Nike Hoop Summit Recap

Jamal Murray
photo by Ken Waz / USA Basketball

The Nike Hoop Summit wrapped up Saturday afternoon with a thrilling 103-101 World victory. In a back and forth affair, the World team was able to hold on despite a last second opportunity from Allonzo Trier. Jamal Murray, a Hoop Summit veteran led the way with a game high 30 points and LSU bound Ben Simmons set a Hoop Summit record with nine assists. After a full week of practices there were several players from both the international and U.S. teams that established themselves in the eyes of NBA draft personnel.

Top Tier:

The No. 1 player in the class of 2015 will come down to Ben Simmons and Skal Labissiere. Both players are SEC bound and should challenge for the top draft pick in 2016.

Over the past few weeks, Ben Simmons has hit all parts of the country with the McDonald’s All-American game in Chicago, the Dick’s National Championship in New York, and now the Hoop Summit event in Portland. When Simmons arrived he measured out at 6’10” which was taller than previously expected. In the Friday practice leading up to the game, Simmons turned up the volume and provided a glimpse of how he was going to play in the game on Saturday. In the actual game, Simmons played 30 minutes and finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists on 5-10 shooting. Even before entering college, Simmons already has size, strength, and speed to help him excel at the NBA level. The point forward is a strong ball-handler with either hand and always has his head up looking up to find open teammates. His top play came when he pushed the ball down the court out-racing the smaller U.S. defenders finishing with a two-hand dunk. Right now, the main weakness in his game is his outside shooting. Simmons went 0-1 in the game that was played with the international arc, but was comfortable launching shots from this range. He has good rotation on his shot and is already much improved from last year. The Australian native impacts all areas of the game and plays with an unselfish attitude.

While Simmons touched all areas of the scorebook, Skal Labissiere came off the bench and put his own stamp on the game with 21 points, six rebounds, and six blocks on 9-15 shooting in 27 minutes. Throughout the week, Labissiere was the talk of Hoop Summit with NBA GM’s salivating over the chance to draft him in just over a year. After a quiet first half where he scored just four points, Skal dominated the paint in the second half scoring 17 points with a variety of tip-in’s, dunks, and hook shots. The 7 foot Haitian has a smooth game and soft touch that will allow him to become an effective power forward at Kentucky and the next level. He started the game off with a 19 foot jump shot and will eventually excel in the pick and pop world of the NBA. He will need to continue to work on face-up moves out of the post and quick fade-away’s from the right or left block. Despite a tumultuous high school career that was spent changing schools and AAU programs, Skal has poise beyond his years and a game that is pleasing to the eye.

Stock Riser:

He almost didn’t even play in this game, but thanks to Henry Ellenson’s injury, Brandon Ingram was added to the U.S. roster. After erupting at the McDonald’s All-American game, Ingram continued his stellar play and actually led all players on the U.S. with 26 minutes played. He measured out earlier in the week with a 7’3” wing span which so far has offset his relatively thin frame on the defensive end. After a strong week of practice, Ingram started the game showcasing his almost automatic mid-range baseline jump-shot. After six first half points, Ingram got the start in the second half as the U.S. team looked to go smaller to increase the pace of the game. He finished the game with 12 points on 5-6 shooting and contributed three rebounds and a blocked shot. Ingram played the majority of the fourth quarter over Jaylen Brown, but despite being open for several open jumpers the ball never came his way with various ball dominating teammates controlling the action.

International Quick Hitters:

George de Paula (Brazil) – The No. 29 prospect in the DraftExpress rankings had an extremely quiet game despite getting the start at the point guard spot. The 6’6” de Paula is a powerful guard that excels at getting to the basket. Unfortunately in 13 minutes of action, de Paula only took two three pointers. He made his first one early on in the game, but fell extremely short on his other. De Paula also committed three turnovers and didn’t play to his strengths.

Jamal Murray (Canada) – Where will the 6’5” Murray end up next year? Wherever he does, whether it’s in college, Canada, or another destination, Murray will be lighting it up. Last year, Murray scored 10 points in the Hoop Summit game and this year he topped that off with a whopping 30. The best shooter in the game was not fazed by the deeper three point arc and went 3-7 from deep. He scored from all three levels throughout the course of the game and finished 12-23 with five assists. There has been a lot of talk about Murray ending up at Oregon and a backcourt of Murray and Tyler Dorsey would be one of the most explosive in the NCAA.

Cheick Diallo (Mali) – Another high energy performance for Diallo who finished with 12 points and six rebounds after a prior MVP performance at McDonald’s. Diallo chased the ball after misses scoring down low and blocking three shots. College coaches such as Bill Self and Fred Hoiberg are chasing Diallo for next year.

Thon Maker (Canada) – It was a rough Friday for Maker in the scrimmage and a rough game as well. In 14 minutes, Maker scored just two points on free throws and didn’t make a field goal throughout. On the brightside he did add 10 rebounds, five of which were offensive. Right now, Maker’s plans are in flux, but if this game proved anything it’s that he needs time in the weight room and on his offensive skills as he struggled with his shot and on drives to the basket.

Nedim Buza (Bosnia) – The Bosnian sharp-shooter knocked in both of his three point attempts and finished with six points in 13 minutes. Buza was lights out on Friday and if he gets his feet set the outside jumper is probably going in. Buza lacks the necessary foot speed to create his shot and this showed throughout the game.

Frederico Mussini (Italy) – The diminutive Italian guard scored nine points including three clutch free throws at the end. He went 2-5 from the three point line and added in three assists. Mussini is debating about whether to play in college next year, but he could turn into a more than adequate leader for a lucky college team.

Zhou Qi (China) – Qi scored two points and only got one shot attempt, but the intriguing 7’2” center from China showed his assets which include the ability to run the floor and his deficits which include his lack of strength and presence down low on the offensive end. Qi did record two blocks in limited minutes.

Tai Wynyard (New Zealand) – The future Kentucky Wildcat scored his first and only basket on a fundamental post move early on, but wasn’t much of a threat in the other 10 minutes of action. Wynyard could struggle to see the floor when he does land in Lexington given his below the rim style.

Stefan Peno (Serbia) – Peno hit a three in the second half, but usually struggled with the length and athleticism of the opposing players limiting his effectiveness.

U.S. Quick Hitters:

Jaylen Brown – It wasn’t the finest performance for the top rated small forward. Brown struggled with his shot going 2-9 from the floor and was planted on the bench in the deciding minutes. Brown got to the line for six attempts but also committed two turnovers.

Chase Jeter – Jeter got the start and was active around the basket, but finished just 1-5 from the floor. He played 17 minutes and added five rebounds but wasn’t able to utilize his right handed hook shot.

Ivan Rabb – After a strong week of practice, it was a disappointing game for Rabb who played just eight minutes. Rabb went 1-2 from the floor, but he also missed both of his free throws. Earlier in the week, Rabb was hitting jump hooks with both hands but the Oakland native spent the fourth quarter on the bench with Brown.

Malik Newman – Newman went 4-8 from the field and finished with 10 points which was an improvement from his McDonald’s performance, but not the type of game I’m sure he was looking for. Newman scored five points in a row at one stanza which included a three and nice floater. Newman is a streaky scorer and all one has to do is watch his body during a jump shot to determine if it’s going in or not.

Isaiah Briscoe – Nine points and nine assists for Briscoe off the bench, but he also had a costly turnover and missed free throws. Overall, it was an impressive week for the muscular Briscoe and he got to the basket during the course of the game.

Stephen Zimmerman – Zimmerman played up to his potential throughout the game scoring eight points on 4-6 shooting. He put the ball on the floor and finished at the rim and also converted a soft, high arcing deep jump shot. Zimm struggled a bit during the U.S. practices but he shined in his 17 minutes of game action.

Luke Kennard – In a surprising performance, Luke Kennard led the U.S. in scoring with 22 points and shot attempts with 18. Kennard hit 2-5 from three and was all over the court throughout the game scoring at the rim and with pull-up jump shots. He started to hunt for his shot a little bit too much at the end, but was also the most aggressive player on the U.S. team.

Caleb Swanigan – Swanigan received limited minutes and struggled with the length of the World team. The future Michigan State big man went 1-4, but added three rebounds.

Allonzo Trier – Trier provided one of the key highlights with an impressive two hand dunk in the first quarter and was tasked with the last shot for the U.S. team. Trier missed the last shot badly, but that shouldn’t sour the fact that his scoring abilities were on display all week along with his deep range. 

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.

USA Basketball Camp: Day 1

Day 1 is in the books from the USA camp with one more to go on Sunday. 48 players took place in the two day USA Developmental Camp with 11 players from the class of 2015 mixed in with 37 freshmen and sophomores making their first appearance in a USA type setting.

Grown Man Strength:

Given the age gap between the seniors and younger kids it’s no surprise that the older guys dominated physically. Last year at this time, Rashad Vaughn (UNLV) and senior Eric Davis went up for a contested lay-up. The older Vaughn finished through contact and the younger Davis ended up on the floor saying “that’s some grown man strength right there.” This year it started out in a few simple half court 2 on 2 and 1 on 1 drills. Small forward Jaylen Brown and Scout.com’s No. 1 player man handled a few of the younger wings as he bulldozed his way to the rim. 7’0” center Stephen Zimmerman took advantage of the much younger EJ Montgomery for easy finishes in the post.

2015 Standouts:

Stephen Zimmerman, C, 7’0”, Bishop Gorman (NV)

In June of 2013, Zimmerman was the top ranked prospect in his class. After a subpar spring and summer on the AAU circuit he now sits at No. 14. That being said, Zimmerman is a completely different player than he was during his AAU days. It started with a MVP performance at the Nike Global Challenge in August and continued in both sessions at the USA camp. Looking looser on the court, Zimmerman got up and down with ease, made some viscous dunks and was comfortable hitting shots from all parts of the court. 

Zimmerman is set to kick off his official visits with a trip to Kansas next week. After visiting Lawerence he will be at Kentucky, UCLA, and Arizona. There is also a strong possibility of an unofficial visit to Notre Dame.

Henry Ellenson, F, 6’10, Rice Lake (WI)

It didn’t take long for Ellenson to get going. As soon as full-court drills began Ellenson became a primary ball handler for his team and scored three consecutive baskets on a tough drive and finish in the lane, a deep step back jump shot, and a fast break and one lay-up. Ellenson’s game usually got started from the perimeter where he has range to hit the three point shot, but given his ball-handling skills he was also mixing in step back jump shots with drives to the front of the rim. On the defensive side he mixed it up down low and used his lengthy wing span to contest shots in the paint. 

Ellenson has three schools left on his list: Marquette, Michigan State, and Kentucky. He’s taken officials to both Marquette and Michigan State and will be in Lexington, KY for their Big Blue Madness.

Caleb Swanigan, PF, 6’8”, Homestead (IN)

The best way to describe Swanigan is that of a junkyard dog. While usually a bit shorter than his opponents, Swanigan usually bullies them around down low for lay-ups. He made his mark this way at the 17U USA tryouts in July and continued to do so during Day 1 of the camp. He plays with a hard motor, has a strong upper body, and possesses nimble feet in the post. It didn’t matter if you were a young guy or a senior, Swanigan was looking to punish his defender with simple, but effective post moves. 

Luke Kennard, SG, 6’5”, Franklin (OH), Duke

The future Duke Blue Devil looked calm and under control throughout Day 1. He also caught fire from behind the arc in the evening and hit four three’s in one scrimmage. Kennard handled the ball and was also extremely aggressive on the boards. Throughout the drills and scrimmages Kennard played with a veteran’s poise and was one of the clear leaders of camp.

2017 / 2018 Standouts:

Michael Porter Jr. G/F, 6’7”, Father Tolton Catholic (MO), 2017

In the first day it might have been Porter that generated the most buzz amongst the younger kids. Standing 6’7”, Porter possesses a beautiful jump shot and he also has some sneaky athleticism. It was evident in the drills that Porter had a nice stroke. He got good elevation on his mid-range shots and knocked down shot after shot with an effortless stroke. While he isn’t going to blow by anyone from the perimeter just yet, he was getting the hoop during the 4 on 4 and 5 on 5 scrimmages. With long arms and a solid bounce, Porter Jr. put on a dunk show before the second stanza that was highly impressive. He is still coming into his lanky frame, but the talent is undeniable in the youngster from Missouri.

Jalek Felton, G, 6’4”, Mullins (SC), 2017

When you talk about elite athletes, Jalek’s name will always appear over the next few years. He’s known as a shooting guard but he displayed the best vision in camp threading several through the needle type passes in both sessions. As Raymond Felton’s nephew, Jalek has strong ball handling skills and blow by speed that can get him to the rim where he can easily finish. Felton also has range on his outside shot, but right now he is a fairly streaky shooter. He has the ability to knock down several in a row, but can also miss-fire badly on the next few. In his first USA camp experience, Felton shined brightly on Day 1.

Jarred Vanderbilt, SF, 6’7”, Victory Prep (TX), 2017

A Texas lefty, Vanderbilt made a strong impression on all observers early on. With sinewy strength, Vanderbilt was often slashing to the basket and finishing with dunks at the basket or soft shots over the defender’s outstretched hand. He has good quickness and awareness which allows him to get to the basket and he has the athletic ability to finish. 

Ira Lee, 6’8”, PF, Sierra Canyon (CA), 2017

Before the second session some of the players were joking around with Lee about his lack of “bounce.” While players such as Porter Jr. and Felton were throwing down crazy dunks, Lee was struggling to convert his. All the joking around stopped as play began as Lee went harder than every other player on the court. If there was a loose ball, Ira was grabbing it. He attacked both the offensive and defensive boards with an un-matched intensity and also scored a plethora of baskets inside the paint and on short face-up jump shots. He might not be the most athletic specimen at camp, but Lee certainly didn’t let anyone out play him.

EJ Montgomery Jr., F, 6’9”, Montverde Academy (FL), 2018

Billed as one of the top incoming freshman in the country, EJ Montgomery didn’t back down against his older competition. He gave up height and strength in the early going to Stephen Zimmerman, but Montgomery also had the chance to show some of his own skills off. Montgomery is currently a power forward, but he has some perimeter skills in a look-alike Tayshaun Prince body. He scored on several follow-up dunks throughout the scrimmages and also got his lefty jump shot going in the early morning hitting a deep jump shot from the wing followed by an in rhythm three. In high school, Montgomery will go up against some of the top competition in the country including daily match-ups with Ben Simmons which will only increase the skills he already possesses. 

The AAU Duo:

6’10” Wendell Carter Jr. and 6’10” Austin Wiley played on the same Southeast Elite 16U AAU squad this past year and both players and friends are taking part in the USA camp. While they are both starting their sophomore seasons schools from the Southeast have started to take notice. 

Carter hails from Georgia and noted that Georgia Tech came to his school last week and that Texas A&M and Mississippi State had also shown interest. His high school coach also told him that Duke was supposed to stop by next week.

Wiley is from Alabama and is just two hours from Auburn, the school both of his parents attended. He is currently receiving interest from Auburn, Memphis, Clemson, and North Carolina.

Peach Jam: Day 1

The first day of Peach Jam is in the books and big name college coaches popped in and out of North Augusta, SC all day long. With each team playing two games a piece there was plenty of spectacular play from kids with scholarship offers and those trying to get new offers.

Session 1: 17U

Top Performers:

Aaron Holiday, 6’2”, G, 2015, California Supreme

Holiday came off the bench for Cal Supreme and immediately provided the team with a boost thanks to his slick passing. Right off the bat Holiday got in the lane and found a teammate for an easy lay-up despite a crowded paint area and received several “wow, nice pass” comments from the coaches in attendance. After dropping a few more assists, Holiday started his scoring barrage. At 6’2”, Holiday exhibited superb body control when driving the lane. Several times he got to the basket, drew the foul, and then finished the shot. He did not look to shoot at all from the outside, but instead attacked his defender at every opportunity. Even with coming off the bench, Holiday finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists while providing a spark to help his team knock off one of the favorites in Team Takeover in the first game of the day.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright, 5’9”, PG, 2014, California Supreme

The future Arizona Wildcat did all he could to impress the numerous Pac-12 coaches on hand that will be tasked with slowing him down in the future. Despite his small frame, PJC was not afraid to go after the taller defenders and finished on a consistent basis at the rim. He went 3-6 from the field, but also got to the line 12 times. After beating his defender off the dribble, PJC also found the open man for a game high 10 assists. While he put up 15 points and 10 assists, it was his aggressiveness attacking the glass that was even more impressive. Numerous times, PJC was in the middle of the lane fighting for rebounds with defenders a foot taller than him and finished with a total of five. Along with Holiday, PJC got the best of the Team Takeover guards and put together a mighty fine stat line.

Malachi Richardson, 6’5”, SG, 2015, Team Final

Down nine points at the half, Richardson caught fire to start the second half and quickly closed the deficit. After scoring four points in the first half, Richardson scored 14 points in a five minute span. His first basket came off a pick on the right wing in which he curled to the basket and finished in the paint for a lay-up and the foul. After a short jump shot, Richardson hit back to back three pointers from the wing and then followed that up with a few free throws. Unfortunately after this burst, Richardson didn’t touch the ball in a scoring position for a long stretch. Despite only being an upcoming junior, Richardson has ideal height for a shooting guard along with strength and an outstanding 6’10.5” inch wing span. In his first game at Peach Jam Richardson used his physical attributes and also showed off his jump shot and the ability to score around the rim. He finished with 22 points on 6-12 shooting.

Shep Garner, 6’2”, G, 2014, Team Final

The newly committed Penn State guard played well in front of his future college coach on Thursday morning. With star guard Jaquan Newton struggling at times, Garner took control and played with poise throughout the game. He displayed a quick burst when driving to the basket and also went 2-3 from the three point line, one of which came at a crucial time in the ball game. His final stat line included 14 points on 6-8 shooting with two assists and zero turnovers. 

Angel Delgado, 6’8”, PF, 2014, NY Lightning

Delgado did not play up to his expectations in the first half, but he definitely out worked everyone in the second half. The rugged rebounder finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds and began to dominate the defensive boards as the game got tight towards the end. He also had a strength advantage down low and went to work with power moves in the post off one dribble and two handed dunks in the lane. It took the leading rebounder in the EYBL some time to get going, but once he did the Team Final big men were relatively helpless to stop him.

Game of Interest:

Team Penny vs. Mokan Elite

Mokan Elite jumped out to a surprising lead against Team Penny early on and took a four point lead into halftime. For Mokan, speedy point guard Lourawls Nairn penetrated time and time again and 6’1” guard Noah Knight knocked in shots from the outside. The second half turned into a close back and forth affair in large part due to the play of the Lawson brothers for Team Penny. Keelon Lawson Jr. went for 17 points and 5 rebounds while his younger brother Deedrick Lawson scored 18 points with 15 rebounds. Even with these efforts, it was their senior leader Anton Beard who knocked down a clutch three to give Team Penny a 57-54 lead that they would not relinquish.

16U:

Jayson Tatum, 6’7”, G/F, 2016, STL Eagles

One of the top players in the class of 2016 put on another strong performance in front of a slew of head coaches in the early afternoon. Going against All-Ohio, Tatum played his normal point forward position and used his ball handling skills to get into the paint where he finished with floaters or at the basket. Not an overly dominant performance by Tatum, but he did hit a floater off a spin move for the go ahead basket. In the last game of the 16U pool play he helped lead his team to a victory and will have at least one more chance to play in front of the who’s who of college coaches in the playoffs.

Jalen Poyser, 6’4”, G, 2015, CIA Bounce

In a back and forth affair with Southern Stampede, Poyser made enough key plays in the final minutes to help CIA Bounce get the win. In this stretch he drove by his defender on the wing for a lay-up, hit a three pointer and then got an and-one finish off another drive. To go along with these baskets, Poyser might have had the most exciting miss of the Peach Jam. With 1:30 to go he went behind the back from the left to right side causing his defender to fall. Once the ball reached his right hand he exploded to the lane and tried to dunk over a defender. Unfortunately he got to high and the ball caromed off the back rim as the crowd screamed in disbelief. A high level athlete, Poyser made key plays for his team when it counted not including the missed dunk attempt.

Luke Kennard, 6’5”, G, 2015, King James Shooting Stars

Courtesy of UM Hoops

While Jayson Tatum’s game drew some big names, the game between Kennard’s King James team and Team Final drew everyone in town. Calipari, Coach K, Izzo, Matta, Groce, Roy, Larry Brown, and Josh Pastner were just some of the high major coaches that stopped in for a look. Kennard, the flashy shooting guard did not disappoint in the first half. He hit a three of the dribble and another one off the catch early on. He also added in a few no look passes for good measure. Kennard cooled off in the second half, but hit a running lay-up and added in some free throws at the end to finish with 20 points. While not an elite athlete, Kennard can do more than just shoot. He is a solid ball handler with decent quickness and he combines those two factors to beat his man off the dribble on occasion. After his game it was easy to see why some of the top schools are after him.

Tyus Battle, 6’5”, G/F, 2016, Team Final

His team got down from the start, but this did not deter Tyus Battle from putting on a show. He hit two three’s right off the bat and finished with 15 points in the first half and 25 for the game. On his outside shots, Battle had a nice release and rotation on his shot. He is also quite the athlete that allows him to do more than just shoot jump shots. Battle attacked off the dribble and went to the line nine times. On the defensive end he used his strength to push players off their spot and also blocked several shots by the basket. Battle went against another 2016 stud in V.J. King and it’s safe to say that Battle “won the battle.”

Session 2: 17U

Chieck Diallo, 6’9” C, 2015, Team Scan

Continuing on his strong NBPA Top 100 Camp, Diallo dominated Houston in the second half of a very competitive game. While still raw on the offensive end and lacking many true post moves, Diallo still scored 20 points on 7-11 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds. Time and time again, Diallo finished on dunks or lay-ups in traffic. He also scored off a power one dribble move to the right side of the basket and an 18 foot jump shot that he actually meant as a lob for a teammate. Diallo is one of the most explosive big men on the circuit and nobody runs the court harder. With his quick leaping ability he also blocked four shots and was the main reason momentum changed hands in the second half. 

Justin Jackson, 6’7”, F, 2014, Houston Hoops

Jackson did not have his normal performance, but still went for 15 points on 7-15 shooting. As he does every game, he hit a variety of floaters from 6-10 feet and also added a nifty one dribble move through traffic for a left hand lay-up. In the second half, he hit two floaters in a row, but then disappeared for a stretch. With the shot blockers on Team Scan, Jackson stayed active on the glass and was credited with four offensive rebounds. 

Robert Johnson, 6’3”, 2014, Boo Williams

Another player who has been playing out of his mind recently is Robert Johnson who lit up the Texas Titans for 23 points (despite the forfeit). Johnson went 4-9 from three and had the college coaches in attendance wondering if he shot like this all the time. With two stellar performances and two wins on the court it’s a shame that his team was forced to forfeit both games due to an ineligible player. 

Game of Interest:

Mac Irvin Fire vs. Jackson Tigers

The last game of the night drew a capacity crowd to court 3 with the top players in the senior and junior classes facing off. Big man Jahlil Okafor is the top ranked player in the class of 2014 while scoring sensation Malik Newman is the top player in the class of 2015 and was coming off a 40 point explosion in the morning. Even though these players at the top, it was Big Cliff who stole the show with a 23 point, 13 rebound, and 4 block performance. Alexander was dunking everything in sight and tried his best to rip the rim off in the second half. With the Alexander dunk fest, Mac Irvin pulled away in the last seven minutes to win by 10 points. Before this run though, the game was very tight and even tied at one point in the second half. For the Tigers, Newman scored nine first half points and then scored a quick 10 to start the second half as the crowd started buzzing about the “Malik show” beginning. Unfortunately the Mac Irvin coaches had other plans and threw every type of junk defense at Newman to keep him out of his comfort zone. Box and one’s, double teams at half-court, traps, triple teams, you name it, and Newman saw it. He scored 25 points, but struggled mightily from the field after his initial second half explosion. To go along with Alexander, Okafor added in 17 points and 16 rebounds while Torry Johnson came off the bench to score 12 points on 3-4 shooting from behind the arc.