Arizona - USC discussion

Lauri Markkanen’s Stellar Play:

One-third of the way through the PAC-12 season, 7-foot freshman Lauri Markkanen’s numbers are something to behold. He is currently No. 4 in scoring at 19 points per game and No. 8 in rebounding at 7.7 per game. Markannen also sports a 138.4 Ortg and is No. 2 in True Shooting % at 75.5, No. 4 in free throw percentage, No. 12 in 2point percentage, and No. 2 in 3-point percentage at 60% (18-30).

Markannen’s unique skill-set was on display at the Galen Center Thursday night. In the first half, the Finland native found a home in the right corner for several 3’s to start the game before moving to the right wing in the second half, and finally to the top of the key where he banked in the dagger to end USC’s comeback. On display, was an effortless jump shot. One with no wasted motion and an extremely quick and smooth catch to shoot motion. Markkanen’s fourth 3-pointer of the night, which came directly in front of me was extremely impressive.

 While Markkanen did not put the ball on the floor to attack the defense, he did register several tough shots around the basket. One came off of an aggressive offensive rebound and the others came on miss-matches with an undersized USC defender trying to guard Markkanen in the post.

With wiry strength and a decent wing span, Markkanen has turned into an inside-outside threat at Arizona. He more than redeemed himself from a poor performance in his first trip to Los Angeles where he went just 4-14 against a stout Gonzaga D. Tonight, Markkanen will match-up with another highly regarded freshman in TJ Leaf. It will be a battle of skill-sets as Markkanen is the better shooter and post-player, while Leaf is the better ball-handler and slasher.

USC Struggling, but Andy Enfield Deserves Respect:

USC turned in one of its most disappointing halves in recent memory scoring just 19 points against Arizona in the first half, before turning it on in the second half of a thwarted comeback. With the loss, USC fell to 3-4 in conference play while suffering their second home loss in three games. Last year the Trojans only lost two conference home games all season! Despite the tough start, I would argue that Andy Enfield is doing a better overall coaching job. Let me explain why.

It took two seasons of pain to build USC into a competitive team. In year 3, USC took the PAC-12 by storm as one of the most entertaining teams in league play. Without any distinguished seniors the Trojans averaged 78.9 points per game in conference play and played a fun up-tempo style of play. USC played well enough to earn an eight seed before suffering a one-point loss to Providence in the first round. The Trojans were expected to return their top seven scorers while adding freshmen De’Anthony Melton and Jonah Matthews. They would have had depth in both the front-court and back-court along with a dangerous bench and would have been in the top tier with UCLA, Arizona, and Oregon.

When 3-point shooter Kaitin Reinhardt transferred to Marquette, nobody really batted an eye as this just meant the bouncy wing Elijah Stewart would inherit the full-time starting role. But when 6’11” Nikola Javanovic (12.1 ppg) and 6’4” Julian Jacobs (11.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 5.5 apg) both declared for the NBA despite a lack of draft stability, things started to get dicey. Programs like Kentucky can withstand the unexpected loss of two starters, but not USC that was just beginning to establish its presence. Now, with the loss of those two players, the front-court was diminished as was the bench. Too often, the Trojans are forced to basically play 4 on 5 with sophomore star Bennie Boatwright hampered by injury. Freshman Nick Rakocevic is a year or two away from being a contributor and senior Charles Buggs does not have the skill-set to play big time minutes. Without Boatwright the Trojans offensive efficiency has dropped 7.3 points in conference play.

The Trojans still stand at 16-4 and could be 4-4 in the PAC-12 with a win on Sunday against Arizona State. USC won’t be taking UCLA to the woodshed three times this season, but Enfield does deserve respect for his coaching job with a roster that was expected to be much stronger. He’s played a plethora of full-court and half-court defenses throughout the season and has seen improved play from Chimezie Metu and Jordan McLaughlin, in addition to a break-out season from freshman jack-knife of all trades De’Anthony Melton. Once again the Trojans lack any key seniors and will add Chuck O’ Bannon, a McDonald’s All-American next season. While this year has been more challenging through the first third of conference play, the Trojans can still repeat their conference record from last year while stocking up for 2017-18.

Upset of the Day (+4 or more):

Louisville on the road against Florida State and Washington State at home against Colorado. Florida State is coming off a high scoring home win against Notre Dame, but will struggle with the tough Louisville defense. Meanwhile, Washington State has lost four in a row with two of the losses coming by 30 and 41 points. I’m expecting a better home performance against a talented, but winless Colorado team.

Pick of the Day: Iowa State +1.5 at Oklahoma:

One of my favorite betting angles is to bet against a team coming off a huge upset. Usually, I prefer that the upset takes place at home and the next game is on the road, but in this instance I will go with Iowa State to take down Oklahoma after their huge overtime win at West Virginia. The Cyclones are losers of their last two including a tough home loss to Kansas on Monday. Look for Oklahoma to fall back to earth on Saturday.

Josh Jackson: Hoop Summit Interview

5-star small forward Josh Jackson scored 7 points on 3-7 shooting and added 4 rebounds in the 101-67 victory over the World team in the Nike Hoop Summit. The standout wing talked about his time spent with U.S.A. basketball over the last 3 years and how he plans on making his college announcement public on Monday.

Adidas Unrivaled - Wrap Up

With the first July live period in the books, it’s time to take a look back at the first Adidas Unrivaled camp that took place in Chicago, IL. Adidas invited approximately 120 players, many of whom play on the Adidas AAU circuit to compete in a camp style atmosphere similar to Nike’s LeBron James Skills Academy. In its camp kickoff at the Quest Multiplex gym in the city’s west side (which also plays host to the McDonald’s All-American practices) the Adidas team definitely brought together a talented group that ended with two all-star games on Sunday. College coaches from all of the major conferences packed the sidelines to watch the drills and games each day.

Bad News:

On the first day of camp, 6’6” small forward Ray Smith fell to the floor in agony. It later turned out that the five-star wing tore his ACL ending any future AAU or high school play. Before he hurt his knee, Smith was riding high with a strong showing during the spring and June camp play establishing himself as one of the best slashers in the country. On Day 1 of the Adidas Unrivaled camp, Smith stood out with his play during the first drill session and also put together an impressive first game going 7-9 from the field. 

Almost immediately after the camp ended, Smith committed to the Arizona Wildcats. While the selection did not come as a surprise for the Vegas native, the timing might have caught some off guard. Given the lengthy recovery for a torn ACL, Smith will most likely begin to start testing his knee out next spring before heading to Tucson. Before his injury, Smith was strongest attacking the basket and finishing at the rim. With a smoothness to his game, Smith always seemed under control and his jump shot was getting more consistent at every showing. It might be hard for Smith to be 100% come the start of his freshman year due to the injury, but Arizona landed a top notch player for the future.

MVP:

 

Brandon Ingram, 6’8”, SF, Kingston (NC), 2015

Ingram - Growing Up In Chicago

Did the light finally come on for Brandon Ingram? Judging from his play in Chicago, the answer is a resounding yes. Just several weeks ago, Ingram looked lethargic and lacked aggressiveness during the NBPA Top 100 camp. That changed quickly on Thursday when he took his defender off the dribble for a left hand lay-up to kick things off. Soon the long armed Ingram was hitting three’s, attacking off the pick and roll, and posting up smaller defenders. He had a great Thursday before coming back to earth on Friday, but then scored 26 points on 10-16 shooting against Jaylen Brown and then ended the camp with 22 points on 10-13 shooting in the all-star game. During the week Ingram averaged 14.3 points while shooting 9-18 from the three point line. Once primarily a top recruit for the schools in North Carolina, Ingram now has the attention of Louisville, Kansas, and Kentucky.

Top Nine: 

Chase Jeter, 6’10”, PF, Bishop Gorman (NV), 2015

Chase Jeter has slowly risen up the rankings over the past year and he is not done yet. The five-star power forward got off to a rough start on Thursday, but started to dominate in front of Coach K and the Duke coaching staff on Friday and Saturday. Jeter put together several double-doubles and multiple 20 point games while outplaying Carlton Bragg in their head to head match-up. With his increased strength, Jeter was able to bang down low while also using his footwork in the post for short shots over his right shoulder. Jeter also ran the floor and blocked shots on the defensive end. He averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per game. Given the amount of attention paid to him from the Duke staff, it’s hard to see him heading anywhere other than Durham.

Jaylen Adams, 6’2”, PG, Cushing Academy (MA) 2015

Kevin Ollie should enjoy coaching the uber explosive Jaylen Adams in Storrs. The talented point guard did not put up eye popping scoring numbers, but he did have several games with nine assists. Adams is a sight to see in the open court and can finish with the best of them. He has a good handle and first step which allows him to get in the lane almost at will. Defensively, Adams has great lateral movement and is a shot blocking threat on the break as he perfectly timed several lay-up attempts by opponents throughout the week.

Tony Bradley Jr., 6’9.5”, PF, Barstow (FL), 2016

Used to playing against Nike kids on the EYBL AAU circuit, Bradley Jr. adapted quickly to the new competition. In his first game, Bradley Jr. scored 20 points on 10-15 shooting and eventually earned a starting spot in the underclassmen all-star game. For the camp, the Florida product averaged 14 points per game on 60% shooting. He runs the floor with a purpose which usually led to several lay-ups or dunks during the course of a game and he also possesses a soft touch on his jump shot or his hook shot. Bradley Jr. will need to work on his explosiveness under the basket, but for now his play earned him several looks from schools outside of Florida and the Southeast. He averaged 15.3 points while shooting over 65%.

Maverick Rowan, 6’7”, SF, Lincoln Park (PA), 2016

One of the words often overheard to describe Rowan’s game this past week was smooth. The lanky small forward had a sweet looking jump shot that routinely found the bottom of the net. The future Pitt Panther also showed an ability to finish at the rim on drives and hit the one dribble pull-up. Rowan hit several three’s in the all-star game to finish with 12 points. While most players were dead after the four day event, Rowan immediately went over to the side court to work on his game until the camp came to a close.

Deng Adel, 6’6”, SF, Rock Prep (FL), 2015

Always under the watchful eye of Rick Pitino or a Louisville assistant it came as no surprise that small forward Deng Adel committed quickly after camp. Adel put together an extremely efficient camp performance and played with a high motor throughout with the ability to rattle off six to eight points in a row before the opponent knew what hit it. A blur on the break, Adel also displayed a soft touch on his jump shot inside the arc. He was extremely comfortable from about 15-17 feet out on the right baseline and also routinely beat his man off the dribble. 

Jaylen Brown, 6’7”, SF, Wheeler (GA), 2015

Brown is the top small forward in the country and while he struggled on Thursday and early on Friday, he used his upper body strength and speed to turn things around. He went for 26 on Friday night in one of the most dominant performances of the week. A high level leaper, Brown averaged 16 ppg during camp and was always a tough cover on the offensive end. 

Kobi Simmons, 6’5”, PG, (GA), 2016

The tall, lanky junior point guard was impossible to keep out of the lane and out of the scoring book. With a strong handle, Simmons constantly beat his defender off the dribble and scored at the rim whether in the half court of fast break setting. He led the camp in scoring at 16.5 points per game but also kept his teammates involved leaving them with pinpoint passes at the basket. Simmons received an offer from Kansas subsequent to camp and will be one of the most sought after point guards going forward. Given his height, he will also be on the NBA radar for the next few years.

TJ Leaf, 6’8”, PF, Foothills Christian (CA), 2016

TJ Leaf lived up to his top 10 ranking this week going 26-39 from the floor over a three day span. The California junior always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and displayed his versatility on the perimeter and in the post. He knocked down three’s when he had the chance and finished at the rim over defenders using his long arms or a crafty reverse lay-up. Leaf is a solid athlete but has room for improvement in his lateral quickness and leaping ability to make the next step. Even so, there were plenty of Pac 12 schools in hot pursuit of Leaf this past week and Louisville offered a scholarship after their viewings.

Kenneth Nwuba, 7’0”, (MS), 2018

One of only two rising freshmen at the camp, Nwuba impressed with his coordination and defensive ability. Nwuba is a lanky athlete that has a quick first jump. His offensive skill in the post is quite raw at this point, but he is seriously advanced on the defensive end which led to the youngster earning a spot in the underclassmen all-star game.

Other Notes:

Junior point guard Peyton Pritchard was impressive in the underclassmen all-star game on Sunday. He shifted speeds constantly keeping his defender off balance and had his jump shot working from all areas of the court. After a strong start, Pritchard’s shot started to slide on Saturday. The 6’0” Oregon point guard spent about an hour on Saturday working on his shot and the hard work paid off with 15 points in the all-star game and 3-4 from the three point line. Pritchard is also a hot commodity in the recruiting world with coaches from the PAC 12, Big 10, and Big 12 after him. Recently Pritchard made unofficial visits to Wisconsin and Indiana.