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.
On Friday night, Arizona received the commitment of junior guard Tyler Dorsey which marked Sean Miller’s
first recruit in the class of 2015, but definitely not the last. Dorsey is
currently rated the No. 7 prospect in the junior class by Scout.com and ESPN
and the No. 5 prospect by Rivals.com.
Tyler
Dorsey – 6’4”, SG, 2015
High
School:
St John’s Bosco (CA)
AAU
Team:
Belmont Shores
College: Committed
to Arizona (1/10/14)
Background:
A native of Southern California, Dorsey spent his freshman year at
Ribet Academy in Los Angeles and then transferred to St. John Bosco in
Bellflower in time for his sophomore year where he joined up with Isaac Hamilton (UCLA) and his brother Daniel (UConn). Now as a junior, Dorsey
is in his second year at St. John Bosco and a main reason the Braves are one of
the top teams in California.
Dorsey spent the previous spring and summer crisscrossing the
country proving his worth as one of the top guards in the 2015 class. He played
for the Belmont Shores AAU program in Southern California and also moonlighted
for a session in the Nike EYBL. Dorsey also attended the NBPA Top 100 camp in Charlottesville,
VA as well as the Adidas Nations in Garden Grove, CA.
Strengths:
The 6’4” guard is an elite scorer and he can score in a variety of
ways. In his four game Nike EYBL stint Dorsey averaged 19.5 points per game
shooting 49%. A few weeks ago in the City of Palms tournament, he averaged 19
points and 5.5 assists per game. With a strong handle and an extremely quick
first step Dorsey can find a shot almost any time he wants. He likes to push
the ball on the break and his pull-up jump shot is a specialty. Dorsey’s elevation
is second to none and he can get to the basket and finish at the rim with
either hand and also avoids getting blocked with his superb body control.
Weaknesses:
Outside shooting and playing the point are Dorsey’s biggest
weaknesses as a junior. His range extends a few feet behind the arc and he is
definitely capable of coming off the pick and roll for a three but right now he
is not as consistent as he needs to be. In four games at the City of Palms tournament
in Florida, Dorsey went 4-15 from behind the arc. As for playing the point,
Dorsey expects to become a combo guard at Arizona. While he is already handling
the ball a fair amount for his high school team, Dorsey will need to continue
to work on his ball-handling abilities and decision making in order to give
Sean Miller some quality minutes at the point. A natural scoring guard, Dorsey
has already made strides in improving his decision making and had a 2.4:1
assist to turnover ratio while down in Florida as well.
Overall:
Arizona landed the premier scorer on the West Coast in the class
of 2015. This past July he scored 35 points against two of the top guards in
the country in Emmanuel Mudiay and Malik Newman in one of the most talked
about games on the AAU circuit. He consistently plays against some of the top
competition and has always been one of the more athletic guards on the court.
With Dorsey’s physical attributes and first step he is already one of the top players
in his class, and with another year and a half to hone his craft he will be
ready to impact the Arizona program from Day 1.
Over the Christmas holidays I spent time watching high school
tournaments in three states. After numerous games at the City of Palms Classic
in Fort Myers, FL, the Wisconsin Basketball Shootout in Mequon, WI, and the
Proviso West Holiday Classic outside of Chicago here is a rundown of what I saw
and what I learned.
Player
I Would Pay to Watch:
Isaiah
Whitehead, 6’4”, G, Lincoln High (NY), Committed to Seton Hall, 2014
From the time I first saw Rashad
Vaughn play in 2012 he was my favorite shooting guard in the class of 2014;
however after watching Isaiah
Whitehead’s rise which started in the Pitt Jam Fest last spring I’m not so
sure. In four games, Whitehead was the second leading scorer in the City of
Palms tournament averaging 25.5 points per game including a 37 point, 7
rebound, and 6 assist performance on opening night. Known for his NYC
toughness, Whitehead can get to almost any spot on the court with his strength
and ball-handling abilities. While everyone is aware of his scoring abilities
it was his passing that stood out while in Florida. He averaged 5.5 assists per
game and had many scintillating passes in each game. My favorite was a three
quarter court bounce pass that resulted in an easy fast break dunk. Regarding
his scoring ability, Whitehead has one of the most picturesque forms you will
see and range that extends well behind the three point line. Sometimes this
gets him in trouble as he loves to stop on a dime for pull-up jumpers no matter
how close the defender is. While he takes some tough shots, for the most part
his body is always square to the basket with a perfect release. Over the
holidays, Isaiah Whitehead was the player I would pay to see play again and
again.
Match-up
Nightmare:
Ben
Simmons, 6’8”, F, Montverde Academy (FL), Committed to LSU, 2015
At 6’8” with long arms and a certain grace to his game, Ben
Simmons proved to be the biggest match-up problem for teams in the City of
Palms tournament, especially during the championship game against Paul VI. In
four games, Simmons averaged 18 points and almost 12 rebounds per game while
also bringing the ball up against pressure. While he struggled outside of the
paint with his shot in most of the games, Simmons scored off ball cuts,
offensive rebounds, and post-ups. He was also outstanding defensively and was a
key reason for his opponents struggles. In the championship game, Marcus Derrickson, a Georgetown
commitment had a hard time getting open looks close to the basket or even from
his favorite spots behind the three point line. Wherever Derrickson went, one
of Simmons’ long arms was always close by which caused a 5-13 shooting
performance including 0-2 from three.
Biggest
Beast #1:
Alex
Owens, 6’6”, PF, Oak Ridge (FL), Committed to UCF, 2015
During the Peach Jam, Alex Owens came off the bench for the
eventual champions and put on some impressive performances down low in limited
minutes. This time around, Owens continued his feats down low using his big
body and soft hands to punish weaker defenders at every opportunity. Despite
not being the ideal size for a power forward, Owens averaged 12.5 rebounds per
game. He’s not much of an above the rim player but with a quick release he
makes it hard for an opponent to block his shot. In his third game of the
tournament, Owens put up 23 points and 19 rebounds on 11-14 shooting.
Biggest
Beast #2:
Jahlil
Okafor, 6’10”, C, Whitney Young (IL), Committed to Duke, 2014
The top ranked player in the country averaged 17 points per game
and a tournament high 15.7 rebounds in a three game span. While he was double
and triple teamed on almost every touch and spent the majority of his first
game in foul trouble, Okafor scored quickly and efficiently whenever he caught
the ball in the low post. Not known for his outside jump shot, Okafor even
knocked in a soft 12 footer from the baseline when dared to shoot. In the 3rd
place game, Okafor let his aggression out and went for 22 points and 23
rebounds on just nine shots. While it seemed that he played better in last
year’s City of Palms, make no mistake the the future Blue Devil was a beast
when catching the ball in a scoring position down low.
Best
Footwork:
Diamond
Stone, 6’10”, C, Dominican (WI), 2015
Playing against another top notch Wisconsin big man in Henry
Ellenson, Stone showed off a variety of moves in the post. Whether it was a
right hook, a left hook, up and under, spin to the baseline, spin to the
middle, Stone showed it all in just one game. Nimble on his feet, Stone showed
a good touch on his shots around the basket, but over the next year and a half
will need to watch some video tapes of Jahlil Okafor or Cliff Alexander to
learn how to unleash the beast. A good rebounder in space, Stone still needs
some work on dominating all game long.
Most
Consistent:
Justin
Bibbs, 6’5”, G/F, Montverde Academy (FL), Committed to Virginia Tech, 2014
On a talent laden team, Justin Bibbs was a consistent thread for
the back to back City of Palms champions everytime he took the court. In four
games Bibbs scored 12, 13, 14, and 15 points. Never too high and more
importantly never too low. Bibbs proved to be a versatile and athletic threat
on offense with the ability to score from the perimeter and off the dribble. A
strong and physical player on the defensive end as well, Bibbs also enjoyed the
challenges of shutting down his opponent. He was named to the All-Tournament
team and was definitely deserving of that honor.
The
Microwave:
Ahmaad
Rorie, 5’10”, PG, Montverde Academy (FL), Committed to Cal, 2014
In his first year at Montverde, Ahmaad Rorie brings a scoring
punch as the team’s sixth man and his three point accuracy came in handy in the
championship game. As soon as Rorie entered the game he started firing from
deep and all of a sudden had 11 quick points in a matter of minutes all on jump
shots. The small guard is known as a scorer with a quick release and he caught
Paul VI off guard. Not only is he a strong scorer off the bench, but he is also
usually one of, if not the quickest player on the court. Rorie was also another
Montverde player to make the All-Tournament team.
Quickest
Guard:
Lourawls
“Tum Tum” Nairn, 5’10”, Sunrise Christian (KS), Committed to Mich. State, 2014
Easily the quickest player from end to end, Tum Tum looked like a
poor man’s version of Tywon Lawson with his speed and build. He got into the
lane consistently and finished at the rim easily off of one foot. In two games,
Nairn had a 6:1 assist to turnover ratio and got his teammates open looks from
his drives to the basket. An exceptional finisher, Nairn shot 6-10 and 7-15 but
struggled with his jump shot outside of the paint. Despite the jumper, Tom Izzo
should be excited about the arrival of the jet quick and tough point guard to
East Lansing next year.
Smoothest
Guard(s):
Devonte
Graham, 6’2”, PG, Brewster Academy (NH), 2014
Jalen
Brunson, 6’1”, PG, Stevenson (IL), 2015
Glynn
Watson, 5’11”, G, St. Joe’s (IL), 2015
It’s hard to just pick one out of these guards so I’ll go with all
three. Graham was the first to turn heads with his play against Oldsmar
Christian (FL) when he scored 15 points and dropped 9 assists to only one
turnover. In this game, Graham had the ball on a yo-yo and wowed the crowd with
several moves including a fake behind the back pass that made the defender look
silly. On day number three at the City of Palms, Graham was easily one of the
top performers. Meanwhile, in Chicago junior Jalen Brunson led his public school team to the championship while
Watson’s team fell in the 3rd place game. Brunson one the tournament
MVP with his smooth style and showed resilience against an athletic Morgan Park
squad in the championship game of the Proviso West tournament. After scoring 32
in the semi-finals, Brunson struggled to get a clean look in the first half and
his only made shot came from the right wing. In the second half, Brunson found
his groove and finished with 20 points. Meanwhile, despite two losses to end
the tournament, Glynn Watson had an
impressive final game and displayed a strong handle in pressure and a strong
first step that allowed him to get by his defender with relative ease. All
three of these guards were impressive as team leader’s and earn the distinction
as the smoothest guards I saw.
Most
Athletic Guard:
Tyler
Dorsey, 6’4”, G, St. John Bosco, 2015
The junior guard from California averaged 19 points per game and
was extremely tough to guard in one-on-one situations. Given primary
ball-handling responsibility by his coach, Dorsey was able to use a between the
legs crossover dribble to consistently get into the paint for lay-ups or short
jump shots where he was able to create space with his elevation. To go along
with his 19 points, Dorsey also averaged 5.5 assists. A natural point guard,
Dorsey showed that to go along with his athleticism he can also create for his
teammates.
Scoring
Machine:
Antonio
Blakeney, 6’3”, SG, Oak Ridge (FL), 2015
The talented junior guard led the City of Palms with a 29.3 point
per game average including 12 made three’s. Throughout the tournament Blakeney’s
baskets came from the three point line or at the basket via lay-ups or dunks.
He averaged around five shots a quarter and only forced a few during his time.
At 6’3”, Blakeney used his long arms and ball handling ability to get by
defenders on the wing and finish at the basket. He also showed his quick
release when catching the ball on the wing. When his team was involved in close
games, Blakeney was instructed to attack the basket and attack he did. He took
40 free throws in four games and made 33 of them. In his four games, Blakeney
went for 32, 31, 24, and 30. Rated as a four-star shooting guard, Blakeney
noted that he is “just trying to work hard and move up the rankings with his
play.” So far so good for the talented scorer.
Underrated:
Josh
Reaves, 6’4”, SG, Paul VI (VA), 2015
Last year as a sophomore Josh Reaves barely saw the floor when
Paul VI made the trip down to Florida, but this year as a much more improved
and confident junior he averaged 14 points a game and drew rave reviews from
scouts every time he took the floor. The 6’4” wing showed that he could hit
from the outside and also rise above the rim for alley-oops. For a guy who was
only known in parts of the East Coast before the tournament, Josh Reaves made
himself a name on the most talented team in the Washington DC area.
Desi
Rodriguez, 6’5”, F, Lincoln (NY), Committed to Seton Hall, 2014
After a strong four game performance where Rodriguez averaged 19.8
points and 7.8 rebounds per game he decided to make a commitment to Seton Hall
where he will join his current teammate Isaiah Whitehead and possibly his coach
Dwayne “Tiny” Morton. Rodriguez was a recipient of numerous Whitehead assists;
however he also created for himself and shot 62% from the field. His best game
came in an overtime loss against Montverde when he put up 25 points and 9
rebounds while shooting 10-19.
Connor
Cashew, 6’4”, SG, Stevenson (IL), 2015
While he doesn’t get the recognition that his running mate Jalen
Brunson gets, Cashew has certainly elevated his game to match his teammates. In
a semi-final win in the Proviso West tournament, Cashew scored 30 points and
added nine rebounds as Stevenson turned a seven point halftime lead into a
blowout. Playing on the perimeter, Cashew has a good first step and is an
extremely strong and wiry wing. Athletically he showed that he could compete
with the best athletes in the state in a championship win over Morgan Park
(Chicago) by scoring 16 points. Various mid-majors from the Midwest are
interested in Cashew, but his choice of schools could change for the better
over the next six months.
Left
Wanting More:
Paul
White, 6’8”, F, Whitney Young (IL), Committed to Georgetown, 2014
By all accounts Paul White had an extremely strong tournament
averaging 17 points per game over three outings. He also nabbed six boards a
game and shot 57% from the floor. His alley-oop dunk in the 3rdplace game gave the Dolphins a lead they would never relinquish. Despite these
stats, I’ve always wanted to see more from White. Coincidentally, I first saw
White as a freshman at the City of Palms when he was considered a top 25
player. At 6’8” White can do numerous things on the basketball court that will
land him in the Hoyas rotation in the future. He can run the floor, handle the
ball, and has a strong shot from mid-range; however having watched him over a
span of four years I still want to see White dominate and not just fit in. It
looked as though he was starting to dominate at the Peach Jam before getting
injured, but I am still hopeful that he will reach his potential in the last few months of his senior year.
Best
16 Minute Performance:
Jalen
Hudson, 6’4”, SG, St. Vincent-St.Mary’s, Committed to Virginia Tech, 2014
In his first game of the tournament playing against Whitney Young,
Hudson put on a first half to remember when he scored 23 of his team’s first 26
points and knocked in six three’s in the first half. The well built shooting
guard got good elevation on his jump shot and showed off a picture perfect
form. Along with his three point shooting exploits, Hudson was also blowing by
defenders on the wing and finishing well above the rim in the paint. After
torching the Dolphins in the first quarter the team went to a box and one on
Hudson in order to slow down the talented guard. The defensive switch worked in
limiting Hudson’s touches, but when he caught the ball on the wing he was able
to continue his hot streak.
