King James Shooting Stars Classic Recap
AKRON, Ohio – The final weekend of sanctioned events for college coaches in the spring featured the King James Shooting Stars Classic in the hometown of the child prodigy for whom the tournament is named.
The 17-under championship game, televised on a local FOX affiliate, turned quickly in the second quarter. MVP O.J. Mayo scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in the quarter as the Cincinnati-based D-1 Greyhounds took over the game en route to a blowout win over Washington, D.C.-based Triple Threat. The Greyhounds trailed 19-14 at the end of the first, but scored 31 points in the second quarter to take the game over. Mayo capped an excellent weekend in which he played more like his usual self than he did a week prior at the Kingwood Classic.
Tournament Notes
- About 20 head coaches turned out for this event. The first head coach we saw on Saturday was Purdue’s Matt Painter. New head coaches we saw included Mick Cronin (Cincinnati), Bob Huggins (Kansas State), Kelvin Sampson (Indiana) and Gary Waters (Cleveland State).
- The low point of the weekend came in a semifinal game between the Illinois Wolves and D-1 Greyhounds. With the Wolves leading 7-6 and about 12 minutes left in the first half, the Wolves decided to just hold the ball (no shot clock) and run off time. The Greyhounds stayed in their zone defense and didn’t go after anyone as time kept running and some in the crowd voice their displeasure. After all of it, they didn’t get a good shot at the end. This was an unpleasant surprise, mainly because the Wolves are far from a rag-tag program – they are a solid program that consistently shows well in tournaments.
- Tournament director Dru Joyce is intent on improving this event and making it a staple of the spring recruiting period. To that end, he has heard the complaints from college coaches about the schedule, which featured 17-under teams all playing at one time in many different sites that were very spread out, then periods with no 17-under games at all. Next year, part of the plan is to stagger the schedules and keep teams playing in sites that are relatively close by.
Player Evaluations
Martavius Adams (68′ Jr. PF, Hardwick (GA) Baldwin County HS) Post player continues to have a good spring, looking much improved. He’s clearly in better physical shape and showed it with some quick post moves to score, and he showed some polish. High-major prospect has committed to Georgia.
Teeng Akol (6’11” Jr. C, Centereach (NY) Our Savior New American) Very long and athletic post player showed a world of potential. He uses his long arms to rebound well, has a good touch on close shots and can hit from the foul line. On the down side, he’s not a huge presence defensively in part because the speed of the game appears to be an issue. As he gets accustomed to the game and also gains strength, his great potential will show. High-major prospect.
Jeff Allen (6’7″ Jr. PF, Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy) One of the best power forwards we’ve seen this spring, Allen has been dominant at times and that included a few games this weekend. He’s got a big, mature body and moves it very well, is around the ball often and has much better ball skills and runs the floor better than most power forwards. He’s simply too strong for many post defenders and scores almost with ease down low, and we saw him go for 23 in one game and 18 in the title game. High-major prospect has committed to Virginia Tech.
Tim Ambrose (6’2″ Sr. SG, Centereach (NY) Our Savior New American) Well-built guard is very athletic and really knows how to score the ball. He’s great at driving and finishing, while also getting some transition baskets, going for 32 points in one game. High-major minus prospect may prep next year, as he still needs a qualifying test score.
Mike Beasley (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy) Lefty forward had a good weekend, at times looking like the elite player his reputation has him as but also being invisible at others. He scored well, including a 27-point game in the playoffs, doing so inside and out. High-major prospect.
Terrell Bell (6’7″ Jr. SF, Stone Mountain (GA) High) Nice wing athlete can score the ball and also hit a couple of jumpers, with range out to the three-point line. He also played inside a little on the defensive end and acquitted himself well. High-major prospect.
Adrian Bowie (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian School) Good size guard played a little more off the ball this weekend, though he still saw action at the point. The lefty took few jumpers, instead preferring to slash to the hoop and score the ball, though he’s not overly quick. He seems to be more comfortable off the ball.
Chris Braswell (6’8″ So. PF, Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha HS) Excellent prospect had a very good weekend, playing well consistently. He has a good body already and scores with quick and smooth moves inside, while also hitting some mid-range shots that are basically set shots. He reached double figures in scoring a couple of times over the weekend and is among the better post prospects in his class.
John Brown (6’6″ Jr. PF, Cincinnati (OH) Mt. Healthey HS) Active athlete was a nice role player coming off the bench for his team. He has a live body, competes and was around the ball often, doing little things to help his team. Mid-major prospect.
William Buford (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Toledo (OH) Libbey HS) One of the more impressive sophomores we saw, he’s athletic and was aggressive at the offensive end. He attacked the hoop in transition and the halfcourt, while also hitting from mid-range to the tune of 27 points in a playoff game. At this point, he hasn’t even filled out physically yet.
Fay Carlton (6’8″ Jr. PF, Hennepin (IL) Putnam County HS) Good role player in the post has some ball skills and can shoot the ball, but he’s clearly a power forward. He could work well where he can face the basket some at the offensive end. Mid-major prospect.
Charlie Chapman (5’11” Jr. PG, Road Hartland (WI) Arrowhead HS) Floor leader isn’t overly quick but takes very good care of the ball. This weekend, he shot the ball well, from long range for most of it and especially from mid-range on Sunday when he went for 22 in a losing effort. High-major minus/mid-major plus prospect.
Charles Corbin (6’6″ Jr. PF, Griffin (GA) High) Undersized power forward has a good body and he really battles, which is what he needs to do at his size. He showed three-point range shooting it at the offensive end.
Anthony Crater (6’1″ So. PG, Flint (MI) Southwestern Academy) His shooting impressed in one game, as he went for 17 points with five three-pointers. He has decent quickness and a relatively slight frame, occasionally driving to try and create.
Laron Dendy (6’9″ Jr. PF, Greer (SC) Prince Avenue Prep) Athletic and capable of blocking shots, he has a relatively slight frame but will go to work inside. He lacks ball skills, so he’s clearly a power forward. High-major minus prospect has committed to Clemson.
Dexter Dorsey (6’1″ So. PG-SG, Baltimore (MD) Woodlawn HS) Nice combo guard showed a variety of ability, starting the game as the point guard but also showing some scoring ability. He can be a capable floor leader, while also shooting the ball well out to three-point range and using the drive to score as well as create.
Keenan Ellis (6’11” Jr. C, Cincinnati (OH) North College Hill HS) Watch him play, and you get a real glimpse at just how good he can be – and there’s a very high ceiling on that. He’s quite rail-thin, but very athletic and active and shows flashes of his skills. He blocked his share of shots, and when his ball skills get better and he gets stronger, watch out! Big-time prospect.
Jemal Farmer (6’5″ Jr. SF, Chicago Heights (IL) Bloom HS) What we liked about him is that he’ll work inside despite his size and not being overly strong just yet. He’s clearly a small forward, as he doesn’t look to be a shooter and doesn’t really have the quickness to play shooting guard, though he did knock down a jumper in the game we saw. Mid-major prospect.
Tim Flowers (6’6″ Jr. PF, Chicago (IL) Simeon HS) Undersized power forward has a big body and moves it well, making him very tough to defend inside. He went for 26 points in an early win, including several key free throws in the final minute. Mid-major plus prospect.
Johnny Flynn (5’11” Jr. PG, Niagara Falls (NY) High) He’s not a jet, but is plenty quick and will find the basket and finish often. We didn’t see him shoot it much, but he’s definitely a scorer and can create with his penetration. High-major minus prospect has committed to Syracuse.
Austin Freeman (6’4″ Jr. SG, Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha Catholic HS) Well-built guard uses his body well to drive and create for himself and others. He showed his scoring ability with games of 23 and 26 points. High-major prospect.
Walt Gibler (6’7″ So. PF, Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier HS) Impressive post player had a solid showing with his scoring and rebounding. His post offense already looks mature, while he rebounded very well and will surely get even better with both as he gets stronger.
Copperyale Harris (6’5″ Jr. SF, Detroit (MI) Redford HS) We really like the way this wing plays the game, as he’s a scorer who’s not afraid to work inside. He often scores on drives, not shooting the ball much, and he’s a tough player who will battle to the end. High-major prospect.
Greg Hill (6’2″ Jr. PG, Merrilville (IN) High) Good size point guard isn’t very quick, but shows a good feel for the game in running a team and is pass-first. He shot the ball better this weekend than a week earlier.
Jeff Jones (6’4″ Jr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) Bonner Academy) After deferring to teammates often a couple of weeks ago, he looked to score more this weekend and it showed as he put up some good numbers. More often than not, he drove to score instead of shooting it, while still handling the ball well and distributing it at times. He’s not a point guard, but can play that in a pinch. High-major prospect has committed to Maryland.
David Kennedy (6’6″ Jr. SF, Pittsburgh (PA) Schenley HS) Lefty wing showed a nice offensive game, scoring on drives while also making a few nice passes facing the basket.
Angelo Kidd (6’5″ Jr. SF, Buffalo (NY) Bennett HS) A real competitor, he plays bigger than his size and impressed in that regard. He’s athletic and has a good body, and can be a factor on offense despite not appearing to be a gifted scorer. Mid-major prospect.
Kosta Kofus (7’0″ Jr. C, Canton OH) Glen Oak HS) Post player has good size and skills away from the basket, while not backing down from playing inside. He moves well inside and scored there in addition to knocking down a three-pointer, going for 18 points in one game we saw. High-major prospect.
Joe Latas (6’11” Jr. C, Bedford (OH) Chanel HS) Possessing a big body and not afraid to use it, he was a constant presence inside. He didn’t let a lot of entry passes get through, and he made up for being a little slow inside with his physical play. At the offensive end, he looked better later on in the weekend, but that’s still a work in progress. High-major minus prospect.
O.J. Mayo (6’5″ Jr. PG-SG, Cincinnati (OH) North College Hill HS) Give him credit: after a sub-par (by his standards) showing in Houston, Mayo bounced back and looked more like the top player in the class. He looked more unselfish while scoring plenty of points, and was a real reason why his team won games as he led a rally in one game and led the takeover of the championship game. Elite prospect.
Dimitri McCamey (6’3″ Jr. SG, Bellwood (IL) St. Joseph HS) Well-built wing did some scoring off the dribble, as we saw him hit mid-range runners and drive to the hoop for a couple of scores as well. High-major minus prospect.
Anthony McClain (7’0″ Jr. C, Fort Washington (MD) National Christian Academy) Very long post player has a decent frame and moves well inside. He’s also active and showed a good touch on close shots at the offensive end. High-major prospect.
Dwight McCombs (6’8″ Jr. PF, Chicago (IL) Whitney Young HS) He got few touches on offense, but he can be a defensive presence as he has a good frame and blocked a few shots.
Brian McKie (5’9″ Jr. PG, Fort Washington (MD) National Christian Academy) We really liked the way he battles on the court, as he’s short but has a good body and plays the game tough. He’s fearless when he drives and makes plays, capably running a team. Mid-major prospect.
Josh Miller (5’9″ Jr. PG, Cincinnati (OH) Harmony HS) Perhaps no player raised his recruiting stock as much as this small but very quick point guard. Miller is a blur going to the basket, a waterbug who’s well-built and operates very well in traffic with bigger players. He drove to score often, finding gaps a couple of times in addition to simply blowing by defenders, while taking care of the ball and hitting a couple of jumpers. He went for 16 in both the semifinal and championship game. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
E’Twaun Moore (6’3″ Jr. SG, East Chicago (IN) Central HS) We saw this talented guard go for 27 in an early Saturday game, shaking off some struggles shooting it early on. He simply knows how to score and can handle well enough to play the point in a pinch. High-major prospect.
Kevon Moore (6’2″ So. SG, Severn (MD) Archbishop Spalding HS) This lefty scoring guard left a good impression in a playoff round game we saw. He has a good frame and went for 23 points, shooting it well from long range.
Keaton Nankivil (6’8″ Jr. PF, Madison (WI) Memorial HS) Good size post player generally faced the basket on offense. He battled inside but struggled some, though his competitiveness was solid. High-major/high-major minus prospect.
Aaron Pogue (6’9″ Jr. PF, Dayton (OH) Dunbar HS) Burly post player can move well and use his size, but his feel for the game just doesn’t seem to be there. He committed a couple of dumb fouls and also missed some close shots. That said, he has performed well before, but this wasn’t a good weekend. High-major minus prospect.
Herb Pope (6’8″ Jr. SF, Aliquippa (PA) High) One of the elite prospects in the class of 2007, he took over one game we saw in the second half, occasionally going end-to-end after a rebound. He’s excellent in transition and really finishes well, and also talks to teammates on defense. Big-time prospect.
Terrelle Pryor (6’5″ So. SF, Jeannette (PA) High) Nice athlete on the wing really ran the floor well and was active in a game we saw, going for 17 points against a talented Michigan Hurricanes team.
Jon Rice (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, Neuqua Valley (IL) High) One of the better shooters we saw this weekend, he’s definitely a threat even a couple of feet behind the three-point line. He went for 19 in one playoff game and also showed that he can play the point guard spot some. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Delvon Roe (6’7″ So. PF, Euclid (OH) St. Edwards HS) Lefty forward looks to be more of a power forward, though he showed a good passing eye on offense. He blocked a few shots and went for nine points in one game.
Derrick Rose (6’4″ Jr. PG-SG, Chicago (IL) Simeon HS) Playing the point guard in a game we saw, he capably handled the ball and got teammates involved, especially later in the game. He scored 13 points in the game, but had all of them in the first half as he let his teammates do the damage. From that, we didn’t see how well he can attack the basket or score, but his size for the point guard spot is certainly an asset.
Dion Sims (6’6″ Fr. SF-PF, Detroit (MI) Jesuit HS) He already has a solid body and is athletic. His jumper was wildly off the mark, but he used his body inside effectively and got some offensive rebounds while going for 23 points in one game we saw.
Henry Sims (6’10” So. PF-C, Baltimore (MD) Mt. St. Joseph’s HS) Very long and active, he didn’t show much in the way of skills but has the size to be a good player. He crashed the offensive boards, missing a few follow-up dunk attempts, and his effort can’t be knocked. The skills should come and so should a more mature body with time.
Rashon Tabb (5’10” So. PG, Niagara Falls (NY) High) He impressed with a 21-point showing against the D-1 Greyhounds, showing plenty of ability. He’s quick, has a good frame, and finds gaps in addition to using his quickness to get to the basket. Additionally, he’s not a liability from long range and is a capable floor leader.
Kellen Thornton (6’7″ Jr. SF, Country Club Hills (IL) Shepard HS) A thin wing athlete, he made a few good attempts at the basket against the big boys and also knocked down some jump shots. As he improves his skills in each area and his body matures, he’ll approach what looks to be a good amount of potential. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Chad Tomko (5’11” Jr. PG, Charlotte (NC) Independence HS) Three-point marksman got in some trouble when he tried to do other things. He went for 22 points in one game, generally taking good shots but also turning the ball over often. Many of his turnovers came when he tried to drive, and his handle does leave a little to be desired. Mid-major minus prospect.
Darquavis Tucker (6’5″ Jr. SF, Saginaw (MI) Arthur Hill HS) Well-built lefty does some inside work and doesn’t shy away from contact. Though he’s just a good, not great, athlete, and doesn’t have great ball skills, he makes up for it with his toughness. High-major/high-major minus prospect.
Evan Turner (6’6″ Jr. SF, Chicago (IL) St. Joseph HS) Athletic wing has plenty of potential, especially once his body matures. He likes to drive to the basket, where he can finish with both hands, and he’ll draw fouls as well. High-major prospect.
Alex Tyus (6’8″ Jr. PF, Cincinnati (OH) Harmony HS) Possessing one of the more lively bodies among the power forwards in the class, he had a solid weekend. He was a constant presence inside, both on the glass and scoring the ball, while running the floor to finish breaks or clean up a miss and hitting a couple of short jumpers. High-major prospect.
Bill Walker (6’6″ Jr. SF, Cincinnati (OH) North College Hill HS) In the championship game, he went down with what looked like a bad cramp, but was walking around freely after the game. While playing over the weekend, his jumper was generally going and he made his scoring staple, the dunk, look almost effortless at times. Big-time prospect.
Shane Walker (6’9″ Jr. PF, (VA) Bishop Ireton HS) He has a role to play on his team, and he did it well. Not counted on to score much, he held down the fort defensively, using his big body to block shots and get some rebounds. High-major minus/mid-major plus prospect.
Nick Winbush (6’6″ Jr. SF, Shaker Heights (OH) High) Active wing was around the ball often and can do a little of several things, although nothing very well. He has a good frame and can shoot out to three-point range, though that’s certainly not his forte, and being very left-handed doesn’t help him offensively. Still, he went for 12 points in each of two games we saw and can help a team. Mid-major prospect.
Charles Winkfield (6’2″ So. SG, Dayton (OH) Uber Heights Wayne HS) Athletic lefty can really slash to the basket to score, and he did that almost at will in one game we saw where he went for 18 points. He has a thin upper body, and as he matures his ability to finish should only get better – and it’s already very good.
Andrew Zimmerman (6’9″ Jr. PF, Ostburg (WI) High) Post player operates well inside, getting some close field goals and also making a couple of nice interior passes. He has a decent frame, and further physical maturity will only help.
Other players we liked
Billy Allen (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Hamilton (OH) High)
Jawaan Alston (6’8″ Jr. PF, McClellandtown (PA) Albert Gallatin HS)
Will Alston (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian School)
DeJuan Blair (6’7″ Jr. PF, Pittsburgh (PA) Schenley HS)
Jamal Bryant (5’10” Jr. PG, Pittsburgh (PA) Schenley HS)
Fay Carlton (6’8″ Jr. PF, Hennepin (IL) Putnam County HS)
Enrique Cova-Benitez (6’2″ Jr. PG-SG, Centereach (NY) Our Savior New American)
Maurice Creek (6’3″ Fr. SG, Durham (NC) Mt. Zion Christian Academy)
Courtney Davis (6’4″ So. SG-SF, Cincinnati (OH) North College Hill HS)
Deshawn Dockery (5’8″ So. PG, Lynwood (IL) Hillcrest HS)
Derrick Favors (6’9″ Fr. PF, Atlanta (GA) South Atlanta HS)
Troy Franklin (5’10” So. PG, Baltimore (MD) Mt. Carmel HS)
Kelvin Grady (5’10” Jr. PG, East Grand Rapids (MI) High)
Christopher Grimes (6’5″ Jr. SF-PF, Cincinnati (OH) Woodward HS)
Yorel Hawkins (6’6″ Jr. SF, Raleigh (NC) Apex HS)
Mike Haynes (6’6″ Fr. SF, Chicago (IL) Corliss HS)
Tamir Jackson (6’1″ PG-SG, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s)
Kevin Johnson (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Chicago (IL) Simeon HS)
Eshaunte Jones (6’4″ Jr. SG, (IN) Northside HS)
Kalin Lucas (6’0″ Jr. PG, Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary Prep)
Terrell Lynch (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Niagara Falls (NY) High)
Sammy Maniscalco (6’0″ Jr. PG, Chicago (IL) St. Patrick HS)
Cordell Passley (6’3″ So. SG, Indianapolis (IN) Pike HS)
Jeff Peterson (5’11” Jr. PG, Hyattsville (MD) Dematha Catholic HS)
Devin Searcy (6’9″ Jr. PF-C, Detroit (MI) Romulus HS)
Lance Storrs (6’4″ Jr. SG, Decatur (GA) Columbia HS)
Chris Talley (6’2″ Jr. SG, Easley (SC) High)
Darius Washington (6’9″ So. PF, Toledo (OH) Start HS)
Paul Williams (6’3″ So. SG, Detroit (MI) Renaissance HS)
Tyvon Williams (5’10” Jr. PG, Centereach (NY) Our Savior New American)
Brian Word (6’3″ Sr. SG, Pikesville (MD) Milford Mills HS)
