Nike Hoop Summit Recap

Jamal Murray
photo by Ken Waz / USA Basketball

The Nike Hoop Summit wrapped up Saturday afternoon with a thrilling 103-101 World victory. In a back and forth affair, the World team was able to hold on despite a last second opportunity from Allonzo Trier. Jamal Murray, a Hoop Summit veteran led the way with a game high 30 points and LSU bound Ben Simmons set a Hoop Summit record with nine assists. After a full week of practices there were several players from both the international and U.S. teams that established themselves in the eyes of NBA draft personnel.

Top Tier:

The No. 1 player in the class of 2015 will come down to Ben Simmons and Skal Labissiere. Both players are SEC bound and should challenge for the top draft pick in 2016.

Over the past few weeks, Ben Simmons has hit all parts of the country with the McDonald’s All-American game in Chicago, the Dick’s National Championship in New York, and now the Hoop Summit event in Portland. When Simmons arrived he measured out at 6’10” which was taller than previously expected. In the Friday practice leading up to the game, Simmons turned up the volume and provided a glimpse of how he was going to play in the game on Saturday. In the actual game, Simmons played 30 minutes and finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists on 5-10 shooting. Even before entering college, Simmons already has size, strength, and speed to help him excel at the NBA level. The point forward is a strong ball-handler with either hand and always has his head up looking up to find open teammates. His top play came when he pushed the ball down the court out-racing the smaller U.S. defenders finishing with a two-hand dunk. Right now, the main weakness in his game is his outside shooting. Simmons went 0-1 in the game that was played with the international arc, but was comfortable launching shots from this range. He has good rotation on his shot and is already much improved from last year. The Australian native impacts all areas of the game and plays with an unselfish attitude.

While Simmons touched all areas of the scorebook, Skal Labissiere came off the bench and put his own stamp on the game with 21 points, six rebounds, and six blocks on 9-15 shooting in 27 minutes. Throughout the week, Labissiere was the talk of Hoop Summit with NBA GM’s salivating over the chance to draft him in just over a year. After a quiet first half where he scored just four points, Skal dominated the paint in the second half scoring 17 points with a variety of tip-in’s, dunks, and hook shots. The 7 foot Haitian has a smooth game and soft touch that will allow him to become an effective power forward at Kentucky and the next level. He started the game off with a 19 foot jump shot and will eventually excel in the pick and pop world of the NBA. He will need to continue to work on face-up moves out of the post and quick fade-away’s from the right or left block. Despite a tumultuous high school career that was spent changing schools and AAU programs, Skal has poise beyond his years and a game that is pleasing to the eye.

Stock Riser:

He almost didn’t even play in this game, but thanks to Henry Ellenson’s injury, Brandon Ingram was added to the U.S. roster. After erupting at the McDonald’s All-American game, Ingram continued his stellar play and actually led all players on the U.S. with 26 minutes played. He measured out earlier in the week with a 7’3” wing span which so far has offset his relatively thin frame on the defensive end. After a strong week of practice, Ingram started the game showcasing his almost automatic mid-range baseline jump-shot. After six first half points, Ingram got the start in the second half as the U.S. team looked to go smaller to increase the pace of the game. He finished the game with 12 points on 5-6 shooting and contributed three rebounds and a blocked shot. Ingram played the majority of the fourth quarter over Jaylen Brown, but despite being open for several open jumpers the ball never came his way with various ball dominating teammates controlling the action.

International Quick Hitters:

George de Paula (Brazil) – The No. 29 prospect in the DraftExpress rankings had an extremely quiet game despite getting the start at the point guard spot. The 6’6” de Paula is a powerful guard that excels at getting to the basket. Unfortunately in 13 minutes of action, de Paula only took two three pointers. He made his first one early on in the game, but fell extremely short on his other. De Paula also committed three turnovers and didn’t play to his strengths.

Jamal Murray (Canada) – Where will the 6’5” Murray end up next year? Wherever he does, whether it’s in college, Canada, or another destination, Murray will be lighting it up. Last year, Murray scored 10 points in the Hoop Summit game and this year he topped that off with a whopping 30. The best shooter in the game was not fazed by the deeper three point arc and went 3-7 from deep. He scored from all three levels throughout the course of the game and finished 12-23 with five assists. There has been a lot of talk about Murray ending up at Oregon and a backcourt of Murray and Tyler Dorsey would be one of the most explosive in the NCAA.

Cheick Diallo (Mali) – Another high energy performance for Diallo who finished with 12 points and six rebounds after a prior MVP performance at McDonald’s. Diallo chased the ball after misses scoring down low and blocking three shots. College coaches such as Bill Self and Fred Hoiberg are chasing Diallo for next year.

Thon Maker (Canada) – It was a rough Friday for Maker in the scrimmage and a rough game as well. In 14 minutes, Maker scored just two points on free throws and didn’t make a field goal throughout. On the brightside he did add 10 rebounds, five of which were offensive. Right now, Maker’s plans are in flux, but if this game proved anything it’s that he needs time in the weight room and on his offensive skills as he struggled with his shot and on drives to the basket.

Nedim Buza (Bosnia) – The Bosnian sharp-shooter knocked in both of his three point attempts and finished with six points in 13 minutes. Buza was lights out on Friday and if he gets his feet set the outside jumper is probably going in. Buza lacks the necessary foot speed to create his shot and this showed throughout the game.

Frederico Mussini (Italy) – The diminutive Italian guard scored nine points including three clutch free throws at the end. He went 2-5 from the three point line and added in three assists. Mussini is debating about whether to play in college next year, but he could turn into a more than adequate leader for a lucky college team.

Zhou Qi (China) – Qi scored two points and only got one shot attempt, but the intriguing 7’2” center from China showed his assets which include the ability to run the floor and his deficits which include his lack of strength and presence down low on the offensive end. Qi did record two blocks in limited minutes.

Tai Wynyard (New Zealand) – The future Kentucky Wildcat scored his first and only basket on a fundamental post move early on, but wasn’t much of a threat in the other 10 minutes of action. Wynyard could struggle to see the floor when he does land in Lexington given his below the rim style.

Stefan Peno (Serbia) – Peno hit a three in the second half, but usually struggled with the length and athleticism of the opposing players limiting his effectiveness.

U.S. Quick Hitters:

Jaylen Brown – It wasn’t the finest performance for the top rated small forward. Brown struggled with his shot going 2-9 from the floor and was planted on the bench in the deciding minutes. Brown got to the line for six attempts but also committed two turnovers.

Chase Jeter – Jeter got the start and was active around the basket, but finished just 1-5 from the floor. He played 17 minutes and added five rebounds but wasn’t able to utilize his right handed hook shot.

Ivan Rabb – After a strong week of practice, it was a disappointing game for Rabb who played just eight minutes. Rabb went 1-2 from the floor, but he also missed both of his free throws. Earlier in the week, Rabb was hitting jump hooks with both hands but the Oakland native spent the fourth quarter on the bench with Brown.

Malik Newman – Newman went 4-8 from the field and finished with 10 points which was an improvement from his McDonald’s performance, but not the type of game I’m sure he was looking for. Newman scored five points in a row at one stanza which included a three and nice floater. Newman is a streaky scorer and all one has to do is watch his body during a jump shot to determine if it’s going in or not.

Isaiah Briscoe – Nine points and nine assists for Briscoe off the bench, but he also had a costly turnover and missed free throws. Overall, it was an impressive week for the muscular Briscoe and he got to the basket during the course of the game.

Stephen Zimmerman – Zimmerman played up to his potential throughout the game scoring eight points on 4-6 shooting. He put the ball on the floor and finished at the rim and also converted a soft, high arcing deep jump shot. Zimm struggled a bit during the U.S. practices but he shined in his 17 minutes of game action.

Luke Kennard – In a surprising performance, Luke Kennard led the U.S. in scoring with 22 points and shot attempts with 18. Kennard hit 2-5 from three and was all over the court throughout the game scoring at the rim and with pull-up jump shots. He started to hunt for his shot a little bit too much at the end, but was also the most aggressive player on the U.S. team.

Caleb Swanigan – Swanigan received limited minutes and struggled with the length of the World team. The future Michigan State big man went 1-4, but added three rebounds.

Allonzo Trier – Trier provided one of the key highlights with an impressive two hand dunk in the first quarter and was tasked with the last shot for the U.S. team. Trier missed the last shot badly, but that shouldn’t sour the fact that his scoring abilities were on display all week along with his deep range. 

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. 

USA Basketball Camp: Day 1

Day 1 is in the books from the USA camp with one more to go on Sunday. 48 players took place in the two day USA Developmental Camp with 11 players from the class of 2015 mixed in with 37 freshmen and sophomores making their first appearance in a USA type setting.

Grown Man Strength:

Given the age gap between the seniors and younger kids it’s no surprise that the older guys dominated physically. Last year at this time, Rashad Vaughn (UNLV) and senior Eric Davis went up for a contested lay-up. The older Vaughn finished through contact and the younger Davis ended up on the floor saying “that’s some grown man strength right there.” This year it started out in a few simple half court 2 on 2 and 1 on 1 drills. Small forward Jaylen Brown and Scout.com’s No. 1 player man handled a few of the younger wings as he bulldozed his way to the rim. 7’0” center Stephen Zimmerman took advantage of the much younger EJ Montgomery for easy finishes in the post.

2015 Standouts:

Stephen Zimmerman, C, 7’0”, Bishop Gorman (NV)

In June of 2013, Zimmerman was the top ranked prospect in his class. After a subpar spring and summer on the AAU circuit he now sits at No. 14. That being said, Zimmerman is a completely different player than he was during his AAU days. It started with a MVP performance at the Nike Global Challenge in August and continued in both sessions at the USA camp. Looking looser on the court, Zimmerman got up and down with ease, made some viscous dunks and was comfortable hitting shots from all parts of the court. 

Zimmerman is set to kick off his official visits with a trip to Kansas next week. After visiting Lawerence he will be at Kentucky, UCLA, and Arizona. There is also a strong possibility of an unofficial visit to Notre Dame.

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

It didn’t take long for Ellenson to get going. As soon as full-court drills began Ellenson became a primary ball handler for his team and scored three consecutive baskets on a tough drive and finish in the lane, a deep step back jump shot, and a fast break and one lay-up. Ellenson’s game usually got started from the perimeter where he has range to hit the three point shot, but given his ball-handling skills he was also mixing in step back jump shots with drives to the front of the rim. On the defensive side he mixed it up down low and used his lengthy wing span to contest shots in the paint. 

Ellenson has three schools left on his list: Marquette, Michigan State, and Kentucky. He’s taken officials to both Marquette and Michigan State and will be in Lexington, KY for their Big Blue Madness.

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

The best way to describe Swanigan is that of a junkyard dog. While usually a bit shorter than his opponents, Swanigan usually bullies them around down low for lay-ups. He made his mark this way at the 17U USA tryouts in July and continued to do so during Day 1 of the camp. He plays with a hard motor, has a strong upper body, and possesses nimble feet in the post. It didn’t matter if you were a young guy or a senior, Swanigan was looking to punish his defender with simple, but effective post moves. 

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

The future Duke Blue Devil looked calm and under control throughout Day 1. He also caught fire from behind the arc in the evening and hit four three’s in one scrimmage. Kennard handled the ball and was also extremely aggressive on the boards. Throughout the drills and scrimmages Kennard played with a veteran’s poise and was one of the clear leaders of camp.

2017 / 2018 Standouts:

Michael Porter Jr. G/F, 6’7”, Father Tolton Catholic (MO), 2017

In the first day it might have been Porter that generated the most buzz amongst the younger kids. Standing 6’7”, Porter possesses a beautiful jump shot and he also has some sneaky athleticism. It was evident in the drills that Porter had a nice stroke. He got good elevation on his mid-range shots and knocked down shot after shot with an effortless stroke. While he isn’t going to blow by anyone from the perimeter just yet, he was getting the hoop during the 4 on 4 and 5 on 5 scrimmages. With long arms and a solid bounce, Porter Jr. put on a dunk show before the second stanza that was highly impressive. He is still coming into his lanky frame, but the talent is undeniable in the youngster from Missouri.

Jalek Felton, G, 6’4”, Mullins (SC), 2017

When you talk about elite athletes, Jalek’s name will always appear over the next few years. He’s known as a shooting guard but he displayed the best vision in camp threading several through the needle type passes in both sessions. As Raymond Felton’s nephew, Jalek has strong ball handling skills and blow by speed that can get him to the rim where he can easily finish. Felton also has range on his outside shot, but right now he is a fairly streaky shooter. He has the ability to knock down several in a row, but can also miss-fire badly on the next few. In his first USA camp experience, Felton shined brightly on Day 1.

Jarred Vanderbilt, SF, 6’7”, Victory Prep (TX), 2017

A Texas lefty, Vanderbilt made a strong impression on all observers early on. With sinewy strength, Vanderbilt was often slashing to the basket and finishing with dunks at the basket or soft shots over the defender’s outstretched hand. He has good quickness and awareness which allows him to get to the basket and he has the athletic ability to finish. 

Ira Lee, 6’8”, PF, Sierra Canyon (CA), 2017

Before the second session some of the players were joking around with Lee about his lack of “bounce.” While players such as Porter Jr. and Felton were throwing down crazy dunks, Lee was struggling to convert his. All the joking around stopped as play began as Lee went harder than every other player on the court. If there was a loose ball, Ira was grabbing it. He attacked both the offensive and defensive boards with an un-matched intensity and also scored a plethora of baskets inside the paint and on short face-up jump shots. He might not be the most athletic specimen at camp, but Lee certainly didn’t let anyone out play him.

EJ Montgomery Jr., F, 6’9”, Montverde Academy (FL), 2018

Billed as one of the top incoming freshman in the country, EJ Montgomery didn’t back down against his older competition. He gave up height and strength in the early going to Stephen Zimmerman, but Montgomery also had the chance to show some of his own skills off. Montgomery is currently a power forward, but he has some perimeter skills in a look-alike Tayshaun Prince body. He scored on several follow-up dunks throughout the scrimmages and also got his lefty jump shot going in the early morning hitting a deep jump shot from the wing followed by an in rhythm three. In high school, Montgomery will go up against some of the top competition in the country including daily match-ups with Ben Simmons which will only increase the skills he already possesses. 

The AAU Duo:

6’10” Wendell Carter Jr. and 6’10” Austin Wiley played on the same Southeast Elite 16U AAU squad this past year and both players and friends are taking part in the USA camp. While they are both starting their sophomore seasons schools from the Southeast have started to take notice. 

Carter hails from Georgia and noted that Georgia Tech came to his school last week and that Texas A&M and Mississippi State had also shown interest. His high school coach also told him that Duke was supposed to stop by next week.

Wiley is from Alabama and is just two hours from Auburn, the school both of his parents attended. He is currently receiving interest from Auburn, Memphis, Clemson, and North Carolina.

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.