2014 Swish N Dish Recap

The AAU basketball season kicked off this past weekend with the NY2LA Swish N’ Dish located in Mequon, WI. Not only does this event serve as the unofficial opener for AAU play, but it also brings together some of the top teams in the Midwest regardless of shoe affiliation. Teams from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour went head to head during the event, but it was two Nike programs that advanced to the championship game.

Championship Game (17U):

All Ohio Red 87 St. Louis Eagles 71

All Ohio finished 5-0 over a two day span including double-digit wins in a 21 point semi-final win over Mac Irvin and then a 16 point championship victory. The talented team came out firing on all cylinders starting with an Esa Ahmad three from the right wing. Soon Noah Bramlage and D’Mitirk Trice got in on the outside action and it was 15-4 before you could blink. The lead increased to 48-32 at the half with forward Ahmad Wagner getting into the action with several tough baskets down low. Sophomore star Jayson Tatum tried to lead the Eagles to a massive comeback scoring 16 second half points, but the well-balanced Ohio squad always had an answer and never let the lead get closer than six points. The 2014 champions got their revenge after losing to the Eagles in the 16U quarterfinals last year.

Championship Game Top Players:

Jayson Tatum, 6’6”, G/F, St. Louis Eagles, 2016

Tatum exploded last year at the Swish N’ Dish, leading his 16U team to the championship while taking home MVP honors. He did not have the same results playing at the 17U level, but still managed to put on quite a show despite being one year younger than most of his opponents. In the championship game Tatum scored 25 points to go with five rebounds. The versatile Tatum can score from all parts of the court and he showed the variety in his game by scoring on pull-up 3’s, mid-range jump shots in the middle of a zone defense, and coast to coast drives. He missed several Kobe-esque type fadeaways, but the 16 year old presents a match-up nightmare whenever he touches the ball. In a semi-final victory, Tatum went for 24 points and double-digit rebounds while attacking the rim time and time again. One of the few improvement points for the Missouri player of the year is his actual physical strength; however it was noticeable that the young phenom had added a few pounds of muscle to his upper body.

Esa Ahmad, 6’8”, SF, All Ohio Red, 2015

The powerful wing jump started things with a three in the championship game, but Ahmad was on point all weekend long. He scored 17 points in the championship game, but just like Tatum he was one of the tougher players to defend in one on one situations. One of the stronger wings you will see, Ahmad was usually too quick for taller defenders and too powerful for smaller defenders. He also rebounded well and played aggressive defense.

Ahmad Wagner, 6’7”, PF, All Ohio Red, 2015

The other Ahmad dominated in the championship game as well, going for 25 points. Standing at 6’7”, Wagner plays much bigger than his height and dominated around the rim. A strong kid physically, Wagner was active the entire game attacking in the post and on the boards. He also threw down a few rim rattling dunks.

D’Mitirk Trice, 5’11, PG, All Ohio Red, 2015

Trice was arguably the quickest player in the 17U bracket all weekend. Trice ran circles around the Mac Irvin Fire and then scored 10 points in the championship while dishing out several pretty assists. While he is quick, Trice is also explosive. He gets great elevation on his jump shot and hit two three’s against the Eagles. He also knows how to run the pick and roll and delivered several pin point passes to his teammates as they rolled to the basket. Trice might look small physically but it would be a mistake to underestimate the tiny floor general.

Who Is This Guy?

Eli Chua, 6’8”, SF, Inland Empire, 2015

Chua grabbed everyone’s attention Saturday morning going against MeanStreets, one of the top teams in the Midwest. Kentucky bound Charles Matthews and Illinois bound D.J. Williams were the big names on the court, but it was Chua who outperformed them both. A legit 6’8”, Chua led his Inland Empire team to a 13 point victory. Throughout the game, Chua was seen handling the ball on the break, attacking the rim off the bounce, and coming out of nowhere to block shots. While not a knock down shooter, he did hit several three’s throughout the course of the day. With height, speed, and skills one would expect there to be some serious interest from Chua. According to NY2LA Sports, his only offer came from Cal State Northridge. Chua plans to re-classify to the class of 2015 at Elevate Prep in Daytona Beach, FL. It’s believed that the athletic small forward was recently at Redlands East Valley High in California, but then again, he is the mystery man of the tournament.

Other Players of Note:

Malek Harris, 6’7”, F, Illinois Wolves, 2014

Harris sat out his senior season due to a year long suspension and recently announced his de-commitment from Marquette after their coaching change. The 6’7” Harris is spending the spring playing for the Illinois Wolves and he didn’t show a lot of rust on Sunday afternoon. He drove aggressively toward the basket any time he glimpsed an opening in the zone and went to the foul line often. Now that he is back on the market, the schools in consideration are Marquette, Virginia Tech, Florida, Kansas State, and Gonzaga.

Henry Ellenson, 6’9”, SF, Playground Elite, 2015

This was Ellenson’s first tournament with the Playground Elite and the Wisconsin big man looked a bit slimmer and in better overall shape. One of the better ball-handling big men in the country, Ellenson often took the ball coast to coast while going through his legs or around his back at full speed. He knocked in a three from the top of the key and also added several mid-range jumpers to his repertoire. Despite the weight loss he still held his own down low grabbing rebounds when they came near and scoring frequently on the low block. Last year Ellenson played on the Adidas circuit but now he will get a chance to compete in the Nike EYBL.

Glynn Watson, 6’0”, PG, Illinois Wolves, 2015

The Wolves lost early on in the tournament, but they will have a strong spring and summer thanks to the steady play of Watson who is calm and under control as the teams point guard. Watson likes to attack and can also handle the press with ease. Utilizing strong ball handling skills, Watson is the perfect floor general for one of the smartest AAU teams in the land.

Trevor Stumpe, 6’5”, SF, Illinois Wolves, 2015

One of the more impressive three point shooters over the weekend was Trevor Stumpe. In a Sunday afternoon game he hit four three’s in the first half and was deadly curling off screens for jump shots at the top of the key. He lost focus after his hot start, but there was no denying that Stumpe is a strong jump shooter from behind the arc.

Derrick Bruce Jr., 6’2”, PG, Inland Empire, 2015

Along with the mystery man in Eli Chau, Inland Empire also sported impressive point guard play. Derrick Bruce Jr., helped spur the Meanstreets upset. He carved up the defense whether in full court or half court situations. Once he got to the basket he used his size to finish at the rim. Bruce Jr. also showed that he could shoot the ball by knocking in several three’s as the game went on and looked to have the makings of a high-major point guard.

Khalil Fuller, 6’8”, PF, Inland Empire, 2015

Fuller is one of those players that gets overlooked by opponents and fans alike due to his large size, but soon enough he’s dropped 20 points. This was exactly the case on Saturday where it seemed Fuller was scoring on every possession. A bit undersized, Fuller knows how to use his size as he scored constantly in the paint.

Aaron Jordan, 6’4”, SG, Illinois Stars, 2015

Last year Jordan made a name for himself in the 16U Swish N Dish and he parlayed his hot shooting into an Illinois commitment. This year Jordan did not miss a beat and was one of the smoothest jump shooters in Milwaukee. While the shooting guard has a pretty stroke he is more than just a shooter and can put the ball on the floor as well.

Charles Matthews, 6’5”, SG, MeanStreets, 2015

Last year Matthews and the MeanStreets program advanced to the finals in the 17U age group. This year MeanStreets struggled and lost early on in the tournament. While the team didn’t play up to their potential, the Kentucky recruit had a solid showing. Matthews excels in the mid-range and he uses his explosive vertical to shoot over defenders from 15-18 feet out. He showed his soft shooting touch over the course of three days, but wasn’t able to put on any overly dominant performances.

Luwane Pipkins, 5’10”, PG, Mac Irvin Fire, 2015

Pipkins was fresh off a strong junior season playing for Bogan in the Chicago Public League and he continued his high scoring ways throughout the tournament. At times Pipkins was on fire from deep and hit seven in a game on Saturday. It wouldn’t surprise me if he led the tournament in three pointers made. Along with a strong outside shot, Pipkins is tough to stay in front of with his speed and quickness. He might be short, but Pipkins is one of those guys that plays much bigger than he is.

Levi Bradley Jr., 6’6”, F, Wisconsin United, 2015

The wiry forward from Milwaukee showed off his versatility throughout the tournament. At times Bradley Jr. was hitting threes from the left corner and other times he was using his athleticism to slash to the basket and finish above the rim. With continued strong play, Bradley Jr. could be seeing his stock rise over the next few months.

Other Notes:

• Another player who jumped to the EYBL was Nick Noskowiak of Sun Prairie High (WI) School. Last year he took the Swish N’ Dish by storm playing for the Wisconsin Playground Warriors. He committed to Marquette shortly afterwards, but now that Buzz Williams is out of town his recruitment is back open. Illinois, Xavier, and Creighton have jumped in, but the flashy point guard will soon have a larger stage to showcase his skill-set.
• Center Diamond Stone is one of the top five players in the country; however he was MIA this weekend. Stone said he was getting ready for the “live period” where his Young Legends team will compete at the Under Armour event in Kansas City.
• The Mac Irvin Fire couldn’t defend their 17U crown from 2013; however the program did win a championship in the 16U division. The Fire was lead by the Simeon duo of Zach Norvell and Ben Coupet. Along with Tatum, the St. Louis Eagles have a few other standout players from the class of 2016.
• Quentin Goodin was one of the most athletic guards in the tournament. He likes to push the ball on the break and is capable of unleashing a nasty dunk off the bounce.
• 6’8” Tyler Cook is a high school teammate of Tatum’s and was a monster on the boards all weekend. He also has fairly decent post moves with a solid set of hands.
• Last but not least is diminutive point guard Jordan Barnes. While Barnes doesn’t start, he is a fire plug off the bench and a key reason that the Eagles advanced to the championship. Despite a slight frame, Barnes can finish in traffic and he can also create space with his quickness when it comes time to take a jump shot. The Eagles might have lost the championship, but their future is bright.

2013 Swish N Dish

This week marked a transition, as the 2013 class is now nearly closed with the McDonald’s All-American game, and the weekend saw the beginning of the AAU season, with future stars on deck. With a focus on underclassmen from the 2014, 2015, and 2016 classes, the top teams in the Midwest traveled to Milwaukee to take part in the 2013 NY2LASports Swish N Dish tournament. The event saw many new faces and teams trying to impress. 

The Tournament:

After an intense high school season in the city of Chicago it came as no surprise that the 17U final featured two Chicago AAU teams. Both the Nike backed Mac Irvin Fire and Meanstreets overcame all comers throughout the three day tournament to face off in the finals. In a game of runs, Mac Irvin made the final run and took home the championship with a 60-55 win. The Fire led 30-21 at the half behind the outside shooting of Jalen Brunson and Tori Johnson, but Meanstreets started the second half on a 16-0 run led by small forward Paul White (2014) and scintillating point guard Tyler Ulis. After falling behind early in the second half, the Fire began to get big man Jahlil Okafor touches and then relied on the clutch shooting of Johnson to hold on to the lead and their first tournament championship of the 2013 season. While these two teams are not scheduled to face off in the EYBL regular season it is almost certain that they haven’t seen the last of each other.  

Meanwhile, in the age bracket below the Saint Louis Eagles took home the 16U crown led by star freshman Jayson Tatum. The Eagles won three games in the final day which included hard fought victories over the Wisconsin Playground Warriors, All Ohio Red, and finally the Devin Harris Superstars in the final.

Stock Soaring:

Jalen Brunson (6’2”, 2015 PG, Mac Irvin Fire 17U)

Jalen Brunson

Well known in Chicago basketball circles after leading his Stevenson squad to the Illinois state championship game against perennial power Simeon, Brunson was not discussed much on the national level. That will no longer be the case after this weekend. Right before the tournament started Brunson switched AAU teams and joined the powerful Mac Irvin Fire.  Brunson got everyone’s attention on Friday night and took the tournament by storm all weekend long as he tossed in three after three while running the offense like a veteran. Brunson ran the pick and roll to perfection and either attacked the basket for a lay-up or dumped it off to Okafor time and time again. Throughout the tournament it came as a surprise any time Brunson did miss a jump shot as his shots routinely found the bottom of the net. Brunson’s stock will start to soar after this tournament and will soon become a national name as the EYBL circuit begins. 

Stock Rising:

Ikenna Okwarabizie (6’10”, 2014 PF/C, STL Eagles 17U)

Fairly new to the game of basketball, Okwarabizie played an integral part for the Saint Louis Eagles. Standing at 6’10”, Okwarabizie already possesses college strength and athletic ability while protecting the middle for his squad. On Day 2 of the tournament, Ikenna rejected numerous shots that came his way and even included a finger wave for good measure. He also attacked the boards and threw down forceful dunks whenever possible. When the Nike EYBL circuit starts up, college coaches will certainly start tracking this impressive athlete. 

Future Star:

Jayson Tatum (6’7”, 2016 G/F, STL Eagles 16U)

After earning the Saint Louis Metro Catholic Conference “Newcomer of the Year” award and sharing the conference “Player of the Year” awards Tatum did not waste any time getting to work on the AAU circuit. Despite playing one year up on the Saint Louis Eagles squad, it’s not hard to realize that this kid is going to be special. Tatum helped his team capture the 16U championship trophy while dominating all day long as he staked his claim as the top freshman in the country. 

2016 sensation - Jayson Tatum

Tatum did it all over the weekend including a masterful 21 point performance in a quarterfinal win over the Wisconsin Playground Warriors. In a back and forth affair, he put the team on his narrow shoulders in the second half and scored in a variety of ways: drive to the basket, post-up, mid range jump shot, and three. Tatum’s favorite move comes when he isolates his defender at the top of the key and attacks the basket going either right or left. On several possessions he caught the ball on the wing and saw that a shorter defender was guarding him. Upon recognition, Tatum quickly backed his man down in the post for an easy score. Despite his lanky frame, Tatum backed down his defender in an aggressive manner and usually only needed three or four dribbles to go from the three point line to the basket. Tatum’s finest sequence came when he attacked the left side of the basket and got an “And-One.” Tatum missed the free throw and despite having four players from the opposing team lined up for the rebound, somehow managed to come up with the loose ball in traffic and converted a five foot bank shot for a four point play. Tatum also used his length on defense to create deflections and steals while making the man he guarded extremely uncomfortable. After this tournament it’s safe to say that the future is bright for this star.

Top Performers:

Jahlil Okafor (6’8”, 2014 C, Mac Irvin Fire 17U)

Okafor started the tournament with a game winner and 35 point performance and finished it with a championship. This is Okafor’s third year playing for the Mac Irvin 17U squad and he is basically a man among boys on the court. In every game that Okafor played this weekend he was absolutely murdered by his defender or defenders every time down the court. To Okafor’s credit he never once lost his cool despite getting hacked or a forearm in his back at every post up. When Okafor did catch the ball down low he used his patented spin move to get to the basket for lay-ups and short hook shots. He avoided foul trouble and was a beast on the boards pulling down 15+ in the championship game. While Okafor is unstoppable down low it would be nice to see him add a Tim Duncan esque bank shot to his game. He loves to face-up his defender after catching the ball in the post and if he could utilize a short jump shot it would make his spin move all the more devastating. 

Tyler Ulis (5’9”, 2014 PG, Meanstreets 17U)

While Ulis only stands 5’9” he is a maestro with the ball in his hands. With long arms and exceptional handles, it is almost impossible for a single defender to keep him in front. As a result Ulis was getting into the paint at will in both the semi-final against Ray Allen Select as well as the final against Mac Irvin. Once in the paint, Ulis showed off great body control when converting at the hoop as well as a floater that he hit several times over an outstretched Okafor hand. Several of his finishes in the paint had the crowd shaking their heads afterwards. Big 10 coaches such as Tom Izzo were keeping tabs on Ulis during the high school season, but things should start to heat up quickly once the EYBL season starts. 

Jordan Barnett (6’7”, 2014 SF, STL Eagles 17U)

After a strong high school season, Barnett climbed up the recruiting rankings and should continue to climb throughout the AAU season. Standing 6’7”, Barnett also has long arms which help him in numerous aspects. In his first game of the tournament, Barnett went for 20 points on 7-9 shooting and 5-6 from the free throw line. Barnett’s baskets all came within the flow of the offense and resulted in lay-ups and dunks off of cuts or drives to the basket. When not scoring in the lane, Barnett was more than capable of knocking down an outside shot and showed off a quick release when doing so. While he is a strong scorer, Barnett also grabs rebounds and can block shots as well. One of the most efficient players on the circuit, Barnett’s rise is just beginning. 

Cliff Alexander (6’9”, 2014 PF, D Rose All-Stars 17U)

I certainly hope that this AAU tournament will not represent the rest of Alexander’s AAU experience this spring and summer. As usual, “Big Cliff” dominated on the blocks and erased shots on the defensive end. Unfortunately for Alexander, he did not get much help and the D Rose All Stars were sent back to Chicago early on. With two dominant Chicago AAU teams playing on the Nike circuit, it will be a shame if Alexander’s talents are wasted in early AAU knockouts. Cliff was aggressive when catching the ball in the post and used his size and athleticism to pretty much score at will. He did step out of the post a few times to attempt mid-range jumpers. While he did connect on one 15 footer, he will definitely have to work hard at this area of his game. 

Charles Matthews (6’5”, 2015 SG, Meanstreets 17U)

Matthews is a match-up nightmare for guards on the AAU circuit and uses his size and strength to get to any spot he desires on offense. Once at the desired spot, Matthews uses his jumping ability to rise up and over his defender for a feathery shot. Out of all the players in the tournament he probably gets the highest in the air when shooting. A physically imposing guard, Matthews will need to continue to work on his assertiveness as the AAU season continues. 

Nick Noskowiak (6’2”, 2015 PG, Wisconsin Playground Warriors 16U)

Playing for the 16U Wisconsin Playground Warriors, Noskowiak got people talking after leading a come from behind victory over the athletic Illinois Celtics. With a game similar to Bronson Koenig, Noskowiak showed off an impressive feel for the game all weekend long. After leading the 16U team to a victory Saturday morning he jumped up a class to play for the 17U Warriors team in a hard fought overtime loss to All-Ohio. Noskowiak nailed threes on a regular basis, hit the open man, and played the game with some flair. On Sunday morning, he battled the Saint Louis Eagles all the way till the end hitting three pointers from all sides of the court while also aggressively attacking the basket for contested lay-ups or trips to the free throw line to the tune of 23 points. Noskowiak handled the ball well under pressure and showed the ability to attack in one on one situations as well as the pick and roll. Besides for Jayson Tatum, Nick Noskowiak impressed the most in the 16U age group.

Tori Johnson (6’2”, 2014 SG, Mac Irvin Fire 17U)

Behind Brunson, Johnson was the most consistent shooter for Mac Irvin over the weekend. Johnson hit numerous threes in every game including a crucial three pointer to stop a 16-0 run in the championship game. Towards the end of the game Johnson also sealed the victory with clutch free throw shooting and a fast break dunk. A very quiet player that is deadly from behind the arc.

Esa Ahmad (6’7”, 2015 SF, All-Ohio Red 16U)

Ahmad did all he could for his All-Ohio Red team in a 16U semi-final loss to the St. Louis Eagles scoring 19 points. Using his size and strength, Ahmad finished easily at the rim while showing off improved ball handling skills. Big 10 schools took notice during the high school season, but with a few more performances like the one he had in the semi-finals they will be knocking down his door.