Riley LaChance - Headed to Vanderbilt

Despite coming off a 16-17 season, Kevin Stallings and the Vanderbilt Commodores were on fire in the month of September as they picked up commitments from three top notch, class of 2014 guards. The Commodores first received a commitment from Wade Baldwin, a 6’3” four-star guard out of New Jersey on September 1^st. They followed that up on September 15^th when Matthew Fisher-Davis, a 6’5” four-star guard out of Charlotte ended his recruitment early. This past Monday night, Riley LaChance, a 6’3” sharp-shooter out of Brookfield, WI pledged his commitment to Vanderbilt and helped the Commodores end the month on an extremely high note.

 Background:

LaChance, the newest member of Vandy’s recruiting class recently debuted in ESPN’s Top 100 rankings for the class of 2014 as four-star guard; however he is no stranger to the spotlight. During the high school season, LaChance led his Brookfield Central team to a 20-4 record while scoring 20.9 points per game. One of their victories came against nationally ranked Chester (PA) in the Brandon Jennings Invitational in which LaChance scored 17 second half points to spur a furious come from behind victory.

This past spring, LaChance began his AAU season as an unknown commodity playing for Ray Allen Select on the Under Armour AAU circuit. While Big 10 schools such as Wisconsin and Iowa certainly knew LaChance’s name, it was schools such as Drake, UC Irvine, and South Dakota that had offered scholarships. 

This all changed in July as LaChance boosted his stock tremendously over the three final live recruiting sessions. During the prestigious UA Summer Jam, in Milwaukee, WI he led his team to the championship game and put on one of the top performances of the summer. LaChance went 15-25 from the field including 7 of 11 from three en route to a 39 point performance against D.C. Assault in the championship game. While his team fell short, LaChance’s reputation only grew.  

Missouri was one of the first major schools to offer and the high major offers really started to pour in once AAU play wrapped up at the end of July. It didn’t take long for LaChance to trim his list and select which schools he wanted to visit. His official visit list included Vanderbilt, Minnesota, Creighton, and Iowa with all schools receiving visits in August and September.

Fran Mcaffery and Iowa received LaChance’s last official visit which occurred on September 28^th; however it was really his September 6^th visit to Vanderbilt that stood out. While he originally wanted to commit after his Vanderbilt visit he waited to take all of his visits and declared his intentions over twitter just two days after his final visit.

“Just made the best decision of my life officially committed to Vanderbilt University!!”

Strengths:

LaChance has proven himself as one of the best pure shooters in his class. He has outstanding range on his shot to go along with a quick release. He is most comfortable in a catch and shoot position but can also hit pull-up jump shots and get into the lane for floaters and the occasional lay-up. LaChance is comfortable playing both on and off the ball. He possesses solid ball-handling and passing abilities and is a strong floor general.

Weaknesses:

A lack of strength is the biggest area of concern that LaChance will need to work on and the main reason that high majors were slow to offer. He tips the scales at only 170 pounds and can struggle defending more physical guards. He is also not considered a high riser, but combats this weakness with his quickness and shot making abilities.

Overall:

For a team that is expected to struggle for the second year in a row there is certainly a bright spot looming in the near future for the Commodores with their current guard trio in the class of 2014. All three September commitments bring different strengths to the table and will look to bring the winning tradition back to Vanderbilt.

2013 Summer Recap

With the travel intensive July recruiting session in the rear view mirror coaches are sending out new scholarship offers and standout players are beginning to trim their lists. In the spring, players such as Myles Turner and Devin Robinson made their mark and ascended up the rankings. While nobody made this type of impact in July, there were still numerous players that benefited from the increased exposure. Here’s a look at a few players that are due significant adjustments in the rankings, along with the top AAU teams, and other noteworthy observations. 

Summer Stock Risers:

Robert Johnson, 6’3”, 2014, SG, Boo Williams

A lot can change in one year. In the summer of 2012, Robert Johnson was coming off the bench for Eddie Jordan and the 17U DC Assault team. He was stuck playing behind future Tar Heel Nate Britt and future Terrapin Roddy Peters. When Peters got hurt in the UA Summer Jam, Johnson came off the bench and displayed his three point stroke in the playoffs. At this point in time VCU and a host of low to mid majors were recruiting Johnson. After transferring to St. Benedictine in Richmond and re-classifying to the class of 2014, Johnson has now made himself into one of the top names in the country. He recently received a scholarship offer to UNC and his list of seven schools includes five ACC schools along with Georgetown and Indiana. 

After scoring 10 points per game at the NBPA Camp, Johnson came out blazing at Peach Jam. He averaged 20.2 points per game and tied for the lead in made three pointers with 18 in five games. He helped Boo Williams pull off a miraculous comeback win over Mac Irvin (before having to forfeit) in their opening game and continued his strong play over the next two days. During the second live session, Johnson suited up for the USA East team at the Nike Global Challenge and averaged 11 points per game in front of all the major D1 coaches. To wrap things up, Johnson hit a few game winning shots down in Orlando to send his team to the Super Showcase Semi-Finals and put a bow tie on the month of July.

In all three weeks, Johnson performed at an elite level and proved to be one of the top scoring guards in country. He is currently rated 85^th by Scout.com but after his play in July he’ll soon rise at an accelerated pace up the rankings.

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

Reid Travis - Scarberry Media

After an excellent high school season at De La Salle in Minneapolis, Travis continued his strong play throughout all four EYBL sessions averaging approximately 18 points and 9 rebounds a game. With his strong play, Travis bumped himself into a top 50 player in his class but was not done with his climb. In the Peach Jam, Travis led his team in scoring at 22.8 points per game while shooting a remarkable 65.6% from the floor. After having one of the most impressive individual Peach Jam performances, Travis put up 22 points and 6 rebounds a game at the Global Challenge. If all this wasn’t enough, he dominated in the Super Showcase and played a key part in knocking off the top team in the country (E1T1) in the championship game. 

Travis is a key recruit for new Minnesota coach Richard Pitino and is considered one of the “Big 3” in Minnesota along with AAU teammate Tyus Jones and shooting guard Rashad Vaughn. With his stellar play, Pitino now faces competition from all parts of the country as coaches try to lure him away from Minneapolis. 

Riley LaChance, 6’3”, SG, 2014, Ray Allen Select

Three weeks in July proved that LaChance is one of the best, if not the best outside shooter in the class of 2014. Playing for the Milwaukee based Ray Allen Select, LaChance put up high scoring figures in the Next Level Invitational held at Homestead High in Mequon, WI. LaChance and Ray Allen Select spent week two in July at the same gym, but this time they played against some of the top teams and players in the country. He opened the tournament on fire and finished the tournament the same way. Despite losing in the championship game to DC Assault, LaChance put up 39 points on 15-25 shooting and hit 7-11 three’s. In Las Vegas, LaChance continued his torrid shooting display. While mid majors such as Drake and UC-Irvine were heavily involved in LaChance’s recruitment, the big boys finally started to reach out. He recently received offers from Oklahoma State and Butler and he is set to visit Missouri in the fall. 

Top Teams:

Each 1 Teach 1:

The Florida based Nike team went on a ridiculous win streak and won all of their games in May and July before losing in the Super Showcase championship. While they lost this championship, they did come away with the prestigious Nike EYBL title after an impressive 8-0 run in North Augusta, SC. E1T1’s win streak began in the Dallas EYBL after they added center Trayvon Reed to their starting line-up and Duke bound Grayson Allen as their 6^th man. Point guard Joel Berry ran the show for this team and shooting guard D ‘Angelo Russell picked up his play in July to take home the honors of the best team in the summer of 2013.

DC Assault:

While they didn’t face off against Nike teams, DC Assault certainly won their fare share of championships. In the first live recruiting session in April, they gave up a last minute lead in the championship game of the Pitt Jam Fest. However, in July they were able to take home the UA Summer Jam Championship as well as the Fab 48 title in back to back weekends. Future Terrapin point guard Romelo Trimble led the way as he elevated his play throughout the summer. A tough and experienced team, DC Assault also got help from Byron Hawkins, Rashard Kelly, and Chinanu Onuaku. 

Bad Timing:

Paul White, 6’8”, 2014, F, Meanstreets

Paul White is a tenured veteran as a four year varsity player and two time member of the 17U circuit. He first gained national recognition as a freshman when he received substantial playing time for Whitney Young which featured high flyer Sam Thompson as well as fellow freshman Jahlil Okafor. As a sophomore, White was forced into point-forward duty for most of the season due to a lack of guard play and then began his foray into the 17U AAU circuit. During his junior season, the lanky forward teamed up with a few other well known D1 prospects to form one of the top teams in the country. Despite all of his time in the spotlight, fans, coaches, and analysts were still waiting for Paul White to dominate games. He was always good for scoring in double figures and grabbing rebounds, but never took control of a game like his high school teammates Okafor or L.J. Peak did during the season. 

All that looked to have changed at the start of Peach Jam. In game number two, White went for 22 points and 11 rebounds and then followed that performance up the next morning with 20 points and 10 rebounds. After these performances, the buzz started to grow, but then in a blink of an eye it stopped. One minute into his game with Reid Travis and the Howard Pulley Panthers, White went down and broke his arm as he tried to cushion his fall. After the injury, White went into surgery and is expected to be ready for his senior season with Whitney Young. The past two years White and Whitney Young bowed out early in the Illinois sectionals. If they are to make a state title run, Paul White will need to unleash the beast on a consistent basis. 

Random Musings:

This time last year, the class of 2014 featured Andrew Wiggins, Noah Vonleh, Wayne Seldon, and Dakari Johnson. Despite the reclassifications of these players the top 10 of 2014 is still extremely strong, even without a player that is head and shoulders above his peers. 

Speaking of the 2014 top 10, the Midwest is the place to be. When looking at most rankings, the Midwest area features the top point guard in Tyus Jones (Minnesota), the top shooting guard in Rashad Vaughn (Minnesota), the top power forward in Cliff Alexander (Illinois), and the top center in Jahlil Okafor (Illinois). The area also includes two other players in the top 10 in power forward Trey Lyles (Indiana) and forward Kevon Looney (Wisconsin). 

Tom Izzo and his Michigan State crew are the most active school recruiting the top players in the Midwest as they are heavily recruiting Jones, Okafor, Alexander, and Looney. Despite making multiple visits over the past three years to Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee there is a good chance that Izzo and the Spartans could be left out in the cold. Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas are all making strong plays for these Midwest players.

The package duo of Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor has long been rumored and discussed. Schools that are recruiting both include Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky, Kansas, Ohio State, and Baylor. Duke has been rumored as one of the front runners to land the package deal and with Coach K’s Olympic connections they have also been rumblings of a three player package which includes Okfaor’s USA teammate Justise Winslow. While Winslow is in the mix for Duke, it might be another Midwest forward in Kevon Looney that is more likely. In Milwaukee, assistant coach Jeff Capel spent the first few days watching Looney and then another assistant in Nate James finished off the trip. In Las Vegas, Coach K was front and center for Looney. Whatever happens in the upcoming months, one can be sure that the majority of these talented Midwest kids will soon be off to other parts of the country.

UA Summer Jam: Big Cliff vs. Myles Turner

The second live July recruiting session kicked off Wednesday evening with the UA Summer Jam held at Homestead High School in Mequon, WI. Normally this tournament has to play second fiddle to the Nike Peach Jam, but this year the Summer Jam sits alone at the top as 450 coaches passed through the doors on Day 1.

Battle of the Big Men

The most anticipated game of the evening pitted two of the top big men in the country against each other in Cliff Alexander of the Mac Irvin Fire and Myles Turner of Texas Select. Both big men drew rave reviews throughout the spring and summer with their dominant play and were set to go head to head in an evening tilt. Alexander, a Chicago native has been climbing up the recruiting rankings steadily over the past year and now sits as the 2^nd best player in the country per ESPN. Myles Turner, on the other hand came out of nowhere in the spring and vaulted into everyone’s top 10 almost overnight. While the two players missed each other at the Lebron James Skills Academy two weeks ago they were ready for each other once the game began. 

Despite all the hype and attention, the one on one match-up did not live up to its billing. While Turner guarded Alexander on defense, the Mac Irvin Fire spent most of their game in a three quarter court trap or a zone defense. From the outset, Alexander was initially bothered by Turner’s height and length as he was giving up a few inches. He missed his first four shots as Turner gave him space to operate just outside of the post. 

On the other side, Turner was bothered by Alexander’s strength and seemed to float around the perimeter. His first shot was a missed three from the top of the key, but he then hit a corner three a few possessions later which was quickly followed by an eight foot jumper from the baseline. 

In order to combat Turner’s length, Alexander realized he needed to attack Turner in the post, which he began doing every time he got the ball midway through the half. His first basket came on a right hand hook from the left post. Turner blocked the next shot, but then Alexander hit another right hand hook on Turner, this time from the right post. Alexander called for the ball on the next possession in the post and was blatantly fouled by Turner but the refs let the play go on. 

After his two jump shots in a row, Turner was fairly quiet on the offensive end until the end of the game when his team was down twenty points. Towards the end he scored on a reverse pivot in the post and then on a tip dunk.

Overall:

Cliff vs. Myles Shot Chart

Alexander finished with 10 points on 5-15 shooting with eight rebounds and two blocks. One of his blocks came on a Turner three pointer. Turner finished with 9 points on 4-8 shooting with ten rebounds and three blocks. 

Neither player got it going offensively throughout the game. Alexander was initially bothered by Turner’s length and while he put together a few right hand hook shots he was far off on all of his jump shots. Turner was bothered by Alexander’s strength and floated around the perimeter and didn’t touch the ball during Mac Irvin’s second half run. Tom Izzo and Bill Self were front and center for this match-up.

While these two players did not dominate, the young Mac Irvin guards sure did. Juniors to be Jalen Brunson and Luwane Pipkins took turns running the point guard spot to perfection. Brunson showed off his feathery left handed touch from deep, while the speedy Pipkins hit two as well.  Along with these two point guards, shooting guard Miles Reynolds hit two three’s to start the second half which turned a four point halftime lead into a route. Other top performers included Ed Morrow of the Mac Irvin Fire and Nick Babb of Texas Select.

The Other Big Man Match-Up

While Alexander and Turner faced off on Court 2 in Homestead High, Kevon Looney and Karl Towns Jr. went to work on Court 3. Towns started off with the advantage as he used his size and strength for a few baskets down low to go along with a three from the wing. Looney started to heat up in the second half and also forced Towns into contested shots as well. The game went into overtime, but Towns’ teammate Tarin Smith delivered quite the performance down the stretch giving Sports U the victory over the Milwaukee Running Rebels. Smith finished with 21 points on 6-7 shooting while Towns scored nine and Looney 17.

Last Game of the Night:

As 11pm approached, the last game of the night featured a back and forth affair between DC Assault and Dream Vision. Similar to some earlier games, this one went into overtime as well forcing college coaches to continue their viewing for an extra few minutes. DC Assault won in overtime thanks to a Donte Grantham tip in, but it was point guard Romelo Trimble who led the way with a game high 23 points. In regulation, Trimble hit a three pointer off a set play to take the lead and constantly drove to the basket for contested lay-ups and trips to the free throw line. While Trimble gave a stellar performance in front of his future coach Mark Turgeon it was a pair of high school teammates that impressed for Dream Vision. Junior big men Chase Jeter and Stephen Zimmerman ran an effective high-low offense and showed off their potential. Jeter is a Brandon Wright clone and primarily used a soft hook over the right shoulder while Zimmerman enjoyed shooting from 12 feet and out. Dream Vision guard Namon Wright led the way on the perimeter with 18 points and had one of the best shooting performances on the night. He hit several contested three’s throughout the game as well as mid-range jumpers from various spots on the court. Despite the loss, both teams showed off their talented players to all of the coaches still remaining in the gym.

Best Shooting Performance:

While Namon Wright shot well, it was the 6’2” Riley LaChance from Ray Allen Select who stole the show in one of the first games of the tournament. In the first half of his game, LaChance put on a shooting clinic going for 20 points. He started with a quick five points and then added in a mixture of mid-range jump shots and driving lay-ups before closing the half with two consecutive three’s. Thanks to a strong first half, LaChance was able to take it easy in the second half as his team won via the mercy rule.

Top Scorers:

Joe Burton, 6’6”, SG, 2014, Houston Defenders

Burton led the way in a closely contested win over Team Loaded (NC) as he went 12-24 from the field for 35 points. He shot 3-9 from three and also put a defender on a poster with an and-one dunk in the second half which had the crowd buzzing.

Brekkott Chapman, 6’8”, F, 2014, Utah Prospects

Chapman shot a sizzling 10-13 from the field for 27 points in a close win over the Atlanta Xpress. He hit one three and also went 6-8 from the line. While Chapman’s performance came in one of the side gyms, he will have plenty of chances to perform on the main stage the rest of the way. 

Other Notable Players:

Darrell Davis, 6’4”, 2014, G, Michigan Hurricanes

A lanky guard that provided the majority of ball-handling got to the basket at will for his Michigan team. What he lacked in strength, he made up for in wing span and quickness. Davis constantly got by his defender and showed a unique ability to finish with his left hand. He scored on three consecutive half court possessions against Team Charlotte and when he wasn’t scoring he was providing scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Daryl Bigham, 6’6”, 2014, F, Michigan Hurricanes

Bigham was a recipient of several Darrell Davis assists. To start the game he scored on two deep jump shots and also added on a few blocks down low on the defensive end. In the second half, Bigham began to play down low on more possessions and converted on several short shots.

Jaylen Fisher, 6’1”, 2016, Team Thad

While he was one of the few upcoming sophomores playing in 17U play on opening night, Fisher did not show any fear. In a close game against the Illinois Wolves he went to the basket hard to give his team a four point lead in overtime. He finished with 13 points but was also aggressive throughout the game with his full court defense and on the ball pressure.