Nike Global Challenge: USA Recap

The USA teams were the class of the Nike Global Challenge with the USA West team handing the USA East their first loss in the championship game on Sunday afternoon. The West team was stocked with talent from Texas and also got some help from Stephen Zimmerman and Dejounte Murray. Throughout the challenge, the four USA teams suffered just one loss to the foreign teams with the USA South falling to China on Day three.

Best Duo:

Stephen Zimmerman, 6’11”, C, 2015 & Tyler Davis, 6’10”, C, 2015 – USA West

Back in April before the start of the EYBL season, Zimmerman and Ivan Rabb were supposed to be a fearsome frontcourt duo. That wasn’t necessarily the case and Zimmerman rarely broke double digits in EYBL competition. Playing with Davis and a plethora of outside shooters gave Zimmerman the space he needed to operate down low. With a 17.5 point and 11.5 rebound average, Zimmerman grabbed the MVP of the Challenge and looked more confident and fluid in the process. He did a lot of his work in the paint, whether it was dunks, lay-ups, or short hook shots but he also displayed his outside shooting ability (at times) as well as his passing skills from the high post.

While Zimmerman got the MVP, Tyler Davis was the workhorse down low using his 270 pound frame to his advantage. Before sitting out the championship game, Davis averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds including a 19 point, 14 rebound effort in his last game. Throughout the challenge, Davis ran the floor and banged down low in the post. The majority of his baskets came in the paint on follow-ups or fundamental post moves, but he also stepped outside of the paint and knocked in a few mid range jump shots and delivered several assists to Zimmerman.

Both players noted they enjoyed playing with each other and the chemistry was evident from the opening tip on Wednesday night.

Toughest Competitor:

Chris Clarke, USA East, 6’6”, SF, Cape Henry (VA), 2015

Chris Clarke and the words “motor” have been synonymous all summer long and certainly nothing changed in the Challenge. Clarke was all over the floor attacking the basket or hounding opposing players in the full court press. For his efforts, Clarke was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 16 points per game and shooting 71.8% from the floor (21-38). In addition Clarke also grabbed almost 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. Anytime Clarke got the ball he went straight toward the rim. When China went to a 2-3 zone in the first game, Clarke flashed to the middle, caught the ball in the zone and in one quick movement turned and was at the rim in one dribble. He never seemed to get tired and Clarke never went away from his strengths. Whoever winds up with Chris Clarke will get a difference maker from Day 1 in college. 

5 USA Notables:

Jalen Brunson, USA Midwest, 6’2”, PG, Stevenson (IL), 2015

Hailing from the Chicago burbs, Brunson looked right at home playing within the city limits. While Brunson is known for his three point stroke in high school play he only shot 23% during EYBL action. Well, in four games at the Challenge Brunson finished 10-15 from behind the arc. He had no trouble with the FIBA distance and hit several tough step backs in addition to NBA three’s. Brunson controlled the game for his Midwest team throughout their third place finish and averaged 14 points and 6.25 assists per game. The class of 2015 is weak at the point guard spot, but over the past two weeks at the CP3 camp and the Nike Global Challenge, Brunson definitively established himself as the top point guard in the class and an impact player at the next level. 

Edrice Adebayo, USA East, 6’8”, PF, Northside (NC), 2016

Bam’s offensive game continues to improve. Known as “raw” on the offensive end, Adebayo’s skill-set is starting to catch up to his athleticism. In his second game against Africa, Adebayo jumped out to a quick start with a fast break dunk, reverse lay-up in traffic, and a 12 foot jump shot. He already has a college ready upper body and is quick off his feet. With good form on his free throws and jump shot, Adebayo is starting to get more confidence in his 12-15 foot jumper. He hit several over the three day stretch and did so off a pick and pop or face-up. He led his East team in scoring at 17 points a game and also grabbed 7 rebounds. With continued skill work, it won’t be long before Adebayo rises rapidly up the rankings. 

De’Aaron Fox, USA West, 6’4”, PG, Cypress Lake (TX), 2016

The talented USA West team had Zimmerman and Davis down low and a plethora of shooters on the wings, but they also had junior De’Aaron Fox running the show. Fox led the Challenge with 7.25 assists per game and also turned in a strong 3.2 A/TO rate. Fox hit shots when he needed, but for the most part the talented guard was content to push the pace, break down his man off the dribble, and find an open teammate. Fox didn’t make the cut for the USA 17U team, but he did showcase his skills in Colorado Springs and continued to do so in one of the last big time events of the summer.

Dejounte Murray, USA West, 6’5”, SG, Rainier Beach (WA), 2015

Murray was the only representative from the Pacific Northwest, but the future Washington Husky won a few NBA scouts over with his skill set. Murray averaged almost 14 points per game and hit some clutch baskets in a closely contested win over the USA Midwest team. With his length and quickness, Murray got to the rim on the break and usually got by his defender on the wing in the half court set as well. He did turn the ball over too much, but Murray also provided some highlight reel plays in addition to his timely scoring.

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

The USA South team went just 2-2 in the Challenge, but Scout.com’s new number one player in the class of 2015 still played up to the lofty expectations set for him. Using his brute strength and improved mid-range game, Brown averaged 21 points per game and 9.3 rebounds while shooting 48% from the field. He did most of his damage in the paint but showed enough ball-handling skills for all the scouts that wanted to see him in action. 

Top Shooters:

Playing under FIBA rules, the three point line was set at 22.1 feet compared to a high school arc of 19 feet and 9 inches. To no surprise the USA teams struggled from behind the arc more so than the international teams. With the extended arc, there were still a few players that demonstrated their shooting ability from all areas of the court.

Malachi Richardson, USA East, 6’6”, SF, Trenton Catholic (NJ), 2015

Only five USA players made over seven three’s in the Challenge and the future Syracuse Orangeman was one of them. Richardson finished the week hitting 7-18 good enough for 39%. Richardson went 5-7 in his first game against China and wasn’t really affected by the longer three point line. With his 6’11” wing span, Richardson’s shot is pretty hard to block and he also has a quick release. To go along with his mechanics, Richardson also gets a tremendous amount of backspin on the ball reminiscent to Gilbert Arenas back in his heyday. He averaged 14.5 points for the tournament and while he only made two more three’s after his first game he established himself as one of the top shooters from the USA.

Austin Grandstaff, USA West, 6’3”, SG, Rockwall (TX), 2015

Looking purely at the stats, it was teammate Matt McQuaid that shot better from behind the arc going 7-20 compared to the 8-26 that Grandstaff shot. That being said, Grandstaff makes his way into the top shooters listing for when he made his shots. They usually came at the beginning of games rather than towards the end in blowouts. Grandstaff made his attempts look easy with a quick flick of the rest and hit several from well beyond the FIBA international line.  

Mr. Consistent:

Esa Ahmad, 6’7”, SF, Shaker Heights (OH), 2015

The talented wing from Ohio is never flashy in his performance, but he seems to always get the job down. This held true in Chicago with Ahmad averaging 13.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. His field goal attempts through four games went this way: 5-7, 6-8, 3-9, and 8-9. He took advantage of a porous Chinese defense in the third place game with his strong drives to the basket. Ahmad is not going to blow you away with athleticism, but he is strong and just quick enough to consistently get to the rim. He is not a deadly outside shooter, but he went 5-10 from behind the arc. His stock improved over the summer, but Esa Ahmad is still overlooked in the class of 2015 despite his consistent nature.

Quietest Performance:

Deyonta Davis, USA Midwest, 6’8”, PF, Muskegon (MI), 2015

Davis averaged just less than 13 minute a game, but managed to score 8.8 points and grab seven rebounds while shooting a ridiculous 85% from the floor. Davis only attempted 20 field goals, but he converted 17 of them. The jumping jack from Michigan is one of the quickest leapers in the country and cleaned up down low. Coming into the AAU season, Davis did not have much exposure but the future Spartan certainly showed that he was worthy of such a high offer. 

Disappearing Act:

Donovan Mitchell, USA East, 6’3”, G, Brewster Academy (NH), 2015

It’s hard to blame Mitchell for one lackluster performance after being one of the hottest players throughout the July period. After jumping up to five-star status and committing to Louisville, Mitchell struggled in Chicago averaging just four points and 2.5 assists per game. Mitchell had talented guards around him, but in 82 minutes he shot just 7-20 from the field and was a relative non-factor in three out of four games. In the championship game, Mitchell went against one of his clones in King McClure and he let the Texan get the better of him. It’s been a long summer for Mitchell and one subpar tournament should be nothing to worry about, even though it did end his hot play on a down note.  

NBPA Top 100: Thursday Morning Recap

Day Two is underway at the NBPA Top 100 camp at John Paul Jones arena in Charlottesville, VA. With over three hours of action to kick off the morning session there were numerous standout performances and highlight real plays as he participant played around 24 minutes per game.

Impressive Performers:

Tyler Dorsey, 6’4” G, St. John Bosco (CA)

This past spring Tyler Dorsey de-committed from Arizona while also seeing his ranking plummet. Despite this, the athletic guard was impressive in his morning game showcasing his quick first step. In a close loss, Dorsey utilized a quick cross-over to pull up just outside the paint for a soft jump shot. He attacked the basket off the dribble and constantly put pressure on his defender, no matter the size. Not only was his quickness on display, but so was his hustle. It’s fair to say that Dorsey put out a maximum effort which resulted in an offensive rebound and easy put-back under the basket. Dorsey might have stumbled in the spring, but now with a chip on his shoulder he should be just fine going into July.

Edrice Adebayo, 6’8”, PF, Northside (NC)

In the EYBL, Adebayo was known for his rebounding prowess and second jump ability. Both of these were on display this morning, along with a more aggressive offensive outlook. Going against 7 foot Doral Moore, Adebayo looked for his shot throughout the game. While he was a force on the glass he also hit an eight foot jump shot and connected on several free throws. Feeling a little confident after, Adebayo stepped a bit outside his range and launched a 17 foot jump shot which didn’t connect. Minus this deep jumper, Adebayo was a force to be reckoned with down on the block with his newfound offensive mindset. He ended the game with 17 points and 10 rebounds on 7-10 shooting. 

Jalen Coleman, 6’4”, SG, La Lumiere (IN)

In this day and age most 6’4” scoring guards want to be known as point guards or combo guards. Jalen Coleman is refreshing as he knows he is a true shooting guard. In the EYBL, Coleman shot 50% from three connecting on 46-92 attempts. His textbook jump shot was on display today as he knocked in numerous outside shots. He started with a feathery 15 footer from the right corner and then started knocking in three’s from a variety of areas. Coleman is a pure scorer, but one that is more than just a standstill outside shooter. While his points came from outside the paint, Coleman has the athletic ability to get by his defender.

Cheick Diallo, 6’9”, PF, Our Savior (NY)

Underclassmen tend to struggle at the NBPA Top 100 camp, but last year Diallo took home the MVP despite several standout players in the class of 2014 in attendance. It didn’t take long for Diallo to make his mark in the first game of the morning. Blocking shots, sprinting the floor on both offense and defense, and finishing in the paint led to 18 points and eight rebounds. All of these skills make Diallo one of the most intimidating players in the country.

Other Notes:

·         Class of 2016 point guard Derryck Thornton dropped seven dimes in a two point loss and only committed one turnover. He also added 10 points and was the most impressive true point guard in the morning session. 

·         5’8” sparkplug Demontrae Jefferson is back in C-Ville and he was right back to his high scoring ways. The leading scorer in the Adidas Uprising scored throughout the game while frustrating his opponent, Bryant Crawford on the defensive end. Jefferson scored 23 points on 9-15 shooting. He is always the shortest player on the court, but can get by his defenders with ease and finish against much taller opponents with his ridiculous leaping ability.

·         Five-star Carlton Bragg has a tendency to float outside of the paint at times, but today he was fairly dominant down low. With long arms and a quick first jump, Bragg was able to finish in the post early and often.

·         Brevin Pritzl, the future Wisconsin Badger had the tough task of guarding Tyler Dorsey, but he was able to match Dorsey offensively in the second half. He started the third quarter with a steal and a pull-up three and then nailed another three off a set inbounds play.

·         Georgetown bound Noah Dickerson was a load to handle down low. He used his size to back down defenders in the paint which resulted in both right handed and left handed hook shots. He also operated extremely effectively in the pick and roll. He set good, strong screens that punished the smaller guards and also rolled to the basket for easy buckets. Dickerson finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. 

·         YouTube sensation Seventh Woods was quiet offensively in the second half (besides a blow by) but put on a defensive clinic. He hounded the opposing point in the half-court set with his quick feet, fought around screens, and also kept the taller Malachi Richardson from getting to his sweet spot at the three point line. 

·         Thon Maker was fairly quiet in his game until the last few minutes. After making the block of the morning by volleyball spiking an opponents shot, Maker hit a five foot shot in the post and then finished with a strong two hand dunk. The versatile big man exerted more energy at the end of the game and his performance rapidly improved. Earlier in the game, Maker showed a propensity to force a foul on contested jump shots. 

Dunk of the Day:

On a fastbreak Gonzaga High point guard Bryant Crawford passed up an easy two points by bouncing the ball off the floor for a strong one handed finish by Carlton Bragg.

Bonus:

During the breaks at the NBPA camp, another showcase is going on right across the street at UVA’s UHall arena. Put on by ScoutsFocus, the camp features a fair amount of players in the 2016 and 2017 classes. One who stuck out early, was Curtis Jones a 6’3” shooting guard out of Paul VI High School in Virginia. Jones hit a three from the top of the key and finished a fast break with a monster tomahawk jam. With his size and ball-handling ability, Jones was the best player in his game.

EYBL Dallas: Preview

Part two of the Nike EYBL series kicks off this weekend in Frisco, Texas with 80 games scheduled to take place Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately real world events keep me from attending this event for the third year in a row, but there are several games, player match-ups, and storylines that I am paying close attention to. 

Storylines:

1. Will Stephen Zimmerman Play Like A Top 5 Player?

In his first EYBL experience with the Oakland Soldiers in Sacramento, the No. 5 ranked prospect struggled mightily. In three games he averaged 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds with a 90.9 ORTG. His mid-range jump shot was off and he did not necessarily look comfortable on the block, but he did show glimpses of his talent when put in the high-lo offense with Ivan Rabb. The Soldiers have a tough four game stretch in Dallas, but Zimmerman will have a chance to show that his first experience was just a fluke.

2. Will The Outside Shooters Stay Hot?

Kenny Williams of Boo Williams and Levan Alston of Team Final were two of the top three point marksmen in the first EYBL. Williams went 6-9 in his first game and 16-26 over four games, good enough for 62%. The recruiting increase in Williams picked up rapidly afterwards and now teams will focus on pushing the 6’3” guard off the three point line. While Williams shot 62%, Alston went 13-15, or 87%. He shot 5-5 on opening night and then 6-6 the next day.

3. Will Bam Bam Continue His Strong Play?

The Top 25 sophomore is a physical freak. It’s no secret that Edrice Adebayo can run the floor, block shots, and dunk, but how is his actual offensive game coming along? In Sacramento, Adebayo looked raw in the post playing against the older and larger Jessie Govan. After that game, one could see Adebayo’s confidence start to grow as he scored 16, 12, and 14 in his next three games. While a lot of his points come off tip-backs, against Baltimore Elite he did score several times off of quick moves in the post. In the first EYBL series, Adebayo led all players with a 24.0% Offensive Rebounding rating and also finished with a 121.6 ORTG.

4. Will Malik Monk Catch Fire Again?

At 6’3” and 185 pounds, Monk has the strength and athletic ability to get a shot at almost any time. He certainly did so in Sacramento when he dropped an EYBL high of 59 points which included 10 three’s. Before Monk exploded, the talented sophomore scored 19 and 20 points in his first three games. What type of show will he put on in Texas?

5. Will Any Ringers Show Up?

The EYBL is the premier tournament this weekend with Adidas and Under Armour gearing up against next weekend. Last year this led to players such as Isaiah Whitehead, Tyler Dorsey, and Daniel Hamilton playing for teams in Dallas. Will anyone make the switch this week?

Top Games:

1. Oakland Soldiers vs. Texas Titans (Sunday, 10:30 AM)

In Northern California, the Soldiers were the big draw given the easy drive for families and friends. Even Nick and Stanley Johnson showed up to cheer. Needless to say, when the Soldiers took on their rival California Supreme the stands were packed. While the Texas Titans don’t face off against Texas Elite, the stands will surely be packed for this big time match-up. The Soldiers have Top 5 big men in Ivan Rabb and Zimmerman, but the Titans feature 6’9” Tyler Davis and 6’11” Djery Baptiste off the bench. They also feature recent Baylor commit King McClure and sharp-shooting forward D.J. Hogg. Oh yeah, senior forward Mickey Mitchell should also receive increased playing time as he works his way back from injury. 

2. Team Scan vs. Each 1 Teach 1

Australian junior Ben Simmons will look to continue to make a claim for the top spot in the national rankings against Team Scan big men Cheick Diallo and Thomas Bryant. Simmons averaged 18.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in the first EYBL, while Diallo averaged 17.2 and 7.5. E1T1 features high scoring guard Antonio Blakeney who is coming off an impressive performance at the Bob Gibbons tournament this past weekend while five-star junior Tyus Battle will look to bounce back from a 5-19 shooting performance with Team Scan.

3. Mac Irvin Fire vs. Southern Stampede

Mac Irvin point guard Jalen Brunson looks to continue his bid for top point guard in the country after averaging a league leading 9.3 assists per game. He also added 16.3 points. 5’10” sparkplug Luwane Pipkins recently committed to UMass and led the fire with 19.7 ppg. On the Southern Stampede side, 6’4” guard Prince Ali made Kevin Ollie look like a genius with his 20 points per game and point guard Troy Hudson averaged 13.8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. Also 6’3” freshman Jatrious Smith averaged 8.7 points.

Other Notes:

·         Just four teams finished the first session undefeated. BABC, Spiece Indy, and Athletes First went 4-0 while Each 1 Teach 1 went 3-0. BABC is led by Terrance Mann, a do-everything 6’5” wing while Athlete’s First is led by Allonzo Trier who averaged a league leading 28.5 points per game. Spiece Indy was the surprise team in Sacramento as all viewers got to watch the underrated Deyonta Davis and Caleb Swanigan wreck shop. Davis led the EYBL with a 141.2 ORTG while Swanigan led the league in rebounding with 11.5 boards per game.

 

·         The talented, but young St. Louis Eagles were one of three teams to go winless along with Baltimore Elite and the Georgia Stars. The Eagles feature Jayson Tatum, one of the top players in America but also have big man Tyler Cook, and guards Quentin Goodin and Jordan Barnes. They will get a win this weekend.

·         Two high scoring guards face off on Sunday morning. Dejounte Murray, a newbie to the EYBL averaged 17 points per game for the Northwest Xpress while veteran Isaiah Briscoe averaged 13.8 for the NJ Playaz. In an East / West battle, the two shooting guards will take their turn trying to one up each other on the offensive end.