Swish 'N Dish AAU Tourney

The Swish ‘N Dish tournament held in Milwaukee this past weekend showcased the majority of the high school talent located in the Midwest. The Mac Irvin Fire had to be considered the favorite coming in, however they were knocked off early by another Chicago team, MeanStreets. Overall, the cities of Chicago and Milwaukee, along with the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Ohio represented themselves extremely well (not to mention Canada). Here is a look at a few of the most entertaining players:

Jabari Parker (Mac Irvin Fire - #1 - 2013) – The consensus top high school player in the country showed off an improved athletic ability in Milwaukee this weekend. Parker looked a bit thinner and a lot quicker this past weekend. Despite another state title at Simeon this past year, Parker seemed to be missing that extra gear that one would expect the number one player in the country to possess. He has obviously been working on this part of his game since the high school season ended, and it showed with quick defensive slides and drives to the basket. As long as he continues to work on his athleticism, to go along with outside shooting there won’t be much of a challenge to the throne this summer.

Although a Parker vs. Andrew Wiggins match-up would be intriguing.

Cliff Alexander (D Rose – 16U - #11 2014) – Alexander has slowly risen up the ESPN 2014 rankings throughout the year (from #13 in January to #11 currently). Despite a poor performance in the Chicago City championship, Alexander is ready to explode on the summer circuit. Alexander probably looks like one of the most ready NBA players right now and should dominate his peers in the 16U division. ESPN currently has Jahlil Okafor, another Chicago big man ranked #2 in the 2014 class, however I would have these players ranked #2 and #2a.

DeAngelo Russell

DeAngelo Russell – (Louisville Magic - #14 – 2014) – Size – check, athletic ability – check, ball handling – check, shooting – check. Russell was extremely impressive this weekend in about everything he did. Coming off a strong season at Montverde, Russell wasted no time in showing that he is one of the top players in the class of 2014. Russell, along with Alexander will be climbing into the top 10 throughout the spring and summer.

Kevon Looney – (Milwaukee Rebels - #13 - 2014) – Looney is a long and lanky athletic small/power forward combo. During the weekend, Looney used his athletic ability to get to the basket while also showing a nice outside shooting touch. Looney will need to add some strength over the next two years; however he immediately passes the look test despite playing up a level on the AAU circuit. Buzz Williams will try to add this Milwaukee standout to go along with the ones he already has locked up in the 2013 class. Looney would be a perfect fit for a Marquette or Georgetown.

Deonte Burton – (TP Elite - #29 – 2013) – One of those Buzz Williams players is Deonte Burton. A strong and powerful SG/SF, Burton used his strength throughout the weekend to impress the crowd. Eliciting cheers from players and fans alike during warm-ups, Burton continued his show once the games began. Burton was tenacious throughout the weekend and should help Marquette continue its run of Sweet 16 performances upon arrival. 

Marc Loving – (All Ohio - #26 – 2014) – Quiet one half, dominant another. Loving took over against an undersized Chicago Diablos team on Saturday morning in the second half. What went from a close game at the half turned into a quick blowout thanks to the slashing ability of Loving including one alley-oop that he almost caught with his elbow. Loving will need to become more consistent throughout the summer if he hopes to maintain his current ranking. 

Diamond Stone – (MYL 16U - 2015) – A highly regarded freshman center, Stone showed off his impressive shot blocking skills and ability to run the floor on Saturday. Unfortunately, he struggled to get touches in the post. Despite the lack of touches, Stone will be a name to keep up with over the years. While not on the same level of Okafor and Alexander when they were freshmen, Stone should be a highly ranked player in the class of 2015.