Peach Jam & Elite Youth Invitational: Day 1

It took about one half of basketball for the intensity to pick up, but once it did viewers were quickly reminded why the Peach Jam is the best tournament in high school basketball. Action started promptly at 5pm as college coaches quickly filed into their court side seats for a few hours of 16U action. While the players were younger, there was an early treat for everyone involved with Jayson Tatum making the decision to play for the St. Louis Eagles 16U squad.

Tatum came to play in the 2nd half

Last year, the No. 1 junior in the country dominated the 16U tournament and this year Tatum pretty much dominated the 17U EYBL despite being a year younger than most of his competition. Playing with a new team led to a fairly passive first half where the 6’7” point forward picked up two quick fouls and was rendered pretty much useless. Not so much for the second half. After recording just one field goal in the first half, Tatum finished with 29 points. Drive right. Drive left. Step back. Fade away. Dunk on the break. Tatum took over when his team needed and could not be contained off the dribble. After a slight first half deficit, the St. Louis Eagles came away with a win in their first game.

Coaches in the stands: As the No. 1 player in his class, it’s not surprising that Tatum is heavily recruited. UNC coach Roy Williams was front and center for Tatum’s game. Along with Williams, two assistants from Duke were present along with one from Kansas.

While Tatum was busy put on a show on Court 4 at the Riverview Athletic Center, a group of heralded freshmen were battling a few feet away. In a match-up between Cal Supreme and South East Elite fans got to see arguably the top player in the class of 2017 in 6’9” DeAndre Ayton. A sinewy power forward, Ayton showed off his impressive talents just one week after wowing college coaches and NBA scouts at the LeBron James camp. In the second half Ayton spun down the lane for a contested lay-up and the foul and then hit a three from the left wing on the next possession. Ayton can mix it up down low, but also has the foot speed to run the court like a gazelle and operate from 15 feet and out. He also cleaned up the glass and finished with several rim rattling dunks.

While Ayton had a standout game, his team took the loss. Led by 6’10” Wendell Carter Jr. and 6’9” Austin Wiley, Southeast Elite squad jumped to an early lead and then managed to hold on at the end for a victory. Both Carter Jr. and Wiley dominated the glass and attacked from 12 feet and in. 

Other players that made an impact were 6’2” shooting guard Jonah Matthews from Santa Monica, CA, and 6’5” shooting guard Jordan Shackles. Matthews showed off his high arcing jump shot and quick release with several three’s from the wing, but also blew by his man several times off the dribble. Just like Matthews, Shackles (2017) knocked in a shot from the wing and showed a little bit of athleticism getting to the basket.

After watching some of the top players in the class of 2016 and 2017 in the first set of games it was time to head five miles down the road to the Elite Youth Invitational featuring the Nike teams that did not qualify for Peach Jam. The first night of games were hardly competitive, but it did provide a chance to see several top prospects. 

Shooting guard Malik Beasley scored 24 points in his opening game. He punished his opponent with quick drives to the basket and explosive finishes. After a strong Top 100 camp, the offers have been pouring in for the 6’4” guard, but for now he is still waiting on the blue bloods to come calling. His teammate Noah Dickerson also put together a strong game running the floor and finishing on the break several times. After the power forwards de-commitment from Georgetown there was a host of assistant coaches in the stands to watch. UVA, Maryland, and Ohio State were some of the schools there to see Dickerson.

In the last game of the night, fast rising Wisconsin forward Henry Ellenson took the court. First it was Bo Ryan that was front and center for the late tip, but then Wojo filed in with one of his Marquette assistants and soon Roy Williams and Greg McDermott made their way over. Ellenson scored 17 points and helped his team break the press time and time again while playing point forward. The offers have been pouring in for Ellenson after a dominant spring, but the 6’10” forward plans to cut his list down “sooner, rather than later.”