Nike Hoop Summit: US Scrimmage

The Nike Hoop Summit is underway in Portland, OR this week and Thursday marked the third day of practice for the U.S. team. The early afternoon consisted of putting in plays and some light scrimmaging as the team saved up for the 6-8pm session. In this stanza, the U.S. team scrimmaged for four, 10 minute quarters against a variety of players from Portland University and other local schools in addition to future Oklahoma Sooner, Payton Pritchard (class of 2016). It also happened to be the only practice that NBA scouts could attend for the U.S. team and the gym was packed with over 100 scouts and General Managers. The U.S. team used its length and athleticism to combat its strength disadvantage and won the first three quarters comfortable before squeaking out a fourth quarter victory.

The starters included Jalen Brunson, Malik Newman, Brandon Ingram, Ivan Rabb, and Stephen Zimmerman. 

Guards:

Malik Newman – Newman got the start alongside Jalen Brunson and showcased his scoring ability throughout. Without being tasked to start the offense, Newman was free to attack the basket and look for mid-range jump shots within half-court offensive sets. He started the scrimmage off with a three from the left wing and added in a step-back jumper. In the second half Newman put up points in a hurry scoring off a pick and roll and using screens to find open 17 foot jump shots. The uncommitted guard was one of the top performers on the day and used his first quick step to constantly free himself from his defender.

Allonzo Trier – The future Arizona Wildcat was the leading scorer for the U.S. with 20 points including an and one three to win a sluggish fourth quarter for the U.S. Trier hit several three’s from the wing and looked comfortable several feet behind the arc. Trier’s ability to get to the rim against more athletic defenders has been questioned but he displayed a good bounce off the dribble and was at ease finding his shot.

Briscoe drives against Pritchard - photo by Ken Waz

Isaiah Briscoe – The powerful combo guard was manning the point guard position when he was in the game. He used his upper body strength and in and out dribble to constantly get deep into the lane where he was able to use his wing span to convert lay-ups or dish out to open teammates. Briscoe was intense on defense and put the most pressure on Pritchard when he was handling the ball. In addition to his baskets close to the hoop, Briscoe converted a long two from the left corner in the second half.

Luke Kennard – Throughout the course of the game, Kennard was the best defensive rebounding guard. He got off the ground quickly and is a good two-footed jumper which he also displayed when going for two-handed jams on various fastbreak attempts. Kennard knocked in several three’s, but struggled when he had to put the ball on the floor. He has a good first burst, but is hampered after one dribble when going towards the basket.  

Jalen Brunson – It wasn't a great scoring day for Brunson although he found the basket several times in the second half. His outside shot was off, but ran the offense well and minimized turnovers. Brunson played stellar defense on Pritchard picking him off twice and showed good instincts in intercepting a few other passes.

Small Forwards:

Brandon Ingram – The rising senior prospect started for the U.S. and finished with 13 points. He got to the line in both halves by attacking the basket and converted 7-8 from the line. He miss-fired on his three point attempts but knocked in a 12 foot jump shot after a pick and roll with Brunson in the second. Ingram used his length to block several jump shots as well on the defensive end. He didn't play as well as he did at McDonald’s, but he still looked comfortable and confident in his surroundings. Over the next few months he will need to continue to work on his strength and explosiveness as the fouls he drew today could have easily turned into blocks or missed shots against more athletic players.

Jaylen Brown – After participating in drills to start the practice, Brown was held out of the scrimmage with a sore hip.

Big Men:

Ivan Rabb – Over the last year, Rabb has worked on his body to get stronger and healthier. After winning a California state championship, Rabb’s effort has been top tier over the past two weeks. He scored close to the rim in the first half with both hands. He also displayed his passing ability with several touch passes to open teammates and operated well at the top of the key. Rabb was forced into a few contested shots in the second half going against stronger defenders and he noted that continuing to get in the weight room was one of his priorities.

Stephen Zimmerman – Big Zimm had a strong run in the second quarter scoring nine points in a quick burst. He converted a touch pass from Rabb and finished close to the rim including an and-one. While he scored in a hurry in this quarter he was also challenged by the physical play and struggled to score with the ball in his hands. He also didn’t get a chance to showcase his 12-15 foot jump shot during the course of the game.

Chase Jeter – The future Duke tandem of Kennard and Jeter connected several times for baskets including one where Kennard took the ball up the court and after attacking the basket he dished out to Jeter for a swish from the foul line extended. Jeter used his go-to move (right hook) to score in the second quarter.

Caleb Swanigan – Swanigan scored three points in the first half and struggled to convert down low; however he used his upper body to keep the opposing post players out of the paint and also man handled a smaller defender down low in the fourth quarter. He stepped outside the paint twice miss-firing on both of his jumpers which he was knocking down in the McDonald’s practices. Swanigan has the power to bang with college players but will need to work on his explosiveness off of two feet.

The U.S. won the first quarter 27-14, the second quarter 34-21, and the third quarter 31-15. With both teams looking tired the fourth quarter it was an issue getting the ball in the hoop on both sides. Down 15-12, Allonzo Trier hit a three from the top of the key and got fouled with two seconds left providing the U.S. with a 16-15 win. While not on the U.S. team, Payton Pritchard relished the opportunity to go against the older U.S. players. When he walked in the gym, the scouts were buzzing about the performance he put on a year ago in the Hoop Summit scrimmage despite being just a sophomore. While he struggled from the floor, he displayed good ball-handlings skills and was constantly getting into the paint showing good body control and an ability to avoid getting his shot blocked by the U.S. big men.

An Introduction: Alonzo Verge Jr.

The hype around Alonzo Verge Jr. is growing in the Chicago area and the wiry sophomore certainly lived up to the billing on Tuesday night in front of a packed house. Just days after the Chicago Sun-Times did a glowing feature on the high-scoring guard, Verge went out and scored 41 points in a 96-94 win over conference foe Proviso East.

Last year Willowbrook won just two games on the season, but with their latest victory they now have reached the 20 win mark and have won 14 in a row. The turnaround is primarily due to the scoring exploits of one of the top sophomores in the state. Two years ago it was Jalen Brunson who slowly built a local buzz as a sophomore before exploding onto the national scene during the spring. Now it’s Alonzo Verge Jr. who is building the buzz. He came into the Proviso East contest averaging 22.5 points which included multiple 30 point and 40 point outbursts.

An Inside Look:

Scoring comes naturally to Verge Jr. His father was a standout scorer at Proviso West in the late 1980’s and finished on the All-State third team in 1987-88 (take a look at this list and see what names pop out). The 6’0” guard was famous for his own 30 point and 40 point performances as he won two straight scoring titles in the West Suburban Conference. His son, Alonzo Verge Jr. stands 6’3” with a lanky frame, long arms, and braids falling down below his eyes but likes to score just like his father.  

First Half Scoring:

Verge Jr. started the game in attack mode and after missing his first shot of the game hit a driving lay-up from the right side off of a steal to kick things off. The quick first step was evident as Proviso East was forced to put their smallest and quickest defender on Verge Jr when they weren't running double teams at him. He added in another driving lay-up in addition to a pull-up three from the right wing to finish with nine points in the first quarter. His scoring slowed down in the second quarter as he forced the issue at times but he still ended the half with 14 points.

14 points, 5-11 FG’s, 1-4 3PT, 3-4 FT’s

Second Half Scoring:

The second half began just like the first half did with Verge Jr. pushing the tempo and looking for cracks in the defense. He found a few as he made two driving lay-ups early on in addition to a deep three from the left wing. After an offensive put-back he ended the quarter missing his final three shots. Another nine point quarter gave the sophomore 23 points heading into the fourth quarter of a tightly contested game.

Without wasting words, Alonzo Verge simply dominated the fourth quarter. In a matter of possessions Verge Jr. hit a three off of a left to right cross, converted a driving lay-up, and added in another NBA range three from the right wing. He was perfect from the line down the stretch going 8-8 and also added in a highlight reel lay-up where he did his best Steph Curry dribbling impersonation on his way to the basket. He scored 18 points in the final stanza and did not miss a shot as Willowbrook held on for the win.

27 points, 8-12 FG’s, 3-4 3PT, 8-8 FT’s

Areas for Improvement:

Verge Jr. is both blessed and cursed with an innate ability to score and get a shot almost any time he wants. It’s easy for Alonzo to free himself of his defender and rise up for a shot, but this also leads to forced / difficult shots at times. When he caught the ball on the perimeter with his feet set, he knocked in both of his three point attempts that were well behind the line. When he was shooting off the dribble, his shots usually came off-balance while drifting to the right or the left (even though he still went 2-6 from three in these situations). His fancy ball-handling skills allow him to attack from both sides of the court while also single handedly breaking a man-to-man press; however he over-dribbled at times which led to a high turnover rate. Alonzo recorded seven steals, but he was also always on the lookout for an easy run-out or fast break situation which often left him in a compromised defensive position or resulted in an easy offensive rebound for his opponent.

Strengths:

Quickness and scoring ability. Despite being the focus of Proviso East’s defense, Verge Jr. still scored 41 points. At times he was a little out of control, but he took over in the fourth quarter and created for himself or his teammates at almost any time. His long and quick first step allows him to get by defenders where he utilized both hands in the paint to score. He has a quick triggered release which combined with his range makes him a threat starting with the NBA three-point line.  Not just a scorer, Verge Jr. dropped off several nice passes to teammates resulting in easy lay-ups and used his long arms to create steals. He likes to talk trash, but does so with a smile on his face at all times and might be the most jovial basketball player around. There’s no doubt that Alonzo Verge Jr. is one of the top sophomores in the state and he will most likely begin garnering national recognition when AAU play starts up in the spring.

McDonald's All-American Predictions

Last year it was fairly easy to predict the players for the McDonald’s All-American, but this year it’s a different story. The 38^th all-star game will take place at the United Center in Chicago (IL) on April 1. Here’s a look at my 24 predictions:

The Top Tier:

1) Ben Simmons, 6’8”, SF, Montverde Academy (HS)

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

Simmons and Brown are the top two players in both the Scout and ESPN rankings. Brown had the better game in the one head to head match-up at the City of Palms tournament this year and his team got the win but both players have been on another level this year after showing tremendous improvement beginning last spring. 

The Big Men Locks:

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

4) Ivan Rabb, 6’10”, PF, Bishop O’ Dowd (CA)

5) Henry Ellenson, 6’10”, F, Rice Lake (WI)

6) Stephen Zimmerman, 6’11”, F/C, Bishop Gorman (NV)

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

There’s no shortage of big men talent in the 2015 class. Stone, Rabb, and Zimmerman are still uncommitted while Ellenson is headed to Marquette and Jeter is off to replace Jahlil Okafor at Duke. All five players played for different variations of the USA basketball teams and will be looking to carry their high school teams to state championships.

The Guards:

8)   Malik Newman, 6’3”, G, Callaway (MS)

9)   Jalen Brunson, 6’2”, PG, Stevenson (IL)

10) Isaiah Briscoe, 6’2”, G, Roselle Catholic (NJ)

11) Allonzo Trier, 6’4”, SG, Findlay Prep (NV)

12) Luke Kennard, 6’5”, SG, Franklin (OH)

The above guards have all been in the top of their class since stepping onto the high school scene. It took Brunson until his sophomore year to get national recognition, but now he will try to follow in his father’s footsteps and take home the MVP honors just like Rick did in 1991.

Highly Probable:

13) Cheick Diallo, 6’9”, C, Our Savior New American School (NY)

14) Carlton Bragg, 6’9”. PF, Villa Angela – St Joseph (OH)

15) Caleb Swanigan, 6’8”, PF, Homestead (IN)

16) Antonio Blakeney, 6’4”, SG, Oak Ridge (FL)

17) Dwayne Bacon, 6’6”, SF, Oak Hill Academy (VA)

18) Jawun Evans, 6’0”, PG, Kimball (TX)

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

Diallo, Bragg, and Swanigan are all five-star big men. Diallo started the year hurt, but is the best shot blocker in the class. Bragg just committed to Kansas and Swanigan is a workhorse downlow. The LSU bound Blakeney is one of the top scorers in high school and Dwayne Bacon has stepped his game up for Oak Hill. Evans will be added for point guard depth and will be the quickest guard in Chicago while Brandon Ingram will get to continue his head to head battles with Jaylen Brown. 

Rounding Out the Team:

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

21) Tyler Dorsey, 6’4”, SG, Marantha (CA)

Coleman-Lands and Dorsey are both explosive scorers. Coleman-Lands is one of the top shooters in the country and Dorsey has put together multiple 40 point games in California.

The Longshots:

22) Daniel Giddens, 6’10”, C, Oak Hill (VA)

23) Derrick Jones, 6’6”, Archbishop Carroll (PA)

24) Charles Matthews, 6’5”, SG, St. Rita (IL)

Two years ago Kennedy Meeks was a surprise selection to the McDonald’s All-American game and last year 7’0” center Thomas Welsh got the nod. This year the surprise will go to Charles Matthews. At one point he was the top ranked shooting guard in his class but has struggled in marquee events over the past two years. As a senior, Matthews has put together a strong season in Chicago and should get the local nod in addition to the Kentucky bump to get him in the All-Star game. 

Others:

There are numerous top players that could easily slide into the McDonald's game including Louisville's trio of recruits in Ray Spalding, Donovan Mitchell, and Deng Adel. Other possible names include Brewster teammates Justin Simon and Jalen Adams and a few Texas natives in Tyler Davis, Elijah Thomas, and Austin Grandstaff. 

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.  

Nike Global Challenge: Day 3

A full slate of games took place on Day number three of the Nike Global Challenge yesterday at Whitney Young high school. The USA teams went up against each other producing some entertaining fireworks and the Chinese team pulled a huge early morning upset to propel themselves to the third place game. 

Best Game: USA West 115 USA Midwest 100

Played in front of a packed house in the middle of the afternoon the two USA teams went back and forth until the final minutes with the talented West squad prevailing. Six players scored in double figures for the West including Stephen Zimmerman, Tyler Davis, King McClure, Matt McQuaid, Dejounte Murray, and DJ Hogg. Junior point guard De’Aaron Fox paced the team with 12 assists after facing a 60-49 halftime deficit. On the losing side, senior point guard Jalen Brunson put together a monster performance finishing with 20 points and seven assists.

Shuai Yuan

Biggest Upset: China 114 USA South 110

After losing their first game by 35 points, not much was expected from the Chinese team. Instead they bounced back in a high scoring close win over the USA South team featuring Jaylen Brown. China was led by 6’5” Shang Gao who scored 26 points on 9-16 shooting and guard Shuai Yuan who added 23 points. Later in the day, the Chinese team beat Pan Africa by 21 propelling them to the 3^rd place game on Saturday. Yuan led the way in the evening with 33 points on 7-12 shooting from behind the arc.

Top Five Performances (not including Shuai Yuan)

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

The energetic small forward was a monster in an early morning win over Pan Africa. Clark relentlessly attacked the rim and finished with 19 points and four rebounds on 9-10 shooting. Whether it was on the break or off the wing, Clarke continuously put pressure on the defense and got to the rim. When the opponent went to a 2-3 zone, Clarke flashed to the middle, caught the ball, and was at the rim in one hard dribble. While he rarely shoots from outside the paint, Clarke did hit on his only three point attempt in the second half. In the evening session Clarke added 13 points on 5-8 shooting.

Stephen Zimmerman, 6’11”, C, Bishop Gorman (NV), USA West, 2015

Zimmerman continues to play well in the Global Challenge and might have had one of his best games of the summer against the undersized Midwest team with 21 points and nine rebounds. Zimm did most of his damage down low with lay-ups, dunks, and alley-oops. He ran the floor well and co-existed down low with Tyler Davis. While most of his buckets came in the paint, he did hit a soft seven foot jump shot in the first half and finished 10-16 from the floor. 

Tyler Davis, 6’9”, C, Plano West (TX), USA West, 2015

The 270 pound Davis was too much to handle down low. The big Texan grabbed 14 rebounds, including five on the offensive end and also added 19 points. Despite playing on a hurt foot, Davis got up and down the court and showed some nice foot work on his shots in the paint. He worked the high low with Zimmerman and was solid catching the ball down low or delivering a pin point pass from the top of the key.

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

Despite the loss, Brunson was almost impossible to stop for the USA West team. In the first half he was scoring off the dribble with floaters and lay-ups and then in the second half he started to hit on deep three’s from well NBA range. Overall, the steady point guard finished with 20 points on 7-11 shooting and 3-4 from behind the arc.

Jalen Poyser, 6’4”, SG, Canada, 2015

The Canadian team got their first win of the tournament over Brazil Friday afternoon and Poyser led the way with 23 points including eight of the team’s first ten points in a quick first half burst. Poyser drained two three’s and then beat his man down the floor for a lay-up off of a steal. The athletic guard continued to make a difference throughout the game and kept Brazil just out of reach with his timely shooting. For the game, Poyser went 7-14 from the field and a perfect 6-6 from the line.

Summer Shootout Recap

The Riverside-Brookfield High School Summer Shootout took place this past weekend providing an initial look at numerous Chicago area high school teams and players for the upcoming 2014-15 season. While the Chicago glory days are gone with the graduations of Jahlil Okafor, Cliff Alexander, and Tyler Ulis there is still plenty of talent in and around the Windy City.

Defending Champs: 

Whitney Young

It’s fair to say that this upcoming season will be a “down year” for Whitney Young. The Dolphins just graduated Jahlil Okafor, the No. 1 player in the class of 2014 along with the Georgetown bound Paul White and SLU bound Myles Reynolds. Those three started a lot of games over the past years and how the Dolphins perform next year is up in the air. While they probably won’t contend for a state title next year, Whitney Young did go 3-0 in their Saturday afternoon pool play winning by almost 13 points a game.

Rodney Herenton, 6’0, PG, 2016

After a sophomore season getting meaningful minutes for the state champs and a spring on the EYBL circuit, the tough 6’0” point guard looks ready to lead the way for Whitney Young next year. In his second game Herenton was cooking from deep hitting multiple deep three’s in each half. In his third game of the afternoon he displayed an ability to get deep in the lane off the dribble and used his strong upper body to finish in the paint. Herenton averaged around 13 minutes a game playing for the Meanstreets AAU program and while he only scored 3.7 points a game he did register two double digit scoring performances in the last EYBL session. Rodney Herenton is definitely primed for a breakout junior season.

Future Champs: 

Simeon 

Simeon failed to win their fifth straight state championship this past year; however they did lay the ground work for a possible run this year. Despite missing several of their key players in forward Ed Morrow and guard Zach Norvell the Wolverines took home the crown with a 6-0 record. 6’5” Isaiah Moss took home the MVP for the Wolverines while showing that the cupboard is fully stocked for Simeon once again.

Stevenson

The back to back 4A runner-up is primed for a state championship this upcoming season. The two superstars of the team return in point guard Jalen Brunson and shooting guard Connor Cashaw and the Patriots should be the favorites to cut down the net this year. Stevenson went 2-1 in pool play, but did so with Brunson on the bench coaching his teammates up. Cashaw struggled in his first game, but came to play in the afternoon. The wiry guard was hitting pull-ups and driving to the basket in a poised manner. After getting used to EYBL play for the Mac Irvin Fire, Cashaw should see his stock rise during the Peach Jam. He finished the spring averaging nine points a game while scoring 15 and 12 in his last two EYBL games.

Favorite Player:

Glynn Watson, 6’1”, PG, 2015, St. Joe’s

Legendary coach Gene Pingatore was not the least bit pleased with the play of St. Joe’s in their second game of pool play. Down double digits early, St. Joe’s finally got rolling before falling in double overtime to Bativia. Despite the lifeless start, Watson certainly showcased his skills. The first word that comes to mind when watching Watson is “smooth.” The senior point guard uses his long arms to control the ball like a yo-yo and can usually beat his man off the dribble with one or two quick moves. Once in the lane, Watson can pull-up or finish with a lay-up. He hit several shots from the outside as well. While Watson is not going to wow anyone with his speed or outside shooting he is above average in both areas. Watson is a Top 100 player and the talented point guard wrapped up a strong spring showing with his play over the weekend. 

Future Star? 

Justin Smith, 6’5”, F, 2017, Stevenson

Don’t jump when you see freshman forward Justin Smith coming at you on the break. A helpless defender for Proviso East learned the hard way when Smith throw down a viscous right handed dunk last Saturday. An athletic forward with long arms you can tell that Smith is just scratching the surface of his potential. Right now he is around 6’5” and sporting an impressive wing span. He is a combo forward that will need to transition to a full time small forward over the years, but right now he can run the floor and finish above the break. He didn’t hit any outside shots in the Proviso East game, but given his form the outside shot should come to him soon.

Smith has plenty of talented teammates around him in Brunson, Cashaw, and senior Matt Johnson and definitely won’t get top billing this year, but he just might be the X-factor that produces a title for Stevenson. 

Other Players That Caught My Eye:

Jarrin Randle, 5’9”, G, 2016, Morgan Park – Wow. Randle has a quick release, a soft touch, and an ability to freeze his defender with an in and out dribble. Despite his size, Randle can play.

Nick Rakocevic, 6’9”, F/C, 2016, St. Joe’s – An agile big man that can run the floor. He worked well with Watson running the pick and roll but could float out to the perimeter a bit much at times. 

Taylor Adway, 6’8”, PF, 2015, Hillcrest – Solid post player, used his size inside to get baskets. Played with the Meanstreets on the Nike EYBL circuit and averaged close to five points a game.

Lamous Brown, 6’10”, 2015, C, Morgan Park - It’s rare that a player his size can run the floor the way Brown does. Very raw, but improving steadily.

Jason Towers, 5’10” G, 2017, St. Joe’s - The young guard didn’t get a lot of early PT for St. Joe’s but was a key kog in their comeback loss. He played bigger than his size and hit some clutch baskets.