Nike Hoop Summit: US Scrimmage

The Nike Hoop Summit is underway in Portland, OR this week and Thursday marked the third day of practice for the U.S. team. The early afternoon consisted of putting in plays and some light scrimmaging as the team saved up for the 6-8pm session. In this stanza, the U.S. team scrimmaged for four, 10 minute quarters against a variety of players from Portland University and other local schools in addition to future Oklahoma Sooner, Payton Pritchard (class of 2016). It also happened to be the only practice that NBA scouts could attend for the U.S. team and the gym was packed with over 100 scouts and General Managers. The U.S. team used its length and athleticism to combat its strength disadvantage and won the first three quarters comfortable before squeaking out a fourth quarter victory.

The starters included Jalen Brunson, Malik Newman, Brandon Ingram, Ivan Rabb, and Stephen Zimmerman. 

Guards:

Malik Newman – Newman got the start alongside Jalen Brunson and showcased his scoring ability throughout. Without being tasked to start the offense, Newman was free to attack the basket and look for mid-range jump shots within half-court offensive sets. He started the scrimmage off with a three from the left wing and added in a step-back jumper. In the second half Newman put up points in a hurry scoring off a pick and roll and using screens to find open 17 foot jump shots. The uncommitted guard was one of the top performers on the day and used his first quick step to constantly free himself from his defender.

Allonzo Trier – The future Arizona Wildcat was the leading scorer for the U.S. with 20 points including an and one three to win a sluggish fourth quarter for the U.S. Trier hit several three’s from the wing and looked comfortable several feet behind the arc. Trier’s ability to get to the rim against more athletic defenders has been questioned but he displayed a good bounce off the dribble and was at ease finding his shot.

Briscoe drives against Pritchard - photo by Ken Waz

Isaiah Briscoe – The powerful combo guard was manning the point guard position when he was in the game. He used his upper body strength and in and out dribble to constantly get deep into the lane where he was able to use his wing span to convert lay-ups or dish out to open teammates. Briscoe was intense on defense and put the most pressure on Pritchard when he was handling the ball. In addition to his baskets close to the hoop, Briscoe converted a long two from the left corner in the second half.

Luke Kennard – Throughout the course of the game, Kennard was the best defensive rebounding guard. He got off the ground quickly and is a good two-footed jumper which he also displayed when going for two-handed jams on various fastbreak attempts. Kennard knocked in several three’s, but struggled when he had to put the ball on the floor. He has a good first burst, but is hampered after one dribble when going towards the basket.  

Jalen Brunson – It wasn't a great scoring day for Brunson although he found the basket several times in the second half. His outside shot was off, but ran the offense well and minimized turnovers. Brunson played stellar defense on Pritchard picking him off twice and showed good instincts in intercepting a few other passes.

Small Forwards:

Brandon Ingram – The rising senior prospect started for the U.S. and finished with 13 points. He got to the line in both halves by attacking the basket and converted 7-8 from the line. He miss-fired on his three point attempts but knocked in a 12 foot jump shot after a pick and roll with Brunson in the second. Ingram used his length to block several jump shots as well on the defensive end. He didn't play as well as he did at McDonald’s, but he still looked comfortable and confident in his surroundings. Over the next few months he will need to continue to work on his strength and explosiveness as the fouls he drew today could have easily turned into blocks or missed shots against more athletic players.

Jaylen Brown – After participating in drills to start the practice, Brown was held out of the scrimmage with a sore hip.

Big Men:

Ivan Rabb – Over the last year, Rabb has worked on his body to get stronger and healthier. After winning a California state championship, Rabb’s effort has been top tier over the past two weeks. He scored close to the rim in the first half with both hands. He also displayed his passing ability with several touch passes to open teammates and operated well at the top of the key. Rabb was forced into a few contested shots in the second half going against stronger defenders and he noted that continuing to get in the weight room was one of his priorities.

Stephen Zimmerman – Big Zimm had a strong run in the second quarter scoring nine points in a quick burst. He converted a touch pass from Rabb and finished close to the rim including an and-one. While he scored in a hurry in this quarter he was also challenged by the physical play and struggled to score with the ball in his hands. He also didn’t get a chance to showcase his 12-15 foot jump shot during the course of the game.

Chase Jeter – The future Duke tandem of Kennard and Jeter connected several times for baskets including one where Kennard took the ball up the court and after attacking the basket he dished out to Jeter for a swish from the foul line extended. Jeter used his go-to move (right hook) to score in the second quarter.

Caleb Swanigan – Swanigan scored three points in the first half and struggled to convert down low; however he used his upper body to keep the opposing post players out of the paint and also man handled a smaller defender down low in the fourth quarter. He stepped outside the paint twice miss-firing on both of his jumpers which he was knocking down in the McDonald’s practices. Swanigan has the power to bang with college players but will need to work on his explosiveness off of two feet.

The U.S. won the first quarter 27-14, the second quarter 34-21, and the third quarter 31-15. With both teams looking tired the fourth quarter it was an issue getting the ball in the hoop on both sides. Down 15-12, Allonzo Trier hit a three from the top of the key and got fouled with two seconds left providing the U.S. with a 16-15 win. While not on the U.S. team, Payton Pritchard relished the opportunity to go against the older U.S. players. When he walked in the gym, the scouts were buzzing about the performance he put on a year ago in the Hoop Summit scrimmage despite being just a sophomore. While he struggled from the floor, he displayed good ball-handlings skills and was constantly getting into the paint showing good body control and an ability to avoid getting his shot blocked by the U.S. big men.

Chase Jeter's Steady Rise Lands Him At Duke

Five-star power forward Chase Jeter is headed to Duke University to play for Coach K at Cameron Indoor. In an announcement that wasn’t exactly a surprise, the 6’10” Jeter recently made his commitment during the Adidas Nations basketball tournament on ESPNU.

It’s been a slow and steady climb out of the shadows for Jeter who came up with 7’0” Stephen Zimmerman during their high school tenure at Bishop Gorman in Nevada. The duo holds three straight state championships, but it seemed that Jeter’s light never shined quite as bright as Zimmerman’s during that run. Using last June as an example, Scout had Zimmerman as the No. 1 prospect in the 2015 class while Jeter came in at No. 29. Now, however; Chase Jeter is considered every bit the prospect that Zimmerman is and currently maintains a No. 9 ranking by Scout.com.

At each viewing over the past year Jeter’s game progressed at every event he attended. Last year at the Adidas Nations, Jeter averaged 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. This year he increased that to 12.7 points and 10 rebounds per game. Little by little Jeter has added weight to his frame while becoming more aggressive down low. After a strong junior year Jeter was finally able to step out of the shadows when Zimmerman decided to join the Oakland Soldiers AAU team and compete in the Nike EYBL. 

As the go-to player for Dream Vision’s 17U AAU team in the Adidas Uprising league, Jeter responded in-kind averaging 20.4 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. In June, Jeter made the 18U USA National Team that featured several incoming college freshmen despite being the youngest member. After participating in Colorado Springs with the USA team, Jeter put together a very strong summer which began in July at the Adidas Unrivaled Camp in Chicago and just ended with the Adidas Nations camp in California with stops at Milwaukee and Las Vegas in between. Jeter made the All-Star team in Chicago after averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds per game and then led his Dream Vision team to second place in the famed FAB 48 tournament.

At 6’10” Jeter can run the floor and affect the game on both ends of the court. On the offensive end he prefers to turn right and finish with a right hand hook. He is comfortable stepping out for a 12-15 foot jumper and doesn’t mind mixing it up down low. On the defensive end, Jeter has enough spring in his step to block shots on a regular basis and he also moves his feet relatively well on the pick and roll. 

While many schools were recruiting Zimmerman and Jeter together, Duke decided to make Jeter a priority from the time former assistant coach Steve Wojchiehowski first initiated contact. After several Las Vegas visits along with a viewing at the Chicago Elite Classic the Duke coaching staff was able to convince Jeter to schedule an official visit to Durham for the Duke-UNC game in March. In front of a raucous crowd Jeter watched the Blue Devils soundly defeat the rival Tar Heels. Despite not receiving a quick commitment from Jeter, Duke continued to pursue Jeter hard throughout the spring and summer. At each live period, the Duke coaching staff was usually two to three coaches deep for Jeter’s games. 

With the recent Jeter commitment, Duke is in a great position for their 2015 recruiting class. To go along with Jeter and Kennard Duke will also gain the services of 6’9” Sean Obi, a big man who recently transferred from Rice after averaging 11.4 points and 9.3 rebounds as a freshman. Duke is still actively recruiting 6’10” Ivan Rabb and 6’10” Henry Ellenson to pair with Jeter and Obi down low. 

It’s been a steady rise for Chase Jeter over the past year, but with one more season left at Bishop Gorman it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Jeter finish his career with four state championships and a possible Top 5 ranking.

Adidas Unrivaled - Day 2

Day 2 of the Adidas Unrivaled camp hosted a plethora of high major D1 coaches on their way over from either the Reabok camp in Philly or the Lebron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas. With Bill Self, Coach K, Roy Williams, Bo Ryan, and Lorenzo Romar in attendance the competition was strong throughout the day.

The Stars:

On Thursday both Jaylen Brown and Chase Jeter struggled to get in a groove offensively. Not so much on Friday.

Chase Jeter, 6’10”, Bishop Gorman (NV), PF, 2015

Playing in front of Coach K and two Duke assistant coaches Jeter got the better of Carlton Bragg in his first game and then followed that up with a dominant performance at night. Aginst Bragg, Jeter scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds while going 6-9 from the field and 6-6 from the free throw line. The big man from Las Vegas had his fancy footwork on display in the post and was very comfortable turning over his right shoulder for shot attempts. In an evening session blowout, Jeter topped his previous performance and dropped 23 points and seven rebounds on 11-17 shooting. In this affair, Jeter used his left hand a little more to finish several lay-ups and short jump hooks. He ran the floor well and was active on the defensive end as well. Overall, Jeter was much improved from his Day 1 performance.

Jaylen Brown, 6’6”, Wheeler (GA), SF, 2015

Brown continued to struggle offensively in his first game. After a slow start on Thursday, Brown went just 3-13 from the field in his first game. While the powerful wing struggled with his shot, he did work hard on the glass finishing with 10 rebounds. In the night session, Brown put together the best individual performance in the two days of camp play. Aggressive from the get go, Brown was almost impossible to contain when he decided to go to the basket and also had his outside shot going hitting 3-4 from the three point line. He also grabbed five rebounds turning any defensive rebound into a one man fast break. In addition to his complete effort going 8-13 from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line he also completed two highlight reel dunks. The first one came while dribbling down the lane. It first looked like Brown had taken off to far away from the basket but with his outstretched hands he was able to deliver a resounding two hand dunk. In the second half, Brown took off with two feet from the left block and elevated over a helpless defender for a one hand jam.

Other Strong Performers:

TJ Leaf, 6’9”, PF – Leaf slapped a 17 point, nine rebound performance in the night session. He made 7-8 shots and was constantly in the right place at the right time. He also used his length to finish in the post.

Josh Stamps, 6’4”, SG – The Chicago native had his jumper and drive working in the night session as well. A tough guard to contain off the dribble, Stamps finished with 15 points on 7-10 shooting.

Sedrick Barefield, 6’2”, PG – The California point guard dosen’t wow you with fancy moves, but usually by the end of the game he has put together a very efficient performance. In the first set of games, Barefield scored 11 points on 5-6 shooting and in the night session he scored eight points on 3-4 shooting including a tough hanging left hand lay-up from the right block. Barefield is among the leaders in assists per game and three point shooting percentage. 

David Jenkins, 6’1”, G – The 2016 Washington product had his jump shot working early on. Jenkins has a smooth stroke and a quick release which he used to drain 3-5 three’s on his way to 15 points on 6-9 shooting.

Adidas Unrivaled: Thursday Session 1 Recap

The Adidas Unrivaled camp kicked off this morning beginning with two hours of drills for the top prospects on the Adidas AAU circuit. A few head coaches showed up early including Billy Donovan along with a handful of assistants from high major schools but the big turnout came for the first set of games in the afternoon. John Calipari, Tom Crean, Tad Boyle and many others were present for the five games that made up the first session of games in Chicago. 

Players That Impressed:

Brandon Ingram, 6’8”, Forward, Kinston (NC), 2015

Brandon Ingram

Aggressive is not a word usually used to describe Brandon Ingram. A 6’8” string bean that always looks like the youngest player on the court came out firing. First he found himself on the left wing in an isolation situation. After a hesitation dribble, Ingram drove to the basket for a contested left hand lay-up and you could see his confidence rise. Soon after Ingram curled to the left elbow for a jump shot and then also hit a three from the left side of the court. Ingram’s team jumped out to a huge lead and Ingram finished the first half with 14 points on 6-6 shooting. He ended the game with 16 points on 7-8 shooting and his one basket in the second half displayed his more aggressive mindset. Upon seeing a smaller defender on him, Ingram posted up in the middle of the lane and backed his man down finishing with a two hand dunk. The North Carolina native also added six rebounds. Can he continue his aggressive play going forward?

Tony Bradley Jr., 6’9”, Forward, Bartow (FL), 2016

While Ingram started the game with a bang, Tony Bradley Jr. was the team’s leading scorer finishing with 20 points. The athletic forward was extremely aggressive around the rim finishing with his monstrous wing span. He caught almost everything thrown to him and finished 10-15 from the floor. 

Deng Adel, 6’7”, Forward, Rock Prep (FL), 2015

One of the top wings in the country put on an efficient performance during the first session. Adel got started on the break finishing with two consecutive fast break dunks. He also added in a few deep jump shots from just inside the arc and finished with 12 points and five rebounds on 6-9 shooting in a five point win.

TJ Leaf, 6’9”, Forward, Foothills Christian (CA), 2016

Leaf put together a 14 point, six rebound effort on 7-12 shooting. He showed off his versatility on several drives from the three point line including an acrobatic reverse finish. Leaf also attacked the glass and added three rebounds. He missed both of his three’s, but even the threat of his outside shot kept defenders off balance. 

Braxton Blackwell, 6’7”, SF, Christ Presbyterian Academy (TN), 2016

Blackwell scored 16 points on 8-10 shooting and displayed a variety of aspects of his offensive arsenal. All of his points came from around the basket; however they came in different ways. He posted up smaller defenders, drove by slower defenders, and used strong body control to avoid the taller opponents. He guarded the opposing power forwards and also helped his own team initiate offense by playing point forward on numerous possessions. Blackwell played with a bounce to his step and finished with one of the better performances of the afternoon.

Other Notes:

The top prospects at the Adidas camp are small forward Jaylen Brown and power forwards Carlton Bragg and Chase Jeter. All three struggled in the first set of games going a combined 9-30 from the floor. Brown struggled with his jump shot and ball control while going 2-10 and Bragg went just 2-6 in his game. Jeter finished 5-14 and while he had a brief stretch with several impressive baskets in the post he also forced the action at times. Jeter showed good foot work, but also displayed a propensity to always go to his right.

2017 point guard Jaylen Hands went just 2-8 from the field, but the upcoming sophomore appeared to be one of the quicker guards in camp. The 6’1” guard from California displayed an initial quick burst and solid ball handling skills throughout.

Junior shooting guard Curtis Jones scored 16 points on 6-12 shooting including 3-6 from deep. A few weeks ago Jones was showing off his athletic prowess in Charlottesville and now he is looking to show off his all-around game. 

6’7” guard / forward Maverick Rowan got off to a hot start hitting three three’s in early action. He cooled off from deep, but still finished 5-11 overall. His counterpart was 6’7” Brendon Bailey out of Utah how made two three’s and finished with eight points which came in a matter of minutes in the second half. 

7’1” center Khadim Gueye from Florida was only credited with two blocks, but the rangy big man appeared much more devastating in the paint than the stats would lead to believe. He didn’t make a field goal, but Gueye is a shot blocker to watch going forward.

USA Camp: 2015 Big Men

Yesterday the focus was on the players from the class of 2014 that attended the USA Developmental Camp. Today we take a look at the big men that are competing for a spot on the 17U FIBA World Championship team in Dubai next summer. 

The Cream of the Crop:

Diamond Stone, C, 6’10”, Dominican H.S. (WI), #3

There are a plethora of good big men in the class of 2015 and Diamond Stone staked his claim as the best of the bunch in Colorado Springs. The big man was adept at finishing with both hands in the post and probably had the strongest off-hand (left) of any big man in camp. Stone also showed that he could sprint the floor which resulted in some easy baskets for the big fella. On occasion he stepped out of the paint and displayed a nice touch on his jump shot. During the AAU season Stone proved that he could step out to the three point line but in Colorado he kept his jump shots to within 15 feet. On the defensive side, Stone used his size to keep defenders away from the basket and forced them into tough fade-aways. While not exactly a “springy” center Stone did block the occasional shot and showed why most of the big name college programs have made him a priority in the class of 2015.

Thomas Bryant, PF, 6’9”, Huntington Prep (WV), #13

Bryant (Bart Young / USA)

Bryant put on quite the performance over the weekend and made the biggest impression regardless of class. There was no one that came even close to playing with Bryant’s intensity and aggression. He went hard at all times and was a force down low. Whether it was drills or scrimmages Bryant attacked the rim. He punished the rim with forceful two hand dunks every session and usually let out a primal scream afterwards. When he caught the ball in the post, Bryant went straight at his defender’s chest. If he didn’t score initially, he attacked the offensive glass until he saw the ball go in the basket. On the defensive side of the ball Bryant blocked shots and made life miserable for any defender that ventured into the lane. The USA coaches positioned him at the front of their full-court zone trap and let Bryant cause havoc on the opposing guards. The one downside for Bryant was that he didn’t score much outside of the paint but he didn’t need to as hard as he was attacking the rim. 

A Notch Below:

Ivan Rabb, 6’9”, PF, Bishop O’Dowd H.S. (CA), #4

Bothered by ankle and back injuries, the California power forward still managed to show off his versatile skill-set. Rabb worked well in the low post with lefty hook shots and also stepped out to drain jump shots from the foul line extended. Rabb noted, ““I’m real versatile which is my strength, but I still do the dirty work. I get offensive and defensive rebounds and block shots.”  Rabb also excelled in pick and roll situations as he looked comfortable rolling to the basket for a lay-up or popping out for a mid-range jump shot. Rabb’s motor can be questioned at times as he showed a tendency to disappear for long stretches during AAU play, but on Sunday morning he taped up his ankle after having thoughts about sitting out and competed hard. 

The Up and Comer:

Horace Spencer, 6’9”, PF, Findlay Prep (NV), #36

Broad shouldered and full of fast-twitch muscle fibers, Spencer was one of the pleasant surprises of the USA camp. He ran the floor well and was one of the best athletes at camp. Similar to Thomas Bryant, Spencer attacked the rim hard and got most of his baskets near the hoop. On the defensive end, Spencer did well blocking shots, rebounding, and playing solid low post defense. While his motor was always running, Spencer is still working on his offensive game. A year spent practicing at Findlay Prep should help.

Solid Performers:

Daniel Giddens, 6’10”, C, Wheeler H.S. (GA), #34

Giddens averaged 13 minutes a game this past summer on the U16 team along with 6.8 points per game. Always one of the stronger big men in his class, Giddens used his strength in the one on one post drills and scrimmage match-ups. His offensive game looked a bit improved, but developing a go-to post move is a must. He sat out the second day of camp with an injury.

Chase Jeter, 6’8”, PF, Bishop Gorman (NV), #19

This was Jeter’s first appearance at a developmental camp and Jeter was thrown in with the wolves early on. Right off the bat Jeter matched up with Jahlil Okafor in one-on-one post drills and found out what it was like to go against the nation’s top player who also had at least 50 pounds on him. While he got thrown around initially, Jeter slowly improved throughout the event. While he struggled with the size and strength of some of the other post players he did have his moments. He used his long strides to run the floor on the break and was rewarded with easy lay-ups and dunks on Saturday morning. In the post he hit a few face-up bank shots from the right side. Right now, Jeter’s biggest weakness is his physical strength. He noted that he is lifting to get stronger and is seeing steady weight gains. Right now, numerous Pac-12 coaches have stopped by Bishop Gorman to watch him play in addition to Kansas, Duke, UNLV, Vanderbilt, and UNC.

On the Outside Looking In:

Henry Ellenson, 6’9”, PF, Rice Lake H.S. (WI), #53

Overall, Ellenson did not have much luck in the scoring department during the USA camp, but he still put in a solid effort. He possesses good height and a strong build for a power forward but separates himself from others by his outside shooting ability. Unfortunately for Ellenson the few outside shots he did get did not connect. Athletically, Ellenson was a notch below his peers which forced him into the role of a stand still shooter. On the defensive side of the ball, he used his strong frame to contain defenders in the post and force them out of their comfort zone. As of right now, Ellenson mentioned that Creighton is one of the schools recruiting him the hardest along with Iowa State. 

Jessie Govan, 6’9”, PF, St. Mary’s H.S. (NY), #38

Govan did some things well throughout the camp, but overall he struggled to make an impact during the scrimmages. For a big man his size, Govan can rebound, run the floor, and can operate inside and outside of the paint. While Govan’s shooting stroke looked respectable for a power forward he failed to connect on the ones he took. He scored at times off hook shots over his right shoulder but did not have a strong impact overall.

Doral Moore, 6’11”, C, Luella H.S. (GA), #21

After the USA camp, Rick Pitino and Louisville offered Moore a scholarship. Along with this scholarship offer, Moore has generated strong interest from many high major programs and rightfully so given his height and play on the AAU circuit over the summer. While the interest is strong it is obvious that Moore’s expected growth plays a large part. During the USA Camp, Moore started off strong in the first session. He was the biggest player on the court and used that to his advantage while also showing off a soft touch. After his initial showing, things went south for Moore in a hurry and come Sunday it looked as though his confidence had been crushed. Once Moore’s confidence started to wane, his performance deteriorated quickly and he became a non factor on both sides of the ball and struggled in all of the drills. There is no doubting Moore’s potential, but he has a long way to go in order to compete with the other big men invited to the USA Camp.

*Note – All rankings are from Scout.Com. Also, Stone, Bryant, Rabb, and Giddens all played on the 16U team this past summer.