Eastern Invitational Recap
EWING, N.J. – While events chock full of big-time prospects get most of the publicity, the frenetic month of July also begins with a number of other fine events. One of the longest running ones is Eastern Invitational, run by the New Jersey-based Hoop Group and held at the College of New Jersey near Trenton.
The camp featured over 700 players, most from the northeast corridor but with a few from outside that area. The event is usually loaded with good mid-major prospects and thus attracts coaches from such schools, with some from major conference schools added in. Over 20 head coaches turned out on Friday and Saturday, the first two days of the month that coaches could be on the road.
With that in place, here is a look at a number of prospects we had the chance to view.
Latiq Agard (6’4″ Sr. SF, Lenior (NC) Patterson School) Well-built wing looks like he has the in-between game but not quite the jumper just yet. He finished strong several times and took contact along the way, is a plus athlete and did show a touch from mid-range, although that doesn’t look to be his forte.
Anell Alexis (6’5″ Sr. SF, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s Prep) Active wing has a thin lower body but otherwise is in good shape. He showed a touch shooting the ball from mid-range and knocked down a three-pointer in action we saw. Mid-major prospect.
Antoine Allen (6’1″ Sr. PG-SG, Baltimore (MD) Lake Clifton HS) A nice scoring guard, he has a mature body and was scoring often and also handled the ball some. He has above-average quickness and uses his strength to get inside while also scoring on jumpers off the dribble, and his range reaches the three-point line enough that it has to be respected.
Will Alston (6’6″ Sr. SF-PF, Severn (MD) Archbishop Spalding HS) Active forward has a mature body and looks to be a 3/4 combo forward, though he will generally play away from the basket. Although he made some shots from long range, he seems at his best closer to the basket, as he’s active and got his fair share of rebounds and was around the ball often, making a lot of plays.
Anthony Anderson (6’8″ Sr. PF, La Plata (MD) High) Well-built post player didn’t get many touches on offense and was a relative non-factor. The plus side is his body and that he did show a little nose for the ball, as he was around often and sometimes helped the play but didn’t get the ball.
Mike Auriemma (6’2″ Sr. SG, Manchester (CT) Hun School) It’s not hard to tell that he’s the son of a coach by how he plays. He’s fundamentally sound and has a good feel for the game, with deep range on his jumper. In keeping the defense honest, he also hit a nice runner in traffic on one play and can handle the ball well for the off-guard spot. Mid-major prospect.
Kilian Azah (6’3″ Jr. SG, Laurel (MD) High) Possessing a good body and some athleticism, he looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter. He scored mostly on drives and showed a little combo guard ability, but his jumper looked to be just okay out as far as three-point range.
Devon Branch (6’3″ Sr. SG, Aberdeen (MD) High) Athletic guard has a slight frame and isn’t fully mature just yet. His in-between game looked good, as he really finished well around the hoop and rebounded from the wing and scored on drives often. He did show a mid-range jumper off the dribble, and he’ll be an even better prospect if he can do that more.
Mike Burwell (6’6″ Sr. SF, South Amboy (NJ) Cardinal McCarrick HS) Active wing has a relatively mature body and was out in transition a fair amount. The lefty is athletic and has some skills, although he was clearly better on the go than in a halfcourt set. Low-major prospect.
Ian Chiles (7’0″ Sr. C, Paterson (NJ) Catholic HS) This big man looks more like a project than a prospect. He’s slight and looks to have some baby fat, so there’s work to come physically. As a player, he didn’t get the ball much, but generally looked passive at both ends of the floor and was generally a non-factor. Mid-major prospect.
Rakeem Christmas (6’8″ Fr. PF, Philadelphia (PA) North Catholic HS) There looks to be a good deal of potential in this young post player, who has a mature body for his age. He has long arms and used them to block several shots. At the offensive end, he needs some work, as he rarely got touches and when he did, tended to fade away on shots he took.
Trevor Clemmings (6’6″ So. PF, Paterson (NJ) Catholic HS) Burly post player showed a good deal of potential. He moves big body well inside, making a quick post move to score one time, and while he mainly operates well inside he also faced the hoop a few times and did well, including a nice pass inside to a teammate.
Eric Coggins (6’9″ Sr. PF-C, Canton (OH) Central HS) Thin post player has a good frame, so he should be able to put on good weight. He was active at the defensive end and also showed some offensive skills, though he didn’t get the ball a great deal. Where he looks to have good potential is not only that he’s not physically mature yet, but also has a motor. Mid-major plus prospect.
Delroy Daley (6’5″ Sr. SF, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS) Complementary wing has a good body for the position and is a plus athlete. He didn’t show much on offense, but he plays bigger and will do some work inside. Low-major prospect.
Mike Davis (6’9″ Sr. PF, Atlanta (GA) South Kent School) He showed some of the better aspects of his game here, notably his mid-range jumpers and getting a few easy baskets off loose balls and close to the basket. He did miss some tip-ins, but overall played well and could be a sleeper prospect if he plays harder.
Steele Davis (6’9″ So. PF, Philadelphia (PA) Northeast Prep) Physically immature post player showed some good potential. He was active and got his share of offensive boards, ran the floor and finished the break a couple of times, and showed a little touch on a turnaround jumper one time.
Matt DeSouza (6’8″ Sr. PF, Absecon (NJ) Holy Spirit HS) A potential sleeper prospect, the biggest obstacle is his weight. As it is, he has good skills, which include jump hooks on the low post and a little face-up game that includes a mid-range jumper. If he can improve his body and conditioning, he could be a mid-major steal.
Stanford Dulaire (6’5″ Sr. SF, Hartford (CT) Watkinson School) Athletic wing played well overall and typical of the way he’s played since the spring. He scored in transition and was able to finish close, and was very active and plays bigger. Mid-major prospect.
Chris Edwards (6’6″ Sr. SF-PF, Philadelphia (PA) American Christian School) Active forward has a good frame and mature body and is a player. He’s a plus athlete and simply made plays, showing a little touch from long range on the jumper, and looks to be a nice prospect. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Jonathan Edwards (6’8″ Sr. PF, Cherry Hill (NJ) Living Faith Christian Academy) A refreshing sight, this lefty did his work inside at both ends instead of trying to be a wing. He possesses a good body and was active at both ends, being a factor defensively and getting several offensive boards and stickbacks offensively. He didn’t get many true offensive chances. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
Kim English (6’6″ Sr. SF, Baltimore (MD) Notre Dame Prep) Scoring wing played well and found a way to score often. He’s become more athletic than he used to be as his conditioning has improved, scored a few times on drives and really shot it well, especially from long range. He did miss a few fade-away shots that were a bit ill-advised, illustrating that at times his shot selection can be questionable. Mid-major plus prospect.
James Ewing (6’6″ Sr. SF-PF, Buffalo (NY) Cardinal O’Hara HS) He has a mature body and looks like a 3/4 combo forward as he did several things usually seen at the position. He showed range on the jumper, is a plus athlete and was active on the boards, while on one play making a nice long pass for an easy layup.
Troy Franklin (5’10” Sr. PG, Essex (MD) Mt. Carmel HS) Quick point guard is well-built and looked like he was trying to score a bit more than normal. He’s a pass-first floor leader who dribbles well and also has range to the three-point line on his jumper. Mid-major prospect.
Brian Freeman (6’8″ Jr. PF, McLean (VA) Potomac School) Solidly-built lefty stayed inside to do his work offensively. A plus athlete for the power forward spot, his moves included a turnaround jumper and he also did some work on the glass. Mid-major prospect.
Makka Garba (6’6″ Sr. PF, Amelia Court (VA) Amelia Academy) He may be undersized, but he goes to work inside. He has a strong upper body and battles inside, and though he didn’t get many offensive opportunities, showed some good footwork.
Andre Gillette (6’8″ Jr. PF, Philadelphia (PA) St. John Neumann-Goretti) Post player has a chance to be very good, especially if he stays inside as he can do some damage there. He has a good frame and ran the floor well here, and while he operated inside he also stepped out for a mid-range jumper one time. The tools are there to be a post scorer, as he doesn’t look like a project at all.
Marcus Hebron (6’3″ Jr. SG, Laurel (MD) High) A nice guard prospect, he has a good body and scored the ball in several ways. He got out in transition, scored often on drives and off the dribble, showed a touch to three-point range although that’s not his forte, and even on stickbacks. He looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter.
Charles Hinkle (6’6″ Sr. SF, Upper Marlboro (MD) Riverdale Baptist HS) One of the better players we saw on the second day, the lefty has a good body and really impressed with his shooting. He has good size and shot it well from long range and especially mid-range, and was tough to stop on Saturday en route to making the all-star game. Mid-major plus prospect.
Cameron Johnson (6’5″ Sr. SF, Washington (DC) Gonzaga College Prep) He’s not overly athletic, but has a mature body and plays at a solid program. The lefty did show a touch out to three-point range, though that’s not his forte. Could be a role player for a low Division I team.
Ryan Kelly (6’9″ Jr. PF, Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft School) Very intriguing post prospect had a good showing. He’s thin and physically immature right now, but showed nice fundamentals facing the basket that included a good shot fake and drive, was very active on the boards and got a few stickbacks, and knocked down a long baseline jumper. There’s clearly some good potential if he gets stronger, as the skills look good.
Max Kenyi (6’4″ Sr. SG-SF, Washington (DC) Gonzaga College Prep) Very slight lefty came in with a good reputation but didn’t impress in our viewing of him. He has a thin lower body and has some physical maturity still to come, and offensively he didn’t do much, often losing the ball when he would go up.
William Kirkland (6’4″ Sr. SF, Philadelphia (PA) Roman Catholic HS) He’s a little comparable to another recent star from his school, Charron Fisher, in that he’s an undersized forward who plays bigger and stronger than he looks. He’s not as skilled, but looks like he has enough offensive ability to be a role player for a Division I team.
Omari Lawrence (6’3″ Jr. SG, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS) Athletic lefty played the role of a complementary player in a game we saw. He made plays with the ball and also showed the ability to drive right and finish with the right hand.
Shawn Lawrence (6’9″ Sr. SF-PF, Richland (NJ) St. Augustine Prep) Long post player looks like an intriguing prospect. Clearly not physically mature yet and also a little mechanical with the ball, he’s athletic and generally stayed inside but also showed some other abilities. He showed a little touch from mid-range and a few hints of some ball skills that will need more work. Mid-major/mid-major plus prospect.
A.J. LoRusso (6’1″ Sr. SG, Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep) Although we did see him score on a drive, it was his good touch from long range that caught our attention. He has a mature body, and though he’s a little undersized for the shooting guard spot, the stroke is there and there’s a place for someone who can do that.
Curtis Loving (6’5″ Sr. SF, Manhattan (NY) Wadleigh HS) His athleticism stands out above all else in his game as he can play above the rim. Though not fully mature yet physically, he’s clearly getting there, and skill-wise he has the ball skills for the wing and was able to knock down a few jumpers out as far as three-point range while mainly scoring on drives and getting a few dunks. High-major minus prospect.
Justin Maneri (6’8″ Sr. PF, Saddle Brook (NJ) High) Good inside role player has a mature body that includes a good upper body and was one of the better defenders we saw. He rebounded well and defended well on the post, moving well inside. Mid-major prospect.
Mitchell Minor (6’0″ Jr. PG, Charlottesville (VA) High) Lefty guard handled the ball often but also showed plenty of scoring ability. He shot it well from long range and a little inside the line, ran the show capably although he doesn’t look like the purest point guard. All in all, he’s a good prospect.
Mario Monroe (6’7″ Jr. PF, Cambridge (MA) North Cambridge Catholic HS) He has a good body that’s still maturing, but needs a lot of work as a basketball player. While he didn’t get many touches, he didn’t impress much when he did get it, including one fast break where he got the ball with a clear path to the basket and just passed it off. He missed a couple of close shots and didn’t show a nose for the ball.
Christian Morris (6’9″ Sr. PF, South Kent (CT) School) Big post player had a nice offensive game along the way, as he was simply too strong for opposing players. He showed a few moves inside and scored with the left hand, absorbing contact often, and he also made a couple of nice interior passes. Perhaps best of all, he seemed more mobile than he looks at first. High-major minus prospect.
Dominic Morris (6’6″ Jr. PF, Bear (DE) Caravel Academy) One of the better prospects here, he’s thick and has a big upper body but also runs the floor very well and was in transition frequently. Not all of his weight is good weight, but he’s very active and has a nose for the ball, and knocked down a couple of mid-range shots in addition to a number of close baskets.
Wilbur O’Neal (6’7″ Sr. PF, Ft. Washington (MD) National Christian Academy) Burly post player tended to face the basket and did so skillfully, not trying to do too much. He also ran the floor well and didn’t slow the team down. Mid-major plus/high-major minus prospect.
Shelby Parsons (6’6″ Sr. SF-PF, Cherry Hill (NJ) Living Faith Christian Academy) The lefty showed some combo forward abilities but needs some work on many aspects. His body hasn’t fully matured yet, while he showed the ability to get out in transition and some agility around the hoop. On the down side, the ball skills still need some work (especially for the wing) and he missed a few shots close to the basket.
Dominick Rutledge (6’8″ Sr. SF-PF, Edison (NJ) Job Corps Academy) Possessing a mature body, he looks to be more of a wing and has the skills for the position but looks like he may be a better player than he showed. His jumper has range to the three-point line and he can drive and dunk, and he’s not lacking athleticism as well. On the down side, his ball skills need some upgrading and he also seems to lack ball toughness, as he lost the ball on the way up a couple of times. Mid-major prospect.
Rashad Savage (6’5″ Sr. SF, Philadelphia (PA) St. John Neumann-Goretti) Burly wing uses his body well, as he scored mainly close to the basket and will go inside. He’s a plus athlete who can get out in transition as well.
Jamin Shumate (6’6″ Sr. SF-PF, Elizabeth (NJ) St. Patrick’s HS) Athletic wing looks like a 3/4 combo forward and played well in our viewing. He has a good body and shot the ball well out to three-point range, generally taking good shots and making a good number of them. Mid-major prospect.
Raheem Singleton (5’10” Sr. PG, Boston (MA) Notre Dame Prep) Well-built point guard caught the eye of a few coaches with his play here. He has a good basketball I.Q. and finds a way to score, and on one play made a nice long lead pass for a fast break layup. Mid-major prospect.
Rashon Tabb (6’2″ Sr. SG, Niagara Falls (NY) High) Scoring guard has a good upper body and will use it on drives, which is his primary way of scoring. He’s capable of big games, although he didn’t have them here, as he can also shoot out to long range. Mid-major prospect.
Joston Thomas (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Ft. Washington (MD) National Christian Academy) Very talented forward had a solid showing when he wasn’t trying to do too much. He’s well-built and athletic, with good ball skills that he showed often. He scored from driving field goals and the occasional three-pointer, and while he’s been known to do that, he really shined in other ways. His ball skills looked very good and he handled often and made a number of good passes along the way.
Jonathan Ward (6’9″ Jr. PF-C, Allentown (PA) Parkland HS) Not fully mature yet physically, this post player has long arms and a thin upper body but worked inside. He played stronger than he looks, getting rebounds and scoring on a post move during his limited offensive chances.
Josh Watkins (5’10” Sr. PG, Manhattan (NY) Wadleigh HS) Scoring guard looks more like an undersized shooting guard than a point guard. He has more of a scorer’s mentality, and he showed a touch shooting the ball with mid-range shots off the dribble and three-point range. The down side is that he has just above-average quickness because he has a big body for the position and isn’t much of a playmaker. Low-major prospect.
Anthony Weeks (6’2″ Sr. SG, Fitchburg (MA) Worcester Academy) Known for his shooting, he handled the ball more here and at times was a little frustrated by not getting many shots. In turn, he did make some hustle plays to get the ball and did reasonably well handling the ball. While his conditioning has clearly improved, he looks like he could still stand to lose a little more weight.
Aaron Williams (6’3″ Sr. SG, East Boston (MA) High) At a camp where many players shine by scoring, he looked good as a complementary player with his floor game. He has enough skills handling and passing to be a combo guard, and he showed that with a few nice passes, and he also set a nice screen for a teammate on one play. Mid-major prospect.
Chaz Williams (5’8″ Jr. PG, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Ford HS) Diminutive point guard is a jet and really makes a team go. He uses his quickness to make plays often, both as a pest on defense and also scoring in traffic and finding teammates. He’s still physically immature, but can score and has range out to the three-point line.
Lenny Young (6’2″ Sr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) North Catholic HS) Very active guard made things happen at both ends of the court as he was often somewhere in the play. A plus athlete with a mature body, he was around the ball often and has a little shooting range at the offensive end. Low/mid-major prospect.
Other players who caught our attention:
Justin Alston (6’1″ Sr. SG, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS)
Luke Apfeld (6’6″ Jr. SF-PF, Wolfeboro (NH) Brewster Academy)
Roderick Booker (6’7″ Fr. SF-PF, Hoover (AL) High)
Ryan Brooks (6’9″ Sr. PF, Absecon (NJ) Holy Spirit HS)
Devin Brown (6’2″ Sr. SG, Baltimore (MD) City College HS)
Jason Buckner (6’7″ Sr. PF, Newport (RI) Naval Academy Prep)
Kefentse Budd (6’7″ Sr. PF, Richmond (VA) Mills Goodwin HS)
Brett Burrier (6’5″ Sr. SG, Mercersburg (PA) Academy)
Jake Cohen (6’10” Jr. C, Berwyn (PA) Conestoga HS)
Jerry Cummings (6’4″ Sr. SG, La Plata (MD) High)
E.B. Davis (6’4″ Sr. SF, Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy)
C.J. Fair (6’6″ So. SF, Baltimore (MD) City College HS)
R.J. Hall (5’10” Sr. PG, Bloomfield (NJ) Tech)
Brian Hanuschak (6’7″ Sr. SF-PF, Barrington (RI) St. Andrew’s School)
Jeff Holton (6’7″ Jr. PF, Fort Washington (PA) Germantown Academy)
Alex Jackson (6’4″ Jr. SF, Woodlawn (MD) Randallstown HS)
Velton Jones (6’0″ Sr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) Northeast Catholic HS)
Wayne Mack (5’10” Sr. PG, Paramus (NJ) Catholic HS)
Pete Milasnovic (6’7″ Sr. PF, Philadelphia (PA) Rise Academy)
Paul Miller (6’7″ Sr. SG, Macedonia (OH) Nordonia HS)
Kevin Parrom (6’5″ Jr. SF, Bronx (NY) St. Raymond’s HS)
Zach Rosen (6’1″ Sr. PG, Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s Prep)
Andrey Semenov (6’7″ Sr. SF, Middleburg (VA) Notre Dame Academy)
Adam Spengler (6’1″ Jr. SG, Lincroft (NJ) Christian Brothers Academy)
Sean Thomas (6’3″ Sr. SG, Brandywine (MD) Gwynn Park HS)
Shaquille Thomas (6’5″ So. SF, Paterson (NJ) Catholic HS)
Tyler Thornton (6’1″ So. PG, Washington (DC) Gonzaga College Prep)
Julius Wells (6’5″ Sr. SG, Toledo (OH) Libbey HS)
Keon Williams (6’6″ Sr. PF, Hackensack (NJ) High)
Arman Wilson (6’3″ Sr. SG, Monmouth (NJ) South Brunswick HS)
Anthony Winbush (6’6″ Sr. SF, Alexandria (VA) T.C. Williams HS)
Dante Wooten (6’9″ Sr. PF, Northfield (MA) Mt. Hermon)
