HAMPTON, Va. – The second weekend of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League is in the books. Now in its fourth season, EYBL is by far the best thing going on the travel circuit, evidenced by the level and depth of talent the teams have and the college coach turnout on weekends like this where coaches can be on the road seeing players. Numerous head coaches were among those on hand to check out the talent.
In addition to EYBL, younger teams competed in a tournament format, many of them younger teams in the same programs with EYBL entries. The schedule allowed for a look at a couple of those teams, and some player notes from them are included here.
We will look back at some of the players who stood out on the weekend in two parts. This one looks at players from the class of 2014, while coming up later will be a look at players from the classes of 2015 and 2016.
Cliff Alexander (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Chicago (IL) Curie HS) Post player has a great college-ready body but was quiet for much an overtime win. Then after showing hints of his scoring post moves and shot-blocking, he came alive with two post moves for dunks late in overtime that won the game for his team. Big-time prospect.
Joel Berry (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, Apopka (FL) Lake Highland Prep) The North Carolina commit has been on the radar for a while and remains a good shot-maker, especially from long range. He has a good frame and his body is developing, and he showed again here that he hasn’t lost his touch, including from long range.
Zach Brown (6’7″ Jr. SF, Spring (TX) South Kent School) Developing wing played a solid game to start the last day, getting some steals off double teams at the defensive end and being a factor in transition. His body is still developing, but he has some length and appears to have a better feel for the game. A little after the event, he committed to Wichita State and will be a solid addition to the Shockers.
Gary Clark (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Clayton (NC) High) Although he’s quite athletic, he didn’t always show it here, which can hide what he’s capable of. He ha a good frame and is relatively mature physically, and while he finished while getting fouled he looked a bit limited offensively.
Marvin Clark, Jr. (6’6″ Jr. SF, Kansas City (MO) Sunrise Christian Academy) Although he’s not very athletic, the lefty has a good frame and a mature body that he uses well. He showed the ability to rebound from the wing and hit from long range en route to 17 points and six rebounds in a losing effort.
Justin Coleman (5’10” Jr. PG, Birmingham (AL) Wenonah HS) In a blowout win for his team, he ran the show very well and got his offense with 14 points and six assists. He has a good frame and showed the ability to hit from long range, and the offense generally ran very well when he was on the floor. His lack of size may scare some teams away, but his game won’t.
Jordan Cornish (6’5″ Jr. SF, Slidell (LA) Brother Martin HS) Well-built guard is athletic and showed some good offensive tools, although he also got out of control for a charge early in one game. He showed range out to the three-point line on his jumper, while spinning to finish a break on one player and later showing the ability to slice through the defense for a layup. He was a bright spot in a game his team lost convincingly.
Angel Delgado (6’8″ Jr. PF, Troy (NY) Redemption Christian Academy) An active presence, he has a good frame and did his work mainly playing off teammates inside, from running the floor to finish the break to sticking back his own miss, although he did show a good jump hook one time.
Trey Foster (5’11” Jr. PG, Charlotte (NC) West Charlotte HS) He battled all game in a loss for his team, but his lack of size and athleticism hampered him often. A bit shot-happy for the point, he has some range on his shot but didn’t hit a high percentage of the ones he took. On the bright side, he used his body well and drew several fouls.
Jakeenan Gant (6’9″ Jr. PF, Springfield (GA) Effingham HS) Athletic forward is long and a bit rough around the edges, seemingly making his mark mostly by being in the right place. He had a couple of stickbacks, including one from a few feet away from the basket, and is more of a “potential” player at this point.
Leon Gilmore (6’7″ Jr. SF, Fresno (TX) Manvel HS) It’s easy for him to get overshadowed on his talented and deep team, but he has a good frame and is a baby physically so he’s one to watch from a potential standpoint. The lefty scored on a driving layup and from long range en route to 14 points and eight rebounds in a support role in an early game.
Michael Gilmore (6’9″ Jr. PF, Tallahassee (FL) Rickards HS) A long post player, he’s lanky and rough around the edges but seems to have some potential. He drove but missed a dunk on one play, but he made a mid-range shot off the dribble and has the physical upside to get better.
Ahmed Hill (6’5″ Jr. SF, Augusta (GA) Aquinas HS) Athletic wing had a few good moments in a blowout loss for his team, enough to make you want to see more. His body isn’t there yet, but he showed range out to the three-point line on his jumper and made one play that stood out – hanging and hitting a short jumper with a late release while getting fouled.
Justin Jackson (6’8″ Jr. SF, Tomball (TX) HCYA) He had a superb game early on, going for 21 points on 9-10 shooting largely in the second half. His body is maturing and isn’t done there, and the skill package that includes a drive and dish, a nice touch on a runner in the lane and range on the jump shot is terrific. Big-time prospect has committed to North Carolina.
Parker Jackson-Cartwright (5’9″ Jr. PG, Los Angeles (CA) Loyola HS) He’s short in stature, has a slight frame and and isn’t the quickest guard although he’s not lacking in that department. Yet he finds ways to be effective, as he drives often and finds a way to make something happen in the lane, and he also grabbed nine rebounds against a team with a good deal of size.
Torry Johnson (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Chicago (IL) Morgan Park HS) A long wing with a slight frame, he plays stronger than he looks, evidenced in part by how he finished while getting fouled a couple of times. He’s a baby physically, so there’s some upside here.
Tyus Jones (6’2″ Jr. PG, Apple Valley (MN) High) An elite floor leader, he has a great combination of being able to score and get teammates going, as he made several nice passes before he started scoring. He also dealt with being face-guarded at times, as he was able to get open to get the ball and make plays, and while not jet-quick he can get by his man to make something happen. Big-time prospect.
Nate Mason (6’1″ Jr. PG-SG, Decatur (GA) Shiloh HS) Though several on his team have big reputations, he was constantly in plays and showed good offensive skills. Relatively mature physically and with a slight frame, he was able to find a gap and finish, scored on a mid-range pull-up and from long range and showed that he can play the point.
Terry Maston (6’9″ Jr. PF, Desoto (TX) High) While his inside bookend gets a lot of attention, he’s pretty solid in his own right as he has a good frame and is a plus athlete. He finished well, including with contact and where he had to be more ball tough than his man, and also rebounded well in a blowout win for his team.
Shelton Mitchell (6’3″ Jr. SG, Waxhaw (NC) Cuthbertson HS) He helped push the pace for his team in an early game. Very left-handed, he scored on the move and showed decent ball handling ability for the shooting guard position.
Kelly Oubre (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Richmond (TX) Bush HS) A constant force for his team, the lefty was around the ball often between nine rebounds and five assists to go along with handling the ball quite a bit. The lefty has a good body and can do a lot of things, although he seems to turn his body a little to the right when releasing a jumper.
Keon Peoples (6’0″ Jr. PG, Memphis (TN) Ridgeway HS) An old man of sorts on a team with a lot of high-caliber young talent, he was a solid glue guy and has some potential of his own as he has above-average quickness and his body isn’t there yet. He finished well in traffic and showed some range on his jumper while running the show for his team.
Marial Shayak (6’7″ Jr. SF, Ottawa (Ont.) Blair Academy) Though overshadowed on his team, this athletic wing showed some decent ball skills and the ability to finish with his left (off) hand. He has a good body that can mature more, and was a factor in transition at times.
Edmond Sumner (6’4″ Jr. SG, Detroit (MI) Country Day School) He might not pass the “look” test at first, but watch him play and you come away liking what you see. He plays stronger than he looks, can hit jumpers enough to be respected although he doesn’t get much lift on his shot and was in a lot of plays. Athletically, he’s not lacking and he also finished in traffic a couple of times.
Iziahiah Sweeney (6’3″ Jr. SG, Compton (CA) High) A very athletic wing, he is mostly upside at this point as his skill package won’t wow you and he has a slight frame. He’s very quick end-to-end and can get to the hoop often, and he’s a good enough leaper to rise up over a defender to hit from mid-range.
Idris Taqqee (6’5″ Jr. SF, Stone Mountain (GA) Cushing Academy) On a team with a few big names, he did the best thing he could do in a blowout win: be the glue guy. He’s always been fundamentally sound, and here he scored in transition and was a solid complement to the top players, further demonstrating that he plays well within the team concept. Mid-major prospect.
Jared Terrell (6’3″ Jr. SG, Weymouth (MA) Brewster Academy) He played one of the most complete games he ever has in a blowout win for his team. There hasn’t been any doubts about the physical gifts – he’s well-built and very athletic – or the skill package, as he can be a little streaky but will hit jumpers and can handle reasonably well. But he has tended to play very well in spurts and disappear the rest of the game, and that didn’t happen here, where he was constantly attacking and looked every bit the high-major prospect that he’s built a reputation for.
Reid Travis (6’7″ Jr. PF, Minneapolis (MN) Delasalle HS) A solid complementary player on his team, he looked a little shot-happy away from the post but isn’t lacking skills for facing the basket. In fact, he showed a pretty high skill level, is a plus athlete with a good body, and finished while getting fouled and showed a little range away from the basket although that’s not his forte.
Tyler Ulis (5’8″ Jr. PG, Matteson (IL) Marian Catholic HS) Though small, he’s a solid player and fits right in with his teammates in how he plays. He can be an absolute pest on the ball defensively and one time got a steal and layup, finds ways to finish including while fouled and hit from mid-range off the dribble.
Marcus Wallace (5’8″ Jr. PG, Little Rock (AR) Pulaski Academy) If he were several inches taller, we might be talking about a solid high-major shooter here. As it is, he showed a touch from long range but projects as a point guard due to his lack of size, and since he has some speed with the ball it’s possible he could develop into that. However, his good shooting touch might be wasted playing on the ball.
Paul White (6’9″ Jr. PF, Chicago (IL) Whitney Young HS) If you know the game, you appreciate a player like him as he’s not going to leap out at you right away. Mostly a complementary player, he was constantly in plays and battled at both ends, getting rebounds and being a factor all over the offensive end with a fine skill package. Included in his offensive effort was a big jumper to tie the game late, and he also got to the foul line several times.
Mike Williams (6’1″ Jr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin HS) Simply put, he’s wired to score and showed it here, including in the clutch when he hit a big off-balance three-pointer. That’s not quite his forte, as he’s more of a scorer than a shooter as he gets to the hoop often and knows how to finish.
Isaiah Wilkins (6’7″ Jr. SF, Norcross (GA) Greater Atlanta Christian HS) He won’t leap out at you skill-wise right now, but there’s a good deal of upside as he’s athletic and his body has a ways to go. In a blowout win for his team, he was around the ball often and finished when he got chances close to the basket.
Kevin Zabo (6’2″ Jr. PG-SG, Gatineau (Que.) Brewster Academy) If one game that his team cruised to victory in is any indication, he’s now on his way to fulfilling the potential he’s long been tagged with. His body is developing and he remains a pass-first guard, but he drove very effectively and finished well all night to the point where you might have thought he scored more than the 11 points he had. He got to the basket in a few different ways, and he’s also a high-character young man as well.
Other players who stood out or caught our attention:
Ike Agusi (5’11” Jr. PG, Dallas (TX) WT White HS)
Mamadou Amare (7’0″ So. C, Tulsa (OK) SOYA Academy)
Eugene Artison (6’8″ Jr. SF-PF, Seattle (WA) Franklin HS)
Nathan Bain, Jr. (6’6″ Jr. SF, Wichita (KS) Sunrise Christian Academy)
Kahari Beaufort (6’3″ Jr. SG, East Hartford (CT) High)
Tyrell Bellot-Green (6’7″ Jr. Sf, Mississauga (Ont.) St. Benedict’s)
Devin Booker (6’5″ Jr. SG, Moss Point (AL) High)
Mikal Bridges (6’7″ Jr. SF-PF, Malvern (PA) Great Valley HS)
Cane Broome (6’2″ Jr. PG-SG, East Hartford (CT) St. Thomas More)
Khadeen Carrington (6’3″ Jr. SG, Brooklyn (NY) Bishop Loughlin HS)
Eric Carter (6’9″ Jr. PF, Jackson (NJ) Memorial HS)
Zylan Cheatham (6’7″ Jr. PF, Phoenix (AZ) Westwind Prep)
Phil Cofer (6’8″ Jr. PF, Fayetteville (GA) Whitewater HS)
Larry Dennis (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Wichita (KS) Life Christian School)
Malcolm Duvivier (6’2″ Jr. SG, Toronto (Ont.) St. Michael’s HS)
Dwayne Foreman (6’8″ Jr. SF, Woodstock (VA) Massanutten Military Academy)
Elijah Foster (6’7″ Jr. PF, Seattle (WA) Rainier Beach HS)
Nana Foulland (6’10” Jr. C, Reading (PA) Berks Central Catholic)
Jeffery Garrett, Jr. (6’6″ Jr. SF, Gadsden (AL) City HS)
Rokas Gustys (6’9″ Jr. PF, Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy)
Austin Harris (6’4″ Jr. SG, Charlotte (NC) West Charlotte HS)
Aaron Holiday (6’2″ Jr. SG, Calabasas (CA) Campbell Hall HS)
Tadric Jackson (6’2″ Jr. SG, Ashburn (GA) Tift County HS)
Marcus Johnson (5’11” Jr. SG, Charlotte (NC) Evelyn Mack HS)
Robert Johnson (6’3″ Jr. SG, Richmond (VA) Benedictine HS)
Chris Kendrix (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, Springfield (MO) Willard HS)
Khadeem Lattin (6’9″ Jr. PF, Houston (TX) Redemption Christian)
Kendrick Lee (5’9″ Jr. PG, Clarksville (AR) High)
Markell Lodge (6’8″ Jr. PF, Raleigh (NC) Christian Faith HS)
Rob Marberry (6’7″ Jr. PF, Nashville (TN) Franklin Road Academy)
Josh Martin (6’8″ Jr. PF, Bothell (WA) High)
Devin Mitchell (6’3″ Jr. SG, Lawrenceville (GA) Collins Hill HS)
Emmanuel Mudiay (6’5″ Jr. SG, Dallas (TX) Prime Prep Academy)
Lourawls Nairn, Jr. (5’10” Jr. PG, Wichita (KS) Sunrise Christian Academy)
JaQuan Newton (6’3″ Sr. SG, Philadelphia (PA) St. John Neumann-Goretti)
Steven Parker (6’2″ Jr. SG, Tulsa (OK) Jenks HS)
Julian Richardson (6’3″ Jr. SG, Woodland Hills (CA) El Camino HS)
Davell Ruby (6’4″ Jr. SG, Memphis (TN) White Station HS)
D’Angelo Russell (6’4″ Jr. SG, Louisville (KY) Montverde Academy)
Ramses Sandifer (6’9″ Jr. PF, Accola (MS) Greenville HS)
Dahron Scott (6’8″ Jr. PF, Grand Rapids (MI) Christian School)
Ed Simpson (6’4″ Jr. SG, Ocean Springs (MS) St. Martin HS)
Donte Thomas (6’6″ Jr. SF, Calumet City (IL) Thornwood HS)
Jeff Thomas (6’5″ Jr. SF, Norwalk (OH) High)
Tony Toplyn (6’7″ Jr. SF, Sicklerville (NJ) St. John Neumann-Goretti)
Rashad Vaughn (6’6″ Jr. SF, Golden Valley (MN) Cooper HS)
Tyler Wideman (6’8″ Jr. PF, St. John (IN) Lake Central HS)
Marquel Willis (6’5″ Jr. SF, Orlando (FL) Oakridge HS)
Justise Winslow (6’6″ Jr. PG-SG, Houston (TX) St. John’s HS)
