Rumble in the Bronx Recap
BRONX, N.Y. – The Rumble in the Bronx is arguably the best AAU tournament in June, a month where many are gearing up for the hectic July recruiting period. Run by the Albany City Rocks, the event is one of the few national tournaments in the month as it had a couple of teams from the west coast in addition to teams from Utah, Texas, Minnesota, Louisiana and all down the east coast. While some elite talents were not with their teams because the Nike Skills Academy was held the same weekend in Oregon, the event still had plenty of talent to check out.
The 17-under final was a high-scoring affair that came right down to the wire. The Playaz were right there with the California-based H Squad throughout, but three missed free throws in the final minute didn’t help them. Still, the game was tied at 83 in the closing seconds, when Seketoure Henry hit a three-pointer – his seventh of the game – as time expired to give the H Squad an 86-83 win. Henry finished with 23 points to lead H Squad, which also got 18 points from Troy Gillenwater. Rashad Bishop led five Playaz in double figures with 24 points.
The Miami Tropics Gold used an 11-0 run in the second half to take the lead for good en route to a 75-69 win over Sacramento-based Play Hard, Play Smart in the 17-under Silver title game. John Holland, who will be a postgraduate at St. Benedict’s next year, led the Tropics with 30 points, while Miami recruit Edwin Rios had 22. Jay Booker capped off a nice weekend for Play Hard, Play Smart with 20 points, including six three-pointers, and Jamelle Barrett had 18.
The New York Gauchos cleaned up in the younger divisions, taking home both titles. They took home the 16-under championship with a little drama in the final against the New York Panthers. Holding a 66-63 lead in the final seconds, Panther guard Josh Watkins hit a three-pointer, but time had expired as the Gauchos held on for the win. Chris Fouch and Kemba Walker each had 16 points to lead the Gauchos, while Durand Scott had 13. Melquan Bolding led the Panthers with 17 points.
The Gauchos held off the Playaz for the 15-under title, using a balanced attach and a first half run to build up a lead they would hold for good in a 69-61 win. James Stukes had 16 points, Tyreak Johnson added 14, Kevin Parnum had 13 and Tevin Baskins scored 12 points to lead the Gauchos. The Playaz got a terrific effort in defeat from Tamir Jackson, who scored 30 points and did everything he could to keep his team in the game.
Now, we take a look at some of the players we saw.
Charles Abou (6’4″ Sr. SG-SF, Salt Lake City (UT) Bingham HS) Athletic and strong wing didn’t score much, but he impressed in just about every other facet of the game. We especially like his toughness, as he wasn’t afraid to work inside against bigger players, and he really defended and played the game. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Olu Ashaolu (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Sylvania (GA) Community Christian HS) Athletic forward has a big body and comes to play the game. He appears to have some combo forward ability, although he’s a bit undersized to play inside. We saw him go for 18 in one game.
Jamelle Barrett (5’10” Sr. PG, Sacramento (CA) Foothill HS) Quick point guard did a nice job of running the show and also scored the ball well. He consistently reached double figures, shooting it well and also being able to finish with the left hand. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Tevin Baskins (6’6″ So. SF, Stamford (CT) Trinity Catholic) Thin wing was very active close to the basket, as he grabbed his share of rebounds and can really finish. He’s athletic and goes strong to the basket, while also showing the ability to knock it down from long range.
Rashad Bishop (6’6″ Sr. SF, Jersey City (NJ) St. Benedict’s) He’s flown under the radar a bit, but had a couple of good scoring games as he has at times during the spring. The lefty is an above-average athlete who sliced to the hoop and hit from mid-range during the tournament. Besides his nice title game output, he went for 20 in another game.
Michael Coburn (6’0″ Sr. PG, Mt. Vernon (NY) High) It’s no secret that this well-built guard can score, as he’s done that since his freshman year. What we liked most about his 17-point outing on Saturday is that he was looking to be a playmaker and did well with it, including some passes on the move. At his size, he’ll need to do some playmaking to play at the highest level. High-major prospect.
Dele Coker (6’10” Sr. PF-C, South Kent (CT) School) Big and strong, he’s mobile inside and looks to have plenty of upside. He went for 10 points in one game we saw, showing a touch from mid-range in addition to working inside.
Chris Collinsworth (6’8″ Sr. SF, Provo (UT) High) Skilled small forward is a plus athlete who has good size for the position. He can create and score from mid-range, though he didn’t put up huge numbers (12 points in one game we saw). High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Billy Cotton (6’7″ Sr. PF, DeRidder (LA) High) Nice inside player impressed us in a game where he didn’t score much, then exploded for 25 in a playoff game we caught some of. He’s mobile and strong inside, ran the floor well and scored when he got the ball in close, and rebounded at both ends. High-major/high-major minus prospect.
Brandon Davis (6’7″ Sr. SF-PF, Fairfax (VA) South Lakes HS) Athletic forward ran the floor well and was very active when we saw him. He went for 18 points in one game, scoring mostly on close baskets that came from post moves, finishing the break or an offensive rebound. With a little more strength, this high-major minus prospect has a good future and we could be underrating him.
Malcolm Delaney (6’3″ Sr. SG, Towson (MD) Catholic HS) From what we saw here, we’ll re-affirm what we thought when we saw him in April: he’s a scorer, not a shooter. Although he can hit from mid-range and does plenty of scoring that way, his three-point shots were not falling here. There’s reason to believe he can move his range out in time, but it doesn’t appear to be there now. High-major minus prospect.
Jabari Edwards (6’9″ Sr. PF, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s) He’s always had the upside with his size, but hasn’t always shown much in the way of basketball playing. That changed this weekend, as his body seems to be maturing slightly and he was much more active and lively inside. He didn’t score much, but was more of a factor than we’ve previously seen. High-major minus prospect.
Johnny Flynn (5’11” Sr. PG, Niagara Falls (NY) High) Quick point guard can really light up the scoreboard, and he played off the ball a lot here. He’ll score on drives and shooting it, as we saw him knock down a deep three-pointer along the way as he went for 19 in one game and 15 in another.
Maurice Foster (6’3″ Sr. SG, Harvey (LA) Helen Cox HS) Well-built wing is active and was around the ball often. Good role player came up big with 18 points in a playoff game. Mid-major prospect.
Jimmer Fredette (6’2″ Sr. PG-SG, Glens Falls (NY) High) Nice combo guard is known for his shooting, but also showed some nice abilities aside from that. He knocked down four three-pointers, including one in the clutch, en route to 18 points in one game we saw, while also driving intelligently through the gaps. Mid-major plus prospect.
Andy Garcia (6’7″ Sr. SF-PF, Cardinal Hayes HS) Athletic forward has a thin upper body and is very active, at his best when constantly moving. He generally scored close to the basket and didn’t score much, but we like the physical tools and how he keeps playing.
Troy Gillenwater (6’8″ Jr. PF, Fremont (CA) High) Well-built post player is mobile inside and scored his share of points over the course of the weekend. He went for 20 in one game and added 18 in the final, scoring mostly on close field goals and short jumpers.
Carl Glen (5’10” Sr. PG, Herndon (VA) High) He has a good body and point guard size, but the question is if he really is a point guard. He shot the ball well from long range but didn’t show much in the way of playmaking when we saw him.
Malcolm Grant (6’0″ Sr. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Robeson Prep) In leading his team well into the playoffs, he continued to shoot the ball well. He didn’t put up huge numbers, but the Villanova commitment played well.
Seketoure Henry (6’3″ Sr. SG, Lynwood (CA) Patterson School) Very athletic wing has always been able to score the ball, but this time around he shot it well from long range. He’s always been streaky from there, but might be turning the corner a little. He also looks to have filled out more and still got some points in transition. High-major/high-major prospect might wind up in college in 2006-07, or another year of prep school could be in store.
Darrington Hobson (6’6″ Sr. SF, La Verne (CA) Calvary Baptist School) Versatile wing brought the ball up often for his team. He’s a plus athlete but not very quick with the ball, and generally seemed to fare better when driving than shooting as his three-point shot didn’t seem to be falling. High-major minus prospect.
Brady Hurst (6’7″ Sr. PF, Kaysville (UT) Davis HS) He has decent size for the post, and besides his scoring there we saw him drive to the hoop once. He scored well with post moves and from getting the ball close to the basket from good movement, going for 21 in one game and 15 in another. High-major minus/high-major prospect.
Rick Jackson (6’7″ Sr. PF, Philadelphia (PA) St. John Neumann HS) The Syracuse commit has been a little inconsistent this spring, but he looked good in the final and had some good scoring games this weekend. He did some post scoring, but also got called for offensive fouls and his body control might be a question mark.
Tamir Jackson (6’1″ So. PG, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s) Quick and shifty point guard really impressed in a losing effort in the final. He got to the basket even with defender all over him and used an array of scoring moves en route to 30 points. For good measure, he hit pull-up jumpers and knocked in a three-pointer along the way.
Terrance Jennings (6’11” Sr. C, Sacramento (CA) McGearn HS) Good size post player did a nice job on the low post for his team, staying home and making things happen inside. He scored inside by backing in a defender and getting good finishes close to the basket, using his size when he had an edge, and also running the floor well. He went for 22 in one game and 18 in another. High-major prospect.
Noel Johnson (6’6″ So. SF, Lovejoy (GA) High) He’s a bit lanky, but there’s no question he’s a capable shooter as his long range shots were going. We saw him go for 16 in one game and he has good potential.
Kevin Kilday (6’1″ Sr. PG, West Springfield (VA) High) Point guard isn’t very quick, but has a motor and seems to have a feel for the game. His jumper wasn’t falling in one game we saw, though he did net 16 points, and he has the playmaking mentality to play the point. Mid-major prospect.
Curtis Loving (6’5″ Jr. SF, New York (NY) Wadleigh HS) Wing player is athletic and a bit slight. He went for 16 in one game, scoring largely on drives to the basket.
Terrell Lynch (6’8″ Sr. SF-PF, Niagara Falls (NY) High) He’s a guy we’ve liked for a while, and this weekend he showed why as he played well. He possess above-average athleticism for the power forward spot and showed it, running the floor well and being active at both ends to make plays. Though he didn’t score a lot of points, he was a factor at both ends of the floor and battled inside.
Nick Martineau (6’0″ Sr. PG, Kaysville (UT) Davis HS) Solid floor leader showed a nice feel for running a team while also getting his points. He’s not overly quick, but was able to drive and dish and generally made good decisions with the ball. A threat to shoot it, he knocked down mid-range and three-pointers. Mid-major plus prospect.
Kevin Menner (6’5″ Sr. SF, Brooklyn (NY) Notre Dame Prep) Nice wing player had a good weekend in helping his team advance in the playoffs. He’s a scorer on the wing and did just that, going for 13 in one game and 14 in another with a lot of close baskets. He did what he does best: ran the floor, finished shots and just scored. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Nate Mensah (6’3″ Sr. SG, Salt Lake City (UT) West HS) Athletic wing got out in transition and was a nice role player on his team. In addition to running the floor, he looks to be a threat to shoot it. Mid-major prospect.
Brendan Monteiro (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Waterbury (CT) Crosby HS) This athletic wing did a lot of transition work and looks like a scorer. He went for 19 points against a good Gauchos team, scoring in several ways. He’s quick off his feet and will only get better with added strength.
Christian Morris (6’9″ So. PF, South Kent (CT) School) Bulky post player showed some potential, but also showed that he’s quite a work in progress. He traveled with the ball a few times inside, but looks fairly mobile and should be a prospect down the road.
Harvey Pannell (6’2″ Jr. SG, West Simsburg (CT) Masters School) An athletic guard, he gave his team a good lift off the bench, scoring 17 points with some clutch shots from long range.
Kevin Parnum (6’5″ So. SG-SF, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS) Talented wing player can drive to the hoop, but also seemed to dribble a little too much a couple of times. He attacked the offensive glass and was around the ball, and had stretches where he looked very good but also disappeared at other times. He has time to acquire more consistency, but the talent is there.
Jamaine Peterson (6’5″ Sr. SF, Brooklyn (NY) Notre Dame Prep) Well-built forward showed some skills at the small forward position and can also post up. He was active on the offensive boards and got a couple of stickbacks and is a plus athlete.
Chris Prescott (6’2″ Jr. PG, Hartford (CT) Northwest Catholic HS) Pass-first point guard impressed in a tough loss for his team. He has above-average quickness and used that to get to the basket and finish a couple of times, but his real strength looks to be running his team.
Jeff Robinson (6’5″ Sr. SF, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS) He looked better here than he has in some other tournaments where we’ve seen him as a non-factor. We saw him go for 15 in one game, shooting it better and making some plays. High-major minus prospect committed to Memphis just after the tournament.
Nasir Robinson (6’5″ Jr. SF, Philadelphia (PA) American Christian HS) Without Tyreke Evans around to dominate the ball (and we mean no disrespect to Evans), Robinson played a bigger role and seemed to play it well. He’s not overly athletic but looked really good in the open floor handling, passing and finishing, and has a mature body. He went for 21 in one game, including a three-pointer.
T.J. Robinson (6’7″ Sr. SF-PF, New York (NY) Colby Cathedral HS) Lefty forward is athletic and finds the basket often for close field goals. He did plenty of that at this tournament, running the floor and finishing often en route to 26 points in one game.
Durand Scott (6’3″ So. SG, New York (NY) Rice HS) Nice wing player is athletic and a bit thin, but has plenty of potential. He drove often and will score the ball, handles capably and even went coast-to-coast off a rebound.
Matt Simpkins (6’9″ Jr. PF, Sacramento (CA) Capital Christian School) Looks to be a finesse player, but an impressive one this weekend. He has some length and is a plus athlete who runs the floor and generally scored close to the basket, although he hit a couple of short jumpers and a three-pointer later on.
James Stukes (6’4″ So. SF, New York (NY) Rice HS) Athletic wing has some strength and showed versatility. He slashed to the basket for a few scores, but also operated inside although that’s not where he likely winds up playing unless he grows several more inches. We also like how he played within the team concept.
Orren Tims (6’4″ Sr. SG, Ruston (LA) High) Well-built wing shot the ball well in a couple of games we saw from long range. He’s also a good athlete and played his role well. Mid-major prospect.
Kemba Walker (6’0″ Jr. PG, New York (NY) Rice HS) Quick point guard ran the show quite well for the championship team in 16-under. He was able to drive and dish in addition to scoring the ball, and the highlight was a great touch pass off a loose ball to a wide-open teammate for a breakaway score.
Brandon Walters (6’9″ Sr. PF, Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln HS) He got going right away on Saturday, and it seemed to do wonders for him as he played the best we’ve seen him all spring. He still didn’t get many touches at the offensive end, but he was more of a factor at both ends of the floor than he has been all spring. That’s important because normally he isn’t really a factor if he’s not scoring.
Eric Webster (6’3″ Sr. SG, Sacramento (CA) Notre Dame Prep) Athletic wing plays bigger than his size, as he’s very active and will get rebounds from crashing the boards. He has a motor that keeps going and generally scored on slashes to the hoop, as his three-point shot wasn’t falling often. He went for 17 in one game and 16 in a late playoff win. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Other players we liked at this tournament:
Ben Aird (6’8″ Jr. PF, Bountiful (UT) High)
Kayode Ayeni (6’6″ Sr. SF, Laurinburg (NC) Prep)
Akeem Bennett (6’3″ Sr. SG, West Hempstead (NY) High)
Jay Booker (6’4″ Sr. SG, Stratford (VA) High)
Lonnie Brazil (6’6″ Sr. PF, Sacramento (CA) Encino HS)
Aric Brooks (6’5″ Sr. SF, Baltimore (MD) St. France Academy)
Dominic Cheek (6’4″ So. SG-SF, Jersey City (NJ) St. Anthony’s HS)
Alphonso Dawson (6’3″ Sr. SG, Harrisburg (PA) High)
Papa Dia (6’9″ Sr. PF, South Kent (CA) School)
R.J. Evans (6’1″ Jr. PG, New London (CT) High)
Corey Fisher (6’0″ Sr. PG, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS)
Dutch Gaitley (6’9″ Sr. PF, Wolfeboro (NH) Brewster Academy)
Lance Goulbourne (6’6″ Sr. SF, Roselle (NJ) Hun School)
Patrick Jackson (6’5″ Jr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Xaverian HS)
Tyreak Johnson (5’9″ So. PG, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS)
Sylvan Landesberg (6’5″ Jr. SG, Queens (NY) Holy Cross HS)
Terrell McKenzie (6’1″ Sr. PG-SG, Paramus (NJ) Catholic HS)
Sean Mosley (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Baltimore (MD) St. France Academy)
Devon Peterson (6’3″ Sr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln HS)
Hamidu Rahman (6’10” Sr. C, Philadelphia (PA) American Christian HS)
Jordan Taylor (6’0″ Jr. PG, Benilde (MN) St. Margaret’s HS)
Jordan Theodore (6’0″ Jr. PG, Paterson (NJ) Catholic HS)
Brandon Triche (6’4″ Jr. SG, Dewitt (NY) Jamesville HS)
Jerrell Williams (6’6″ Sr. SF, Paterson (NJ) Northfield Mt. Hermon)
Terrell Williams (6’6″ Sr. SF, Paterson (NJ) Northfield Mt. Hermon)
