Three Tournaments, Three States: Holiday Tournament Observations

Over the Christmas holidays I spent time watching high school tournaments in three states. After numerous games at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, FL, the Wisconsin Basketball Shootout in Mequon, WI, and the Proviso West Holiday Classic outside of Chicago here is a rundown of what I saw and what I learned.

Player I Would Pay to Watch:

Isaiah Whitehead, 6’4”, G, Lincoln High (NY), Committed to Seton Hall, 2014

From the time I first saw Rashad Vaughn play in 2012 he was my favorite shooting guard in the class of 2014; however after watching Isaiah Whitehead’s rise which started in the Pitt Jam Fest last spring I’m not so sure. In four games, Whitehead was the second leading scorer in the City of Palms tournament averaging 25.5 points per game including a 37 point, 7 rebound, and 6 assist performance on opening night. Known for his NYC toughness, Whitehead can get to almost any spot on the court with his strength and ball-handling abilities. While everyone is aware of his scoring abilities it was his passing that stood out while in Florida. He averaged 5.5 assists per game and had many scintillating passes in each game. My favorite was a three quarter court bounce pass that resulted in an easy fast break dunk. Regarding his scoring ability, Whitehead has one of the most picturesque forms you will see and range that extends well behind the three point line. Sometimes this gets him in trouble as he loves to stop on a dime for pull-up jumpers no matter how close the defender is. While he takes some tough shots, for the most part his body is always square to the basket with a perfect release. Over the holidays, Isaiah Whitehead was the player I would pay to see play again and again.

Match-up Nightmare:

Ben Simmons, 6’8”, F, Montverde Academy (FL), Committed to LSU, 2015

At 6’8” with long arms and a certain grace to his game, Ben Simmons proved to be the biggest match-up problem for teams in the City of Palms tournament, especially during the championship game against Paul VI. In four games, Simmons averaged 18 points and almost 12 rebounds per game while also bringing the ball up against pressure. While he struggled outside of the paint with his shot in most of the games, Simmons scored off ball cuts, offensive rebounds, and post-ups. He was also outstanding defensively and was a key reason for his opponents struggles. In the championship game, Marcus Derrickson, a Georgetown commitment had a hard time getting open looks close to the basket or even from his favorite spots behind the three point line. Wherever Derrickson went, one of Simmons’ long arms was always close by which caused a 5-13 shooting performance including 0-2 from three.

Biggest Beast #1:

Alex Owens, 6’6”, PF, Oak Ridge (FL), Committed to UCF, 2015

During the Peach Jam, Alex Owens came off the bench for the eventual champions and put on some impressive performances down low in limited minutes. This time around, Owens continued his feats down low using his big body and soft hands to punish weaker defenders at every opportunity. Despite not being the ideal size for a power forward, Owens averaged 12.5 rebounds per game. He’s not much of an above the rim player but with a quick release he makes it hard for an opponent to block his shot. In his third game of the tournament, Owens put up 23 points and 19 rebounds on 11-14 shooting. 

Biggest Beast #2:

Jahlil Okafor, 6’10”, C, Whitney Young (IL), Committed to Duke, 2014

The top ranked player in the country averaged 17 points per game and a tournament high 15.7 rebounds in a three game span. While he was double and triple teamed on almost every touch and spent the majority of his first game in foul trouble, Okafor scored quickly and efficiently whenever he caught the ball in the low post. Not known for his outside jump shot, Okafor even knocked in a soft 12 footer from the baseline when dared to shoot. In the 3rd place game, Okafor let his aggression out and went for 22 points and 23 rebounds on just nine shots. While it seemed that he played better in last year’s City of Palms, make no mistake the the future Blue Devil was a beast when catching the ball in a scoring position down low. 

Best Footwork:

Diamond Stone, 6’10”, C, Dominican (WI), 2015

Playing against another top notch Wisconsin big man in Henry Ellenson, Stone showed off a variety of moves in the post. Whether it was a right hook, a left hook, up and under, spin to the baseline, spin to the middle, Stone showed it all in just one game. Nimble on his feet, Stone showed a good touch on his shots around the basket, but over the next year and a half will need to watch some video tapes of Jahlil Okafor or Cliff Alexander to learn how to unleash the beast. A good rebounder in space, Stone still needs some work on dominating all game long.

Most Consistent:

Justin Bibbs, 6’5”, G/F, Montverde Academy (FL), Committed to Virginia Tech, 2014

On a talent laden team, Justin Bibbs was a consistent thread for the back to back City of Palms champions everytime he took the court. In four games Bibbs scored 12, 13, 14, and 15 points. Never too high and more importantly never too low. Bibbs proved to be a versatile and athletic threat on offense with the ability to score from the perimeter and off the dribble. A strong and physical player on the defensive end as well, Bibbs also enjoyed the challenges of shutting down his opponent. He was named to the All-Tournament team and was definitely deserving of that honor. 

The Microwave:

Ahmaad Rorie, 5’10”, PG, Montverde Academy (FL), Committed to Cal, 2014

In his first year at Montverde, Ahmaad Rorie brings a scoring punch as the team’s sixth man and his three point accuracy came in handy in the championship game. As soon as Rorie entered the game he started firing from deep and all of a sudden had 11 quick points in a matter of minutes all on jump shots. The small guard is known as a scorer with a quick release and he caught Paul VI off guard. Not only is he a strong scorer off the bench, but he is also usually one of, if not the quickest player on the court. Rorie was also another Montverde player to make the All-Tournament team.

Quickest Guard:

Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn, 5’10”, Sunrise Christian (KS), Committed to Mich. State, 2014

Easily the quickest player from end to end, Tum Tum looked like a poor man’s version of Tywon Lawson with his speed and build. He got into the lane consistently and finished at the rim easily off of one foot. In two games, Nairn had a 6:1 assist to turnover ratio and got his teammates open looks from his drives to the basket. An exceptional finisher, Nairn shot 6-10 and 7-15 but struggled with his jump shot outside of the paint. Despite the jumper, Tom Izzo should be excited about the arrival of the jet quick and tough point guard to East Lansing next year. 

Smoothest Guard(s):

Devonte Graham, 6’2”, PG, Brewster Academy (NH), 2014

Jalen Brunson, 6’1”, PG, Stevenson (IL), 2015

Glynn Watson, 5’11”, G, St. Joe’s (IL), 2015

It’s hard to just pick one out of these guards so I’ll go with all three. Graham was the first to turn heads with his play against Oldsmar Christian (FL) when he scored 15 points and dropped 9 assists to only one turnover. In this game, Graham had the ball on a yo-yo and wowed the crowd with several moves including a fake behind the back pass that made the defender look silly. On day number three at the City of Palms, Graham was easily one of the top performers. Meanwhile, in Chicago junior Jalen Brunson led his public school team to the championship while Watson’s team fell in the 3^rd place game. Brunson one the tournament MVP with his smooth style and showed resilience against an athletic Morgan Park squad in the championship game of the Proviso West tournament. After scoring 32 in the semi-finals, Brunson struggled to get a clean look in the first half and his only made shot came from the right wing. In the second half, Brunson found his groove and finished with 20 points. Meanwhile, despite two losses to end the tournament, Glynn Watson had an impressive final game and displayed a strong handle in pressure and a strong first step that allowed him to get by his defender with relative ease. All three of these guards were impressive as team leader’s and earn the distinction as the smoothest guards I saw. 

Most Athletic Guard:

Tyler Dorsey, 6’4”, G, St. John Bosco, 2015

The junior guard from California averaged 19 points per game and was extremely tough to guard in one-on-one situations. Given primary ball-handling responsibility by his coach, Dorsey was able to use a between the legs crossover dribble to consistently get into the paint for lay-ups or short jump shots where he was able to create space with his elevation. To go along with his 19 points, Dorsey also averaged 5.5 assists. A natural point guard, Dorsey showed that to go along with his athleticism he can also create for his teammates.

Scoring Machine:

Antonio Blakeney, 6’3”, SG, Oak Ridge (FL), 2015

The talented junior guard led the City of Palms with a 29.3 point per game average including 12 made three’s. Throughout the tournament Blakeney’s baskets came from the three point line or at the basket via lay-ups or dunks. He averaged around five shots a quarter and only forced a few during his time. At 6’3”, Blakeney used his long arms and ball handling ability to get by defenders on the wing and finish at the basket. He also showed his quick release when catching the ball on the wing. When his team was involved in close games, Blakeney was instructed to attack the basket and attack he did. He took 40 free throws in four games and made 33 of them. In his four games, Blakeney went for 32, 31, 24, and 30. Rated as a four-star shooting guard, Blakeney noted that he is “just trying to work hard and move up the rankings with his play.” So far so good for the talented scorer.

Underrated:

Josh Reaves, 6’4”, SG, Paul VI (VA), 2015

Last year as a sophomore Josh Reaves barely saw the floor when Paul VI made the trip down to Florida, but this year as a much more improved and confident junior he averaged 14 points a game and drew rave reviews from scouts every time he took the floor. The 6’4” wing showed that he could hit from the outside and also rise above the rim for alley-oops. For a guy who was only known in parts of the East Coast before the tournament, Josh Reaves made himself a name on the most talented team in the Washington DC area.

Desi Rodriguez, 6’5”, F, Lincoln (NY), Committed to Seton Hall, 2014

After a strong four game performance where Rodriguez averaged 19.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game he decided to make a commitment to Seton Hall where he will join his current teammate Isaiah Whitehead and possibly his coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton. Rodriguez was a recipient of numerous Whitehead assists; however he also created for himself and shot 62% from the field. His best game came in an overtime loss against Montverde when he put up 25 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 10-19.

Connor Cashew, 6’4”, SG, Stevenson (IL), 2015

While he doesn’t get the recognition that his running mate Jalen Brunson gets, Cashew has certainly elevated his game to match his teammates. In a semi-final win in the Proviso West tournament, Cashew scored 30 points and added nine rebounds as Stevenson turned a seven point halftime lead into a blowout. Playing on the perimeter, Cashew has a good first step and is an extremely strong and wiry wing. Athletically he showed that he could compete with the best athletes in the state in a championship win over Morgan Park (Chicago) by scoring 16 points. Various mid-majors from the Midwest are interested in Cashew, but his choice of schools could change for the better over the next six months.

Left Wanting More:

Paul White, 6’8”, F, Whitney Young (IL), Committed to Georgetown, 2014

By all accounts Paul White had an extremely strong tournament averaging 17 points per game over three outings. He also nabbed six boards a game and shot 57% from the floor. His alley-oop dunk in the 3^rdplace game gave the Dolphins a lead they would never relinquish. Despite these stats, I’ve always wanted to see more from White. Coincidentally, I first saw White as a freshman at the City of Palms when he was considered a top 25 player. At 6’8” White can do numerous things on the basketball court that will land him in the Hoyas rotation in the future. He can run the floor, handle the ball, and has a strong shot from mid-range; however having watched him over a span of four years I still want to see White dominate and not just fit in. It looked as though he was starting to dominate at the Peach Jam before getting injured, but I am still hopeful that he will reach his potential in the last few months of his senior year. 

Best 16 Minute Performance:

Jalen Hudson, 6’4”, SG, St. Vincent-St.Mary’s, Committed to Virginia Tech, 2014

In his first game of the tournament playing against Whitney Young, Hudson put on a first half to remember when he scored 23 of his team’s first 26 points and knocked in six three’s in the first half. The well built shooting guard got good elevation on his jump shot and showed off a picture perfect form. Along with his three point shooting exploits, Hudson was also blowing by defenders on the wing and finishing well above the rim in the paint. After torching the Dolphins in the first quarter the team went to a box and one on Hudson in order to slow down the talented guard. The defensive switch worked in limiting Hudson’s touches, but when he caught the ball on the wing he was able to continue his hot streak.

Top Young Guys:

Jayvon Grave, 6’0”, G, St.Vincent-St. Mary’s (OH), 2017

Aaron Thompson, 6’0”, G, Paul VI (VA), 2017

Billy Preston, 6’8”, F, St. John Bosco (CA), 2017

Vance Jackson, 6’7”, F, St. John Bosco (CA), 2016

Jacob Young, 5’10”, G, Yates (TX), 2016

Peach Jam - Day 2: The Stanley Show

Day two of the Peach Jam started off with competitive games and finished with a buzzer beater at almost 11pm. College coaches crammed the court as several big names continued to make their presence known in North Augusta. There were several fine performances, but there was one player that stood above the rest.

Player of the Day:

Stanley Johnson, 6’7”, F, 2014, Oakland Soldiers

Easily the player of the day, senior forward Stanley Johnson put on a show during the two games he played in on Friday. In the first set of morning games, John Calipari, Coach K, and the majority of the Pac-12 had their eyes on Stanley Johnson and he did not disappoint with his play. He began the game scoring from all areas on the court. A few three’s, a floater, and an and-one were on display early on. Johnson bullied his way to the basket as usual, but also displayed some grace with spin moves and pull-up jump shots in traffic. With big man Ivan Rabb dealing with foul trouble, Johnson also cleaned up on the defensive boards with 14 total rebounds. In a back and forth affair, Johnson finished with 33 points on 12-22 shooting including 3-5 from the three point line and gave the coaches that came a show in the early morning.

In the last game of the night against the undefeated CP3 team, Johnson went for 24 points and 11 rebounds on 10-17 shooting including the game winner with 0.3 seconds on the clock. After L.J. Peak tied the game on two free throws there was little doubt about who was going to take the last shot. After getting to the lane at will, Johnson drove to the basket one more time for the final shot. Starting from the left side of the court, Johnson quickly left Peak in the dust with a crossover and lofted up a soft floater from five feet out that found nothing but the bottom of the net. Simply unstoppable all day long, Johnson wants a chance to defend his EYBL title. 

Session 1: 17U

Abdul Malik Abu, 6’8”, 2014, Expressions Elite

Abu stepped up his game in the second half against the Oakland Soldiers and despite a losing effort finished with 19 points on 8-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. Abu started off the game guarding junior Ivan Rabb. While he gave up two inches to Rabb, he used his additional muscle to uproot Rabb from his position and put the talented big men in early foul trouble. At the start of the game, Abu hit a right handed hook shot and scored several other times down low using his strength advantage. He also knocked in a three pointer for good measure. He plays hard every minute in the game and gave the Soldiers all they could handle throughout the contest. 

Camron Justice, 6’2”, SG, 2015, Travelers Basketball

Before his game, the junior shooting guard got in a few extra practice shots as his coach reminded him to keep his feet set. The extra attention to detail paid off as Justice went 6-9 from the field for 17 points. Despite being an inch or two shorter than the ideal shooting guard position, Justice displayed a quick release and never tried to force any shots. He excelled in the first half as he hit a three and numerous 12-15 foot jump shots. His height is not ideal for high majors, but his skill set will certainly delight a school like Belmont that watched his every move.  

Reid Travis, 6’8”, PF, 2014, Howard Pulley

Travis dominated down low from the opening tip against the Travelers Basketball squad. With a size and strength advantage down low, he went 11-13 from the field and 7-8 from the foul line to finish with 29 points and 10 rebounds. One of the top performers throughout the spring and summer circuit Travis has shown no signs of slowing down despite his busy schedule. Travis excels in the post and can also step out to his a medium range jump shot which he did against Tennessee. 

Session 2: 17U

Deadrick Lawson, 6’8”, F, 2016, Team Penny

In a hard fought and competitive game, it was the rising sophomore that took control in the second half and led his team to victory. Even though Lawson was the youngest player on the team this did not stop him from dominating in the last five minutes as he finished with 28 points and 7 rebounds. With a taller defender on him in Nana Foulland, Lawson drained all three of his three pointers from the top of the key allowing Team Penny to pull away. While he shoots more of a set shot from outside the paint, his shots dropped through the net without touching the rim. Lawson also added in a spin move down low and crashed the boards for points after offensive rebounds. Even though he was the youngest player on the court, Lawson showed a veteran’s resolve in the second half. 

Bennie Boatwright, 6’8”, SF, 2014, Cal Supreme

If Boatwright managed to get his feet set behind the line it was close to a guarantee that his outside shot was going in during his game against Each 1 Teach 1,. Despite a loss, Boatwright went 6-9 from behind the line and finished with 20 points. His lone basket inside the paint came after a miss where he followed his shot for an offensive rebound and a lay-up. The game started off with Boatwright nailing three’s and then he caught fire again during the second half as well. While he usually has a height advantage on his defender, he prefers to operate from the outside and did so to the best of his abilities on Friday night.

Alex Owens, 6’9”, PF, 2015, E1T1

The big bodied power forward had a great game off the bench for the lone remaining undefeated team. Owens finished with 16 points on 6-6 shooting with 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes. Despite his 250 pounds, Owens is extremely nimble on his feet, has great hands, and is an absolute beast on the boards. When in the game on offense he primarily ran the pick and roll with point guard Joel Berry which resulted in open looks for Berry or lay-ups down low for Owens after rolling to the basket. This performance against an athletic Cal Supreme frontcourt had college coaches taking note. 

Other Notes:

L.J. Peak had two solid games on Friday for CP3. In the morning session against Meanstreets, Peak scored 15 points on 5-10 shooting with 8 rebounds. He matched up against his old high school teammate Paul White and looked to play with more energy than normal as he was familiar with all of the Chicago kids from this past high school season. In the evening session, Peak had 19 points on 6-12 shooting and hit two free throws to tie the game before Stanley Johnson hit the game winner. 

Paul White was finally playing up to his potential during the first three games in Peach Jam. Against CP3 he went for 20 points and 10 rebounds; however his run came to a quick end on Friday night as he suffered an injury that knocked him out of the game and if the rumors are true about a forearm fracture could keep him out for much longer.  

The last game of the night on court 3 featured Houston Hoops vs. the Mac Irvin Fire. Five top 15 players were featured in the starting line-ups which caused a packed house on both the court where the coaches sit and from the view above where the fans gather. After a close first half, Houston pulled away to take an 80-69 victory. The wing trio for Houston all scored in double digits led by Justin Jackson’s 23 points.

In the point guard match-up of the night, Tyus Jones went for 24 points and 7 assists in an overtime win, while Tyler Ulis had 22 points and a whopping 17 assists.

The games were not part of the Peach Jam and were in a remote gym a few miles away, but the big name coaches found their way to watch Ahmed Hill and Devin Booker. Tom Crean and several SEC and ACC coaches to watch Hill turn in a fine second half performance in which he scored 19 points and hit three second half three’s against an over-matched opponent. After Hill’s game, the playoffs began in the Elite Youth Invitational and Booker’s team took on a different over-matched opponent. With Izzo and Calipari on hand, Booker scored 13 points in the first three minutes and Alabama was up 45-9 at one point. Despite the lack of competition in these games, the college coaches still took some time away from Peach Jam to see their big name recruits.