NBA Rookie Report

How did the first-round picks of the 2015 NBA Draft perform in Week 1 of the regular season? Well, Karl Anthony-Towns and Jahlil Okafor made their presence felt while Jerian Grant and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson were two of the top non-lottery performers.

1. Karl Anthony-Towns (TWolves) – You couldn’t ask for a better start for the No. 1 pick. Two double-doubles and two wins to start the year. Towns scored 14 points on 6-10 shooting in a win against the Lakers and then went for 28 and 14 against the Nuggets going 11-19 from the floor. After just two games, it's amazing to think that Towns scored less than 5 points in almost 20% of his games at Kentucky.

2. D’Angelo Russell (Lakers) – It’s been a rough start for the Lakers going 0-3 in the first week of games. Russell has averaged 25.4 minutes per game and 9 ppg, 2.7rpg, and 1.7 apg. He scored 13 points against the Kings, but is shooting just 36.7% from the field although he is a perfect 5-5 in the 15-19 foot range left of the free throw line.

3. Jahlil Okafor (Sixers) – Okafor got off to a scintillating start against Boston and finished with 26 points in his first NBA game. He scored 10 points in his second game and is averaging 18 points and 6.5 rebounds per game on 50% shooting.

4. Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks) – Porzingis has struggled from the field in his first 3 games, but has made it to the free throw line 16 times, including 12 attempts in his opener against Milwaukee. He is just 1-6 from the three point-line and is averaging 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

5. Mario Hezonja (Magic) – Super Mario started off with a bang scoring 11 points in a close loss to the Wiz knocking down 3-5 from three, but played just 14 minutes against the Thunder and went 0-3 in 5 minutes against the Bulls.

6. Willie Cauley-Stein (Kings) – Cauley-Stein only played 8 minutes in the Kings opener, but responded with a 17 point, 9 rebound, 3 block performance in 30 minutes against the Lakers. In his third game, WCS registered 8 points and 9 rebounds.

7. Emmanuel Mudiay (Nuggets) – Mudiay started the season off strong in the scoring column with 17 points in a win against the Rockets, but not surprisingly he is struggling from the field shooting just 33.3% and he is also averaging 6.3 turnovers per game (11 against Houston).

8. Stanley Johnson (Pistons) – Johnson has connected on 3 field goals in each of his first three games. He went 3-10 from the field in his first two games and 3-8 in his third. So far he is averaging 8.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg and has scored 6 out of his 9 made baskets around the rim.

9. Frank Kaminsky (Hornets) – Frank the Tank is averaging 2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game in 8.5 minutes. He is 2-4 from the three-point line but has only played double digit minutes once.

10. Justise Winslow (Heat) – Winslow got his career going with a resounding one hand dunk against Charlotte and scored 5 points in his first game. Winslow went just 1-4 in his second game, but then played 31 minutes in his third game and went 4-8. So far he’s averaging 5.7 points and 4.7 rebounds and is 3-3 on corner 3’s.

11. Myles Turner (Pacers) – Turner has turned in two solid games, going 4-6 from the floor in his first game and 4-8 in his second game. The Texas big man is averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds per game. All of his baskets have come from the middle or right-side of the floor.

12. Trey Lyles (Jazz) – It hasn’t been the best start for Lyles as he is 0-6 from the floor in 3 games and didn’t score until his third game going 2-4 from the three-point line. He is averaging 2.3 rebounds in 6.8 minutes per game.  

13. Devin Booker (Suns) – Booker started out hot in his first game going 6-7 from the field for 14 points against Dallas. He went 1-2 from the three-point line and added two rebounds. Booker only played 2 minutes the following game.

14. Cameron Payne (Thunder) – The Murray State guard got his first NBA playing time on Sunday against the Nuggets. In four minutes, Payne had 1 assist and 1 steal.

15. Kelly Oubre Jr. (Wizards) – The Wizards are 2-1, but Oubre has registered just 1 minute of action against the Milwaukee Bucks.

16. Terry Rozier (Celtics) – Rozier played 2 minutes in the Celtics home opener and went 0-2, but did not play in either of the Celtics next two games.

17. Rashad Vaughn (Bucks) – After getting significant playing time in the pre-season, Vaughn has played just 17 minutes. In the Bucks season opener Vaughn played 13 minutes and scored 7 points on 3-5 shooting. Vaughn only played four minutes against the Raptors and went 0-2.

18. Sam Dekker (Rockets) – Dekker has only played 6 minutes for the underperforming Rockets. Against the Nuggets Dekker played only one minute and then against Golden State, Dekker played 5 minutes and registered 1 steal and 1 rebound.

19. Jerian Grant (Knicks) – In three games Grant is averaging 7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 4 apg. The talented guard from Notre Dame has played at least 20 minutes in all three scored 10 points in his first game and recorded 7 rebounds and 7 assists in his second game.

20. Delon Wright (Raptors) – Wright’s only playing time occurred on Sunday where he got in Toronto’s game for two minutes against Milwaukee missing a three from the right corner.

21. Justin Anderson (Mavs) – The former Cavalier only played 3 minutes against the Suns on 10/28, but the athletic wing saw his playing time jump to 18 minutes one day later in a loss to the Clippers. Anderson went 2-8 against the Clippers and 1-5 from three, but he also pulled down 6 rebounds to go with an assist, a steal, and a block.

22. Bobby Portis (Bulls) – Portis has not played for the Bulls through four games.  

23. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Nets) – Hollis-Jefferson was the recipient of early playing time logging an average of 25 minutes in his first two games. He scored 8 points in his first game, followed by 10 points and 4 rebounds on 5-7 shooting against the Spurs.

24. Tyus Jones (TWolves) – Through 3 games, Jones is still looking for his first playing time in a regular season NBA game.

25. Jarrell Martin (Grizzlies) – Suffered a fractured foot in September.

26. Nikola Multinov (Spurs) – Currently playing in Europe. Draft and stash.

27. Larry Nance (Lakers) – Nance has not played for the Lakers in 3 games.

28. R.J. Hunter (Celtics) – Hunter has not played for the Celtics in 3 games.

29. Chris McCullough (Nets) – McCullough is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered while at Syracuse last January.

30. Kevon Looney (Warriors) – Looney is recovering from hip surgery and will be out 2-4 months.

Freshmen Tracker: March Edition

One week remains in the college regular season for this year’s impact freshmen to make their move. Okafor and Russell have the top two spots locked up, but Melo Trimble jumps up to No. 3 and Winslow goes from outside the Top 10 to number six on the Freshmen Tracker.

1.       Okafor, C, Duke

18.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 66.3 FG%

Okafor needed a game to recover from his ankle injury suffered during the UNC game and he scored 30 points in his return in a close overtime win at Virginia Tech. Okafor only scored 13 on Saturday against Syracuse but added 14 boards. The top rated recruit in the 2014 high school class has also been the top freshmen throughout the year and is in the front running for ACC Player of the Year and also the National Player of the Year. The only down fall for Okafor right now comes at the charity stripe. He’s shooting 52.5% and is just 5-22 in his last three games.

2.       D’Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State

18.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.4 apg

Russell has gone the last five games shooting under 50% from the field, but spurred the Ohio State comeback on Sunday night against Purdue. The 6’5” freshman finished with 28 points and seven rebounds and was fantastic in the second half. Despite the low shooting percentage, Russell has still knocked in two or more three’s in 11 of his last 12 games. He’s scored in double figures in every game this year besides his second game of his career against Marquette and has been one of the best players throughout Big 10 play.

3.       Melo Trimble, PG, Maryland

16.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.1 apg

The Terps have quietly won five in a row in Big 10 play and they just notched a pair of home wins against Wisconsin and Michigan in the past week. During the winning streak, Trimble has been scoring just under 20 points per game. He struggled for a few games in the middle of conference play, but Trimble has helped revitalize the Maryland program in their first year of Big 10 play.

4.       Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona

14.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.8 apg

Playing for one of the top teams in the country, Stanley Johnson took over the early role as Arizona’s leading scorer. He’s had significant struggles from the field in two of his last three games, but managed to grab double-digit rebounds in both. In the primetime Saturday match-up, Johnson went just 3-19 from the field just one week after going 1-9 against UCLA. Despite the poor performances, Johnson is a lock for first team all Pac-12 for an Arizona team that is looking for their first final four appearance under Sean Miller.

5.       Karl Anthony-Towns, PF, Kentucky

9.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 56.0 FG%

Anthony-Towns is still only playing 20 minutes per game on an undefeated Kentucky team, but with his play he is starting to get more consideration for the No. 1 pick in this summer’s draft. Over his last five games, Anthony-Towns has missed just three shots (20-23) and sits at No. 5 in the Ken Pomeroy player of the year ratings due to his 121.2 offensive efficiency rating. He also put up double-doubles in wins over Auburn and Mississippi State.

6.       Justise Winslow, F, Duke

12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.9 apg

Justise Winslow makes the biggest leap from the last Top 10 rankings as he previously just missed the cut. Winslow made a key defensive stop against Brice Johnson in the final minutes of Duke’s comeback win and then subsequently took advantage of his offensive miss-match by hitting an open three and a driving and one. Winslow then went for 20 points and 13 rebounds against Clemson, 15 points and seven rebounds at Virginia Tech, and 23 points and nine rebounds against Syracuse.

7.       Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA

12.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg

The Milwaukee native hasn’t recorded a double-double since UCLA’s win over Oregon; however the lanky freshmen is still a double-double machine. Over his last six games, Looney has been on a quiet tear from three going 10-16 from behind the arc making him a viable pick and pop threat. Looney recorded 12 points and seven rebounds in his last game as UCLA moved to 10-7 in Pac-12 play.

8.       Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

11.1 ppg, 43.6 3PT%

Booker has come down back to earth a bit over the last few games; however the freshman reserve is still the co-leading scorer for the top ranked Wildcats at 11.1 points per game in just under 22 minutes. He’s scored in double figures over his last four games and is shooting 43.6% from behind the arc and 83% from the line.

9.       James Blackmon Jr., SG, Indiana

15.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 82.4% FT’s

The sweet shooting Indiana guard has teamed up with Yogi Ferrell to re-unite the Bloomington faithful. He struggled in an upset loss at Northwestern going just 1-10 from the floor, but Blackmon is hitting 39.4% from three and just put together a 17 point, seven rebound performance against Rutgers.  

10.   Tyus Jones, PG, Duke

11.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.7 apg

Yes, having Tyus Jones on the list gives Duke three players in the top ten; however the highly regarded freshman has lived up to his billing as the best pure point in the freshman class. Jones keyed Duke’s comeback win against UNC recording 22 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists including the game winning lay-up. His turnovers are up as are his minutes. Will his legs start to go over the next few weeks?

                

Daniel Hamilton, SF, UConn

10.8  ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.6 apg

By no means is Daniel Hamilton having an efficient freshman season (94.9 ORTG) and he certainly isn’t shooting well from the field (40%), but he is certainly filling up the stat sheet. The 6’8” Hamilton put together a strong February in AAC play highlighted by a 25 point, 13 rebound, seven assist performance against Memphis and a 16 point, seven rebound game in a win against SMU. Despite the lackluster field goal percentage, Hamilton is hitting three’s at a 35% clip.

Players that just missed the cut:

·         Eric Paschall (Fordham)

·         Myles Turner (Texas)

·         Riley LaChance (Vanderbilt)

·         Domantas Sabonis (Gonzaga)

·         Schadrac Casimir (Iona)

Who did I miss? Send me a tweet @seanmohoops

2014 McDonald's All American Practice: Tuesday

The second day of practice for the McDonald’s All-American teams was short and sweet. Both teams went for just over an hour before they played a closed scrimmage later in the afternoon. Yesterday it was the West team that came out with the intensity in drills and scrimmages, but today the East squad matched their level of play which created a hard fought session this morning in Chicago, IL.

EAST

Top Players:

Romelo Trimble, 6’3”, G, Bishop O’ Connell (VA)

The future Maryland Terrapin had his offensive game working this morning as he scored from a variety of areas on the court. Trimble is known for his scoring prowess and he showed why in both the 5 on 5 half-court and full-court scrimmages. Going against Tyus Jones, Trimble was able to get a step on Jones on occasion and used his powerful shoulders to keep the smaller Jones on his hip. Trimble finished at the rim with right handed lay-ups and he also dropped in a soft floater from around eight feet. He also knocked in a three from the wing capping an extremely productive morning practice session. This past season he was one of the best, if not the best player in the DC area and is now continuing his high scoring ways against the top players in the country. 

Karl Towns Jr., 6’11”, C, St. Joseph (NJ)

On Day #2, Towns Jr. and Myles Turner were battling again in the post. This time Towns Jr. got the better of Turner by using his power and strength to finish several tough baskets around the rim. Not just a bruiser, Towns Jr. impressed with his ability to get up and down the court as well. He also showed patience by not getting frustrated after numerous fouls that weren’t called during the scrimmages.

Justise Winslow, 6’5”, SF, Saint John’s (TX)

The Texas native showed media and scouts his ability to become a lockdown defender at the next level with his defense on Isaiah Whitehead, one of the top shooting guards in the country. Despite having one of the nicest jump shots in the country, Whitehead had trouble even getting a shot off. Winslow hounded Whitehead all over the court and stayed with him when he tried to shoot from the outside and when he tried to attack off the dribble. In addition to his defensive prowess, Winslow also came to play on the offensive end as well. He hit several open jump shots and also used his athletic ability to finish at the rim. 

Other Notes:

Five-star center Cliff Alexander missed practice today after a wrist contusion suffered during the PowerAde Slam Dunk Contest. The Chicago native still hopes to play in the game. D’Angelo Russell continued his stellar play from Day 1 looking extremely comfortable firing up jump shots off the dribble. While Russell was making his outside shots throughout the practice, so was James Blackmon Jr., the men’s winner of the 3-Point Contest. Blackmon hit several three’s and pull-up jump shots from 10-15 feet on the day. Future UCLA Bruin Kevon Looney took advantage of a mismatch in the post this morning. Going against small forward Justin Jackson, Looney used his strength down low to score several easy baskets early on.

WEST

Top Player:

Jahlil Okafor, 6’11”, C, Whitney Young (IL)

Okafor had a strong day yesterday, but was a monster today. Going against the 7 foot Thomas Welsh, Okafor used his size to score in a variety of ways down low including a rim rattling dunk on the future UCLA center. Okafor grabs the ball like it’s a tennis ball to keep it out of reach from the defense and needs only one or two dribbles to back his man down below the basket. Okafor used his patented spin move at times, but he also scored from the middle of lane off the left and right block. Today Okafor showed why he is considered the top player in the country. 

Other Notes:

Rashad Vaughn continued his hot shooting from Day 1 hitting several three’s from the wings and corners during the half-court and full-court action. Along with Vaughn, shooting guard Devin Booker also displayed his smooth stroke from the outside. The 6’5” guard struggled to get to the basket against quicker defenders but had no problem knocking in jumpers off the catch. Emmanuel Mudiay became a bit more involved today. Sliding over to the point guard position, the 6’5” guard was able to get in the lane off the dribble and was a lot more involved than yesterday. Power forwards Reid Travis and Trey Lyles continued to do battle with both players scoring on each other inside and outside.

Overall:

The practice session was shorter today, but definitely more intense. After going against their teammates the past two days the East and West faced off in a scrimmage on the United Center floor this afternoon. After playing in front of media and scouts, the most talented players in the country are looking forward to a national audience tomorrow.

Peach Jam: Pool Play Preview

The prestigious Peach Jam tournament kicks off the first July live evaluation period on Thursday morning with Nike’s top 24 AAU teams set to participate. Entering its fourth year serving as the championship tournament in Nike’s EYBL tournament, the Peach Jam will be the top draw for all high major coaching staffs. After four regular season EYBL weekends that took place throughout the US in April and May one final weekend remains to crown a champion. Here is a look at the four pools including favorites to emerge as well as sleepers.

 

Note: All records in parenthesis relate to games against Peach Jam qualifiers only.

Pool A

·        Team Takeover 16-2 (10-2 with one loss coming as a forfeit)

·        E1T1 13-5 (6-4)

·        BABC 11-7 (7-5)

·        Team Texas Elite 10-8 (1-8)

·        All Ohio Red 10-8 (4-4)

·        California Supreme 7-11 (1-9)

The Favorites:

Each 1 Teach 1

Berry and E1T1 are on a hot streak

The Florida based team struggled in the month of April in LA and Hampton, but quickly turned the corner in May. Led by future North Carolina point guard Joel Berry the team added combo guard DeAngelo Russell to the mix at the beginning of the season. Despite the high octane combo, it took a while for the pair to gel as the team lost one game in LA and then went 2-3 in Hampton. In May, E1T1 added an athletic shooting guard in Grayson Allen and a 7’1” shot blocking center in Trayvon Reed. Allen lit it up in Dallas coming off the bench and Reed provided a new interior post presence on the defensive end. E1T1 did not lose in its next two sessions and enters the Peach Jam on a nine game win streak and is one of the most talented teams from top to bottom. In addition to the standouts discussed above, the team also features Boubacar Moungoro, a strong and athletic small forward and Mike Gilmore, an up and coming power forward. E1T1 should have no problem advancing to the Elite 8.

Team Takeover

A talented team that is heavily reliant on its guard play, Team Takeover went 16-2 during the regular season with one of the losses coming on a forfeit. Sharp shooters Dion Wiley and Phil Booth Jr. led their team to wins in their first thirteen games of the EYBL before falling to Meanstreets in the last session over Memorial Day weekend (when Wiley did not play). Wiley and Booth both shot over 48% from the three point line while averaging 14.1 and 12.2 points per game, respectively. Future Georgetown Hoya Tre Campbell handles the point guard responsibilities while Martin Geben and Marcus Derrickson provide strength down low. While Team Takeover lacks the star power in its frontcourt, the team is extremely well coached and knows how to execute in close games as they went 7-1 in games decided by five points or less. After winning the first EYBL championship, this guard heavy team looks to get back on top.

The Sleeper:

BABC

While Team Texas Elite possesses a lot of young talent in Elijah Thomas, Austin Grandstaff, and Matt McQuaid they look to be one year away from doing damage in the Peach Jam as evidenced by their 1-8 record against qualifying teams. Instead it is the Boston based BABC squad that features one of the least talked about scorers in Bonzie Colson. The under-sized forward averaged 18.1 points per game while also adding on 6.6 rebounds. Another double digit scorer for BABC is Tyler Nelson who averaged 12.1 points per game while shooting 47% from the three point line. They might not be the most noteworthy bunch, but they did get wins over their highly regarded neighbor in Expressions Elite as well as Meanstreets from Chicago. They won’t beat themselves and could be there at the end if either of the favorites slip up.

Pool B

·         Spiece Indy 15-3 (8-2)

·         NY Lightning 11-7 (4-5)

·         Mokan Elite 11-7 (5-6)

·         Team Penny 11-7 (6-4)

·         Team Final 11-7 (6-6)

·         STL Eagles 10-8 (4-7)

The Favorite:

Spiece Indy Heat

Based on the EYBL regular season, Indy Spiece is the class of the Pool B and the remaining five teams will be left to fight for the final spot in the quarterfinals. Similar to E1T1, Spiece Indy lost three games in LA and Hampton and then rattled off nine wins in a row. While E1T1 took advantage of AAU free agency, Spiece Indy regained their big man, Trey Lyles from injury. This team has been playing together on the 17U circuit for awhile and is now one of the most experienced teams out there.  Along with Lyles, this team also features recent Louisville commit JaQuan Lyle, sharp shooter James Blackmon, Jr., and Trevon Bluiett. All four players average in double figures and should have an easy run to the Peach Jam quarterfinals.

The Sleepers:

With four teams at 11-7 and one team at 10-8, the competition for the other quarterfinal spot should be fierce.

Team Final

With four players averaging 10 or more points per game, Team Final is a very well-balanced team. Malachi Richardson and Mikal Bridges man the wing, but it is point guard Jaquan Newton that could tip the balance in Team Final’s favor. In EYBL play Newton averaged 13.7 points and 4.5 assists per game; however it was his play in June at the NBPA Top 100 camp that turned heads. While he did not win MVP, Newton scored 31 points in the championship game to get his team the victory as he hit from all areas of the court. With a similar performance, Team Final could be sitting in the quarterfinals come Saturday.

Team Penny:

One of the top scoring teams in the league at 69.6 points per game, Team Penny features a plethora of young talent in Skal Labissiere and the Lawson brothers (Keelon and Dedric). Keelon Lawson led the team in both scoring and rebounding with 16.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while Labissiere added 12.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. While they are young and talented, Team Penny is led by a steady point guard in Anton Beard. As a point, Beard knows how to run the pick and roll and attack the defense for open shots. A wise and steady point guard leading a bunch of young athletes sounds like a recipe for success in claiming a quarterfinal berth. In the wide open Pool B.

Pool C

·         Houston Hoops 16-2 (10-1)

·         Texas Titans 10-8 (2-7)

·         Mac Irvin Fire 11-7 (5-5)

·         Boo Williams 11-7 (6-4)

·         Team Scan 10-8 (4-8)

·         Jackson Tigers 8-10 (4-7)

 

The Favorites:

Houston Hoops

After going 16-2 during the EYBL regular season, Houston is looking for a championship. Knowing that a dynamic wing trio in Justin Jackson, Justise Winslow, and Kelly Oubre take the court each time most definitely tilts the odds in their favor. During the regular season Jackson was Mr. Efficient averaging a team high 17.3 points per game on 60% shooting. Oubre was the athletic wing that hit 35% of his team high 94 three point attempts, while Winslow did it all averaging 13.8 points per game and leading the team in rebounding and assists with 7.3 and 4.3 per game, respectively. Houston also relies on Khadeem Latin and his 1.9 blocks per game to control the paint while 2016 standout De’Aaron Fox has increased his point guard responsibilities. Last year, Houston went 4-1 in pool play and was denied a chance to play in the quarterfinals due to a tie breaker, but this year they look to leave no doubt in pool play.

Mac Irvin Fire

The Fire finally got big man Cliff Alexander to suit up for them during the EYBL season. Unfortunately for Alexander and the Fire, big man Jahlil Okafor struggled with injuries and only played in five games. With a healthy Okafor, the Fire look to take advantage of having the top two players in the country (per ESPN) on the court at the same. While Alexander and Okafor plan on dominating down low, it is steady point guard Jalen Brunson that runs the show. The upcoming junior made a smooth transition to the EYBL and averaged 12 points and 5.7 assists per game. While everyone knows the point guard and big men, it will be up to the wings to help the team advance out of a tough Pool C.  Chicago public league rivals Josh Cunningham and Miles Reynolds don’t get as much publicity as their teammates but it will be up to them to hit open shots and slow down the opposing teams best players. Finally at full strength, the Fire look to live up to their potential in South Carolina.  

The Sleeper:

Team Scan

Last year Team Scan was one of the top 16U teams on the circuit and they lost in the 16U semi-finals at Peach Jam. This year despite struggling at times, Team Scan still possesses scary talent and elite big men. The NBPA Top 100 MVP, Chieck Diallo leads the way with 12.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game followed up by the 6’10 Chris McCullough who averages 11.4 points and 7.5 rebounds. On the wing, Terry Larrier gives Team Scan an athletic option that thrives on attacking the basket while Conrad Chambers and Shavar Newkirk fill the guard spots. While this team is extremely athletic, they struggle shooting from the outside and will need to get out on the break and protect the rim in order to advance.

Pool D

·         CP3 All-Stars 15-3 (9-2)

·         Expressions Elite 13-5 (6-4)

·         Oakland Soldiers 10-8 (5-7)

·         Meanstreets 12-6 (7-5)

·         Howard Pulley 12-6 (5-4)

·         Travelers Basketball 9-9 (4-5)

The Favorite:

CP3

Led by small forward Theo Pinson and his 13.8 points per game, CP3 went a quite 15-3 during the EYBL regular season. Similar to other top teams, they dominated play in May going undefeated in Dallas and lost only once in Minneapolis. To go along with Pinson, the team is run by future Wake Forest point guard Shelton Mitchell and has future Hoya L.J. Peak running the opposite wing spot. Also, power forward Gary Clark quietly averaged 13.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. This team likes to create pressure on the defensive end and get out on the break on the offensive end. Last year CP3 advanced to the quarterfinals and now a year later they look to take it a step farther this time around.

The Sleepers:

In such a strong pool, there are four other teams that will make a hard run at the quarterfinals:

Expressions Elite – They won their first nine games before going 4-5 down the stretch. Led by Abdul-Malik Abu, the New England based team will need to regain their early mojo to make it out of this grouping.

Oakland Soldiers – The defending champions struggled at times during the regular season but Stanley Johnson is looking to win a second consecutive championship. Johnson is one of the toughest players to guard on the circuit and could easily put the Soldiers on his back. Big man Ivan Rabb controls the low post.

Meanstreets – The Chicago based team gave CIA Bounce its first loss last year and it did the same with Team Takeover this year. Led by one of the top floor generals in the country in Tyler Ulis, this team could easily make a run. To go along with Ulis, Meanstreets features combo forward Paul White and high school teammates Vic Law and Charles Matthews. 

Howard Pulley – This team relies heavily on its top two players, but luckily they are Tyus Jones and Reid Travis. Jones is the top point guard in the country and averaged 22.8 points and 6.9 assists per game while Travis averaged 18.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. These two can’t have an off game or else it will be the last EYBL action for Jones in his third year of action.

Predictions:

Pool A: No upsets here as E1T1 and Team Takeover advance

Pool B: Spiece Indy takes care of business while Team Final rides the hot play of Jaquan Newton

Pool C: Houston Hoops and Mac Irvin Fire advance

Pool D: CP3 and Meanstreets advance