HAMPTON, Va. – For the second year in a row, the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) began at the Boo Williams Sportsplex, a terrific facility. This weekend was the first of three sessions where 40 Nike-sponsored travel teams will compete to qualify for the Nike Peach Jam, where the EYBL champion will be decided. Six teams went 5-0 this weekend, running out to early leads in their respective divisions. The younger age divisions had a tournament format, as used to be the case for the 17-under division.
Here is a look at some of the players we saw in Hampton.
McDarion Abron (6’10” Jr. C, Canton (MS) High) In his team’s last game, he posted a double-double, albeit against a bad team. He has a big body with a lot of bad weight that he’ll need to shed, but he was tough to figure because he was quite effective. He showed a jump hook, which he made while being fouled one time, had a follow-up dunk another time and got several stickback tries. If he gets his body into better shape, he has a chance at the college level.
Anrio Adams (6’4″ Jr. SG, Seattle (WA) Garfield HS) He has a reputation as a gunner and did nothing to dispel that in a Friday evening game. Although he scored 16 points and was the only player on his team in double figures, he was 6-20 from the field and missed all of his three-pointers He looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter, so the numbers are not deceiving in that regard.
Justin Anderson (6’6″ Jr. SF, Montrose (VA) Christian School) This left-handed forward has been on the scene seemingly forever, and we’ve been waiting for him to break out and still are. He did show some signs of moving in that direction, as he didn’t play well in an early Saturday game but made several key shots down the stretch. The Maryland commit has a mature body but settles for jumpers all too often, showing what he could do if he was more aggressive when he successfully pump faked and drove for a layup while fouled.
Corey Arentsen (6’5″ Jr. SG, Trenton (IL) Mater Dei HS) His shooting ability was on display, largely off the catch as he hit four in a Saturday loss for his team and made three more in two other games. In one of those games, he was 8-9 from the field for 19 points. Although he doesn’t do much else well, his size and ability to knock down shots from deep will get him somewhere at the next level.
Dominic Artis (6’5″ Jr. SF, Vallejo (CA) Bob Jones HS) A fine wing player who flew a little under the radar on a loaded team, he attacked often and also did a nice job passing the ball as he had good assist totals. He’s athletic and got to the basket often and helped his team go 5-0 here.
Jamel Artis (6’6″ Jr. SF, Baltimore (MD) St. Benedict’s) Thin wing has a good frame and looks like he has some potential, but didn’t get a lot done on the court. He showed a touch from mid-range off the dribble and was able to drive through traffic for a layup, but he also used his arm a bit much and got called for an offensive foul at least once.
Brandon Ashley (6’8″ Jr. PF, Dublin (CA) Sumter HS) In a Saturday game, he wasn’t the biggest factor in the first half, but looked more like himself in the second as he got out in transition and was very aggressive on the boards. He scored off stickbacks and showed an improving perimeter game, and his body is maturing as well. Big-time prospect.
Zachary Banner (6’9″ Jr. PF-C, Puyallup (WA) Lakes HS) A big body inside, he needs to get into better shape to become much of a prospect despite being 6’9″, although he’s reportedly a better football prospect. While he can make post moves with the ball, he’s slow up the floor, which means he won’t fit a team that tries to run, and his moves aren’t the smoothest, either. Still, he’s not a bad rebounder and had a double-double in a later game.
Anthony Beane (6’2″ Jr. SG, Normal (IL) Community HS) An athletic scoring guard, he was a consistent scorer for his team largely from driving to the basket. Although he did knock down a three-pointer in a Saturday game we saw, that doesn’t look like his forte, as he drove more often and finished not only with the left (off) hand but also while fouled.
Anthlon Bell (6’3″ Jr. SG, Memphis (TN) Bartlett HS) Although he made his mark by shooting the ball very well from long range in a few games, his passing is probably a little underrated. In one game where he was just 2-8 from the field (1-4 from deep), he had five assists with no turnovers. In a game where he scored 20 points, including 5-6 from deep and one of them a clutch shot, he had four assists with no turnovers, and he had another game where he went 4-5 from long range. He has a thin upper body, but showed a good basketball I.Q. that included using the pump fake to get a better shot.
Anthony Bennett (6’8″ Jr. SF, Brampton (Ont.) Findlay Prep) One of the top scorers this weekend, he has a good body and made a high percentage of his shots, including from long range. In one game on Saturday, he was 9-13 from the field, and he went 8-13 in another game. He also rebounded reasonably well from the wing.
Joel Berry (6’1″ Fr. PG, Apopka (FL) Lake Highland Prep) Talented young guard was one of the best freshmen we saw here, putting up 20 points in a win for his team on Friday night. The well-built point guard has above-average quickness and shot the ball well from long range off the catch and got better as the game went along. Although he didn’t have quite the same shooting numbers later, in one of those games he had five assists with no turnovers.
Sim Bhullar (7’4″ Jr. C, North York (Ont.) Huntington Prep) His size will leap out at you right away for obvious reasons, as he has a massive body. He blocked his share of shots and had decent rebounding numbers just on his size, and scored on a few stickbacks along the way. At times, he got easy baskets if his teammates could get him the ball close to the basket. But stamina is a big question mark with him, and he played more than half the game just once all weekend and foul trouble wasn’t a major issue, though stamina and lack of mobility mean defense is likely a concern at the next level.
Jabari Bird (6’6″ Jr. SF, Vallejo (CA) Prattville HS) Athletic wing started out well on Friday with a 20-point outing on 7-9 shooting, and he got to the free throw line a fair amount over the weekend. On Saturday, we didn’t see him have his best game, as he struggled shooting and had six turnovers. More of a scorer than a shooter, he finished well, and as his body isn’t there yet, he certainly has good potential.
Jaron Blossomgame (6’8″ Jr. SF, Alpharetta (GA) Chattahoochee HS) Athletic wing is a leaper who may not be done growing yet. More of a scorer than a shooter, he drove often and finished well, and he did his best work on the last day. He started by going for 21 (on 9-15 shooting) in a Sunday game after being neutralized in his team’s first three games, and then had 13 and nine rebounds in the last one.
Brandon Bolden (6’9″ Jr. PF, Sumter (SC) The Miller School) A long post player, he’ll grab your attention with his body, but his play doesn’t follow just yet. He needs to gain strength and isn’t the most fluid player, but he is capable of blocking shots.
Marquan Botley (5’9″ So. PG, Plano (TX) Prestonwood Academy) Though not a ball hog, he didn’t look like the consummate pass-first point guard despite having five assists in a blowout win for his team on Sunday. He has above-average quickness and a good frame, and he can drive and finish the break, but he also didn’t look like a great playmaker despite having some good talent alongside him.
Brian Bridgewater (6’6″ So. PF, Baton Rouge (LA) Episcopal HS) A solid complementary player on a team full of excellent perimeter players, he has a good post body and was active inside. He scored on stickbacks and a baseline mid-range jumper, making the perimeter players that much more effective. The only major knock is that he’s a little undersized for the power forward spot.
Austin Burgett (6’9″ Jr. PF, Avon (IN) High) Complementary post player didn’t put up big numbers, but contributed within the flow of the offense. That included a left-handed jump hook on one play and a three-pointer from the corner on another, showing that he can take his man away from the basket. His body’s not there yet as well.
Trashaun Carrol (6’3″ Jr. SG, Bellwood (IL) Proviso East HS) Well-built wing is a plus athlete who scored mainly on close field goals and was one of nine players to have a game in which he made every one of at least five field goal attempts. He was more of a factor in the second half of an early Saturday game, and he rebounded well from his spot on the wing, grabbing 10 in one game and nine in another.
Sam Cassell, Jr. (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Notre Dame Prep) Although he’s looked more like a shooting guard in much viewing, the son of the former NBA guard brought the ball up and tried to run the team a fair amount here. He has a slight frame and his body hasn’t matured yet, and while his jumper wasn’t going for much of his team’s opener, he shot better later on.
Matt Christiansen (6’8″ Jr. PF, Oklahoma City (OK) McGuiness HS) A post player with a mature body, he broke out on Saturday with 18 points on 8-13 shooting. He has some post scoring ability, but didn’t do a great deal of scoring and wasn’t the factor on the boards he could be with his body.
Stephen Clark (5’9″ So. PG, Oklahoma City (OK) Douglass HS) Although his size dictates that he plays the point, he’s a little bit of a gunner. He’s dangerous from three-point range, but didn’t shoot it exceedingly well from there this weekend and didn’t look like a great playmaker. He has above-average quickness and a good body.
Isaac Cohen (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Orlando (FL) Christian HS) Not the most athletic guard, he found ways to score on some acrobatic layups when he got inside. He has a mature body, and that helped, and he was able to finish with the left (off) hand.
Louis Dabney (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Waggaman (LA) Riverside Academy) He might not stand out alongside a stud like Ricardo Gathers and some of the others on his team, but he quietly ran the show well and racked up the assists, handing out eight in one game and six another while taking good care of the ball. He also has good size for the position.
Jamal Ferguson (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Norfolk (VA) Maury HS) Scoring guard isn’t fully mature yet physically and was mainly a complementary player on his team. The Marquette commit scored some points, mainly on drives or stickbacks, in a Saturday game, but later also had seven turnovers in a game.
J.T. Flowers (6’5″ Jr. SF, Portland (OR) Lincoln HS) Lanky wing was fairly aggressive offensively but didn’t get to the basket much, instead looking like a borderline gunner at times. He gets a lot of arc on his jumper, with which he has an odd release, and he has some range on the shot. For his size, he rebounded well and he’s a plus athlete.
Josh Fortune (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Hampton (VA) Kecoughtan HS) A good shooter with a good body, he started off Saturday by knocking down three from long range en route to 13 points. Later, he went 5-8 from deep in a blowout win for his team. High-major-minus prospect has committed to Providence.
Kenny Gaines (6’4″ Jr. SF, Atlanta (GA) Whitefield HS) Very athletic wing is a nice complementary player who can slash and score as well as finish the break. He scored in double figures three times, although he wasn’t much of a factor in the other two.
Ricardo Gathers (6’8″ Jr. PF, LaPlace (LA) Riverside Academy) The top rebounder here did work at both ends, using his solid body to own the paint. He was one of the top scorers in addition to hauling down over 12 boards per game, including 17 in one game. His scoring came in the post, in transition and occasionally from facing the basket, and he’s a plus athlete whose ball skills are decent. High-major prospect.
Archie Goodwin (6’5″ Jr. SF, Little Rock (AR) Sylvan Hills HS) Athletic scorer had a good weekend putting points on the board, and he made a good percentage of his shots while also getting to the foul line. More of a scorer than a shooter, he has a god frame and can drive to his left, and scored often in transition although he also committed a charge one time on the go in a game where he scored 28 points. He can shoot from long range, although he didn’t take many from there, and drove and spun a couple of times to score as well. When he gets stronger, he’ll be that much better finishing. High-major prospect.
William Goodwin (6’8″ Jr. PF, Decatur (GA) Southwest Dekalb HS) One of the top scorers here, this active forward made a good percentage of his shots and got to the foul line often. He has a good body and moves very well, getting a lot of boards (including offensive, and stickbacks from them) just by being active. He generally doesn’t try to be a wing, and he made a nice pass to a cutter on one play to show he doesn’t just score at the offensive end. High-major prospect.
Aaron Gordon (6’9″ Jr. PF, San Jose (CA) Russellville HS) A live body, he was very active and a big factor in a Saturday win for his team. He was a big presence on the glass, as he tied for third in rebounding, and also blocked some shots. As if that’s not enough, he also led the fast break a couple of times and has above-average ball skills for his position to go with some length, and his body isn’t there yet. High-major prospect.
Dillon Graham (6’3″ Jr. SG, Orlando (FL) The First Academy) Thin shooting guard looks like a glue guy on the perimeter, although he didn’t have a good weekend shooting the ball. While he did knock down a three-pointer in a Friday night game, he rarely did that, but showed good ball skills playing off the ball.
Max Guercy (5’9″ Jr. PG, Arieta (CA) Alemany HS) Small point guard shot the ball reasonably well from long range on the weekend. In a tough loss for his team on Sunday, he had 16 points and seven assists, also hitting a tough runner in traffic on one play. He’s not the most physically gifted, but acquitted himself well all in all.
Dusty Hannahs (6’3″ Jr. SG, Little Rock (AR) Pulaski Academy) We saw him go for 25 points in a Saturday game, going 7-8 from three-point range. He also had a game where he went 0-7 from deep, so he can be neutralized, especially since a lot of his shots came on the wings off the catch. He did finish a couple of fast breaks as well, but clearly his strength is shooting it from deep off the catch.
Antonio Hearn (5’9″ Jr. PG, Akron (OH) Kenmore HS) One of the few bright spots for a team that went 1-4, this small point guard averaged over 18 points per game and rebounded quite well for his size. He topped 20 points twice, and while shooting it didn’t look like his strong suit, he did go 4-5 from long range in one game. While he wasn’t a gunner or ball hog, he wasn’t exactly the best playmaker, either, and at his size playmaking is what he’ll primarily need to do at the next level.
Malcolm Hill-Bey (6’0″ Jr. PG, Chicago (IL) Mount Carmel HS) Athletic lefty guard had some impressive moments in an ugly game on Saturday, including a big play late. He drove through the defense for a layup and was able to drive and dish, but he didn’t have much to show for it on the stat sheet. Late in the game, he got a big stickback to help his team win.
Andre Horne (6’8″ So. PF, Sunrise (FL) Boyd Anderson HS) A complementary player, he looks more like a power forward than a small forward due to his ball skills, which aren’t quite up there for the wing. He has a good body that can still get better, and was a good presence on the boards at both ends, scoring a few times on stickbacks.
Marcus Hunt (6’6″ Jr. SF, Riverside (GA) North Clayton HS) A good contributor to his team, he has a good body that doesn’t have all good weight. He scored in a complementary role and had a coupe of good rebounding games from the wing, although he also had a couple of games where he struggled to make shots. He also helped with his passing from the wing, further indicative of how he plays within the team concept.
Onyekaba Ifeanyi (6’8″ So. PF, Roanoke (VA) VES) A role player on his team, he has a good post body and was a good presence on the boards while scoring some close field goals. He wasn’t the better of the post players often matched up in an early Saturday game, but acquitted himself reasonably well against Elijah Macon.
Justin Jackson (6’5″ Fr. SF, Spring (TX) HYCA) There were several freshmen who played up in the 17-under division, and he was probably the best of them. The lanky wing is long, a plus athlete and very fundamentally sound, using ball fakes and pump fakes very effectively. He scored with a jump hook and other post baskets in addition to jump shots with a good stroke. As his body develops, he should get more athletic, and with his basketball game already in a good place he will be a prospect to watch.
Anthony January, Jr. (6’7″ Jr. SF, Lawndale (CA) home school) A very athletic wing, he has a decent frame and a body that’s not there yet to go with some good scoring tools at the offensive end. He scored with some jump shots and also on drives, as he likes to spin in the lane when he goes to the basket, and he’s also a good rebounder as he was among the leaders in that category this weekend. The one knock is that at times he appeared to play a little slow at times.
Sheldon Jeter (6’6″ Jr. SF, Beaver Falls (PA) High) A wing with a slight frame, he was one of a couple of bright spots as his team struggled to a 1-4 mark. In a game his team lost convincingly on Sunday, he went for 20 points, hitting several three-pointers, mainly off the catch but also off the dribble, and he also scored on stickbacks. His body’s not there yet, but there’s some good talent and upside.
Matthew Jones (6’4″ So. SG, DeSoto (TX) High) Athletic wing has some length and a good frame, and had a nice showing overall as he scored in double figures in all five games. He topped 20 twice and had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in a blowout win on Sunday, showing a good touch shooting the ball out to long range, shooting about 37 percent from long range on the weekend.
Torren Jones (6’8″ So. SF-PF, Chandler (AZ) Basha HS) Very athletic forward is a live body with some potential. He has a good body, but could stand to get stronger and doesn’t always go up strong, and while his skills aren’t bad, he will need to upgrade them. He made over 74 percent of his shots, so he was good about what he put up, and wasn’t bad on the boards although he could be better.
Kenny Kaminski (6’8″ Jr. PF, Medina (OH) High) A face-up four man, he had a nice shooting game early on Saturday as he had 19 points with five three-pointers, mostly off the catch. He did mix in a mid-range jumper off the dribble, but he’s not very athletic and despite having a mature body was not one to mix it up inside.
Moses Kingsley (6’9″ So. PF, New Albany (AR) High) Post player has a more developed upper body than lower body, and wasn’t a big factor for his team. He had some decent rebounding and blocked shot numbers in limited minutes overall, and didn’t get many touches on offense. When he got the ball, he had a tendency to lose it too easily, meaning he has to be more ball-tough.
Kayel Locke (6’4″ Jr. SF, Baltimore (MD) McDonough HS) A wide body who doesn’t have all good weight, he is fairly athletic for his body and boxed out well. He also reached double figures a couple of times. His size dictates playing the small forward spot, which will be difficult given his body.
Richard Longrus (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Fremont (CA) Central Park HS) Athletic wing has a good body and had a nice weekend here. He scored well, reaching double figures several times, and rebounded well from the wing, finishing with a nice double-double of 17 points (on 7-9 shooting) and 10 rebounds in the last game. He hit from long range, but more often from driving, and he also drew contact well when he got in the lane.
Trey Lyles (6’10” Fr. PF-C, Camby (IN) Indianapolis Tech) Clearly a player of the future among those on his team, he has some length and his body has a ways to go, with a more developed lower body than upper right now. He didn’t play a big role for his team, but in some limited action on Friday we saw him finish while fouled on one play.
Elijah Macon (6’9″ Jr. PF, Columbus (OH) Marion-Franklin HS) An active post player with a good body, he made his living on the boards as he was a constant presence there. He also scored 15 points in an early Saturday game, hitting a long two, driving to the basket and getting fouled, and running the floor for transition opportunities. He showed some ball skills, though no one will mistake him for a combo forward, and although he played well he committed a costly charge late in the game. High-major prospect.
DeJuan Marrero (6’5″ Jr. SF, Gary (IN) Theo Bowman HS) He didn’t stand out in any one way, but was certainly a contributor for his team, including a 13-point outing in their opener. A plus athlete, he scored mainly on driving layups and in transition, generally doing so in the flow of the offense.
Jordan Martin (6’6″ Jr. SF, St. Louis (MO) Hazelwood Central HS) A wing with a body that’s not fully mature, he showed that he could finish and post up a smaller defender to score. He also made a nice lob pass for a layup while out on the perimeter.
Erik McCree (6’7″ Jr. SF, Ococee (FL) West Orange HS) Lefty wing gave his team some good production off the bench, as his numbers alone won’t stand out but were good given his minutes. A plus athlete, he rebounded in addition to his scoring.
Giovanni McKenny (6’3″ Jr. SG, Middletown (OH) High) Athletic guard showed an ability to drive and draw contact along the way. He had better scoring games than the one we saw on Saturday, where he pushed off on offense although he didn’t always get called for it.
Isaiah Miles (6’7″ Jr. SF, Owings Mills (MD) Gleneig HS) A wing with some size, he certainly has some potential as evidenced by a 19-point, 11-rebound outing on Saturday. He’s not the most fluid athlete, looking a bit awkward trying to drive at times, and he also traveled with the ball a few times. But he also showed a touch out to about the foul line with his jumper.
Anthony Morse (6’7″ Jr. SF, Lawrenceville (GA) Dacula HS) He didn’t play a lot of minutes, but he was very productive in the ones he played in a Sunday game. Buried on the bench on his deep tea, he only played in three games and is relatively new to the game, but he showed some good potential as he gains experience. He has some length and is athletic, and he showed some decent ball skills and attacked while he was in the game, passing well and even getting a stickback.
Boubacar Moungoro (6’6″ So. SF, Orlando (FL) IMG Academy) Athletic wing is more of a prospect than a big contributor right now, as his numbers all weekend were hardly stellar. Part of that is his body not being there yet, although he showed good ball skills and was in transition often, leading the break at times.
Jaleni Neely (6’0″ Jr. PG-SG, Chicago (IL) Simeon Career Academy) Not a big scorer from the point guard spot, he had a few good games with assists but was also a little erratic. He needs to get stronger, and while not a big scorer he worked with what he had, scoring on one play with a nice floater over a big man to finish a drive.
Michael Newton (6’0″ Jr. PG, Bedford (OH) St. Edward HS) Small point guard was among the leaders in assists with over five per game. Not a big scorer, he ran the team as a pass-first floor leader.
Austin Nichols (6’8″ So. PF, Memphis (TN) Briarcrest HS) Though he can easily get lost on his deep and talented team, he showed well in a limited role. His body’s not there yet, but he helped his team in limited minutes by scoring with a short jumper and turnaround post shot, while also running the floor and finishing the break while getting fouled.
Braxton Ogbueze (6’0″ Jr. PG, Charlotte (NC) United Faith Christian Academy) One of the top scorers this weekend, he has a good body and frame and also had decent assist numbers considering he had to carry a big scoring load. He didn’t shoot well in a couple of games, but he did go 11-17 en route to 25 points in one of them. In a Sunday game, we saw him split defenders one time and hit from mid-range later.
Teddy Okereafor (6’3″ Jr. PG, Christchurch (VA) High) Watching his team play or looking at the box score, he might not stand out, but the impact he makes is undeniable. He’s unspectacular and not jet-quick or a super athlete, but he runs a team well and isn’t a non-scoring threat. In general, the offense ran very well when he was on the floor, and his stat line in an early Saturday game showed it: 4-5 from the floor, nine assists with two turnovers in 23 minutes. High-major-minus prospect.
Zach Peters (6’9″ Jr. PF, Plano (TX) Prestonwood Academy) Julius Randle understandably gets a lot of the pub on his team, but this well-built post player showed a live body and good strength inside before going down with an injury on Sunday. Although he struggled to score at times, he posted some decent rebounding numbers and has a college-ready body.
Alex Poythress (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Clarksville (GA) Northeast HS) One of the best players here, he has the looks of a big-time scorer and showed it as one of the top scorers on the weekend. He has a good body that he uses well to score in transition, on drives and stickbacks, and he was quite aggressive and dunked if he could. He also rebounded reasonably well. His jump shot didn’t impress and he didn’t sell the shot well with pump fakes when he tried, but those can be improved and this high-major prospect already has a lot to work with.
Jordan Price (6’4″ Jr. SG, Conyers (GA) Southwest Dekalb HS) Well-built wing is athletic and showed some good offensive skills, including a good touch from long range as he shot well over 40 percent from deep on the weekend. He can be a bit of a gunner, as he hoisted up 12 shots from deep in one game, but he also used a spin move to score and had three assists in a blowout loss. On the defensive end, he didn’t exactly shine, with one notable play where he just watched an opposing guard dart right by him with no resistance.
Michael Qualls (6’5″ Jr. SF, Shreveport (LA) Huntington HS) Athletic wing provided a nice complement to his team’s star inside player, starting off Sunday with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. He has a thin upper body right now, and his lack of strength showed on a couple of post scoring tries as he couldn’t battle the defender and go up strong enough to finish successfully.
Julius Randle (6’8″ So. PF, McKinney (TX) Prestonwood Academy) Well-built forward was one of the top rebounders this weekend and had three double-doubles, although he also looked a bit ordinary in the other games. The lefty got the foul line often, but also had a little foul trouble of his own.
Derrick Randolph (5’8″ Jr. PG, Chicago (IL) Whitney Young HS) Diminutive point guard had a game where he went 1-14 from the field, and a couple of others where his box score line wasn’t great. But he was a hero in the last game as he scored 25 points, including a three-pointer at the buzzer. He’s very quick, shifty, competes when on the floor and is fiery, to the point where he once taunted the opposing bench and was lucky not to get a technical foul.
J-Mychal Reese (6’2″ Jr. SG, Bryan (TX) High) The lefty guard was part of a terrific trio on the perimeter that led his team to a convincing win on Friday night. He racked up the assists while going for 13 points, finishing while fouled and showing range out to the foul line extended.
L.J. Rose (6’3″ Jr. SG, Houston (TX) Westbury Christian School) Friday night’s game wasn’t the best showing he’s had, as he struggled to score and had a couple of dribbling violations. But he also did a good job of leading the break and handed out several assists, getting easy baskets for others. He missed a lot of time last summer with a foot injury, but looks to be on his way back to where he was before.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera (6’3″ Jr. SG, Indianapolis (IN) North Central HS) Well-built guard is known for his scoring and didn’t disappoint in that regard. He showed a good touch shooting the ball from a variety of spots and ranges, while also getting a couple of transition baskets and being able to drive for a layup in traffic. While not the most athletic guard, he’s not lacking, and as good a scorer as he is, he does it without being a ball hog. High-major prospect.
Juwan Starks (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Aurora (IL) West Aurora HS) Athletic wing looks like the best prospect on his team, as he has a thin upper body but a good combination of skills and upside. He scored off the dribble and showed some range on his jumper, and he also made a nice hustle play to get back on defense to stop a fast break.
Jarnell Stokes (6’8″ Jr. PF, Memphis (TN) Central HS) Well-built post player moves very well inside and was a force at the offensive end, finishing fifth in field goal percentage at a 74 percent clip on the weekend. He showed some quick post moves and finished well, while even showing some range out to the foul line on his jumper, and he was among the leaders in blocked shots as well. While he fouled out in one game, that generally wasn’t an issue and he was a presence on the boards as well. High-major prospect.
Rasheed Sulaimon (6’3″ So. SG, Houston (TX) Strake Jesuit HS) A recent Duke commit, he’s an athletic and highly-skilled guard who can fit in the type of offense they play. There isn’t any one thing he does exceedingly well, but he does a lot of things well, from shooting it to driving and dishing. He has a good body and feel for the game.
Craig Sword (6’3″ Jr. SG, Montgomery (AL) Carver HS) Athletic scorer has a good frame and can finish near the basket when he gets there. He also proved very adept at getting to the foul line when he drove, going 18-22 from the charity stripe in one game. In a Saturday game, he also scored in transition and got more aggressive as the game wet along. High-major prospect.
Charles Tapper (6’4″ Jr. SF, Randallstown (MD) City HS) Well-built wing was hampered by foul trouble in his team’s opener, although when he was out there he played well as he scored 12 points in six minutes. He scored on a stickback as well as shots from mid-range, and although he’s not the most athletic he seems to possess enough to play that position. After the opener, he didn’t score well the rest of the weekend.
Steve Taylor (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Chicago (IL) Simeon Career Academy) Although he at first looks more like a power forward than small forward, with a body that can mature more, he showed at times that he could be a combo. He has some length that he used to deflect passes and on the boards, and he had one game where he went 6-11 from long range en route to 28 points. He also had a double-double in one game with 14 points and 14 boards, and generally looked solid while playing inside. One negative was that in a Sunday game, he picked up a dumb technical foul for taunting an opponent after making a three-pointer.
Preston Troutt (6’0″ Jr. PG, Dallas (TX) Trinity Christian HS) One of the leaders in minutes here, he’s a solid guard who shot the ball well out to long range and passed well. He has a thin upper body, but passed well on the go and had a couple of good games shooting from long range.
Daddy Ugbede (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Compton (CA) Serra HS) Solid post player was quietly efficient with his minutes at both ends of the floor, putting up some good scoring and rebounding numbers although he might not leap out at you. He’s athletic and has a more developed upper body than lower body, scored on some stickbacks, and also got to the foul line a good deal. The highlight was in the first game, when he scored 24 points including a 10-12 showing at the foul line.
Henry Uwadlae (6’11” Jr. C, Charlotte (NC) United Faith Christian Academy) Lanky post player is a baby physically and passes the “look” test but not much else. He was in some foul trouble and had a couple of decent rebounding games, but the lefty has a ways to go as a basketball player at both ends of the floor. His size will get him some looks.
Orlando Vance III (6’9″ Jr. PF, Portland (OR) Parkrose HS) Active forward has a good frame and at times was a good rebounding presence inside. His body’s not there yet and he didn’t get a lot of scoring opportunities, but he can help a team aside from that and made a nice pass facing the basket one time.
Kyle Washington (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Champlim (MN) BSM) Lefty forward appears to be between positions. He scored from as far out as long range, though that’s not his forte, as well as a jump hook when posting his man up. So while he has several scoring skills, none have emerged as something he goes to when he needs a basket.
Andrew Wiggins (6’7″ Fr. SF, Vaughan (Ont.) High) Athletic wing had a couple of high-scoring games, including a 28-point outing (9-15 shooting) in a loss for his team. His body isn’t there yet, which means he should get even better at finishing, and his jumper must be respected out to long range. He’ll be worth watching over the next few years based on how he acquitted himself here playing against largely older players.
Willie Wiley (6’7″ Jr. PF, Springfield (IL) High) Although he’s undersized for the power forward spot, he battled gamely in a Saturday game by posting a double-double of 13 points and 15 rebounds. He has a good frame, ran the floor and was very active, grabbing his share of offensive boards and getting some stickbacks. He’s athletic and quick off his feet, and while he didn’t look like a great post scorer he found ways to score.
Troy Williams (6’6″ So. SG-SF, Hampton (VA) Phoebus HS) Athletic scorer constantly attacked the basket, and it showed with his good scoring over the weekend. In an early Saturday game, he drove in transition and in the halfcourt, and got a couple of stickbacks including one where he rose up high for a dunk. He didn’t shoot much, and that will be a point of emphasis as he develops, but he’s so good at getting chances on drives and in transition that it doesn’t hurt him much right now.
Josh Windham (6’0″ Jr. PG, Clarksdale (MS) High) He didn’t do much in a couple of games, but in a Sunday game he played well in a win for his team. He was effective running the team, especially when traps came, and drove often to make plays.
James Woodard (6’2″ Jr. SG, Arcadia (OK) Edmond Memorial HS) Lefty guard has a body that’s not there yet, but he plays bigger than his size as he rebounded well from his position. Though he didn’t score much, we saw him go for 11 points and nine boards in an early Sunday game.
Jordan Woodard (6’1″ So. PG, Arcadia (OK) Edmond Memorial HS) Promising point guard is quick and showed an ability to get to the basket. He also did a nice job of playmaking for his team, handing out seven assists in one game. He scored 19 points in one game and 18 in another, and showed a long range touch that included going 3-3 from deep in one game.
Jalen Word (5’9″ Jr. PG, Kent (WA) Odea HS) Thin left-handed point guard showed some promise, but his lack of strength hurts him. On several occasions, he tried to drive inside to create something, but his lack of strength did a lot to thwart many of those attempts.
Isaiah Zierden (6’2″ Sr. SG, Brooklyn Park (MN) BSM) A good shooter, he made a hair under 40 percent of his shots from long range on the weekend, although in one Saturday game he did his damage early and late with minimal work in between. He also did well at the foul line, missing just one free throw all weekend.
Other players who caught our attention:
Terry Allen (6’7″ Jr. PF, Rosharon (TX) Manvel HS)
David Beaty (6’5″ Jr. SG, Apopka (FL) Bishop Moore HS)
Cameron Biedscheid (6’7″ Jr. F, St. Louis (MO) Cardinal Ritter HS)
David Blanks (6’1″ Sr. SG, Barberton (OH) St. Vincent St. Mary HS)
Darell Bowie (6’5″ Jr. SF, Milwaukee (WI) Wauwatosa HS)
Pharoah Brown (6’6″ Jr. SF, Lyndhurst (OH) Brush HS)
Markel Crawford (6’3″ So. SG, Memphis (TN) Melrose HS)
Demarcus Croaker (6’3″ So. SG, Orlando (FL) Jones HS)
Raphael Davis (6’5″ Jr. SF, Ft. Wayne (IN) Southside HS)
Leroy Fludd (6’6″ Jr. PF, Brooklyn (NY) Boys & Girls HS)
Jackson Forbes (6’6″ So. SF-PF, Plano (TX) Shepton HS)
Al Freeman (6’4″ So. SG-SF, Charlotte (NC) Olympic HS)
Phabian Glasco (6’6″ Jr. PF, Tulsa (OK) Booker T. Washington HS)
Brannen Greene (6’7″ Jr. SF, Juliette (GA) Mary Persons HS)
Devon Hall (6’4″ Fr. SF, Virginia Beach (VA) Cape Henry HS)
Alex Hamilton (6’3″ Jr. SG, Chipley (FL) High)
Julian Harrell (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Los Angeles (CA) Loyola HS)
Corbyn Jackson (6’6″ So. PF Goochland (VA) High)
Jalen Jackson (6’6″ Jr. SF, West Memphis (AR) High)
Blake Johnson (5’9″ Jr. PG, Memphis (TN) Central HS)
Jerrod Jones (6’0″ Jr. PG-SG, Baltimore (MD) John Carroll HS)
Travon Landry (6’1″ So. PG, Bryan (TX) High)
Josh Level (6’4″ Fr. SF, High Point (NC) Westchester HS)
Raymon Minor (6’3″ So. SG, Ashland (VA) Patrick Henry HS)
Jeffrey Moss (6’5″ Jr. SF, Madison (AL) Bob Jones HS)
Jeffland Neverson (6’5″ Jr. SF, Brooklyn (NY) Boys & Girls HS)
C.J. Newman (6’7″ Jr. SF, St. Paul (MN) Cretin HS)
Evan Nolte (6’8″ Jr. PF, Alpharetta (GA) Milton HS)
Kelly Oubre, Jr. (6’5″ Fr. SG, Richmond (TX) Fort Bend Bush HS)
Donte Pretlow (6’0″ Jr. PG, Baltimore (MD) Dunbar HS)
Jeffrey Roberson (6’5″ Fr. SF, Houston (TX) Kinkaid HS)
Brenton Scott (6’1″ So. PG-SG, Fort Wayne (IN) Northrop HS)
Bryson Scott (6’0″ So. PG-SG, Fort Wayne (IN) Northrop HS)
Justin Seymour (6’3″ Jr. SG, Smyrna (GA) Campbell HS)
Kaylen Shine (6’9″ Jr. PF, Chicago (IL) Crane HS)
Thomas Sjoberg (6’5″ Jr. SF, Eagan (MN) St. Thomas HS)
Ramone Snowden (6’5″ So. SF, Virginia Beach (VA) Kellam HS)
Jimmie Taylor (6’10” So. C, Greensboro (AL) High)
Brian White (6’6″ So. SF, Chesterfield (VA) Matoaca HS)
Marcel White (6’5″ Jr. SF, Lake Wales (FL) High)
Dominique Williams (6’6″ Jr. SF, Charlotte (NC) Mallard Creek HS)
Tommy Williams (6’4″ Jr. SF, Lithonia (GA) New Birth Academy)
Roger Wood (6’5″ Jr. SF, Jackson (MS) Provine HS)
Russell Woods (6’9″ Jr. PF, Chicago (IL) Leo HS)
