City of Palms: Day 2

On day number two in Fort Myers, FL, spectators were treated to a full day of action. The City of Palms kicked off with West Linn (OR) redeeming their 39 point day one performance with a 21 point win and concluded with Westerville South (OH), the number 15 ranked team in the country turning in a 14 point win over Michael Porter’s Father Tolton squad. In between, Mike Rice, the former Rutgers coach made his high school debut and Jayson Tatum and Tony Bradley matched-up in a preview of next year’s Tobacco Road rivalry.

3 Stars:

Jayson Tatum, 6’7”, G/F, Chaminade (MO)

It didn’t take long for Jayson Tatum, a consensus top three player in the country to get going. In the first half, Tatum hit five three-pointers turning in one of his finer outside shooting performances. He scored 19 points in the first half and finished with 36 on the night going 10-20 from the floor. The smooth wing attacked the basket and had his Kobe-esque step backs and fade-aways going as well. The Red Devils have been taking on opponents from all over the U.S. so far this season and next-up they will have a match-up with Wheeler (GA) before a pending game with defensive minded Patrick School.

HIGHLIGHTS (HomeTeamHoops)

Tony Bradley, 6’10”, C, Bartow (FL)

Bradley’s team was over-matched by Chaminade throughout as Bradley squared off against two twin towers in 6’9” Tyler Cook and 6’10” Will Gladson. Despite the size, Bradley was a beast in the paint and went 14-20 from the floor while recording his sixth double-double of the season with 33 points and 13 rebounds. There wasn’t a player all day that played with the intensity that Bradley did. As the game progressed, Bradley’s energy increased and in the fourth quarter he was a man possessed on the boards and running the floor. Bradley scored on four of his last five shots and used his right-hand hook several times against Cook and Gladson.

Bam Adebayo, 6’8”, PF, High Point Christian Academy (NC)

In a 23 point, nine rebound performance, Adebayo looked like a mini Dwight Howard. With a chiseled physique that is too much for most high schoolers to handle, Adebayo was dominating in the paint and throwing down ferocious dunks all throughout the second half. With an ever evolving offensive game, John Calipari certainly won’t need to teach effort-level next year in Lexington.

Other Notes:

-Mike Rice made his debut for The Patrick School. In a game against Norland (FL), it was only a 6-6 game after one quarter, but then TPS started to make a run behind its guard play of Jordan Walker and Bryce Aiken. TPS uses its length and intensity on defense to shut down Miami bound Dewan Huell, who Rice referred to as a “young LaMarcus Aldridge.

-Tyler Cook missed the first quarter of action for Chaminade, but finished with 12 points. He was impressive early on at the basket and with an elbow jumper. He should make an immediate impact for Iowa.

-Bam Adebayo was definitely not a one-man team for High Point. Ty Graves scored 18 points while going 4-5 from three. He was tough to contain off the dribble although he did finish with six turnovers.

-Westerville South was led by a balanced team effort against Michael and Jontay Porter. Overall, the team shot 8-12 from the three-point line and had six players score in double figures.

-Montverde Academy took it to Spain Park (AL) early, but junior forward Austin Wiley finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman R.J. Barrett led the way for Montverde with 16 points.

City of Palms: Day 1

Day number one at the 2015 City of Palms tournament in Fort Myers, FL started off with a plethora of five-star talent putting on a show. In a “light” day of action, five games were on the docket beginning with the defending City of Palms champ in Wheeler (GA) taking on the Harry Giles-less Wesleyan Christian (NC) squad and ending with an old fashioned east coast vs. west coast shoot-out.

Game of the Day:

Chino Hills (CA) 91 Thomas Jefferson (NY) 90

Chino Hills won the opening tip and all of a sudden junior guard LiAngelo Ball was knocking in a three from just below the left wing. 3-0 just a few seconds in and it was off to the races. At times this east coast vs. west coast match-up didn’t even feel like an actual basketball game, but instead it was more like an old school NBA Live video game. Chino Hills came into the game known for their ability to put up over 100 points, and of course, the Ball brothers, who have all committed to UCLA. The California boys ran a pressing and trapping style of defense that was conducive to steals and leak outs. As the younger Ball brother’s (LiAngelo and LiMelo) set-up shop around the perimeter, it was the older brother Lonzo Ball who controlled the action. With Jason Kidd like vision, Lonzo Ball finished with 10 assists. Many of the baseball pass variety from ¾ court including one, where he hit his brother in stride after throwing a pass almost the length of the court with his left-hand. With these highlight reel plays, Chino Hills took a 54-52 lead into the half. As for Thomas Jefferson, they took it right at Chino Hills and found numerous openings for their forays to the basket. 6’2” guard Shamorie Ponds ended up finishing with 40 points on 14-25 shooting. As one would expect, the game came down to the final minute. First, it was Ponds hitting two free throws to go up one point and then with time winding down it was the muscular LiAngelo Ball who hit two free throws to go up 1. With 3.1 seconds left, Thomas Jefferson had the ball under their own basket and instead of running a set play, the player inbounding the ball threw a pass off the back of a Chino Hills defender. With an undefeated season hanging in the ball, Lonzo Ball came in to save the day with two straight blocked shots. A crazy ending to a crazy game, one in which the two teams combined for 53 three’s. Chino Hills stays undefeated and advances to the next round to play the winner of Montverde Academy and Spain Park (AL).

Top Performances:

Shamorie Ponds, 6’2”, G, Thomas Jefferson (NY)

Despite coming out of the final game with a loss, Shamorie Ponds was the only player to top the 40-point mark on day one. The “slick” guard scored in a variety of manners including one three in the first-half that was well beyond NBA range. He also maneuvered to find the openings in the defense for short jumpers while also showing off his ability to finish in traffic. Despite the crazy nature of the game, Ponds was always under control and only finished with two turnovers despite having the ball in his hands for a majority of the game. Overall, Ponds was a very efficient 14-25 from the field and almost led his team to a first round upset.

Lonzo Ball, 6’5”, PG, Chino Hills (CA)

Defensive rebound in the paint, no dribble, spin, left-handed ¾ court pass right on the money for an easy lay-up. Lonzo Ball is easily the best passer in high school hoops and his skills were on display as the future Bruin went for 22 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, and 5 blocks in a 91-90 win. He can fire a bullet pass with either hand and knows exactly how far to drive on a defender before kicking it to a wide open teammate. He can attack off the dribble and knows how to use his height once in the paint. Ball knocked down two three’s, but will need to fix his form in order to excel at the higher levels of basketball. Right now the shot is released almost from the top of his left shoulder and it won’t be as easy to get off in the Pac-12. Besides for the shot mechanics, Ball is a maestro with the ball in his hands and the unquestioned leader of the Chino Hills juggernaut.

Michael Porter Jr., 6’8”, SF, Father Tolton (MO)

If there is such a thing as an easy 34 points, then it happened in the Father Tolton / Lehigh Acres game. Porter, the five-star junior went for 34 points on 9-17 shooting and added 17 rebounds. He took advantage of a scrappy Lehigh team who did not have anyone over 6’5” and did his damage with highlight reel dunks and 15 out of 16 free throws. Porter Jr. corralled the ball on the boards and began the break as well. He knocked in his only three of the game in the first half and then he started the second half with an alley-oop off of a set play. It was a very smooth game for Porter Jr. who was surrounded after the game for picture and autograph requests.

Highlights

Kevin Knox, 6’7”, F, Tampa Catholic (FL)

The five-star junior has been on a tear starting with his performance at the USA U16 tryouts last spring. Now, the explosive forward is expanding his game now that he is fully focused on basketball after previously playing football in the fall. Knox scored 27 points on 11-22 shooting and added 12 rebounds. He put together numerous highlight reel plays including dunks on the break, coast to coast lay-ups, and a powerful drive from the left wing. In the first half he hit a three from the left wing showing that he was comfortable shooting from deep, but finished just 1-5 from three. Despite the misses from three and a few from just inside the arc, Knox’s form still looked compact and similar to his 15 foot jump shot which he makes with ease. The skill level required to play the small forward position in college is expanding as is his offer list. Knox recently received UNC and Duke offers and is expecting a Kentucky one soon.

Dewan Huell, 6’9”, PF, Norland (FL)

The future Miami Hurricane put together a solid 24 point, seven rebound performance in a fairly easy win over Peyton Pritchard’s West Linn (OR) team. Huell got started early hitting a few soft jumpers from inside the paint and he also showed some body control driving baseline for a short bank shot with a smaller defender trying to take a charge. Huell had a definite height advantage in this game and controlled the paint. Today he will have a tougher test going up against the Patrick School.

Other Notes:

-Assistant coaches from UCLA, UNC, Boston College, Alabama were all seen at Day 1. With many big time games going off today expect to see some head coaches rolling in later.

-Peyton Pritchard finished with 22 points, but the Oregon commit struggled to find his shot going 7-22 from the field. His team was at an athletic disadvantage and it was hard for his teammates to get open shots. Pritchard was able to penetrate, but just didn’t have things falling in his first game.

-6’10” sophomore Jontay Porter finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds against Lehigh Acres. On Saturday, Porter will face off with Caleb Wesson, both of whom are more in the Big Baby mold which should make for an interesting match-up.

The Starting 5: UCLA 87 Kentucky 77

UCLA took down #1 Kentucky 87-77 in Westwood in Steve Alford’s biggest win during his tenure in Westwood.

1. Statement game

It’s already been a rough non-conference schedule for UCLA. They lost their first game of the season at home to Monmouth and then they lost two out of three games in Maui including their last game to lowly Wake Forest. Back at home, playing in front of a packed crowd, UCLA dominated Kentucky for pretty much the entire game despite playing just seven players. All five starters scored in double figures and as a team the Bruins shot 52.8% from the floor and 45.5% from 3. Normally, one would think this game would serve as a spring board into conference play, but UCLA still has a hellacious December in store. At home against Long Beach State, which has LETDOWN written all over it, then at Gonzaga, and then against UNC in the Barclay’s Center. The win feels good right now, but how will it feel come January 1 when UCLA heads to Seattle.

     2. Thomas Welsh’s Double-Double

The former McDonald’s All-American turned in his finest performance of his young college career. In an opening season loss to Monmouth, Welsh recorded the first double-double of his career, but he certainly exceeded that 12 point, 10 rebound performance with 21 points and 11 rebounds on 8-11 shooting. In the first half Welsh was showing off his pick and pop game and then in the second half, Welsh was money in short catch and shoot situations. Despite being a 7 footer, Welsh has a solid set of hands, a quick release, and a soft touch. Right now, Welsh is looking like a poor man’s Tyler Zeller (meant as a compliment) without the short right-handed jump hook.

     3. The Prince Has Arrived

The freshman guard was fresh off his first double-digit scoring performance on Sunday and while he didn’t top the 10 point mark, Prince Ali scored 8 points in just 12 minutes including the top dunk of the night. This pretty much sums up the night:

     4.  Where Is Skal?

      Freshmen Skal Labisserie is the projected No. 1 pick in the draft per DraftExpress; however Labisserie was basically a non-factor scoring just 6 points and grabbing 1 rebound in 16 minutes. Skal was pushed around on both ends of the floor and seemed to lack the fire that one would expect from such a highly ranked player. Before we start piling on the skinny freshman, one has to have the proper expectations. Skal was never going to come in and dominate from day one like Ben Simmons. Strength was always going to be a problem for Skal and so far that’s proving to be true. The Haitian big man has a soft high arcing shot, but he doesn’t have the creativity to get buckets on his own. Improving his overall performance is going to be a two step process. One, Skal needs to get more aggressive and two, John Calipari needs to start running more plays to get him easy looks. Two of the three Kentucky guards hunt their shot before looking for others and Skal will need some early looks in order to show his potential.

     5. Kentucky

Kentucky looked like a much different team when a defense was not pressuring them at the half-court line (a la Duke). UCLA began their defense at the three-point line and clogged the driving lane of Ulis, Murray, and Briscoe. While the guards are still potent, Kentucky will need to figure out its big man rotation. Sure Marcus Lee went out with an injury, but the Wildcats get nothing from their bigs. Poythress fouled out in 17 unproductive minutes and I’m not sure Calipari wants to rely on Isaac Humphries and Derrick Willis. It was Kentucky’s first true road game and only one loss, but the lack of offensive fire power has to be a bit concerning.

College Freshmen Preview

With the college basketball season kicking off here is a quick look at what some of the top freshmen in the country will bring to the table and how they might fare in their first season. Based on rankings from rivals.com, the top 29 recruits get discussed below along with 10 players who could outplay their ranking. 

1. Skal Labissere (PF, Kentucky) – Smooth is the best way to describe Labissere. Watching his jump shot is a thing of beauty, good elevation, high release, and soft touch. Labissere’s season will play out on an upward trajectory. He won’t have the impact of Ben Simmons, but possibly more long term potential.

2. Ben Simmons (F, LSU) – Most polished freshmen and will have the biggest impact. Do it all point forward that is an unselfish and the best passer in his class regardless of position. Tough driver and improving outside shooter. Good size and strength to make an immediate impact.

3. Jaylen Brown (SF, Cal) – Stanley Johnson clone. Physical, tough, small forward with an improving outside jump shot. Explosive off the dribble, can play inside and outside. Hard worker and competitor. Will have an all PAC-12 freshman season and average 15-18 points per game.

4. Brandon Ingram (F, Duke) – Ingram’s light bulb came on in July 2014 while playing at the Adidas Unrivaled camp in Chicago and it continues to shine. After two eye opening performances at the McD’s AA & Hoop Summit event, Ingram vaulted up to a top five player and potential top draft pick. Extremely long and skinny. Very versatile. Will have an inconsistent freshman season due to strength deficiencies and is still 2-3 years from reaching full potential.

5. Cheick Diallo (PF, Kansas) – Will he ever play at Kansas? Diallo has one of the top two motors in the freshmen class. Great shot blocker, but will be a bit undersized. Great rim runner. Will impact the game on the defensive end while getting the hustle baskets down low.

6. Diamond Stone (C, Maryland) – Best big men post moves. 12 points, 7 rebounds is my projection for Stone. Big bodied center that can score off either block. Good shot mechanics out to 15 feet. Stamina and defensive concerns will slow Stone down, but Maryland will not need to rely on him with their returning talent.

7. Ivan Rabb(PF, Cal) – Will be able to run the floor and play the pick and pop game for Cal. Injury and strength issues a concern. Could be at Cal for two years. Will have games where he puts up 14 and 10, but also a fair amount of games he struggles in. Up and down freshman season at Cal.

8. Malik Newman (G, Mississippi State) – Newman will be the top scoring freshmen. A natural scoring guard, Newman will have the keys to the car from the opening tap. He can score from all areas and shined during USA world events. Given his offensive skill, Newman is prone to taking (and sometimes hitting) difficult shots. Expect Newman to produce in the high double-digits almost every game, but his efficiency stats won’t be pretty.

9. Jamal Murray (G, Kentucky) - Kentucky's shooting guard put on a show in the Nike Hoop Summit practices leading up to the actual game and then he showcased his skills on national television scoring 30 points. Murray has deep range on his outside shot and will replace Devin Booker as Kentucky's main three-point assassin. Murray also is a better slasher than Booker and can put the ball on the floor more seamlessly. Murray was under the radar in the spring, but he could wind up as one of the best guards in the game. 

10. Isaiah Briscoe (PG, Kentucky) – Jersey product that has long, powerful arms. Explosive slasher to the basket. Will continuously put pressure on opposing defenders, but can’t shoot outside of the three-point line. Briscoe brings a swagger to the court. How will he co-exist with Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray? Briscoe will put up a decent stat line in terms of points, rebounds, and assists, but will have a high turnover rate.

11. Henry Ellenson (PF, Marquette) – A guard trapped in a power forward’s body. Ellenson slimmed down in the spring of 2014 and his game took off. As long as Ellenson does not float on the perimeter he will be the freshman of the year in the Big East. He will regularly grab defensive rebounds and push the ball up the court setting up the offense. Unique offensive skill-set with the size to compete down low.

12. Allonzo Trier (SG, Arizona) – High scoring guard that will challenge Jaylen Brown for top freshman in the PAC-12. Trier has good size and like Newman is a natural scorer. Will average double-digits and has NBA range. Lacks elite quickness to blow by defenders which will force him to settle for long-jumpers, but when he does get into the paint he can finish. Immediate impact player in Tucson.

13. Antonio Blakeney (SG, LSU) – High volume scorer. Will put up points in Baton Rogue, but will take a lot of shots to do so. Not a pure 3 point shooter, but will connect every game. Explosive jumper off one foot which will allow him to finish at the rim. Will average double figures, but also will produce a low offensive efficiency rating.

14. Derryck Thornton (PG, Duke) – Before he re-classed out of the 2016 high school class, Thornton was the best “pure” point guard out of a talented class. Knows how to run a team, quick first step, good passer, and improving mid-range shooter. Small stature and given he went from playing his junior season at Findlay Prep to Duke, Thornton will be an up and down player. Definitely won’t have a Tyus Jones impact, but will provide Duke with a steady hand at the point guard position.

15. Stephen Zimmerman (C, UNLV) – A finesse 7 footer that will excel at the pick and roll. Can catch and finish at the rim, but will prefer to knock in a 12-15 foot left-handed jumper. Superb passer for his size and can operate out of the high post. Will get pushed around down low and lacks the aggressive mind-set to always perform at a high level. Will put together efficient double-double efforts and then the next game you will wonder where he went.

16. Chase Jeter (PF, Duke) – Go to move is a right hand hook shot. Struggles to go left. Will try to find his niche within Duke’s offense which could be hard this year. Very young for his age, still improving and adding strength. Put together some dominant AAU performances, but will excel more-so as a sophomore.

17. Ray Smith (SF-Arizona) – Suffered a second ACL tear in pre-season. Was a potential NBA draft sleeper before the injury. Long, wiry, athletic guard that will know have missed two seasons in a row due to injury.

18. Tyler Dorsey (SG, Oregon) – Underrated freshman. Was a Top 10 player as a junior before dropping out of the Top 30 before a strong senior season in addition to a fantastic U19 performance playing for Greece. Long first step, good elevation at the rim and on jump-shots. Will step in for Joe Young and become an instant impact player in Eugene.

19. Caleb Swanigan (PF, Purdue) – Junkyard dog power forward. Great hands and rebounder, but a below the rim player. Uses strength and size to uproot weaker players out of post position. Nimble feet and a good short turn-around jump shot. Will struggle when faced with length in the post. Needs to continue to improve stamina. Will slap together several double-doubles, but will also find it more difficult in the post than high school.

20. Jalen Brunson (PG, Villanova) – The best college style point guard in his class. Brunson knows how to run a team efficiently and can score and pass. Brunson is knocked for his athleticism, but his strength and floater help him on drives to the basket and he has deep range on his outside shot.

21. Carlton Bragg (PF, Kansas) – Very well suited for the high-lo offense at Kansas. Prefers to play outside the paint too much, but is an able jumper shooter. Can dominate at times, but lacks consistency. Good bounce and tight form. Should make an impact at Kansas despite the big man depth.

22. Dwayne Bacon (SF, FSU) – Physical small forward that will be one of the top scorers for the Seminoles along with Xavier Rathan-Mayes. Likes to overpower defenders which could be more of a problem in the ACC, but will not need any time adjusting to college style of play. Should be an all-ACC freshman this year.

23. Jalen Adams (PG, UConn) – Most explosive point guard in the freshmen class. Adams can get by almost any one using his first step. He is a blur in the open court and can finish high above the rim. Produces lots of steals on the defensive end and can also block shots from help-side or when chasing defenders down from behind. Will provide excitement to an already talented UConn backcourt.

24. Justin Simon (PG, Arizona) – Great size and length. Excels with the ball in his hands, but how much time will he see at PG? Old for his age, but the California native will be a regular in the Wildcat rotation. Lock down defender potential. Struggles with outside shot.

25. Luke Kennard (SG, Duke) – Improved foot speed has turned Kennard into a talented player that struggled to create off the dribble into an all-around threat. He will be a three-point weapon from the wings and corners this year and also has the ball-handling and passing skills to player the point. The Ohio native could turn out to be Duke’s most consistent performer.

26. Deyonta Davis (PF, Michigan State) – Pogo stick power forward that is a bit raw offensively, but will be a valuable shot blocker and rebounder for Izzo. Davis will use his athleticism to finish at the rim and has the ability to hit the occasional outside jump shot, but will not be asked to score much during his first year in East Lansing.

27. Thomas Bryant (C, Indiana) – Bryant enters a great situation. Bryant’s strengths will shine while his weaknesses won’t be exposed (that much). High motor kid that never takes a play off. Bryant uses his 7’6” wing span to corral offensive and defensive rebounds. Uses strength and physicality to make life uncomfortable for opposing big men. Limited skills around the basket but will not be asked to score. Can run north-south, but struggles with agility moving east-west. Could average 8-10 rebounds a game.

28. Tyler Davis (C, Texas A&M) – Sean May style body, below the rim big man. Good passer that will struggle with conditioning during his freshman season. Skilled player in the post that can also step outside of the paint to score as well.

29. Elijah Thomas (PF, Texas A&M) – Thomas is a beast in the low post. He missed out on the McDonald’s All-American game, but will impress viewers once he fully returns from an injury that kept him out of some pre-season action. Solid pair of hands down low. Knows how to use his size and is a physical player.

10 Players That Will Play Above Their Ranking:

P.J. Dozier (G, South Carolina, #37) – Came back strong from an ACL injury while also growing taller and getting stronger. Dozier will be a versatile threat for South Carolina. A smooth playmaker that can handle the ball and get to the basket.

Deng Adel (SF, Louisville, #47) – Adel can attack the basket and has a solid mid-range game. He has a tight form on his shot and is a bouncy athlete. Should thrive in Pitino’s system.

Daniel Giddens (PF, Ohio State, #51) – Strong and physical power forward that will dominate the boards and block shots for Thad Matta. Will score off of put-backs and fast breaks, but will be an immediate defensive presence.

Bennie Boatwright (PF, USC, #57) – An ideal stretch four. Boatwright is an excellent shooter for his size and also plays with a mean strength. Will give USC an added dimension this year and will alter the game on both ends of the court.

Aaron Holiday (PG, UCLA, #60) – Just like Thomas Bryant, Aaron Holiday enters into the perfect situation at UCLA. Lacking a true point guard last year, the explosive Holiday can penetrate and is able to finish in the paint or draw fouls through his ability to draw contact.

Tevin Mack (SF, Texas, #61) – Mack was a Shaka Smart recruit at VCU, but is talented enough to make an impact in the Big 12. Mack possesses ideal height for a small forward and can stretch the floor with his outside shooting. A wiry athlete, Mack could make an impact for the Longhorns in his first year.

Esa Ahmad (F, West Virginia, #72) – Bob Huggins got a steal in Ahmad. A physical forward that has skills to play on the perimeter and in the post. He has an old school flair to his game and will provide immediate versatility in the Big 12.

Aaron Falzon (F, Northwestern, #92) – Just like Boatwright, Falzon will space the floor for Northwestern. He has NBA range and loves to shoot. He can put points up in a hurry and will certainly do so in Evanston.

Damion Wilson (G, Pittsburgh, #100) – Wilson is a 6’5” playmaker that is usually too tall and physical for many of the guards he’s going against.

Ed Morrow (PF, Nebraska, #105) - A bit undersized for a power forward, but Morrow brings his lunch pale to work every game. He outplayed numerous big men that were more talented than the Chicago native and should do the same for Nebraska.