NY2LA Summer Jam: Top Performers

Top Performers:

Matt Thomas, 6’4”, 2013 SG, WI Playmakers, Onalaska (WI): With a tournament filled with knock-down shooters, Thomas established himself as the best of the best. Having a picture perfect form, Thomas was always good for at least a few three’s per game. On Saturday morning, Thomas went off hitting 9-11 from deep as one of his future Iowa State coaches looked on with a smile. While a great shooter, Thomas also displayed a solid ability to handle the ball both in both one-on-one and pick and roll situations. 

The Harrison Twins: Before Andrew got hurt, the Harrison twins had it going on all tournament long. Whether it was driving by a helpless defender for a lay-up, knocking down a perimeter jump shot, or throwing an alley-oop, the brothers could not be stopped. Aaron Harrison knocked down six three pointers in one half on Saturday and was able to take over point guard duties when his brother got hurt on Sunday. Assistants from Maryland and Baylor made their presence well known for every Houston game. 

Aaron Harrison

Damontre Jefferson, 5’7” – 2014 PG, Milwaukee Rebels, Milwaukee Hamilton (WI): Despite always being the shortest player on the court, Jefferson more than made up for it with his speed, ball-handling and toughness. Jefferson was the catalyst in both playoff victories on Saturday putting defensive pressure on the opposing guards which often led to fast break lay-ups for himself or teammates. While being prone to getting out of control at times, Jefferson did not show any fear attacking the basket against players much larger in size. 

Kevon Looney, 6’8” – 2014 F, Milwaukee Rebels, Milwaukee Hamilton (WI): Considered one of the top prospects in 2014, Looney showed a wide variety of skills under the watchful eye of Buzz Williams and Bo Ryan. Looney was a beast on the offensive boards and also showed off a nice touch on his jump shot. The long and sinewy wing always played hard on both sides of the ball blocking shots on one end and getting to the basket at the other.

Rashad Vaughn, 6’6” – 2014 SG, Net Gain Sports, Robindale Cooper (MN): The 2014 class is loaded with top-notch wings and Vaughn might have the most impressive skill set of anyone not named Andrew Wiggins. Vaughn showed off a three point stroke that looked reminiscent to 2009 Final Four MOP Wayne Ellington. To go along with his outside stroke, he also possessed a strong handle that enabled him to create one on one and get to the basket. He is definitely one of the more impressive players in the upcoming junior class. 

Roddy Peters, 6’4” – 2013 G, DC Assault, Suitland (MD): Peters has been climbing up the recruiting ranks and his play in this tournament did nothing to dispel his rise. Using his 6’4” frame, Peters attacked the basket every chance he got, whether it was a drive down the left or right side of the court. Peters was one of the few bright spots in a blowout loss to the Illinois Wolves and also carried his team to a close victory of LAX Hoops. His tournament was cut short in pool play as he aggravated an already sore shoulder. 

Robert Johnson, 6’2” – 2013 SG, DC Assault, LC Bird (VA): Johnson made the most out of Peters’ absence and drained three after three against the 2-3 zone the Atlanta Celtics employed. Known as the top shooter in Virginia, Johnson showed the Midwest what he is capable of and was one of the main reasons DC Assault advanced to the 17U quarterfinals.

Kendall Stephens, 6’6” – 2013 SG, Illinois Wolves, St. Charles East (IL): The future Boilermaker was the most consistent player for the Wolves through pool play and the playoffs. Stephens buried numerous three pointers during the tournament and also showed a nice ability to slash to the basket. The Wolves trailed at the half in a few games, but Stephens was always the second half spark plug that would get the team going with a crucial steal or basket.

Nathan Taphorn, 6’7” – 2013 SG/SF, Illinois Wolves, Pekin (IL): Fresh off a Northwestern commitment, Taphorn shot the lights out from three for the majority of the tournament. Taphorn, similar to Matt Thomas had a picture perfect stroke, The lanky wing was able to utilize screens and fancy footwork to connect on several three’s per game. Taphorn utilized a solid pump fake, but will have to work on his shot off the dribble going forward. When his shot wasn’t falling (which wasn’t often), Taphorn did not have another way to create baskets and went scoreless in the championship game.

Jared Brownridge, 6’2” – 2013 SG, Illinois Wolves, Waubonsie Valley (IL): The Wolves had a plethora of shooters on their team which included Brownridge. While he did not start, Brownridge came in off the bench and got right to work. Against DC Assault, he hit six three pointers in a blowout win. Brownridge has a quick release which allows him to get his shot off against taller defenders and showed a good burst when driving to the basket.

Keita Bates-Diop, 6’7” – 2014 SF, Illinois Wolves, U-High (IL): Bates-Diop spent most of the Summer Jam playing for his 16U team, but did not disappoint when called up for some 17U action. Being heavily recruited by the majority of Big 10 teams, Bates-Diop showed off a variety of skills in the 17U championship game hitting a three, while also having an electric dunk.

Riley Dearring, 6’5” – 2013 G, Net Gain Sports, Minnetonka (MN): Dearring committed to Wisconsin right before the Summer Jam and after his play this weekend, the Wisconsin coaching staff was definitely glad to have him locked up. Dearring is eerily similar to the recently graduated Jason Clark of Georgetown, both in body type and playing style. If Dearring can have a similar type career, Badger fans will be extremely happy. 

Malik Pope, 6’8” – 2014 SF, Team Superstar, Burbank (CA): One of the fastest rising players in the class of 2014, Pope presented match-up nightmares at the 16U level with his height and length. Pope versatility is obvious, but he will need to learn how to use his 6’8” frame to his advantage against shorter defenders. Pope had 5+ inches on many of his defenders but settled for too many jump shots and floaters in the lane. Despite settling for outside shots, Pope’s rise will be one to keep an eye on.

Other News and Notes:

The shot of the tournament goes to Oak Hill guard, Nate Britt. Despite struggling during the tournament, Britt calmly drained a three pointer from the top of the key as time expired against the Atlanta Celtics. This shot came in the last game of the night on Saturday and provided DC Assault a chance to compete on Sunday.

The dunk of the tournament goes to Deonte Burton who threw down a ridiculous reverse dunk against the Houston Defenders which got the crowd off its feet. Burton is the most physically imposing player on the circuit not named Julius Randle. Marquette has already locked Burton up along with in-state guard Duane Wilson. Wisconsin has already locked up guards Riley Dearring and Bronson Koenig. Both schools are doing a great job in keeping the top players in state and have built a nice base for the future.

Saturday afternoon featured a coaching match-up that would cause the casual observer to do a double take. In the Homestead high auxiliary gym, former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan led DC Assault while former New Mexico State and Sacramento Kings coach Reggie Theus led LAX Hoops. DC Assault won in a squeaker.

Looking at the tournament roster, one of the main things to jump out is the fact that the whole Utah Reign team goes to Lone Peak High. Utah made it to the quarterfinals before bowing out to the Houston defenders and they are led by three BYU commits. Last year Lone Peak won the state championship 68-38 and it is almost unfair to think of what they will do this year. After the loss to Houston one head coach remarked to BYU coach Dave Rose “You’ve got quite the talent coming in.” Future Lone Peak opponents would agree.

Nick Emery

 

 

 

 Note: All photos were provided by Kelly Kline - Under Armour.

UA Summer Jam: Playoff Edition

In an old-school Adidas match-up and with a Summer Jam quarterfinal berth on the line, DC Assault and the Atlanta Celtics squared off in the final game of the night. Despite the lights being out in the main gym and the majority of coaches and spectators already having left the premise, this game did not disappoint. Down two points and the clock ticking down, point guard Nate Britt calmly dribbled to his left and nailed a game winning 3 pointer from the top of the key as time expired. This shot sent the Celtics home and gave DC Assault at least one more game. Despite struggling in both of his playoff games, Britt came through with a clutch play at the end of the game. 

Shaqquan - Kelly Kline/Under Armour

While Britt had the play of the day, if it had not been for his teammates Roddy Peters and Robert Johnson, DC Assault would not have been in a position to win against the Celtics and most likely would have bowed out in the first round of the playoffs to LAX Hoops. This game featured a NBA coaching match-up of Eddie Jordan, the former Wizards and 76ers coach and Reggie Theus Jr., the former Kings coach pacing the sidelines in Homestead High’s auxiliary gym. LAX Hoops was led by the tall and sinewy Shaqquan Aaron who spent the game driving to the basket for one handed dunks in traffic and nailing high arching three pointers. Aaron was definitely one of the cockiest players on the day and even turned around to walk down the court before his 3-pointer had found the basket at one point. Fortunately for Eddie Jordan, former Wizard Gilbert Arenas is the only player that can make a three while turning his back on the basket. Despite Aaron’s strong play, Roddy Peters, a 2^nd team All-Met selection led DC Assault with steady forays to the basket. Despite hurting his shoulder with 2 minutes left, Peters gave DC Assault a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Saturday’s action featured buzzer beaters, overtime games, and highly contentious match-ups. While the stars came out to play let’s take a look at the players that do not receive top billing on their team, but who still play an integral part in their teams success:

Damontre Jefferson (Milwaukee Rebels)

Despite being the shortest player on the court at 5’7,” this fire cracker could not be contained in either of his team’s playoff games. Early in the morning against the Las Vegas Prospects, the Rebels were down almost double digits and looked as if they were going to make an early exit as the hometown team. Jefferson had other thoughts and brought his team back by creating steals that led to breakaway lay-ups and hitting from deep several times. Jefferson used his crafty dribbling to blow by defenders and then used his leaping ability to finish at the rim no matter the size of the defender. 

Robert Johnson (DC Assault)

This 2^nd team all-State Virginia Preps selection might not be widely known outside of the East Coast, but his knock down shooting helped his team to a quarterfinal playoff berth. Johnson led the state of Virginia in three-pointers the past two years which apparently the Atlanta Celtics were not aware of. Starting off the game in a 2-3 zone, Johnson hit threes from both wings in the first few minutes and drained several more over the course of the game. With starting guard Roddy Peters most likely out for the final day, Johnson will get several more chances to show off his stroke to coaches outside Virginia.

TJ Haws (Utah Reign)

A 2014 shooting guard, TJ Haws is often mentioned behind high school and AAU teammate Nick Emery, both BYU commits. Despite not getting the attention of Emery, Haws was dynamic in a win over Team Nebraska featuring Akoy Agau and the Wisconsin Swing who featured future Wisconsin guard Bronson Koenig. Haws did it all whether it was hitting threes from deep or slicing to the basket for an athletic finish over the 6’9” Agau. Haws also took it to the Big 10 boys on the Swing and will be matched-up with the Harrison twins to start off the quarterfinals.

Other Notes:

While there was a lack of quality shooters at the Adidas Invitational, the same cannot be said about the NY2LA UA Summer Jam. The first day of playoffs started with Iowa State commit, Matt Thomas hitting nine three-pointers. Yes, nine! He followed that up at night with at least four three pointers despite being hounded by defenders at all times. Aaron Harrison also hit six three pointers in the first half of one of his games. Other top shooters included Bronson Koenig, Nick Emery, Jared Jones, and mentioned above TJ Haws and Robert Johnson.

NY2LA UA Summer Jam: Pool Play

The NY2LA Under Armour Summer Jam concluded pool play Friday evening setting up seeding for the playoffs beginning Saturday morning. With the abundance of talent in the Milwaukee suburbs it was quite convenient to set-up a seat in between courts 2 and 3 at Homestead High School to view the top players and teams in the 17U pools.

Houston Defenders vs. TP Elite:

Not surprisingly, the Harrison twins garnered the most attention and they did not disappoint bringing their team back, the Houston Defenders from a seven point deficit in the final minutes. Coming out of a timeout with 2:40 to go and down 49-42, the Harrison twins took it upon themselves to bring their team back against TP Elite. Every possession the twins drove the ball strong to the basket for shots in the point, easy assists, or foul shots. Soon enough, Houston took the lead after Andrew Harrison drove to the basket which resulted in an easy assist and a 50-49 lead. Anderw eventually iced the game at the free throw line and came away with a 53-49 victory.

Harrison Twins - Kelly Kline/Under Armour

This game came alive and the crowd woke up in the 2^nd half, when Marquette commit, Deonte Burton threw down a powerful reverse dunk in traffic. Houston pushed the ball down the court as TP Elite celebrated and performed a nicely executed alley-oop giving the crowd another round of “ooooh’s” and “awee’s.” After a TP Elite miss, Andrew Harrison came right down the court and calmly drained a pull-up three. This game featured back and forth action and while Deonte Burton did not back down, it was obvious the Harrison twins were on another level. 

Illinois Wolves vs. DC Assault:

DC Assault got off to a slow start and the Wolves jumped on them early and never looked back. Two minutes into the game, Illinois was up 12-2 behind two three pointers from future big 10 rivals, Kendall Stephens and Nate Taphorn. Taphorn didn’t cool off and shooting guard Jared Brownridge joined the party with 24 points. The Wolves had a 39-27 halftime lead and extended this before the game was called with two minutes left. 

Net Gain vs. Philly Pride:

Net Gain pulled out a 71-70 overtime victory behind the scoring ability of 2014 five star prospect Rashad Vaughn and recent Wisconsin commit Riley Derring. Vaughn showed off why he is one of the top wing prospects in the 2014 class mixing in deadly jump shots with aggressive drives to the basket all game long. 

Other Notes:

Wisconsin Swing and the Wisconsin Playmakers dispatched talented foes Urban DFW and Southern Kings, respectively, with their deadly outside shooting. Nick Fuller and Bronson Koenig led the way for the Swing, while Matt Thomas led the way for the Playmakers. 

Isaiah Hicks and Garner Road faced off against the Atlanta Celtics in an afternoon battle, but Hicks was quickly regulated to the bench after two quick fouls. Garner Road was able to hang with-in striking distance, but Kansas commit Brannen Greene dashed their hopes with a three pointer with two minutes left to give the Celtics a 59-52 lead.

The 16U Louisville Magic squad will look to win their second tournament in two weeks this weekend, however the 16U Team Loaded might have something to say.

Preview: Peach Jam

The Nike EYBL finals are about to kick off at the Peach Jam in North Augusta, South Carolina. By turning this event into the culmination of a 4 part regular season, Nike has ensured that this event receives top billing from coaches and fans alike. The top 24 EYBL teams make the Peach Jam and are separated into four pools of six teams each. Each team will play 5 games against its pool members beginning Thursday morning with the top two teams from each Pool advancing to the playoffs Saturday night. Both the semi-finals and finals will be held on Sunday morning with the winner joining the likes of Team Takeover and BABC as Peach Jam champions. While all Pool match-ups should be highly competitive and entertaining here are a few games that stick out:

1)      CIA Bounce vs. Texas Titans (Friday, 7:30pm)

The future class of 2013 #1?

Despite going 14 games without a loss, the Nike schedule makers did not do CIA Bounce a ton of favors by putting them in the talent laden Pool C. A few hours after their game with Mac Irvin ends, CIA will have a few hours to rest up before they face the Julius Randle show. Randle has been a beast all spring and summer and will try to turn a dominant Peach Jam into the coveted #1 class ranking. While Wiggins and Randle are the top players in this game, there will also be a shooting guard match-up to watch with the 6’4” Matt Jones facing off against the 6’4” Xavier Rathan-Mayes. As both teams have the talent to win the championship, this game will play a key factor in playoff seeding for the weekend.

2)      Houston Hoops vs. Bluff City Legends (Thursday, 12pm)

Despite the fact that Bluff City snuck into the Peach Jam via an auto-bid, this game could be one of the most entertaining match-ups and will certainly draw a crowd of college coaches to watch the highly regarded un-committed players. The individual battles on the wing will be scintillating as the Houston squad features Keith Frazier (2013 - #13), Justin Jackson (2014 - #15), and Justice Winslow (2014 - #10). Bluff City showcases Nick King (2013 - #19), power forward Johnathan Williams (2013 - #18), and Jujuan Johnson (2013 - #32). Expect a high scoring game as both teams rank among the top of the EYBL in terms of points per game.

3)      CIA Bounce vs. Mac Irvin Fire (Friday, 12pm)

Okafor

While still a top game, this was supposed to be the most anticipated match-up of the summer with Jabari Parker, the top ranked player in the class of 2013 and Andrew Wiggins, the top ranked player in the class of 2014 finally getting to match-up. Last year Parker was widely considered to be the best player in the country despite being a junior, however due to his strong play, Andrew Wiggins has taken the conch away from Parker. During play with the U17 national team, Parker suffered a right foot injury that could keep him sidelined for the remainder of the summer. Despite this loss, Mac Irvin still features enough talent to compete with CIA Bounce. Big man Jahlil Okafor is coming off of a MVP performance for the US team and Mac Irvin recently finished 2^nd to Mean Streets in an Illinois AAU event. Okafor will try to dominate CIA down low, while the rest of the Mac Irvin players such as Sterling Brown and Billy Garrett try to step-up. CIA went undefeated through the first 14 games of the EYBL and now they are looking to claim their first Peach Jam title.

4)      All Ohio vs. Mean Streets (Friday, 7:30pm)

All Ohio finished the EYBL with a 16-4 record, while Mean Streets went 15-5. Despite being two of the top teams on the Nike circuit these teams are often overlooked due to their lack of star power. Mean Streets is led by senior guard Kendrick Nunn, the only player averaging over double figures on the team at 12 ppg. All-Ohio is led by Ohio State commit Mark Loving who is averaging 11 ppg. Both of these teams play tough and are extremely well coached. Mean Streets was also the first team to beat CIA Bounce. This game features two undervalued teams, but the winner could make a surprising run to the Peach Jam championship.

5)      Oakland Soldiers vs. Boo Williams (Friday, 9pm)

A relatively healthy Oakland squad will try to avenge their 59-46 Memorial Day weekend loss to Boo Williams. The Soldiers will continue to be without star forward Aaron Gordon, however they will have the services of shooting guard Jabari Bird. The Soldiers went 4-2 in their last EYBL tournament and will look to string together consecutive solid tournaments to make it back to the Peach Jam playoffs. On the other side is Boo Williams who had an extremely up and down EYBL regular season. After struggling through the first three EYBL sessions, Boo Williams went 6-0 in Oakland which included wins over CIA Bounce and Mean Streets. This team is lead by super quick point guard Anthony “Cat” Barber who is considered a top-10 player in the country and has excelled during the June basketball sessions. While this team struggled throughout the spring, so did their star Troy Williams. Once a top 10 player with UNC and Kentucky at the top of his list, numerous poor shooting games dropped Williams down the ranks. Despite this drop, Williams stepped up his game at recent events and was a top performer averaging almost 20 points at the Nike Global Challenge. Both teams will look to capitalize on their solid late season play and advance out of Pool B.  

6)      E1T1 vs. Team Takeover (Thursday, 9am)

Joel Berry

A classic big man battle between US national teammates, BeeJay Anya and Dakari Johnson highlights this game. Johnson, from E1T1 dominated the stat lines during the EYBL sessions to the tune of approximately 16 points and 11 rebounds per game. Anya will provide Johnson with a tough match-up due to his size and length. Both teams also feature standout guards such as Joel Berry for E1T1 and Stan Robinson and Josh Hart. Also on Team Takeover is point guard Will Ferguson. Ferguson has been fairly quite in the EYBL games despite starting almost every game. His quickness could cause Berry problems and give Takeover the advantage. 

7)      Baltimore Elite vs. The Family (Friday, 10:30am)

Both teams enter the Peach Jam with 12-8 records; however they both feature some of the top scorers in the EYBL. From Baltimore, shooting guard Kameron Williams averaged a season high 22.2 ppg while James Young, from Detroit averaged 18.5 ppg. Young is also coming off a 29 point performance in the Global Challenge in which he helped his Midwest team defeat Team Canada. While these players might not spend a lot of time guarding each other, they will most likely be putting on a scoring display. Also featured is point guard Wesley Clark who drew rave reviews at the Lebron James Skills Academy.

Will.....

-CIA Bounce be able to bounce back after their trip to Oakland and win the championship?

-The Pool C teams (CIA, Mac Irvin, Texas Titans) be to beat up after pool play to win a championship?

-Julius Randle claim the #1 spot in the 2013 rankings?

-A team from the West Coast (Cal Supreme or Oakland) win their first EYBL championship?

Adidas Invitational: Day 2 Recap

The who’s who of college coaches were out in Indianapolis for day 2 of the Adidas Invitational which included Bill Self, Rick Pitino, Billy Donovan, Thad Matta, and Roy Williams. They were all there to see their committed recruits or hopefully future committed recruits, many of whom played in the top games of the day.

Florida Elite vs. Garner Roads:

Florida Elite defeated Garner Roads to win the Adidas VIP Exclusive tournament in April, and the rematch was no different. The Elite squad led for most of the game, however the final eight minutes featured many lead changes until Kasey Hill made a lay-up over UNC commit Isaiah Hicks to cement the victory.

The anticipated match-up was supposed to be the big man battle of Isaiah Hicks and Chris Walker, however this never really came to fruition as Florida Elite started out in a zone and the game turned very guard dominated. Hicks caught an alley-oop from half court in the first half and became more aggressive in the second half to finish with 14 points, while Walker hit a three pointer and had several athletic forays to the basket. Despite this action, Kasey Hill was the star of the game hitting 3 pointers over defenders and driving into the lane at will. It’s easy to see why he has shot up the rankings this spring. Anton Gill of Gardner Roads also had a strong game hitting several three pointers but was limping noticeably on his already injured ankle by the time the buzzer sounded.

Dream Vision vs. Michigan Mustangs:

Dream Vision was without one of its top players, Stephen Domingo, as the recent Olympic gold medal winner decided to enroll in Georgetown a year early. Dream Vision got off to a slow start Thursday morning and trailed the Mustangs by almost 20 points at one point. This didn’t matter to shooting guard Isaac Hamilton as he knocked down jumper after jumper leading his team to a comeback victory. For the Mustangs, Michigan commit Derrick Walton played extremely well showing off an improved jump shot and ability to blow by his defender.

Florida Elite vs. Louisville Magic (16U’s):

The Louisville Magic used their suffocating pressing defense and deep bench to jump on Florida early in the game. Led by Deangelo Russell and Quentin Snider, the Elite squad suffered numerous turnovers to begin the game. The Magic used a hockey style substitution pattern for the first half and their reserves led them to a 19 point halftime lead and never looked back. Despite being played in an auxiliary middle school gym all of the top coaches from the Southeast were in attendance.

Other Notes:

CC stole the show

The 16U Louisville Magic and Florida Elite game featured many highly ranked recruits; however it was a sub off Louisville’s bench that had everyone’s attention. Point guard, Christen Cunningham took over for Snider a few minutes into the game and soon had everyone in the crowd asking who that number 1 guy was. Cunningham was quick off the dribble and drove to the basket at will finishing with both his left and right hand in traffic. He also had several sharp passes and was the main reason his team was up 19 points at the half. “CC” is definitely a name to keep in mind for the remainder of the summer. 

The Houston Hoopstars Elite suffered two losses during the day, however their point guard Derrick Gaston showed off the most impressive ball handling skills of the tournament. Looking like a miniaturized version of Rajon Rondo, Gaston had his defenders on ice skates as he used his dribbling skills to breakdown defenders left and right. At one point during his first game, he made his defender fall with and back and forth cross-over that resulted in an assist.

The dunk of the day came during Dream Vision’s come from behind victory over Michigan. Guard Namon Wright stole the ball at half court and despite having a defender on his back was able to bounce the ball up in the air with his left hand and catch it one handed off the bounce for a fantastic finish. Extremely ballsy, but extremely well-executed.

After struggling on Day 1, Noah Vonleh stepped his game up. After jacking a lot of outside shots on Wednesday evening, Vonleh did most of his damage on the inside against the Eric Gordon All-Stars. Vonleh finished with 22 points and showed to the coaches in attendance why he is such a highly regarded recruit in the class of 2014.

  

Adidas Invitational: Day 1 Recap

The first July evaluation period kicked off in Indianapolis, IN yesterday where the high schools are as big as some colleges and the middle schools are the size of most high schools. Some of the top action took place at North Central High and Northview Middle School under the eye of Billy Donovan, Bill Self, Thad Matta, and a plethora of other D-1 head and assistant coaches. Day 1is in the books:

Game of the Day:

In a 17U Super Pool game, the Memphis Magic Elite held on at the end to beat the Eric Gordon All-Stars 64-61. Despite having a large crowd contingent on hand, the Eric Gordon All-Stars could not capitalize on a Memphis turnover with 15 seconds and down one point.

Comeback of the Day:

Devonte Graham

Garner Roads came back from a 9 point halftime deficit to defeat the New Orleans Elite by 10 points. Garner Roads looked half asleep through the first 12 minutes of the first half as they fell behind 20-10. At the 4 minute mark, Garner Roads got a few consecutive buckets and the team seemed to pick up their energy. Down 29-20 at the half, the Garner Road guards picked up the slack for missing guard Anton Gill, especially 6’2” Devonte Graham who hit a few 3 pointers. Garner Roads took the lead, 43-42 with 4 minutes left and cruised to a victory the rest of the way. 5-star UNC commit, Isaiah Hicks had a solid game mixing in 15 foot jump shots with athletic drives to the basket. He also had a handful of blocks. 

Statement of the Day:

The 16U Louisville Magic squad jumped on the Compton Magic to kick off the 5pm action. By halftime, Louisville had scored 53 points and was already up 20 points. Guards DeAngelo Russell and Quentin Snider suffocated Compton with their defensive pressure and attacked at all times on the offensive end. The Louisville squad showed they are serious about defending their championship. 

Surprise of the Day:

Coming off a dominant Lebron James Skills Academy performance, star 2014 forward, Noah Vonleh struggled mightily against the Atlanta Celtics. Vonleh scored on a few put-backs, but for the most part settled for contested three-pointers which did not connect. Vonleh was also careless with the ball and committed a handful of turnovers. Despite this performance, the talent that Vonleh possesses was evident. Vonleh spent time bringing the ball up the court for his Mass Rivals team, while also playing on the wing and in the post. While his outside shot was not on, he did show the ability to play both inside and outside.

Dunk of the Day:

In the Northview middle school gym with coaches ranging from Kentucky to Cal Poly, the 16U Ohio Basketball Club and Dream Vision teams faced off. At one point in the first half big man Ray Kasongo, of Ohio Basketball Club threw down a vicious one hand power jam over a hapless Dream Vision defender. The dunk came off one power dribble and woke the crowd and the coaches up.

Preview: Adidas Invitational

The first open evaluation period in July kicks off this week for college coaches, many of which will be in attendance at the talent laden Adidas Invitational. Adidas structured this tournament in the “Super Pool” format allowing the top teams to face off against each other during the first two days of action before the playoffs begin. Last year Kasey Hill helped lead the Florida Rams (now Florida Elite) to the 17U title over New Heights, 89-82. This year Hill and his Florida teammates are back trying to repeat after winning the Adidas VIP Exclusive Run and Best Buy Classic tournaments during the spring. The 16U Louisville Magic squad will look to repeat as well this year after previously winning the 15U tournament in 2011. There are also plenty of top ranked 15U teams trying to grab the attention of the coaches in attendance. Last year all of the college coaches flocked to the battle between the top ranked players in the class of 2012, Shabazz Muhammed and Andre Drummond. Let’s see what games will draw the most attention this year:  

1)      Florida Elite vs. Garner Road (Thursday, 1:15pm)

Chris Walker

In this pool play match-up, Garner Road’s will try to seek revenge against Florida Elite who beat them at the Adidas VIP Exclusive Run 17U Championship to kick off the spring. Since that time, Florida also took home the championship in the Best Buy Classic. Florida’s top players have been on an upward trajectory all spring, specifically Kasey Hill and Chris Walker. Hill jumped from a top 20 player pre-Spring to Scout.com’s 6^th ranked player and 2^nd best point guard. Walker has kept his top 10 status while drawing raves from NBA general managers at the Lebron James Skills Academy. While Florida Elite was heard from all spring, Garner Road was somewhat quite losing early in the Best Buy Classic. Isaiah Hicks, a five-star UNC commit has been hampered by an ankle injury and spent June recovering while also playing with his high school team. Despite the fact that the majority of top players from these teams have committed to schools, this game should be the initial highlight of the open evaluation period as it also includes Kansas commit Brannen Greene and Louisville commit, Anton Gill.

2)      Dream Vision vs. Michigan Mustangs (Thursday, 9:30am)

Based out of the west coast, Dream Vision has been quite since its Real Deal in the Rock championship during the Spring open evaluation period. While this team no longer has Shabazz Muhammed, it does feature Georgetown commit, Stephen Domingo, who is fresh off winning a gold medal, along with stand out shooter, Isaac Hamilton. 4-star point guard and Michigan commit, Derrick Walton will try to carry his Michigan team throughout the tournament.  

3)      Florida Elite vs. Louisville Magic (Thursday, 12pm)

This game features two of the top 16U teams in the country. Last year, the Louisville squad drew the attention of John Calipari and Rick Pitino while capturing the 15U title. Five-star point guard and Louisville commit, Quentin Snider will look to lead his team to another title in Indianapolis, however point guard Lance Tejada, shooting guard Adonys Henriqez, and high riser Jonathan Joseph will try to send the Magic to an early pool play loss. Florida elite performed strongly at the Best Buy classic and will try to build on the playoff run they made over Memorial Day.

4)      Compton Magic vs. Eric Gordon All-Stars (Thursday, 3:45pm)

Both teams are ranked in the top 10 for 15U by fivestarbasketball.com. Compton features a plethora of rising sophomore’s that stand 6’5” and taller, while the Eric Gordon All-Stars feature rising freshman, Eron Gordon. Gordon, the younger brother of the team’s namesake already has offers from local schools big 10 schools, Purdue and Indiana. This game will provide coaches with a glimpse of the future.

Eron Gordon

Other Top Ranked Players to Watch:

·         Noah Vonleh – Mass Rivals

·         Leron Black – Team Thad

·         Anton Beard – Team Thad

·         Milik Yarbrough – Indiana Elite

·         Craig Victor – New Orleans Elite

·         Mamadou Ndiaye – Double Pump Elite

·         Solomon Poole – Atlanta Celtics

·         Roshcon Prince – Compton Magic

·         Stephen Zimmerman – Dream Vision

Another Look: NBA future stars

Before the 2012 NBA draft, Scout.com did a feature titled: Five High Schoolers bound for NBA stardom. While it’s easy to agree with their selections here is a different look at the future top draft picks of the NBA.

#1 Andrew Wiggins (SF – Class of 2014)

After an impressive spring, Wiggins pretty much took the top high school prospect conch from Jabari Parker, who held it for the past year. While Wiggins and Parker play the same position, Wiggins possesses the elite athleticism missing from Parker’s game. Wiggins has a solid handle and a good looking stroke on his jump shot (although this area still need improvement) which will help him carve out a successful career in the NBA. Back during the Dallas EYBL, Wiggins had a 30 point, 10 rebound performance on All-Ohio Red in a comeback win that left the crowd in awe. Look for Wiggins to greet David Stern as the first pick in the NBA draft in the near future and for many more performances like the one he put on in Dallas. 

#2 Julius Randle (PF – Class of 2013)

Randle is the most dominant player on the AAU circuit and regularly commands double and triple teams in almost every game. Randle is a 6’9 power forward that combines a powerful build with a graceful game. On most occasions, Randle can be seen grabbing the defensive rebound, pushing the ball up the court, and driving to the basket for a lay-up or dishing to the open man. Randle will need to work on his 15 foot jump shot to be successful in the NBA, but is physically ready to bang with the NBA big men right now.

#3 Jabari Parker (SF – Class of 2013)

In Parker’s three year high school career he has accumulated three state championships, numerous individual accolades, and a Sports Illustrated cover proclaiming him the best high school player since Lebron James. While Parker is definitely deserving of the hype and the number one ranking in the class of 2013, his NBA future might not be as bright as some might expect. Parker is a team player that can handle the ball extremely well and can utilize various post moves down low or strong drives to the basket to score. Parker, like Wiggins, possesses a nice form on his jump shot but this is one area that needs improvement as he often struggled from the three point and free throw line during the high school season. While athletic, Parker does not have the elite quickness, speed, or jumping ability that Wiggins has. However, he already improved on this area from the time his high school season ended and the AAU circuit began. He might not be the best high school player since Lebron, but he is the most decorated one.

#4 Cliff Alexander (PF – Class of 2014)

Most recruiting rankings have been slow to catch on to Cliff Alexander as he was routinely ranked in the 20’s during the high school season and low teens during the AAU season (although he will most likely receive another bump similar to scout’s #3 ranking). Alexander has also been consistently ranked lower than another Chicago center, Jahlil Okafor. Despite this, Alexander oozes NBA future star. Alexander stands 6’8,” but looks like a young Dwight Howard. He led his team to the Chicago championship game during the high school season and won the Pangos MOP in June. While Okafor might be rated higher, these two played to a draw in the winter and Alexander has the ability to improve immensely over the next few years.

#5 Andrew Harrison (PG – Class of 2013)

Harrison already has NBA height at 6’5” for a PG and can usually get to the basket anytime he wants with his size/strength combination. He will need to work on his outside shot, but as NBA fans have recently seen from ultra athletic point guards such as Rose, Westbrook, and Rondo, it is not necessary to have a Ray Allen type jumper. 

 #5a James Young (SG/SF – Class of 2013)

Young exploded this spring starting with the first Nike EYBL event in Minneapolis and continued his solid play in almost every AAU tournament his Detroit team played in. Due to his consistent effort, Young jumped from a player ranked in the mid 20’s to one ranked as a top 8 player. In four EYBL events, Young averaged 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds while hitting 35% of his three’s and 80% of his free-throws. At 6’7, Young is the perfect height for a small-forward. He can attack the basket off the dribble and has an effortless three point stroke. With a game, name, and hairstyle similar to the Clippers Nick Young the comparison is easy to make. While Nick Young can score 30 one game and 5 the next, James Young is much more of a consistent player and also fills the stat sheet in more than one way.