FISHERS, In. – Saturday was a full day of action in the adidas Gauntlet Indianapolis, basically from dawn to dusk. College coaches lined the Best Choice Fieldhouse all along, with a good number of head coaches among them. Bracket play took over after the early going, and a number of teams played three games on the day.
There were some good games along the way, including a couple decided right at the end and some overtime action as well.
Here, we take a look at some players whose efforts stood out on the day.
Edrice Adebayo (6’8″ Jr. PF, Pinetown (NC) Northside HS) Well-built post player is fun to watch because he’s aggressive inside, both with how he tries to score as well as get after rebounds. He got several offensive boards, and in the halfcourt got a couple of alley oops as well. He’s a threat to get a double-double every time out.
Jarrett Allen (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Austin (TX) St. Stephen’s Episcopal HS) With 16 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots, he had a nice game in the early going. He has a good body and used that along with his high jump hook and occasional long jumpers just inside the three-point line.
Deron Davis (6’10” Jr. PF-C, Aurora (CO) Overland HS) Wide-bodied big man opened up Saturday with a fine outing, scoring 20 points on 7-14 shooting, grabbing eight rebounds and, perhaps most remarkable of all, handing out five assists with no turnovers. He led the break one time, finished well in close and overcame a technical for hanging on the rim to have a good game.
Khameron Davis (6’5″ Jr. SF, Highlands Ranch (CO) Valor Christian HS) Possessing a good frame and some speed with the ball, he impressed with his overall offensive ability. He showed range on his jumper, passed well often, and drew a few fouls when he got to the basket.
Dominic Green (6’8″ Sr. SF-PF, Renton (WA) Hazen HS) Though his team’s guards stood out some initially, he had a solid game early in the day. He hit a few three-pointers, but also made a nice short jumper after a spin move in the lane, and that’s in addition to being athletic, having a good frame and thin upper body, all signs that he has better basketball still to come.
Mario Kegler (6’7″ Jr. SF, Madison (MS) Arlington Country Day School) He had one of the most impressive performances of the day, scoring 31 points including a 5-7 showing from long range against the Atlanta Celtics. Not a baby physically, he’s long and got going with a drive and dunk in traffic to set up his shooting.
Michael Lewis II (6’2″ Jr. SG, St. Louis (MO) Chaminade College Prep) Well-built guard is athletic and had a nice shooting game early on, hitting several shots from long range including one from well behind the arc. He was also around the ball often and a constant factor in a game where his team came up a bit short.
DeShawn McDowell (6’5″ Jr. PG-SG, Oklahoma City (OK) Southeast HS) Don’t even look at his numbers in an afternoon game, as they don’t tell you how he impacted the game. Looking like a solid glue guy, he came in and was able to drive and dish and make many other good passes to get teammates going. He has a good frame and is a plus athlete, but most of all he found a way to be very effective.
Julian Miranda (5’10” Jr. PG, DeSoto (TX) High) Don’t let his small stature fool you: he battled through getting shaken up to send an afternoon game into overtime with a three-pointer just before the buzzer. He shot the ball well while out there, but more importantly got his teammates going and had a toughness that helped keep them in the game against a formidable opponent.
Jules Moor (6’5″ So. SG, Pearland (TX) High) A guard with good size, he drove and finished a couple of times early, then outran the defense for a layup right before halftime. Later, he finished while fouled and got a nice basket off a tipped pass.
Taze Moore (6’5″ Jr. SG, Southaven (MS) High) This lanky lefty is athletic and scored in several ways. While he can hit from long range, he did most of his work close to the basket, getting a steal and funk, a stickback on the weak side, and driving and pulling up for a short jumper in the lane.
Joe Rosga (6’3″ Sr. SG, Minneapolis (MN) Cretin-Derham HS) If you’re a mid-major looking for a late pickup, you could do a lot worse than this prior Army commit, who was medically disqualified from serving. He has a good frame and his body can mature more, and he shot the ball well, including from long range, and was active at both ends of the floor.
Jeremy Sheppard (6’0″ Jr. PG, Richmond (VA) John Marshall HS) Numbers don’t do justice to how important he was to his team’s win to close out the day. He had 12 points on 4-9 shooting and was credited with just one assist, but he was at the nerve center of it. He’s shifty, handled and passed very well, had a consistent demeanor and got his teammates involved to lead a balanced attack as others picked up from there.
Jackson Strong (6’4″ Jr. SG-SF, San Diego (CA) Torrey Pines HS) Though he came in off the bench, he was perfect for that role as he hit several three-pointers, including one where he was fouled. He went 6-9 from long range and had three assists with no turnovers, but most of all he got his team’s offense going.
Kevin Warren (6’3″ Jr. PG-SG, Albany (CA) Saint Mary’s College HS) Athletic and a baby physically, he showed a nice array of offensive tools in surprisingly limited minutes. He drove often, but that set up his three-point shots, which he hit several of in a 17-point outing, and he also went in for a couple of additional rebounds.
