HAMPTON, Va. – The third session of the 2014 EYBL is in the books. Just one weekend remains, and no one is running away with a division. The final session in Minneapolis will have plenty on the line for many teams as they hope to get to the Peach Jam in July.
We take a look at some players who stood out on Sunday, all coming in EYBL action while the 15-under and 16-under had semifinals and finals. First up will be those from the class of 2015.
Class of 2015
Kevaughn Allen (6’3″ Jr. SG, Little Rock (AR) North Little Rock HS) A good scoring wing with a good body, he slashed his way often for 24 points on 12-15 shooting to start the day. Very athletic, he gets up off the ground quite well, including on his jumper.
Ronshad Allen-Shabazz (6’3″ Jr. SG, Raleigh (NC) Knightsdale HS) A well-built left-handed guard, he’s not the smoothest player but he was certainly effective, especially when it counted most. He tied for game-high scoring honors with 25 points on 8-12 shooting in the morning game, including a big baseline jumper, a clutch off-balance three-pointer and a strip at the other end to help finish off the win. He’s athletic and can finish, and he’s also not afraid to go to his right.
Brandon Austin (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Montgomery (AL) George Washington Carver HS) An athletic wing with a good frame, he struggled shooting from deep (1-7) but was much better getting to the basket to start the day. He scored 21 points, finishing with his left (off) hand and also a couple of times while fouled.
Antonio Blakeney (6’4″ Jr. SG, Sarasota (FL) Oak Ridge HS) In a blowout win for his team, he hit a number of tough mid-range jumpers, especially late in the first half when his team broke the game open. He’s athletic and his body can mature more, so there is some additional upside.
James Bolden (6’0″ Jr. PG, Covington (KY) Holmes HS) Small point guard is a left-hander who showed some good scoring ability from inside the three-point line. While he did hit from mid-range, he was most impressive going inside with the trees, where he found ways to finish in traffic a few times.
Dillon Brooks (6’6″ Jr. SF, Mississauga (Ont.) Findlay Prep) A plus athlete with a mature body, his game is rough around the edges, although effective. His ball skills need some further upgrading, and he also tended to lose the ball a little too easily for how strong he appears to be.
Barry Brown (6’3″ Jr. SG, St. Petersburg (FL) Gibbs HS) He doesn’t get as much attention as a few others on his team, but he had a nice showing in a blowout win for his team. A plus athlete whose body isn’t there yet, he hit several shots from long range and was in a fair share of plays at both ends of the floor.
Montaque Gill Ceasar (6’5″ Jr. SG-SF, Brampton (Ont.) Huntington Prep) Well-built forward didn’t start for his team, but made a real impact coming off the bench with 17 points and 13 rebounds. He drove and finished in traffic, hit from long range, made a nice long lead pass and even took a charge at the defensive end.
Terrence Phillips (5’11” Jr. PG, Atlanta (GA) Oak Hill Academy) An athletic guard with a good body, he had 12 assists against just three turnovers in a morning game, but those numbers may be a bit deceptive. He seemed to have some trouble with the press or when he got in traffic, although the result was rarely a turnover. He doesn’t look like much of a scorer, although he hit from mid-range.
Dwayne Sutton (6’5″ Jr. SF, Louisville (KY) Manual HS) A long wing with a good frame, his athleticism will jump out at you, especially when he uses it on the glass or to finish, as he did a couple of times. He didn’t impact the game as much as you would like a guy with his physical gifts to, but he showed the ability to be in plays.
Allonzo Trier (6’4″ Jr. SG, Oklahoma City (OK) Montrose Christian School) A solid mid-range shooter who is also very effective at the free throw line, he is almost carrying his team thus far. Athletic and with a slight frame, he knocked down a variety of mid-range jumpers, while also finishing with contact on some forays to the hoop. The down side is that inviting contact as he does also leads to offensive fouls at times, something he can improve upon. Still, he’s a solid high-major prospect.
Tyler Williams (6’5″ Jr. SF-PF, Plano (TX) Hebron HS) He won’t leap out at you at first, but this long forward with a good frame was solid and productive in a losing effort in the morning. His body has some to go, and the skill package isn’t bad, including a nice pass to a backdoor cutter and some good work getting to the foul line. In going for 17 points and eight rebounds, he was active and played bigger while not shying away from contact at either end of the floor.
Classes of 2016 and 2017
Marcus Dickinson (6’0″ So. PG-SG, Norman (OK) North HS) An athletic guard, he looks like more of an undersized shooting guard than a point, as he seems more wired to score than run the show. He has a good body and used it to finish with contact a couple of times, but didn’t show much in the way of playmaking or floor leadership.
Edward Ekiyor (6’9″ So. PF, Nepean (Ont.) Mother Teresa Ottawa) An athletic post player with a good frame, he started slowly but was much better later on in a game to close out the weekend. He challenged shots and was a bigger defensive factor, getting into more plays later, and also got more offensive chances. Right now he’s more potential than production, though he had 11 points and seven rebounds in that game.
Dedric Lawson (6’8″ So. SF, Memphis (TN) Hamilton HS) A year after impressing at this event, he was a little less impressive although his body looks a little better. He looked more fluid than a year ago and seemed to use his length a little more, but still isn’t too athletic, and defensively the game looks a little fast for him at times.
Jakolby Long (6’4″ So. SF, Emond (OK) Mustang HS) Lefty wing has a good frame and is athletic, all a good starting point. The skill package shows some promise, but needs continued upgrading, as his ball skills seem to be just okay overall, although he had five assists to go with 17 points in a morning win for his team. Included was a nice pass to a cutter, and he can hit from long range and handled the ball often, but he can do all of them a little better, which is reason to keep an eye on him.
Jamal Murray (6’5″ So. PG-SG, Kitchener (Ont.) Athletes Institute) A big point guard with a good frame that can fill out more, he looks almost too unselfish at times, though it rarely results in missed opportunities. He’s not the quickest, but he’s effective handling and passing, including a long pass off a rebound, and he used his left (off) hand very well. In addition, he was in a lot of plays at both ends.
Cody Riley (6’8″ Fr. SF-PF, Santa Clarita (CA) Sierra Canyon HS) There’s a lot to like about his potential given the combination of class, size and some of his skills. He has range on his jumper out to three-point range, and the lefty has a good body for his age. He closed out with a 24-point outing, including 4-6 shooting from long range, in his final game, giving you an idea of how good he can be.
