftime lead into a route. Other top performers included Ed Morrow of the Mac Irvin Fire and Nick Babb of Texas Select.

The Other Big Man Match-Up

While Alexander and Turner faced off on Court 2 in Homestead High, Kevon Looney and Karl Towns Jr. went to work on Court 3. Towns started off with the advantage as he used his size and strength for a few baskets down low to go along with a three from the wing. Looney started to heat up in the second half and also forced Towns into contested shots as well. The game went into overtime, but Towns’ teammate Tarin Smith delivered quite the performance down the stretch giving Sports U the victory over the Milwaukee Running Rebels. Smith finished with 21 points on 6-7 shooting while Towns scored nine and Looney 17.

Last Game of the Night:

As 11pm approached, the last game of the night featured a back and forth affair between DC Assault and Dream Vision. Similar to some earlier games, this one went into overtime as well forcing college coaches to continue their viewing for an extra few minutes. DC Assault won in overtime thanks to a Donte Grantham tip in, but it was point guard Romelo Trimble who led the way with a game high 23 points. In regulation, Trimble hit a three pointer off a set play to take the lead and constantly drove to the basket for contested lay-ups and trips to the free throw line. While Trimble gave a stellar performance in front of his future coach Mark Turgeon it was a pair of high school teammates that impressed for Dream Vision. Junior big men Chase Jeter and Stephen Zimmerman ran an effective high-low offense and showed off their potential. Jeter is a Brandon Wright clone and primarily used a soft hook over the right shoulder while Zimmerman enjoyed shooting from 12 feet and out. Dream Vision guard Namon Wright led the way on the perimeter with 18 points and had one of the best shooting performances on the night. He hit several contested three’s throughout the game as well as mid-range jumpers from various spots on the court. Despite the loss, both teams showed off their talented players to all of the coaches still remaining in the gym.

Best Shooting Performance:

While Namon Wright shot well, it was the 6’2” Riley LaChance from Ray Allen Select who stole the show in one of the first games of the tournament. In the first half of his game, LaChance put on a shooting clinic going for 20 points. He started with a quick five points and then added in a mixture of mid-range jump shots and driving lay-ups before closing the half with two consecutive three’s. Thanks to a strong first half, LaChance was able to take it easy in the second half as his team won via the mercy rule.

Top Scorers:

Joe Burton, 6’6”, SG, 2014, Houston Defenders

Burton led the way in a closely contested win over Team Loaded (NC) as he went 12-24 from the field for 35 points. He shot 3-9 from three and also put a defender on a poster with an and-one dunk in the second half which had the crowd buzzing.

Brekkott Chapman, 6’8”, F, 2014, Utah Prospects

Chapman shot a sizzling 10-13 from the field for 27 points in a close win over the Atlanta Xpress. He hit one three and also went 6-8 from the line. While Chapman’s performance came in one of the side gyms, he will have plenty of chances to perform on the main stage the rest of the way. 

Other Notable Players:

Darrell Davis, 6’4”, 2014, G, Michigan Hurricanes

A lanky guard that provided the majority of ball-handling got to the basket at will for his Michigan team. What he lacked in strength, he made up for in wing span and quickness. Davis constantly got by his defender and showed a unique ability to finish with his left hand. He scored on three consecutive half court possessions against Team Charlotte and when he wasn’t scoring he was providing scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Daryl Bigham, 6’6”, 2014, F, Michigan Hurricanes

Bigham was a recipient of several Darrell Davis assists. To start the game he scored on two deep jump shots and also added on a few blocks down low on the defensive end. In the second half, Bigham began to play down low on more possessions and converted on several short shots.

Jaylen Fisher, 6’1”, 2016, Team Thad

While he was one of the few upcoming sophomores playing in 17U play on opening night, Fisher did not show any fear. In a close game against the Illinois Wolves he went to the basket hard to give his team a four point lead in overtime. He finished with 13 points but was also aggressive throughout the game with his full court defense and on the ball pressure.