Peach Jam & Elite Youth Invitational: Day 1

It took about one half of basketball for the intensity to pick up, but once it did viewers were quickly reminded why the Peach Jam is the best tournament in high school basketball. Action started promptly at 5pm as college coaches quickly filed into their court side seats for a few hours of 16U action. While the players were younger, there was an early treat for everyone involved with Jayson Tatum making the decision to play for the St. Louis Eagles 16U squad.

Tatum came to play in the 2nd half

Last year, the No. 1 junior in the country dominated the 16U tournament and this year Tatum pretty much dominated the 17U EYBL despite being a year younger than most of his competition. Playing with a new team led to a fairly passive first half where the 6’7” point forward picked up two quick fouls and was rendered pretty much useless. Not so much for the second half. After recording just one field goal in the first half, Tatum finished with 29 points. Drive right. Drive left. Step back. Fade away. Dunk on the break. Tatum took over when his team needed and could not be contained off the dribble. After a slight first half deficit, the St. Louis Eagles came away with a win in their first game.

Coaches in the stands: As the No. 1 player in his class, it’s not surprising that Tatum is heavily recruited. UNC coach Roy Williams was front and center for Tatum’s game. Along with Williams, two assistants from Duke were present along with one from Kansas.

While Tatum was busy put on a show on Court 4 at the Riverview Athletic Center, a group of heralded freshmen were battling a few feet away. In a match-up between Cal Supreme and South East Elite fans got to see arguably the top player in the class of 2017 in 6’9” DeAndre Ayton. A sinewy power forward, Ayton showed off his impressive talents just one week after wowing college coaches and NBA scouts at the LeBron James camp. In the second half Ayton spun down the lane for a contested lay-up and the foul and then hit a three from the left wing on the next possession. Ayton can mix it up down low, but also has the foot speed to run the court like a gazelle and operate from 15 feet and out. He also cleaned up the glass and finished with several rim rattling dunks.

While Ayton had a standout game, his team took the loss. Led by 6’10” Wendell Carter Jr. and 6’9” Austin Wiley, Southeast Elite squad jumped to an early lead and then managed to hold on at the end for a victory. Both Carter Jr. and Wiley dominated the glass and attacked from 12 feet and in. 

Other players that made an impact were 6’2” shooting guard Jonah Matthews from Santa Monica, CA, and 6’5” shooting guard Jordan Shackles. Matthews showed off his high arcing jump shot and quick release with several three’s from the wing, but also blew by his man several times off the dribble. Just like Matthews, Shackles (2017) knocked in a shot from the wing and showed a little bit of athleticism getting to the basket.

After watching some of the top players in the class of 2016 and 2017 in the first set of games it was time to head five miles down the road to the Elite Youth Invitational featuring the Nike teams that did not qualify for Peach Jam. The first night of games were hardly competitive, but it did provide a chance to see several top prospects. 

Shooting guard Malik Beasley scored 24 points in his opening game. He punished his opponent with quick drives to the basket and explosive finishes. After a strong Top 100 camp, the offers have been pouring in for the 6’4” guard, but for now he is still waiting on the blue bloods to come calling. His teammate Noah Dickerson also put together a strong game running the floor and finishing on the break several times. After the power forwards de-commitment from Georgetown there was a host of assistant coaches in the stands to watch. UVA, Maryland, and Ohio State were some of the schools there to see Dickerson.

In the last game of the night, fast rising Wisconsin forward Henry Ellenson took the court. First it was Bo Ryan that was front and center for the late tip, but then Wojo filed in with one of his Marquette assistants and soon Roy Williams and Greg McDermott made their way over. Ellenson scored 17 points and helped his team break the press time and time again while playing point forward. The offers have been pouring in for Ellenson after a dominant spring, but the 6’10” forward plans to cut his list down “sooner, rather than later.”

Adidas Unrivaled - Wrap Up

With the first July live period in the books, it’s time to take a look back at the first Adidas Unrivaled camp that took place in Chicago, IL. Adidas invited approximately 120 players, many of whom play on the Adidas AAU circuit to compete in a camp style atmosphere similar to Nike’s LeBron James Skills Academy. In its camp kickoff at the Quest Multiplex gym in the city’s west side (which also plays host to the McDonald’s All-American practices) the Adidas team definitely brought together a talented group that ended with two all-star games on Sunday. College coaches from all of the major conferences packed the sidelines to watch the drills and games each day.

Bad News:

On the first day of camp, 6’6” small forward Ray Smith fell to the floor in agony. It later turned out that the five-star wing tore his ACL ending any future AAU or high school play. Before he hurt his knee, Smith was riding high with a strong showing during the spring and June camp play establishing himself as one of the best slashers in the country. On Day 1 of the Adidas Unrivaled camp, Smith stood out with his play during the first drill session and also put together an impressive first game going 7-9 from the field. 

Almost immediately after the camp ended, Smith committed to the Arizona Wildcats. While the selection did not come as a surprise for the Vegas native, the timing might have caught some off guard. Given the lengthy recovery for a torn ACL, Smith will most likely begin to start testing his knee out next spring before heading to Tucson. Before his injury, Smith was strongest attacking the basket and finishing at the rim. With a smoothness to his game, Smith always seemed under control and his jump shot was getting more consistent at every showing. It might be hard for Smith to be 100% come the start of his freshman year due to the injury, but Arizona landed a top notch player for the future.

MVP:

 

Brandon Ingram, 6’8”, SF, Kingston (NC), 2015

Ingram - Growing Up In Chicago

Did the light finally come on for Brandon Ingram? Judging from his play in Chicago, the answer is a resounding yes. Just several weeks ago, Ingram looked lethargic and lacked aggressiveness during the NBPA Top 100 camp. That changed quickly on Thursday when he took his defender off the dribble for a left hand lay-up to kick things off. Soon the long armed Ingram was hitting three’s, attacking off the pick and roll, and posting up smaller defenders. He had a great Thursday before coming back to earth on Friday, but then scored 26 points on 10-16 shooting against Jaylen Brown and then ended the camp with 22 points on 10-13 shooting in the all-star game. During the week Ingram averaged 14.3 points while shooting 9-18 from the three point line. Once primarily a top recruit for the schools in North Carolina, Ingram now has the attention of Louisville, Kansas, and Kentucky.

Top Nine: 

Chase Jeter, 6’10”, PF, Bishop Gorman (NV), 2015

Chase Jeter has slowly risen up the rankings over the past year and he is not done yet. The five-star power forward got off to a rough start on Thursday, but started to dominate in front of Coach K and the Duke coaching staff on Friday and Saturday. Jeter put together several double-doubles and multiple 20 point games while outplaying Carlton Bragg in their head to head match-up. With his increased strength, Jeter was able to bang down low while also using his footwork in the post for short shots over his right shoulder. Jeter also ran the floor and blocked shots on the defensive end. He averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per game. Given the amount of attention paid to him from the Duke staff, it’s hard to see him heading anywhere other than Durham.

Jaylen Adams, 6’2”, PG, Cushing Academy (MA) 2015

Kevin Ollie should enjoy coaching the uber explosive Jaylen Adams in Storrs. The talented point guard did not put up eye popping scoring numbers, but he did have several games with nine assists. Adams is a sight to see in the open court and can finish with the best of them. He has a good handle and first step which allows him to get in the lane almost at will. Defensively, Adams has great lateral movement and is a shot blocking threat on the break as he perfectly timed several lay-up attempts by opponents throughout the week.

Tony Bradley Jr., 6’9.5”, PF, Barstow (FL), 2016

Used to playing against Nike kids on the EYBL AAU circuit, Bradley Jr. adapted quickly to the new competition. In his first game, Bradley Jr. scored 20 points on 10-15 shooting and eventually earned a starting spot in the underclassmen all-star game. For the camp, the Florida product averaged 14 points per game on 60% shooting. He runs the floor with a purpose which usually led to several lay-ups or dunks during the course of a game and he also possesses a soft touch on his jump shot or his hook shot. Bradley Jr. will need to work on his explosiveness under the basket, but for now his play earned him several looks from schools outside of Florida and the Southeast. He averaged 15.3 points while shooting over 65%.

Maverick Rowan, 6’7”, SF, Lincoln Park (PA), 2016

One of the words often overheard to describe Rowan’s game this past week was smooth. The lanky small forward had a sweet looking jump shot that routinely found the bottom of the net. The future Pitt Panther also showed an ability to finish at the rim on drives and hit the one dribble pull-up. Rowan hit several three’s in the all-star game to finish with 12 points. While most players were dead after the four day event, Rowan immediately went over to the side court to work on his game until the camp came to a close.

Deng Adel, 6’6”, SF, Rock Prep (FL), 2015

Always under the watchful eye of Rick Pitino or a Louisville assistant it came as no surprise that small forward Deng Adel committed quickly after camp. Adel put together an extremely efficient camp performance and played with a high motor throughout with the ability to rattle off six to eight points in a row before the opponent knew what hit it. A blur on the break, Adel also displayed a soft touch on his jump shot inside the arc. He was extremely comfortable from about 15-17 feet out on the right baseline and also routinely beat his man off the dribble. 

Jaylen Brown, 6’7”, SF, Wheeler (GA), 2015

Brown is the top small forward in the country and while he struggled on Thursday and early on Friday, he used his upper body strength and speed to turn things around. He went for 26 on Friday night in one of the most dominant performances of the week. A high level leaper, Brown averaged 16 ppg during camp and was always a tough cover on the offensive end. 

Kobi Simmons, 6’5”, PG, (GA), 2016

The tall, lanky junior point guard was impossible to keep out of the lane and out of the scoring book. With a strong handle, Simmons constantly beat his defender off the dribble and scored at the rim whether in the half court of fast break setting. He led the camp in scoring at 16.5 points per game but also kept his teammates involved leaving them with pinpoint passes at the basket. Simmons received an offer from Kansas subsequent to camp and will be one of the most sought after point guards going forward. Given his height, he will also be on the NBA radar for the next few years.

TJ Leaf, 6’8”, PF, Foothills Christian (CA), 2016

TJ Leaf lived up to his top 10 ranking this week going 26-39 from the floor over a three day span. The California junior always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and displayed his versatility on the perimeter and in the post. He knocked down three’s when he had the chance and finished at the rim over defenders using his long arms or a crafty reverse lay-up. Leaf is a solid athlete but has room for improvement in his lateral quickness and leaping ability to make the next step. Even so, there were plenty of Pac 12 schools in hot pursuit of Leaf this past week and Louisville offered a scholarship after their viewings.

Kenneth Nwuba, 7’0”, (MS), 2018

One of only two rising freshmen at the camp, Nwuba impressed with his coordination and defensive ability. Nwuba is a lanky athlete that has a quick first jump. His offensive skill in the post is quite raw at this point, but he is seriously advanced on the defensive end which led to the youngster earning a spot in the underclassmen all-star game.

Other Notes:

Junior point guard Peyton Pritchard was impressive in the underclassmen all-star game on Sunday. He shifted speeds constantly keeping his defender off balance and had his jump shot working from all areas of the court. After a strong start, Pritchard’s shot started to slide on Saturday. The 6’0” Oregon point guard spent about an hour on Saturday working on his shot and the hard work paid off with 15 points in the all-star game and 3-4 from the three point line. Pritchard is also a hot commodity in the recruiting world with coaches from the PAC 12, Big 10, and Big 12 after him. Recently Pritchard made unofficial visits to Wisconsin and Indiana.

Adidas Unrivaled - Day 2

Day 2 of the Adidas Unrivaled camp hosted a plethora of high major D1 coaches on their way over from either the Reabok camp in Philly or the Lebron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas. With Bill Self, Coach K, Roy Williams, Bo Ryan, and Lorenzo Romar in attendance the competition was strong throughout the day.

The Stars:

On Thursday both Jaylen Brown and Chase Jeter struggled to get in a groove offensively. Not so much on Friday.

Chase Jeter, 6’10”, Bishop Gorman (NV), PF, 2015

Playing in front of Coach K and two Duke assistant coaches Jeter got the better of Carlton Bragg in his first game and then followed that up with a dominant performance at night. Aginst Bragg, Jeter scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds while going 6-9 from the field and 6-6 from the free throw line. The big man from Las Vegas had his fancy footwork on display in the post and was very comfortable turning over his right shoulder for shot attempts. In an evening session blowout, Jeter topped his previous performance and dropped 23 points and seven rebounds on 11-17 shooting. In this affair, Jeter used his left hand a little more to finish several lay-ups and short jump hooks. He ran the floor well and was active on the defensive end as well. Overall, Jeter was much improved from his Day 1 performance.

Jaylen Brown, 6’6”, Wheeler (GA), SF, 2015

Brown continued to struggle offensively in his first game. After a slow start on Thursday, Brown went just 3-13 from the field in his first game. While the powerful wing struggled with his shot, he did work hard on the glass finishing with 10 rebounds. In the night session, Brown put together the best individual performance in the two days of camp play. Aggressive from the get go, Brown was almost impossible to contain when he decided to go to the basket and also had his outside shot going hitting 3-4 from the three point line. He also grabbed five rebounds turning any defensive rebound into a one man fast break. In addition to his complete effort going 8-13 from the field and 7-7 from the free throw line he also completed two highlight reel dunks. The first one came while dribbling down the lane. It first looked like Brown had taken off to far away from the basket but with his outstretched hands he was able to deliver a resounding two hand dunk. In the second half, Brown took off with two feet from the left block and elevated over a helpless defender for a one hand jam.

Other Strong Performers:

TJ Leaf, 6’9”, PF – Leaf slapped a 17 point, nine rebound performance in the night session. He made 7-8 shots and was constantly in the right place at the right time. He also used his length to finish in the post.

Josh Stamps, 6’4”, SG – The Chicago native had his jumper and drive working in the night session as well. A tough guard to contain off the dribble, Stamps finished with 15 points on 7-10 shooting.

Sedrick Barefield, 6’2”, PG – The California point guard dosen’t wow you with fancy moves, but usually by the end of the game he has put together a very efficient performance. In the first set of games, Barefield scored 11 points on 5-6 shooting and in the night session he scored eight points on 3-4 shooting including a tough hanging left hand lay-up from the right block. Barefield is among the leaders in assists per game and three point shooting percentage. 

David Jenkins, 6’1”, G – The 2016 Washington product had his jump shot working early on. Jenkins has a smooth stroke and a quick release which he used to drain 3-5 three’s on his way to 15 points on 6-9 shooting.

Adidas Unrivaled: Thursday Session 1 Recap

The Adidas Unrivaled camp kicked off this morning beginning with two hours of drills for the top prospects on the Adidas AAU circuit. A few head coaches showed up early including Billy Donovan along with a handful of assistants from high major schools but the big turnout came for the first set of games in the afternoon. John Calipari, Tom Crean, Tad Boyle and many others were present for the five games that made up the first session of games in Chicago. 

Players That Impressed:

Brandon Ingram, 6’8”, Forward, Kinston (NC), 2015

Brandon Ingram

Aggressive is not a word usually used to describe Brandon Ingram. A 6’8” string bean that always looks like the youngest player on the court came out firing. First he found himself on the left wing in an isolation situation. After a hesitation dribble, Ingram drove to the basket for a contested left hand lay-up and you could see his confidence rise. Soon after Ingram curled to the left elbow for a jump shot and then also hit a three from the left side of the court. Ingram’s team jumped out to a huge lead and Ingram finished the first half with 14 points on 6-6 shooting. He ended the game with 16 points on 7-8 shooting and his one basket in the second half displayed his more aggressive mindset. Upon seeing a smaller defender on him, Ingram posted up in the middle of the lane and backed his man down finishing with a two hand dunk. The North Carolina native also added six rebounds. Can he continue his aggressive play going forward?

Tony Bradley Jr., 6’9”, Forward, Bartow (FL), 2016

While Ingram started the game with a bang, Tony Bradley Jr. was the team’s leading scorer finishing with 20 points. The athletic forward was extremely aggressive around the rim finishing with his monstrous wing span. He caught almost everything thrown to him and finished 10-15 from the floor. 

Deng Adel, 6’7”, Forward, Rock Prep (FL), 2015

One of the top wings in the country put on an efficient performance during the first session. Adel got started on the break finishing with two consecutive fast break dunks. He also added in a few deep jump shots from just inside the arc and finished with 12 points and five rebounds on 6-9 shooting in a five point win.

TJ Leaf, 6’9”, Forward, Foothills Christian (CA), 2016

Leaf put together a 14 point, six rebound effort on 7-12 shooting. He showed off his versatility on several drives from the three point line including an acrobatic reverse finish. Leaf also attacked the glass and added three rebounds. He missed both of his three’s, but even the threat of his outside shot kept defenders off balance. 

Braxton Blackwell, 6’7”, SF, Christ Presbyterian Academy (TN), 2016

Blackwell scored 16 points on 8-10 shooting and displayed a variety of aspects of his offensive arsenal. All of his points came from around the basket; however they came in different ways. He posted up smaller defenders, drove by slower defenders, and used strong body control to avoid the taller opponents. He guarded the opposing power forwards and also helped his own team initiate offense by playing point forward on numerous possessions. Blackwell played with a bounce to his step and finished with one of the better performances of the afternoon.

Other Notes:

The top prospects at the Adidas camp are small forward Jaylen Brown and power forwards Carlton Bragg and Chase Jeter. All three struggled in the first set of games going a combined 9-30 from the floor. Brown struggled with his jump shot and ball control while going 2-10 and Bragg went just 2-6 in his game. Jeter finished 5-14 and while he had a brief stretch with several impressive baskets in the post he also forced the action at times. Jeter showed good foot work, but also displayed a propensity to always go to his right.

2017 point guard Jaylen Hands went just 2-8 from the field, but the upcoming sophomore appeared to be one of the quicker guards in camp. The 6’1” guard from California displayed an initial quick burst and solid ball handling skills throughout.

Junior shooting guard Curtis Jones scored 16 points on 6-12 shooting including 3-6 from deep. A few weeks ago Jones was showing off his athletic prowess in Charlottesville and now he is looking to show off his all-around game. 

6’7” guard / forward Maverick Rowan got off to a hot start hitting three three’s in early action. He cooled off from deep, but still finished 5-11 overall. His counterpart was 6’7” Brendon Bailey out of Utah how made two three’s and finished with eight points which came in a matter of minutes in the second half. 

7’1” center Khadim Gueye from Florida was only credited with two blocks, but the rangy big man appeared much more devastating in the paint than the stats would lead to believe. He didn’t make a field goal, but Gueye is a shot blocker to watch going forward.