Ethan Jacobs, the 7 footer from Tipton Indiana, has verbally committed to play for John Groce and the Ohio University. I'm a fan of Jacobs especially with the upside I believe he has. The thing that most people recognize is his ability to shoot from 15-18 feet. He has a good looking shot. He has not played a ton of basketball in his life and he is still learning the game. This should be a huge pick-up for Ohio. If Ethan continues to work like he has the past two years then he will be dominate in the MAC and possibly in professional basketball. That being said, it is still a long road and he needs to be hungry to achieve those things and not settle for just getting a scholarship.
Good luck, Ethan!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Magic-Cavs Series
I thought I would post some notes that I have noticed during the Magic and Cavs series. I have definitely been surprised that Orlando jumped out to a 3-1 series lead. Cleveland had a great regular season and they breezed through the first two rounds. Orlando poses a lot of match-up problems for the Cavs though. The Magic have a lot of height and length at each position. That can affect shooters greatly and most of the Cavs role players are shooters and they have struggled for the most part this series.
Lebron James is just ridiculous and that sums it up. When he shoots it well from 3 point range, he is impossible to guard. He is so fast, quick, strong, finishes strong, and then when he shoots the ball well...that is the nail in the coffin. One main criticism of Lebron is that he doesn't take and knock down the final shot of the game to win it. He proved that to be wrong in this series. Here is what concerns me in late game situations especially last shot situations...it is his decision making i.e. when to get to the rim, when to pull up, when to pass to open teammates, and when to force a shot. That is where he could use some work and those are very coachable things.
Dwight Howard is a beast. Patrick Ewing has been tutoring Howard in the post. Howard still needs a ton of work on his post moves. Although, it is mainly just finishing the moves now which is all repetition. I believe if Ewing stays with him another year then Howard will really take off next year. By that I mean that he will not rely on dunking for 60% of his points. He will be able to score on his hook and what not. It would be really fun to see him dominate then.
Mo Williams...hmmmm where are you? Mo had a great regular season and a bad/disappointing series to this point. Lebron needs him to help carry the Cavs especially with his outside shooting. If Mo had a good series then the outcome of the series is totally different.
Too bad Jameer Nelson isn't able to play in the playoffs. He was having a break out season when it was cut short by injury. He would add yet another option for the Magic and I believe Orlando would be a favorite to win the whole championship although they aren't far off without him in the lineup.
It has been an entertaining series and I think the Finals will be very good no matter who is playing in it. The Lakers are good, but they seem to lose focus at times. Anyone left could still claim the title. Hopefully, this means the NBA is on its way to being very good and fun to watch again.
Lebron James is just ridiculous and that sums it up. When he shoots it well from 3 point range, he is impossible to guard. He is so fast, quick, strong, finishes strong, and then when he shoots the ball well...that is the nail in the coffin. One main criticism of Lebron is that he doesn't take and knock down the final shot of the game to win it. He proved that to be wrong in this series. Here is what concerns me in late game situations especially last shot situations...it is his decision making i.e. when to get to the rim, when to pull up, when to pass to open teammates, and when to force a shot. That is where he could use some work and those are very coachable things.
Dwight Howard is a beast. Patrick Ewing has been tutoring Howard in the post. Howard still needs a ton of work on his post moves. Although, it is mainly just finishing the moves now which is all repetition. I believe if Ewing stays with him another year then Howard will really take off next year. By that I mean that he will not rely on dunking for 60% of his points. He will be able to score on his hook and what not. It would be really fun to see him dominate then.
Mo Williams...hmmmm where are you? Mo had a great regular season and a bad/disappointing series to this point. Lebron needs him to help carry the Cavs especially with his outside shooting. If Mo had a good series then the outcome of the series is totally different.
Too bad Jameer Nelson isn't able to play in the playoffs. He was having a break out season when it was cut short by injury. He would add yet another option for the Magic and I believe Orlando would be a favorite to win the whole championship although they aren't far off without him in the lineup.
It has been an entertaining series and I think the Finals will be very good no matter who is playing in it. The Lakers are good, but they seem to lose focus at times. Anyone left could still claim the title. Hopefully, this means the NBA is on its way to being very good and fun to watch again.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Memphis Basketball Scandal
Let's just state the obvious right now...everyone knew something would come out after Memphis' Final Four run and it was just a matter of time. Here is the story if you have no clue what I am talking about.
A few interesting points of interest from this scandal.
1. Memphis hired Josh Pastner without telling him that Memphis was under investigation by the NCAA. Memphis knew about this in January. It might have been assumed that John Calipari had told Pastner or something along those lines, but to hire a new coach and not at least mention the investigation is very shady. This has to be terms for a lawsuit if Pastner wanted to pursue it...no?
2. Calipari isn't directly named in the report and Kentucky is basically saying this will free him from any wrong doing. Well, coaches are not that dumb...coaches are rarely, if ever, directly named in reports of misconduct during recruiting. Coaches are not going to write a check from their own bank account and hand it to a recruit. Most coaches are fired in these circumstances without being named in reports. Calipari is at the helm of the whole program and he knows what is going on under him.
3. This point is dealing with Derrick Rose and the NBA forcing him to go to college. He had no business going to college. He didn't have the grades or the test scores to get into college. If the 1 year rule wasn't implemented then Rose wouldn't have to cheat. This 1 year rule is ridiculous...it is forced amateurism and is basically taking away people's right to work. If they are good enough to play in the NBA then let them go. NBA teams do not have to pick them if the NBA thinks drafting young players will hurt the overall league. Look at the teams left in the playoffs...who are the main stars? Lebron, Kobe, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis...how many went to college?
NCAA wants pure student-athletes well Derrick Rose wouldn't have been a student if he wasn't an athlete so let him be what he truly is and that is a professional athlete. The NCAA wants to make billions of dollars but keep their athletes amateurs. That is just pure hypocrisy. Something needs to give...pay the athletes a stripend, let players go directly to the NBA if they are good enough, do something please.
A few interesting points of interest from this scandal.
1. Memphis hired Josh Pastner without telling him that Memphis was under investigation by the NCAA. Memphis knew about this in January. It might have been assumed that John Calipari had told Pastner or something along those lines, but to hire a new coach and not at least mention the investigation is very shady. This has to be terms for a lawsuit if Pastner wanted to pursue it...no?
2. Calipari isn't directly named in the report and Kentucky is basically saying this will free him from any wrong doing. Well, coaches are not that dumb...coaches are rarely, if ever, directly named in reports of misconduct during recruiting. Coaches are not going to write a check from their own bank account and hand it to a recruit. Most coaches are fired in these circumstances without being named in reports. Calipari is at the helm of the whole program and he knows what is going on under him.
3. This point is dealing with Derrick Rose and the NBA forcing him to go to college. He had no business going to college. He didn't have the grades or the test scores to get into college. If the 1 year rule wasn't implemented then Rose wouldn't have to cheat. This 1 year rule is ridiculous...it is forced amateurism and is basically taking away people's right to work. If they are good enough to play in the NBA then let them go. NBA teams do not have to pick them if the NBA thinks drafting young players will hurt the overall league. Look at the teams left in the playoffs...who are the main stars? Lebron, Kobe, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis...how many went to college?
NCAA wants pure student-athletes well Derrick Rose wouldn't have been a student if he wasn't an athlete so let him be what he truly is and that is a professional athlete. The NCAA wants to make billions of dollars but keep their athletes amateurs. That is just pure hypocrisy. Something needs to give...pay the athletes a stripend, let players go directly to the NBA if they are good enough, do something please.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Spiece Memorial Day Tourney Continued
This report will also be more cumulative than just this weekend.
Indiana Select 2011
Matt Schauss 6'3 SG-Good shooter, decent ball handler, solid length. I would like him to be more of a PG that can shoot instead of a SG that can handle it a little bit. He is improving defensively but needs to work on a consistent effort. D2/NAIA prospect right now but if he gets after it training wise he could be low D1.
Spencer Comer 6'3 SG-Slasher, athletic, strong, good motor, good rebounder for his size. The athleticism is there to guard PGs but I don't think he can handle pressure against the top point guards right now. Better handles and more consistent shooting would make his stock jump a lot.
Jackson Kenshaw 6'4 SG-Strong, decent athlete, decent set shooter, can handle the ball a bit. Probably just needs to refine all parts of his game...get a little bit better in each area and he can be a good prospect for low D1's.
Josh Gentry 6'4 SF-Streaky shooter, good slasher, really long, good athlete. Needs to refine all parts of game. If he continues to grow, he could have a good future. D2/NAIA right now, but could jump quickly.
Christian Ford 5'9 PG-Solid handles, quick, lefty. Forces it too much at times, but is a good scorer. Needs to become more of a pass first and score when the team needs me to point guard with his size.
Wade Thomas 6'7 PF-Potential is the word here. Long, good motor, rebounds, good form on jumper, solid post moves. Still developing coordination and overall game. I think he is a good worker that could get him to the D2+ level.
Spiece Indy Heat-Felder
Alexander Hutson 6'1 SG-Streaky shooter, solid athlete. I listed him as a SG because I don't feel like he would be a player that will come down, handle the ball, set up the offense, make the pass that starts the offense or the pass that leads to the pass that leads to the basket. Needs to become a true point which includes better handles and more passing. Defense is also a question but I think he has the ability to be a good defender with his athleticism, he just needs to refine some things.
Chandler Thomas 6'5 PF-Very good in the post, solid athlete, good rebounder. The problem is that he is a 6'5 PF/C. He can drive the ball a little and shoot from the outside a little but he needs to develop into a SF/SG. I do not think the work ethic is there for that to happen.
Brian Stolarz 6'4 PF-Solid set shooter, strong, decent athlete, solid rebounder. Needs to be a SG/SF at the next level and he knows this. The process is long and difficult. I do not think he has the quickness to guard on the perimeter. Low D1 or D2 seems like a good fit to me. That still depends on him becoming more of a SF.
Spiece Indy Heat-Downs
Travis Carroll 6'8 PF-Developing solid range, great in the post, good rebounder. Lacks athleticism is the big knock. He can get around it at the next level if he is very smart and out works guys. Should be solid at Purdue.
Jack Isenbarger 6'2 PG-Solid handles, good quickness, good shooter, good length. I really like Isenbarger for the mid-major level as a true point guard. I think he might grow still also.
Jordan Weidner 6'1 PG-Solid set shooter, good penetrator, decent athlete. Needs to show that he can handle the ball against tough defenders and that he can also score or create inside against big guys (6'8+). D2/NAIA right now.
Kennis White 6'1 PG-Good athlete, passes well, decent handles. Low D1 or D2 prospect in my eyes.
Donnie Hale 6'7 PF-Athlete, quick, solid post moves (going to left hand). I would love him if he could finish with his right hand...he is a lefty. I've seen decent range from him but he does his damage in the lane. Mid-major would be a good fit for Hale I believe.
Indiana Select 2011
Matt Schauss 6'3 SG-Good shooter, decent ball handler, solid length. I would like him to be more of a PG that can shoot instead of a SG that can handle it a little bit. He is improving defensively but needs to work on a consistent effort. D2/NAIA prospect right now but if he gets after it training wise he could be low D1.
Spencer Comer 6'3 SG-Slasher, athletic, strong, good motor, good rebounder for his size. The athleticism is there to guard PGs but I don't think he can handle pressure against the top point guards right now. Better handles and more consistent shooting would make his stock jump a lot.
Jackson Kenshaw 6'4 SG-Strong, decent athlete, decent set shooter, can handle the ball a bit. Probably just needs to refine all parts of his game...get a little bit better in each area and he can be a good prospect for low D1's.
Josh Gentry 6'4 SF-Streaky shooter, good slasher, really long, good athlete. Needs to refine all parts of game. If he continues to grow, he could have a good future. D2/NAIA right now, but could jump quickly.
Christian Ford 5'9 PG-Solid handles, quick, lefty. Forces it too much at times, but is a good scorer. Needs to become more of a pass first and score when the team needs me to point guard with his size.
Wade Thomas 6'7 PF-Potential is the word here. Long, good motor, rebounds, good form on jumper, solid post moves. Still developing coordination and overall game. I think he is a good worker that could get him to the D2+ level.
Spiece Indy Heat-Felder
Alexander Hutson 6'1 SG-Streaky shooter, solid athlete. I listed him as a SG because I don't feel like he would be a player that will come down, handle the ball, set up the offense, make the pass that starts the offense or the pass that leads to the pass that leads to the basket. Needs to become a true point which includes better handles and more passing. Defense is also a question but I think he has the ability to be a good defender with his athleticism, he just needs to refine some things.
Chandler Thomas 6'5 PF-Very good in the post, solid athlete, good rebounder. The problem is that he is a 6'5 PF/C. He can drive the ball a little and shoot from the outside a little but he needs to develop into a SF/SG. I do not think the work ethic is there for that to happen.
Brian Stolarz 6'4 PF-Solid set shooter, strong, decent athlete, solid rebounder. Needs to be a SG/SF at the next level and he knows this. The process is long and difficult. I do not think he has the quickness to guard on the perimeter. Low D1 or D2 seems like a good fit to me. That still depends on him becoming more of a SF.
Spiece Indy Heat-Downs
Travis Carroll 6'8 PF-Developing solid range, great in the post, good rebounder. Lacks athleticism is the big knock. He can get around it at the next level if he is very smart and out works guys. Should be solid at Purdue.
Jack Isenbarger 6'2 PG-Solid handles, good quickness, good shooter, good length. I really like Isenbarger for the mid-major level as a true point guard. I think he might grow still also.
Jordan Weidner 6'1 PG-Solid set shooter, good penetrator, decent athlete. Needs to show that he can handle the ball against tough defenders and that he can also score or create inside against big guys (6'8+). D2/NAIA right now.
Kennis White 6'1 PG-Good athlete, passes well, decent handles. Low D1 or D2 prospect in my eyes.
Donnie Hale 6'7 PF-Athlete, quick, solid post moves (going to left hand). I would love him if he could finish with his right hand...he is a lefty. I've seen decent range from him but he does his damage in the lane. Mid-major would be a good fit for Hale I believe.
Spiece Memorial Tournament-Part 3
These reports will be more cumulative for the spring more than just what I saw at the tournament the past weekend.
Indiana Select 2010
Neal Beshears 6'6 SF-Long,decent springs,good motor, above average shooter, very good offensive rebounder. Drives the ball very well. Needs work defensively as I do not think he is used to guarding athletes. I envision him being great at the top of a 1-3-1 defense. Indiana Junior All-Star that is getting low major looks right now...ceiling is probably mid-major but lots of potential.
Aaron Bluitt 6'1 PG-More of a combo guard, shoots it very well, penetrates well with a good first step, would like him to drive more. Struggles with shot selection at times and sometimes gets lackadaisical on defense. I see him being very good at the low D1 level or D2 level.
Brad Elam 5'10 PG-Quick, good shooter with range and also very good at pulling up for the mid-range jumper. Decision making and size are his main weaknesses. Probably a D2/NAIA type of PG or Combo guard.
Brad Siegel 6'4 PF-Good motor, aggressive rebounder, solid spot up shooter to 20 feet. Improved consistency on jumper and some quickness work could make him a solid D2/NAIA player.
Taylor Wayer 5'11 PG-Shooter, strong, decent quicks. Wayer is more of a SG or combo guard than a point guard which will probably make him more of a D2/NAIA prospect. Needs ball handling work and decision making improvement to be more of a point guard.
Patrick Cutter 6'6 PF-Raw, good motor, decent post moves, developing face-up game. Needs strength and to be a little more aggressive in the defensive and rebounding areas. Potential to be a D2 prospect if he puts in work this summer.
Reed McLaughlin 6'5 PF-Good set shooter, drives the ball well, rebounds well, good motor. NAIA type of player because he lacks size for PF or quickness for the SF spot.
I planned on having more in this post but I just got very tired all of a sudden. More to come soon.
Indiana Select 2010
Neal Beshears 6'6 SF-Long,decent springs,good motor, above average shooter, very good offensive rebounder. Drives the ball very well. Needs work defensively as I do not think he is used to guarding athletes. I envision him being great at the top of a 1-3-1 defense. Indiana Junior All-Star that is getting low major looks right now...ceiling is probably mid-major but lots of potential.
Aaron Bluitt 6'1 PG-More of a combo guard, shoots it very well, penetrates well with a good first step, would like him to drive more. Struggles with shot selection at times and sometimes gets lackadaisical on defense. I see him being very good at the low D1 level or D2 level.
Brad Elam 5'10 PG-Quick, good shooter with range and also very good at pulling up for the mid-range jumper. Decision making and size are his main weaknesses. Probably a D2/NAIA type of PG or Combo guard.
Brad Siegel 6'4 PF-Good motor, aggressive rebounder, solid spot up shooter to 20 feet. Improved consistency on jumper and some quickness work could make him a solid D2/NAIA player.
Taylor Wayer 5'11 PG-Shooter, strong, decent quicks. Wayer is more of a SG or combo guard than a point guard which will probably make him more of a D2/NAIA prospect. Needs ball handling work and decision making improvement to be more of a point guard.
Patrick Cutter 6'6 PF-Raw, good motor, decent post moves, developing face-up game. Needs strength and to be a little more aggressive in the defensive and rebounding areas. Potential to be a D2 prospect if he puts in work this summer.
Reed McLaughlin 6'5 PF-Good set shooter, drives the ball well, rebounds well, good motor. NAIA type of player because he lacks size for PF or quickness for the SF spot.
I planned on having more in this post but I just got very tired all of a sudden. More to come soon.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Spiece Memorial Day Tournament-Part 2
Part 2
Spiece Indy Heat 2012
Yogi Ferrell 5'9 PG-Yogi continues to impress me with his improved outside shooting, quickness, ability to get to the rim, and only rarely being out of control.
Dajaun Marrero 6'6 PF-I'm not sure if Marrero will grow anymore...facially he looks matured and at 6'6 this could cause a problem for him. I'm guessing the offers he has project him to be an athletic 3 man, but he needs more range, handles, and explosiveness to be a 3. A lot of work for someone with big-time offers.
Raphael Davis 6'3 SG-The recent Purdue oral commit was wearing an IU shirt under his jersey. No story here, but it is fun to tease Purdue fans about.
Spiece Indy Stars 2012
Austin Burgett 6'7 SF-The versatile forward exploded against St. Louis Gateway in the first half. He had 2 dunks in traffic, a few 3's, and some nice drives as he showed his full offensive game against a solid team. I like him more than a lot of other guys in the 2012 that already have the big-time offers. He is already skilled for a legit 6'6 kid at that age.
Rhett Smith 6'4 SF-A true inside/outside threat. Most young taller guys are really just hanging around the perimeter shooting when open and not doing much else. Rhett is posts well with good post moves and he also drives the ball very well especially baseline from the perimeter.
Ron Patterson and Kellon Thomas were solid as is the norm.
Spiece Indy Heat 2012
Yogi Ferrell 5'9 PG-Yogi continues to impress me with his improved outside shooting, quickness, ability to get to the rim, and only rarely being out of control.
Dajaun Marrero 6'6 PF-I'm not sure if Marrero will grow anymore...facially he looks matured and at 6'6 this could cause a problem for him. I'm guessing the offers he has project him to be an athletic 3 man, but he needs more range, handles, and explosiveness to be a 3. A lot of work for someone with big-time offers.
Raphael Davis 6'3 SG-The recent Purdue oral commit was wearing an IU shirt under his jersey. No story here, but it is fun to tease Purdue fans about.
Spiece Indy Stars 2012
Austin Burgett 6'7 SF-The versatile forward exploded against St. Louis Gateway in the first half. He had 2 dunks in traffic, a few 3's, and some nice drives as he showed his full offensive game against a solid team. I like him more than a lot of other guys in the 2012 that already have the big-time offers. He is already skilled for a legit 6'6 kid at that age.
Rhett Smith 6'4 SF-A true inside/outside threat. Most young taller guys are really just hanging around the perimeter shooting when open and not doing much else. Rhett is posts well with good post moves and he also drives the ball very well especially baseline from the perimeter.
Ron Patterson and Kellon Thomas were solid as is the norm.
Spiece Memorial Day Tournament
There were not as many loaded teams this weekend as there were in Bloomington last weekend. I will do a couple of reports but nothing like last week. I am going to try to organize them a little bit better this week instead of jumping around so much.
Spiece Indy Heat-Betts
Steven Jamison 6'4 SF-Long, decent athlete (not a freak athlete), streaky shooter, above average motor. I would like to see him improve his handles and shooting to be a true SG at the next level.
Ken Mullens 5'9 PG-Quick and strong were the two things I saw from him since Teague and Thomas do a lot of the ball handling on the team.
DeShaun Thomas 6'7 PF-Transitioning to more of a SF but still is a post first. Handles the ball better than he shoots it in terms of perimeter skills although his range is getting better and more consistent.
Kristian Smith 6'4 SF-Intriquing prospect to me. I haven't seen him a bunch but looks like he could be a low D1 or D2 type of player. Decent length, solid shooter, ok athlete.
Marquis Teague 6'2 PG-The man, the myth, the legend. Great athlete, very quick, jumps very well, slow release of jumper but usually creates so much space it doesn't matter.
Ethan Jacobs 7'0 C-Showed a good looking jumper to 17 feet, blocked a bunch of shots. I would like him to be more aggressive and tougher inside especially rebounding. He lacks that "I'll rip your head off to get the ball" type of attitude that all great big men have. A fast developing player after not playing much early in his career. Could be a big-time player if he has a year of prep school.
Russell Byrd 6'7 SF-A true 6'6 or 6'7 shooter that is quick for his size and at least tries to defend quicker, smaller perimeter guys. With some added muscle he could definitely guard 4's in the Big Ten, but it looks like he would like to stay a 3 man in college.
More to come soon.
Spiece Indy Heat-Betts
Steven Jamison 6'4 SF-Long, decent athlete (not a freak athlete), streaky shooter, above average motor. I would like to see him improve his handles and shooting to be a true SG at the next level.
Ken Mullens 5'9 PG-Quick and strong were the two things I saw from him since Teague and Thomas do a lot of the ball handling on the team.
DeShaun Thomas 6'7 PF-Transitioning to more of a SF but still is a post first. Handles the ball better than he shoots it in terms of perimeter skills although his range is getting better and more consistent.
Kristian Smith 6'4 SF-Intriquing prospect to me. I haven't seen him a bunch but looks like he could be a low D1 or D2 type of player. Decent length, solid shooter, ok athlete.
Marquis Teague 6'2 PG-The man, the myth, the legend. Great athlete, very quick, jumps very well, slow release of jumper but usually creates so much space it doesn't matter.
Ethan Jacobs 7'0 C-Showed a good looking jumper to 17 feet, blocked a bunch of shots. I would like him to be more aggressive and tougher inside especially rebounding. He lacks that "I'll rip your head off to get the ball" type of attitude that all great big men have. A fast developing player after not playing much early in his career. Could be a big-time player if he has a year of prep school.
Russell Byrd 6'7 SF-A true 6'6 or 6'7 shooter that is quick for his size and at least tries to defend quicker, smaller perimeter guys. With some added muscle he could definitely guard 4's in the Big Ten, but it looks like he would like to stay a 3 man in college.
More to come soon.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Spiece Memorial Day Run N Slam
Spiece Memorial Day Run 'N Slam starts tonight at 7:00pm. I will be at the Spiece Fieldhouse all night watching games and coaching. Saturday will also be a full day of basketball. Last year I substituted coached the Indiana Select 2009 team to the Silver bracket championship. Although it was the Silver bracket it always feels good to win a tournament even though I would rather just have a decent run in the Gold bracket.
Once the tournament wraps up this weekend, I'll be off to the parent's lake house for a holiday cook out. I will probably stay up there for a couple days enjoying the lake if it is nice out. So, my reports might not be up until mid to late next week.
This is our last tournament until July so that high school teams can work with their players. I will be working college camps at Butler and Xavier. I might try to fit another camp in somewhere but it is late to try to get in somewhere now. AAU season flies by...I can't believe it is the end of May already. Where have you gone time?
Once the tournament wraps up this weekend, I'll be off to the parent's lake house for a holiday cook out. I will probably stay up there for a couple days enjoying the lake if it is nice out. So, my reports might not be up until mid to late next week.
This is our last tournament until July so that high school teams can work with their players. I will be working college camps at Butler and Xavier. I might try to fit another camp in somewhere but it is late to try to get in somewhere now. AAU season flies by...I can't believe it is the end of May already. Where have you gone time?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
AMC Report-Recap
Now that I finally got all my player reports written up here is my recap of players.
Impressive List
Marcus Crider SYF-Looked great this weekend...really athletic and can also shoot. I like those types of players. Also, he has good size at 6'5ish.
Dee Davis Team Indiana-I have been a fan of Davis for years, but I have always wondered if he will be able to do it at the mid-major or higher level because of his height. This weekend he started to prove to me that his lack of height will not matter. He will find a way to get it done.
Tony Springmann Spiece Select-Springmann had a dominating performance over the wealth of height that Team Indiana has on their team. If he adds a face-up game (he has range to 16 feet), then he will be a high-major player. Right now, I would say he is a high-major football recruit.
Mitch McGary SYF-First weekend of the spring for McGary and he looked great. Quick for his size, good range to about 17 feet, ability to finish around the rim with both hands. Big potential if his grades don't hold him back.
Griffin Mckenzie Eric Gordon-Mckenzie showed his full range this past weekend. Hitting a handful of 3's, but he is not soft like a lot of big guys that can shoot. He is more than willing to bang inside and has decent athleticism.
Keith Appling Michigan Mustangs-Appling is ridiculously explosive. Also showed that he can shoot at least at the mid-range. Michigan State has a good one here.
Ray McCallum Jr. Team Detroit- Quicker than I remember, long for a point guard, smart as a coach's son, and also displayed his range behind the arc. Great weekend for Ray.
Terrone Johnson Eric Gordon-Johnson had a very solid weekend. He displayed his full game...driving, mid-range, 3pt. range. He is better than what I saw from him during the high school season.
Those would be my most impressive from the 16U and 17U age groups. I didn't see enough 15's to have a list for them. Also, Erik Fromm ended up committing to Butler University this week.
Spiece Memorial Day tournament this weekend in Fort Wayne. No Indiana Elite teams will be there. I will get a catch to see Spiece Indy Fastbreak who were not at the Adidas May Classic.
Impressive List
Marcus Crider SYF-Looked great this weekend...really athletic and can also shoot. I like those types of players. Also, he has good size at 6'5ish.
Dee Davis Team Indiana-I have been a fan of Davis for years, but I have always wondered if he will be able to do it at the mid-major or higher level because of his height. This weekend he started to prove to me that his lack of height will not matter. He will find a way to get it done.
Tony Springmann Spiece Select-Springmann had a dominating performance over the wealth of height that Team Indiana has on their team. If he adds a face-up game (he has range to 16 feet), then he will be a high-major player. Right now, I would say he is a high-major football recruit.
Mitch McGary SYF-First weekend of the spring for McGary and he looked great. Quick for his size, good range to about 17 feet, ability to finish around the rim with both hands. Big potential if his grades don't hold him back.
Griffin Mckenzie Eric Gordon-Mckenzie showed his full range this past weekend. Hitting a handful of 3's, but he is not soft like a lot of big guys that can shoot. He is more than willing to bang inside and has decent athleticism.
Keith Appling Michigan Mustangs-Appling is ridiculously explosive. Also showed that he can shoot at least at the mid-range. Michigan State has a good one here.
Ray McCallum Jr. Team Detroit- Quicker than I remember, long for a point guard, smart as a coach's son, and also displayed his range behind the arc. Great weekend for Ray.
Terrone Johnson Eric Gordon-Johnson had a very solid weekend. He displayed his full game...driving, mid-range, 3pt. range. He is better than what I saw from him during the high school season.
Those would be my most impressive from the 16U and 17U age groups. I didn't see enough 15's to have a list for them. Also, Erik Fromm ended up committing to Butler University this week.
Spiece Memorial Day tournament this weekend in Fort Wayne. No Indiana Elite teams will be there. I will get a catch to see Spiece Indy Fastbreak who were not at the Adidas May Classic.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
AMC Report-Part 6
The last player reports before I do my recap of the Adidas May Classic.
Jeremy Hollowell Spiece Indy Stars-Hollowell is extremely long and a legit 6'5 approaching 6'6. His brother plays at Eastern Illinois. Hollowell's best ability is shooting. He also gets to the rim a lot but struggles to finish at times. He will definitely be a mid-major to high-major prospect.
Kellon Thomas Spiece Indy Stars-Thomas is rated as my top point guard in the 2012 class so far ahead of Yogi Ferrell and D.J. Ballentine. He is strong, tough, makes good decisions and can shoot it.
Rhett Smith Spiece Indy Stars-Rhett is a 6'5 possibly 6'6 SF/PF right now. He has ball handling and perimeter skills but is also good in the post. He plays really hard and rebounds pretty well. I like his game a lot.
Jalen Packer Indiana Elite One-Packer didn't do much this weekend. He is a good slashing guard, but isn't quick enough to do that at the next level. He really needs to improve his shooting to be more than a low-major player.
Alex Pritchett Indiana Elite One-I only saw him rebound and shoot lay-ups this weekend. I didn't see any post moves or face-up moves from him. Probably need to see him again to get a feel for his game.
D.J. Ballentine Eric Gordon All-Stars-I like his game. He can shoot it well and drives the ball well and finishes a high percentage when he gets into the lane. I'm unsure of his quickness/ability to guard the top pg's. Time will tell.
I believe those are all the notes that I had from this weekend. I know it wasn't much but I tried haha
Jeremy Hollowell Spiece Indy Stars-Hollowell is extremely long and a legit 6'5 approaching 6'6. His brother plays at Eastern Illinois. Hollowell's best ability is shooting. He also gets to the rim a lot but struggles to finish at times. He will definitely be a mid-major to high-major prospect.
Kellon Thomas Spiece Indy Stars-Thomas is rated as my top point guard in the 2012 class so far ahead of Yogi Ferrell and D.J. Ballentine. He is strong, tough, makes good decisions and can shoot it.
Rhett Smith Spiece Indy Stars-Rhett is a 6'5 possibly 6'6 SF/PF right now. He has ball handling and perimeter skills but is also good in the post. He plays really hard and rebounds pretty well. I like his game a lot.
Jalen Packer Indiana Elite One-Packer didn't do much this weekend. He is a good slashing guard, but isn't quick enough to do that at the next level. He really needs to improve his shooting to be more than a low-major player.
Alex Pritchett Indiana Elite One-I only saw him rebound and shoot lay-ups this weekend. I didn't see any post moves or face-up moves from him. Probably need to see him again to get a feel for his game.
D.J. Ballentine Eric Gordon All-Stars-I like his game. He can shoot it well and drives the ball well and finishes a high percentage when he gets into the lane. I'm unsure of his quickness/ability to guard the top pg's. Time will tell.
I believe those are all the notes that I had from this weekend. I know it wasn't much but I tried haha
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
AMC Report-Part 5
I had another page of notes that I had forgotten about. So there will be a recap in part 6, this report is more player reports.
D'vauntes Smith-Rivera Team Indiana-Solid is always. Here is a comparison that I liked from Jim Reamer...Bloom himself on Peegs. Reamer compared him to Byron Eaton from Oklahoma State saying that Eaton matured early and wasn't particularly good from 3pt. range. Plus I like it because they kind of look alike in the face.
Daniel Turner Indiana Elite (Fox)- 6'6 strong body, jumps well, good 4/3 type for low to mid-major schools. Finishes strongly when in the lane.
Tyler Greathouse Spiece Select-6'8 shooter and that is about it for now. If he is more aggressive on the boards and posting up then he will become a big time player. He has the tools now he just needs to apply them more.
Scott Lascowski Indiana Elite (Fox)- Stock has been dropping since he has no true position and limited skills on the perimeter. The great motor that caught people's attention early has dropped off a bit also.
Marquel Curtis 43 Hoops- Strong, shot well, finished well inside, rebounded aggressively, looked good overall.
Jordan Hahn Spiece Select-When Hahn shoots it well from 3, he is very tough because he makes such good decisions. Needs to work on ball handling against tough pressure and needs to add strength to help defense.
Deng Leek Team Indiana-Leek is stronger than most of the African imports that Indiana Elite gets as he has been in the States for awhile now. Right now, he is still limited to rebounding, dunking, and blocking shots.
Vincent Zollo Team Indiana-Zollo rebounds and plays extremely hard. His skills need a lot of work though.
Levi Garner Team Indiana-6'5 strong, perimeter player that likes to penetrate more than shoot. Garner could be a mid-major if he develops a more consistent shot.
Peter Jurkin Team Indiana 16U-Less muscular version of Deng Leek.
Obij Aget-One of the most impressive dunks of the weekend when he dunked over about 3 guys and with power which was unexpected because he is skinny.
Ben Davisson SYF 16U-Could be a mid-major if he drops some weight but that could conflict with his football and his brother is a D1 football commit.
Akeem Freeman SYF 16U-jumps out of the gym but that seems about it for right now.
I have a handful more reports but I need to go to practice right now. I will post the rest tomorrow along with the weekend recap of most impressive players.
D'vauntes Smith-Rivera Team Indiana-Solid is always. Here is a comparison that I liked from Jim Reamer...Bloom himself on Peegs. Reamer compared him to Byron Eaton from Oklahoma State saying that Eaton matured early and wasn't particularly good from 3pt. range. Plus I like it because they kind of look alike in the face.
Daniel Turner Indiana Elite (Fox)- 6'6 strong body, jumps well, good 4/3 type for low to mid-major schools. Finishes strongly when in the lane.
Tyler Greathouse Spiece Select-6'8 shooter and that is about it for now. If he is more aggressive on the boards and posting up then he will become a big time player. He has the tools now he just needs to apply them more.
Scott Lascowski Indiana Elite (Fox)- Stock has been dropping since he has no true position and limited skills on the perimeter. The great motor that caught people's attention early has dropped off a bit also.
Marquel Curtis 43 Hoops- Strong, shot well, finished well inside, rebounded aggressively, looked good overall.
Jordan Hahn Spiece Select-When Hahn shoots it well from 3, he is very tough because he makes such good decisions. Needs to work on ball handling against tough pressure and needs to add strength to help defense.
Deng Leek Team Indiana-Leek is stronger than most of the African imports that Indiana Elite gets as he has been in the States for awhile now. Right now, he is still limited to rebounding, dunking, and blocking shots.
Vincent Zollo Team Indiana-Zollo rebounds and plays extremely hard. His skills need a lot of work though.
Levi Garner Team Indiana-6'5 strong, perimeter player that likes to penetrate more than shoot. Garner could be a mid-major if he develops a more consistent shot.
Peter Jurkin Team Indiana 16U-Less muscular version of Deng Leek.
Obij Aget-One of the most impressive dunks of the weekend when he dunked over about 3 guys and with power which was unexpected because he is skinny.
Ben Davisson SYF 16U-Could be a mid-major if he drops some weight but that could conflict with his football and his brother is a D1 football commit.
Akeem Freeman SYF 16U-jumps out of the gym but that seems about it for right now.
I have a handful more reports but I need to go to practice right now. I will post the rest tomorrow along with the weekend recap of most impressive players.
AMC Report-Part 4
Adidas May Classic report continued. These reports are mainly based off of action that took place Sunday which was a great day for basketball.
Dee Davis Indiana Elite Team Indiana-Davis recently got scholarship offers from Xavier and Purdue and he had a great weekend to make those coaches look good. He was unstoppable when he got into the lane finishing over and around defenders all day. He also showed his nice outside stroke and I don't remember him forcing any shots. I'm still worried about his height at th college level.
Jeremiah Davis Indiana Elite Team Indiana-Jeremiah had a good weekend. He took over offensively in the second half against Spiece Select although they still lost. When he looks to take over, he is going to shoot every time down the floor...his distributing skills go out the window which worries me. Overall, a great weekend for Jeremiah though.
Justin Gant Indiana Elite Team Indiana-Gant has all the skills to be a high major player and do well at that level. He isn't aggressive enough for my liking although he had a strong dunk over Tony Springmann in the game against Spiece Select. He settles for 3's way too much and doesn't post enough because he wants to be a perimeter player. College coaches want post skills to go along with perimeter skills for a player like Gant who is 6'8. It is that dual threat that makes him desirable. He needs to be more aggressive on the boards also.
Austin Etherington Indiana Elite Team Indiana-Etherington was a zero factor in the game vs. Spiece Select. It seemed like he was mentally out of it the whole game and when his shots did not fall early he was totally out of it. It makes me question his mental toughness a bit, but still a great prospect.
Tony Springmann Spiece Select-Springmann had a dominating performance against Team Indiana and all their big men. He outrebounded and out fought all of their inside players...him and Vincent Zollo going after it was fun to watch. In my opinion, Springmann ends up playing high-major...football although he will get recruited for high major basketball.
Torrey Nibbs Spiece Select-Nibbs had a great final four game after some disappointing performances earlier in the tournament. The difference was that he was finishing when he got into the lane. Nibbs is so explosive off the dribble he usually gets to the at will it is just a matter of if he finishes or not and a lot of the time he struggles with that. If he finishes consistently and hits mid-range jumpers then he is in the mix for high major...if he can't do those things then I'm not sure he can play at the mid-major level.
Dwight Cliff Spiece Select-Cliff had a break out weekend. He has been battling back injuries all spring and it looked like this weekend he was close to healthy. He is a bull getting to the rim and uses his strength to finish. He has a decent set 3pt shot, but struggles shooting off the dribble.
Max Landis Indiana Elite (Green?)-Landis had a great final four game vs. Spiece Select. He shoot it really well from 3 and also did damage going to the rim. I need to see him more to have a better idea of what level he can play at, but he was impressive on Sunday.
Dontray Chavis Indiana Elite (Green?)-Chavis looked really good Sunday. Inside and outside...he made some nice moves and fakes in the paint to finish a few times. He will need to add more and more outside skill sets while keeping his rebounding and post skills. I was impressed with Chavis.
Jon Trawick Indiana Elite (Green?)-Trawick wasn't overly impressive this weekend although he had powerful 2 hand dunk on Sunday after all the games he had played...that was pretty impressive. The keys for Trawick are his improvement handling the ball, defense, and range. He needs to work hard on all 3 areas.
Ray McCallum Jr. Team Detroit-Ray Ray had a very impressive weekend. Quicker than he looks...he was getting to the rim all weekend and he also showed a great stroke from 3 range. It will be interesting to see what happens with his recruiting with his dad the Head Coach of Detroit.
Justin Martin Derrick Rose-Martin looked unimpressive and lackadaisical to me. He always has that look and body language of "I don't care about this" and it bothers me. He was an early maturer which also makes me question how successful he will be at the next level.
A recap of all the action will be the final report on the Adidas May Classic coming either later tonight or tomorrow depending on how busy I am tonight. If there are any questions about players listed or unlisted, leave a comment and I will see if I can answer your question.
Dee Davis Indiana Elite Team Indiana-Davis recently got scholarship offers from Xavier and Purdue and he had a great weekend to make those coaches look good. He was unstoppable when he got into the lane finishing over and around defenders all day. He also showed his nice outside stroke and I don't remember him forcing any shots. I'm still worried about his height at th college level.
Jeremiah Davis Indiana Elite Team Indiana-Jeremiah had a good weekend. He took over offensively in the second half against Spiece Select although they still lost. When he looks to take over, he is going to shoot every time down the floor...his distributing skills go out the window which worries me. Overall, a great weekend for Jeremiah though.
Justin Gant Indiana Elite Team Indiana-Gant has all the skills to be a high major player and do well at that level. He isn't aggressive enough for my liking although he had a strong dunk over Tony Springmann in the game against Spiece Select. He settles for 3's way too much and doesn't post enough because he wants to be a perimeter player. College coaches want post skills to go along with perimeter skills for a player like Gant who is 6'8. It is that dual threat that makes him desirable. He needs to be more aggressive on the boards also.
Austin Etherington Indiana Elite Team Indiana-Etherington was a zero factor in the game vs. Spiece Select. It seemed like he was mentally out of it the whole game and when his shots did not fall early he was totally out of it. It makes me question his mental toughness a bit, but still a great prospect.
Tony Springmann Spiece Select-Springmann had a dominating performance against Team Indiana and all their big men. He outrebounded and out fought all of their inside players...him and Vincent Zollo going after it was fun to watch. In my opinion, Springmann ends up playing high-major...football although he will get recruited for high major basketball.
Torrey Nibbs Spiece Select-Nibbs had a great final four game after some disappointing performances earlier in the tournament. The difference was that he was finishing when he got into the lane. Nibbs is so explosive off the dribble he usually gets to the at will it is just a matter of if he finishes or not and a lot of the time he struggles with that. If he finishes consistently and hits mid-range jumpers then he is in the mix for high major...if he can't do those things then I'm not sure he can play at the mid-major level.
Dwight Cliff Spiece Select-Cliff had a break out weekend. He has been battling back injuries all spring and it looked like this weekend he was close to healthy. He is a bull getting to the rim and uses his strength to finish. He has a decent set 3pt shot, but struggles shooting off the dribble.
Max Landis Indiana Elite (Green?)-Landis had a great final four game vs. Spiece Select. He shoot it really well from 3 and also did damage going to the rim. I need to see him more to have a better idea of what level he can play at, but he was impressive on Sunday.
Dontray Chavis Indiana Elite (Green?)-Chavis looked really good Sunday. Inside and outside...he made some nice moves and fakes in the paint to finish a few times. He will need to add more and more outside skill sets while keeping his rebounding and post skills. I was impressed with Chavis.
Jon Trawick Indiana Elite (Green?)-Trawick wasn't overly impressive this weekend although he had powerful 2 hand dunk on Sunday after all the games he had played...that was pretty impressive. The keys for Trawick are his improvement handling the ball, defense, and range. He needs to work hard on all 3 areas.
Ray McCallum Jr. Team Detroit-Ray Ray had a very impressive weekend. Quicker than he looks...he was getting to the rim all weekend and he also showed a great stroke from 3 range. It will be interesting to see what happens with his recruiting with his dad the Head Coach of Detroit.
Justin Martin Derrick Rose-Martin looked unimpressive and lackadaisical to me. He always has that look and body language of "I don't care about this" and it bothers me. He was an early maturer which also makes me question how successful he will be at the next level.
A recap of all the action will be the final report on the Adidas May Classic coming either later tonight or tomorrow depending on how busy I am tonight. If there are any questions about players listed or unlisted, leave a comment and I will see if I can answer your question.
Monday, May 18, 2009
AMC Report-Part 3
Dominique Ferguson SYF-Handled the ball a lot as he wants to become a SG and he handled it ok, but he never just takes the pass and makes an explosive move. He dribbles the ball forever before making a move although when he did finally go somewhere he was effective with it.
Andre Hampton SYF-Streaky shooter that was hot for most of the weekend. He is athletic enough to play SG but he is small for that position at the mid-major and higher levels. I'm not sold that he could play the point.
Jesse Berry SYF-Did more distributing of the ball this weekend and less scoring. He made solid plays down the stretch against EG10. A Butler commitment might be coming soon is the rumor I am hearing.
Xavier Jones SYF-Athletic, but didn't show much else. He drove a lot and came up empty on most attempts. Jones did not do much vs. Eric Gordon All-Stars.
Terrone Johnson Eric Gordon All-Stars-He was very good this weekend. Johnson drove a lot more than I had seen from him in the past which would be a good option to go with his shooting ability. Very strong.
Jake Kitchell SYF-Athletic big man, but not a super athlete. Not enough of an athlete to make up for his lack of offensive skills set. He was not a threat offensively from any range this weekend. Could be a good low to mid-major player.
Enique Mason SYF-Mason has lost some weight and moved a little bit better than he did in the past. He has a lot of work to do to make the D-1 level. He plays too soft at this point.
Jan Maehlan SYF-Jan also looks to be in better shape. He has some skills although they are limited. He could be a good low to mid-major player if he keeps working like it appears he is.
Roddy Richardson Eric Gordon All-Stars-Roddy is a shooter at a strong 6'2 with a great motor. He is the type of guy I want on my team. He does whatever it takes to win.
Johnny Marlin Indiana Elite One-Smart, steady, small, shooter when open, sneaky...okay I only put sneaky because I wanted more alliteration in the description. He is undersized, but looks like a low major to D2 prospect right now.
Matt Carlino Indiana Elite One- Carlino defended Irving really well. He is quicker than he looks. He penetrated the ball very well and made great passes by the seeing the floor really well. He definitely needs to improve his shooting at least to the mid-range. A lot of IU fans were on hand to see him play this weekend and most left disappointed in his game. He should be pretty darn good by the time he arrives on campus if he keeps working hard and stays focused.
Andre Hampton SYF-Streaky shooter that was hot for most of the weekend. He is athletic enough to play SG but he is small for that position at the mid-major and higher levels. I'm not sold that he could play the point.
Jesse Berry SYF-Did more distributing of the ball this weekend and less scoring. He made solid plays down the stretch against EG10. A Butler commitment might be coming soon is the rumor I am hearing.
Xavier Jones SYF-Athletic, but didn't show much else. He drove a lot and came up empty on most attempts. Jones did not do much vs. Eric Gordon All-Stars.
Terrone Johnson Eric Gordon All-Stars-He was very good this weekend. Johnson drove a lot more than I had seen from him in the past which would be a good option to go with his shooting ability. Very strong.
Jake Kitchell SYF-Athletic big man, but not a super athlete. Not enough of an athlete to make up for his lack of offensive skills set. He was not a threat offensively from any range this weekend. Could be a good low to mid-major player.
Enique Mason SYF-Mason has lost some weight and moved a little bit better than he did in the past. He has a lot of work to do to make the D-1 level. He plays too soft at this point.
Jan Maehlan SYF-Jan also looks to be in better shape. He has some skills although they are limited. He could be a good low to mid-major player if he keeps working like it appears he is.
Roddy Richardson Eric Gordon All-Stars-Roddy is a shooter at a strong 6'2 with a great motor. He is the type of guy I want on my team. He does whatever it takes to win.
Johnny Marlin Indiana Elite One-Smart, steady, small, shooter when open, sneaky...okay I only put sneaky because I wanted more alliteration in the description. He is undersized, but looks like a low major to D2 prospect right now.
Matt Carlino Indiana Elite One- Carlino defended Irving really well. He is quicker than he looks. He penetrated the ball very well and made great passes by the seeing the floor really well. He definitely needs to improve his shooting at least to the mid-range. A lot of IU fans were on hand to see him play this weekend and most left disappointed in his game. He should be pretty darn good by the time he arrives on campus if he keeps working hard and stays focused.
AMC-Report 2
This AMC report is from observations that I saw on Saturday mainly. I watched games from 8am to 11pm with only a break to drive from game site to game site. It was a very good day of basketball.
Kyrie Irving NJ Roadrunners-Irving did not have the explosion that I saw in Pittsburgh. It was like he was sick, injured or just really tired. He was still pretty good but he wasn't crazy impressive. It was more flashes of brilliance instead of the constant wow plays he made in Pitt.
Cody Zeller Indiana Elite One-Zeller just like his brothers runs the floor really well. He also made some very good passes. He is still a work in-progress but that progress is being made very quickly. I expect that at this time next year he is going to be a great player.
Marshall Plumlee Indiana Elite One-Plumlee might be more raw than Zeller. Plumlee had an impressive rip and drive to the baseline that was a flash into what he could possibly develop into. Right now, he dominates the boards and blocks shots for IE One. He is hyped as the best Plumlee unfortunately I did not see his brothers when they were his age.
Spencer Turner IE ONE-Spencer shot it really well from 3 in the game that I saw. He is smart with the ball although he is definitely looking to shoot the ball any time he touches, but that's not too much of a problem with his shooting ability. He is a decent defender because he understands the game and anticipates things well right now. His strength is also a plus for him. Quickness is the question to decide what level he can defend at in college.
One correction from my Run N Slam report. Alex Gauna was not at the game when we played him therefore he could not have dominated us. The guy that I thought was Gauna was actually Matt Kamienicki.
Keith Appling Michigan Mustangs-Appling dominated the game by constantly breaking his man down 1 on 1 and getting to the rim then finishing every time he got into the lane. He also showed he was fantastic from the mid-range. He isn't very tall but he is so explosive laterally and vertically he makes up for it easily.
Alex Gauna Michigan Mustangs-The Michigan State commit is a beast in the lane. Strong and a legit 6'9 with good touch around the basket. He also looks like he has a solid face-up game up to 16 feet. He should be a good one for Coach Izzo.
Matt Kamienicki Michigan Mustangs-I really like Kamienicki's game. He plays mostly on the perimeter and can shoot it very well. He also can post up and dominate smaller defends depending on the match-up. I think he is a great mid-major player and possibly higher.
Griffin Mckenzie Eric Gordon All-Stars- Great game vs. SoCal All-Stars. He is decently athletic for a big guy and also has range to the 3point range. He should be a perfect fit for a good mid-major program.
Ron Patterson Spiece Indy Stars-Patterson continues to impress as he dominated the game that I saw. He had a stretch where he scored 13 straight points in the second half by scoring from all over the court and showing his complete game. Explosive off the dribble and great range...tough to defend.
Jordan Manual Eric Gordon-Manual shot the ball well this weekend. Does he have any post game? I didn't see it. Is he a true 3 at the next level especially at the high major level? I do not think so but he could develop into it. He is so long that he could definitely bother wings when he guards them just with his length alone. He talks way too much on the court to opponents.
P.J. Hubertz Indiana Elite (Fox)-Hubertz can flat out shoot it from 3. One of the best in the class of 2010 for the state of Indiana. He is ok handling the ball but not great and he rarely looks to get to the rim.
Ronald Ross Indiana Elite (Fox)-Ross is a strong wing. He is explosive off the dribble and can score with ease at the rim. I want to see more of Ross to see what exactly he can and can't do.
This is about the half way point for Saturday. I need a break so this will be continued later today.
Kyrie Irving NJ Roadrunners-Irving did not have the explosion that I saw in Pittsburgh. It was like he was sick, injured or just really tired. He was still pretty good but he wasn't crazy impressive. It was more flashes of brilliance instead of the constant wow plays he made in Pitt.
Cody Zeller Indiana Elite One-Zeller just like his brothers runs the floor really well. He also made some very good passes. He is still a work in-progress but that progress is being made very quickly. I expect that at this time next year he is going to be a great player.
Marshall Plumlee Indiana Elite One-Plumlee might be more raw than Zeller. Plumlee had an impressive rip and drive to the baseline that was a flash into what he could possibly develop into. Right now, he dominates the boards and blocks shots for IE One. He is hyped as the best Plumlee unfortunately I did not see his brothers when they were his age.
Spencer Turner IE ONE-Spencer shot it really well from 3 in the game that I saw. He is smart with the ball although he is definitely looking to shoot the ball any time he touches, but that's not too much of a problem with his shooting ability. He is a decent defender because he understands the game and anticipates things well right now. His strength is also a plus for him. Quickness is the question to decide what level he can defend at in college.
One correction from my Run N Slam report. Alex Gauna was not at the game when we played him therefore he could not have dominated us. The guy that I thought was Gauna was actually Matt Kamienicki.
Keith Appling Michigan Mustangs-Appling dominated the game by constantly breaking his man down 1 on 1 and getting to the rim then finishing every time he got into the lane. He also showed he was fantastic from the mid-range. He isn't very tall but he is so explosive laterally and vertically he makes up for it easily.
Alex Gauna Michigan Mustangs-The Michigan State commit is a beast in the lane. Strong and a legit 6'9 with good touch around the basket. He also looks like he has a solid face-up game up to 16 feet. He should be a good one for Coach Izzo.
Matt Kamienicki Michigan Mustangs-I really like Kamienicki's game. He plays mostly on the perimeter and can shoot it very well. He also can post up and dominate smaller defends depending on the match-up. I think he is a great mid-major player and possibly higher.
Griffin Mckenzie Eric Gordon All-Stars- Great game vs. SoCal All-Stars. He is decently athletic for a big guy and also has range to the 3point range. He should be a perfect fit for a good mid-major program.
Ron Patterson Spiece Indy Stars-Patterson continues to impress as he dominated the game that I saw. He had a stretch where he scored 13 straight points in the second half by scoring from all over the court and showing his complete game. Explosive off the dribble and great range...tough to defend.
Jordan Manual Eric Gordon-Manual shot the ball well this weekend. Does he have any post game? I didn't see it. Is he a true 3 at the next level especially at the high major level? I do not think so but he could develop into it. He is so long that he could definitely bother wings when he guards them just with his length alone. He talks way too much on the court to opponents.
P.J. Hubertz Indiana Elite (Fox)-Hubertz can flat out shoot it from 3. One of the best in the class of 2010 for the state of Indiana. He is ok handling the ball but not great and he rarely looks to get to the rim.
Ronald Ross Indiana Elite (Fox)-Ross is a strong wing. He is explosive off the dribble and can score with ease at the rim. I want to see more of Ross to see what exactly he can and can't do.
This is about the half way point for Saturday. I need a break so this will be continued later today.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
AMC Report- Part 1
I have tons of notes on players. It will probably be a 3 or 4 part series to get it all posted.
Marcus Crider & Branden Dawson SYF-Both are very good. Both are D-1 guys. I like Crider just a little bit more right now. Crider is a little bit more athletic and looked better shooting the ball. Dawson is no slouch but has work to do on his shooting I believe. Both are great athletes especially getting off the floor.
Zac VanDeWater Spiece Select- Zac has not had the spring so far that I expected him to have. I expect most of that is due to injuries both during the start of AAU season and also the injuries he was fighting during the school year. I believe he will get back into the flow and have a very big July when he is completely healthy.
Brent Calhoun Eric Gordon All-Stars- Calhoun switched teams from Spiece Indy Stars to EG10. I do not know the complete story but he played with EG10 last weekend for State because the Indy Stars did not play in the event and appears he liked it. I'm not sure what I think of the whole situation but something doesn't sit right with me somewhere in the situation.
Nic Moore > Travis Trice-They are very similar players. Trice has a height advantage and Moore is stronger. I like Moore better because he is stronger with the ball and makes better decisions.
Mitch McGary SYF-McGary made his spring debut this weekend. He was the point man in SYF's press and 1-3-1 zone. He played those spots well. He also showed a few good right hand finishes in the lane...he is left-handed.
That is the first night recap. Not too much happened as there were only 3 sets of games and match-ups in pool play were for the most part pretty bad. I would like more tournaments to have super pools and more super pools in those type of tournaments.
Marcus Crider & Branden Dawson SYF-Both are very good. Both are D-1 guys. I like Crider just a little bit more right now. Crider is a little bit more athletic and looked better shooting the ball. Dawson is no slouch but has work to do on his shooting I believe. Both are great athletes especially getting off the floor.
Zac VanDeWater Spiece Select- Zac has not had the spring so far that I expected him to have. I expect most of that is due to injuries both during the start of AAU season and also the injuries he was fighting during the school year. I believe he will get back into the flow and have a very big July when he is completely healthy.
Brent Calhoun Eric Gordon All-Stars- Calhoun switched teams from Spiece Indy Stars to EG10. I do not know the complete story but he played with EG10 last weekend for State because the Indy Stars did not play in the event and appears he liked it. I'm not sure what I think of the whole situation but something doesn't sit right with me somewhere in the situation.
Nic Moore > Travis Trice-They are very similar players. Trice has a height advantage and Moore is stronger. I like Moore better because he is stronger with the ball and makes better decisions.
Mitch McGary SYF-McGary made his spring debut this weekend. He was the point man in SYF's press and 1-3-1 zone. He played those spots well. He also showed a few good right hand finishes in the lane...he is left-handed.
That is the first night recap. Not too much happened as there were only 3 sets of games and match-ups in pool play were for the most part pretty bad. I would like more tournaments to have super pools and more super pools in those type of tournaments.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Adidas May Classic 2009
Here is my Adidas May Classic 2009 game schedule that I plan on watching. I am not 100% I will be making the trip and of course if I do I could get side tracked by other games while I am down there. But these are the games I picked out that I want to see as of now.
Friday
Indiana Select Blue vs. Fieldhouse Elite Knights 7pm
Spiece Select 2011 vs. Shining Star Sports 8:15pm
SYF 16U vs. Indiana Black 9:30
Saturday
Spiece Indy Stars vs. SW Illinois Jets
NJ Roadrunners vs. Full Package White
Team Indiana 16U vs. Gateway Basketball Club
Spiece Select vs. Illinois Magic
Team Indiana 15U vs. JSA Express
Team Detroit vs. Illinois Magic
Indiana Elite One vs. Full Package White
I already saw that I would really like to see Indiana Elite One play against Kyrie Irving and the NJ Roadrunners but it is at Assembly Hall and that means I can only watch 1 game at a time. I prefer the places where I can see 2 solid games rather than 1 good game. It will be a game time decision if I go or not.
Lots of reports if I do go though.
Friday
Indiana Select Blue vs. Fieldhouse Elite Knights 7pm
Spiece Select 2011 vs. Shining Star Sports 8:15pm
SYF 16U vs. Indiana Black 9:30
Saturday
Spiece Indy Stars vs. SW Illinois Jets
NJ Roadrunners vs. Full Package White
Team Indiana 16U vs. Gateway Basketball Club
Spiece Select vs. Illinois Magic
Team Indiana 15U vs. JSA Express
Team Detroit vs. Illinois Magic
Indiana Elite One vs. Full Package White
I already saw that I would really like to see Indiana Elite One play against Kyrie Irving and the NJ Roadrunners but it is at Assembly Hall and that means I can only watch 1 game at a time. I prefer the places where I can see 2 solid games rather than 1 good game. It will be a game time decision if I go or not.
Lots of reports if I do go though.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Adidas May Classic
The Adidas May Classic takes place this weekend in Bloomington, Indiana. My team is not entered, but I am debating on making the trip to see some games. I really want to see Branden Dawson and the SYF team since they have not played in any tournaments that I have been at. AMC always brings good teams in from around the country. If I do end up going I will have some player reports.
My Indiana Select 2010 team came in 2nd at the State AAU tournament last weekend. It was a good weekend for us although we played terrible in the championship game. It was like we were happy just to get to the championship game. We played total individual basketball and we are not talented enough to go 1 on 1 every possession and win. We played well in our other games though and we are making strides on the defensive end...not long strides but small steps. Habits are hard to create and defense is all habit in my mind.
My Indiana Select 2010 team came in 2nd at the State AAU tournament last weekend. It was a good weekend for us although we played terrible in the championship game. It was like we were happy just to get to the championship game. We played total individual basketball and we are not talented enough to go 1 on 1 every possession and win. We played well in our other games though and we are making strides on the defensive end...not long strides but small steps. Habits are hard to create and defense is all habit in my mind.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Take Your Pick-Round 2
Here is part two of my take your pick series. Look for it in a paper(the thing old people read) near you soon.
Donnie Hale or Erick Fromm?
Both very similar to each other. Each at about 6'7 and both post players first and foremost. Hale is a little bit more athletic than Fromm. Fromm a little more skilled with a bit more range. I would go with Fromm in this debate.
Who is the better college prospect...Justin Gant or Austin Burgett?
Both 6'7+ with perimeter skills. Burgett is better handling the ball and Gant is a better outside shooter at this point. Gant is a year older than Burgett though. At the same stage, Burgett is better but Gant improved a lot over the last year. I will still go with Burgett by a nose in the match-up.
Better college prospect...Chris Welker or Neal Beshears?
Welker is very good in the post, but he won't be playing the post much if he goes D-1. He could take smaller guys inside, but he will probably be more on the perimeter. Beshears is ridiculously long which with work could make him unreal on the defensive end. He needs work on that part of his game though. Beshears is a better slasher. I think Beshears' game translates very easily to the college level and Welker's does not. I'd take Beshears here.
Better prospect...Jesse Berry or Terone Johnson?
Johnson verbally committed to Purdue is obviously a good prospect and a great shooter. Berry is an explosive scorer and a great athlete. There are a lot of questions about Berry's attitude and problems. Berry would be better if he had no questions swirling about his head. I'll take Johnson but Berry could easily be better if he gets his head on straight soon. That is one huge IF!
More at a later date...I can't think of any good, close comparisons right now.
Donnie Hale or Erick Fromm?
Both very similar to each other. Each at about 6'7 and both post players first and foremost. Hale is a little bit more athletic than Fromm. Fromm a little more skilled with a bit more range. I would go with Fromm in this debate.
Who is the better college prospect...Justin Gant or Austin Burgett?
Both 6'7+ with perimeter skills. Burgett is better handling the ball and Gant is a better outside shooter at this point. Gant is a year older than Burgett though. At the same stage, Burgett is better but Gant improved a lot over the last year. I will still go with Burgett by a nose in the match-up.
Better college prospect...Chris Welker or Neal Beshears?
Welker is very good in the post, but he won't be playing the post much if he goes D-1. He could take smaller guys inside, but he will probably be more on the perimeter. Beshears is ridiculously long which with work could make him unreal on the defensive end. He needs work on that part of his game though. Beshears is a better slasher. I think Beshears' game translates very easily to the college level and Welker's does not. I'd take Beshears here.
Better prospect...Jesse Berry or Terone Johnson?
Johnson verbally committed to Purdue is obviously a good prospect and a great shooter. Berry is an explosive scorer and a great athlete. There are a lot of questions about Berry's attitude and problems. Berry would be better if he had no questions swirling about his head. I'll take Johnson but Berry could easily be better if he gets his head on straight soon. That is one huge IF!
More at a later date...I can't think of any good, close comparisons right now.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Take Your Pick
I decided to do some comparisons of players "PTI" style with a little take your pick.
First up...Michael Chandler or A.J. Hammons?
I'll take A.J. Hammons as I like his post game at this point and I believe he has a bit more potential than Chandler. Chandler is no slouch and this is a tough choice but I also think Hammons runs a bit better which will improve if he drops some weight.
Better 2012 Point Guard right now...Yogi Ferrell or Kellon Thomas?
I'm going with Kellon Thomas right now, but Yogi Ferrell might have a little more upside with his height advantage. Right now, Thomas is the better shooter and makes decisions with the ball better. Therefore, I like him better as of now.
Better 2012 Prospect...D'vauntes Smith-Rivera or Ron Patterson?
I have to go with Patterson based on athleticism mainly. DSR is physically matured right now although I'm not sure if Patterson will grow anymore either. Patterson has better range and both drive and finish well in the lane.
Better 2011 Point Guard...Jeremiah Davis or P.J. Boutee?
At this moment, I would say they are very similar in the fact they are creators first and scorers second and then shooters third. Davis is bigger and stronger. Boutee has the quickness advantage. Both will make mistakes trying to do too much at times. I will take Jeremiah Davis in this match-up.
More to come later...
First up...Michael Chandler or A.J. Hammons?
I'll take A.J. Hammons as I like his post game at this point and I believe he has a bit more potential than Chandler. Chandler is no slouch and this is a tough choice but I also think Hammons runs a bit better which will improve if he drops some weight.
Better 2012 Point Guard right now...Yogi Ferrell or Kellon Thomas?
I'm going with Kellon Thomas right now, but Yogi Ferrell might have a little more upside with his height advantage. Right now, Thomas is the better shooter and makes decisions with the ball better. Therefore, I like him better as of now.
Better 2012 Prospect...D'vauntes Smith-Rivera or Ron Patterson?
I have to go with Patterson based on athleticism mainly. DSR is physically matured right now although I'm not sure if Patterson will grow anymore either. Patterson has better range and both drive and finish well in the lane.
Better 2011 Point Guard...Jeremiah Davis or P.J. Boutee?
At this moment, I would say they are very similar in the fact they are creators first and scorers second and then shooters third. Davis is bigger and stronger. Boutee has the quickness advantage. Both will make mistakes trying to do too much at times. I will take Jeremiah Davis in this match-up.
More to come later...
Indiana AAU State Tournament
Indiana AAU state tournament starts tonight at ISSA in Southport. To be completely honest, the tournament has been going downhill for a long while, but this year might the low point. Low turn out and not many quality teams in that small pool of teams. Some of it has teams knowing they are not going to play in the national tournament even if they qualify as most teams go to Vegas during the national tournament.
Indiana Select 2010 plays Friday night at 7:30 and then 11:50 Saturday morning and 4:00 pm Saturday afternoon.
Indiana Select 2010 plays Friday night at 7:30 and then 11:50 Saturday morning and 4:00 pm Saturday afternoon.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
IBCA Top 100 Work Out
Here are some of my observations from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Top 100 work out from a couple weekends ago.
Kyle Ritz PG Munster- Played very well. He looked automatic from mid-range. He made good decisions handling the ball. Someone to check out.
Jordan Manuel SF Howe- Super long, showed some handles and hit some contested 3’s with a hand in his face. Athletic but thin.
Clinton Happe PG- Does not look like a basketball player but showed some very athletic finishes including a reverse lay-up that Russell Byrd contested. Skilled and fundamental.
Greg Miller PF North Miami- Played well against Travis Carroll on both ends of the floor. Scored over and around Carroll easily a few times and made Carroll work on the offensive end for anything he got. A bit undersized for D-1 but worth a look.
Kevin Kidd PG East Central- Tiny…that’s the only problem with him. Height and frame are very small. He knocked down outside shots and finished against contact in the lane. Handled the ball very well against pressure.
Andrew Rudakas SF/PF Wheeler- Showed some things I had questioned about him in the past. He blocked a dunk attempt by Jordan Manual to show some athleticism. He showed some handles as well. At only 6’5 or 6’6, can he guard a 3? That’s what I question now. Otherwise a solid D-2 prospect.
Jordan Weidner PG Franklin Central- Not necessarily a surprise but he showed his full game. Aggressive driving the basketball and finishing. Shot the ball well. I still question if he can do it against the bigger players? Impressive day though.
Brad Karp SG Valparaiso- Undersized SG at 6’2ish but played hard and smart. Crashed the boards, showed some handles, and shot the ball from range well.
JaJuan Sarver PG- Sarver showed a good set 3 pt. Shot. Quick but failed to capitalize on a few good drives when he couldn’t finish the play.
Zach Apollos PF- Strong body that he used to finish inside well. Apollos also showed some quicks for his size. D-2 or NAIA type of player to me.
Travis Carroll 6’7 Danville- Solid as always and showed a good looking 17 foot jumper a few times.
Russell Byrd 6’8 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian- Byrd was impressive against Justin Gant. Handled the ball well and passed very well.
Kennis White 6’2 South Bend Washington- Quick, finished well, and was one of the few players who fed the post well all day. He is only a legit 6’1 or 6’2 though.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera 6’3 North Central- Took me awhile to recognize him on the floor (no roster in front of me) He was solid, hit some outside shots, showed a good change of pace drive and then finished in traffic.
Austin Burgett 6’7 Avon- Burgett made a good drive and then bounce pass in traffic for a finish that showed his perimeter skills. He’s not just a tall kid that can shoot, he is confident off the dribble. Guarded point guards and was not outmatched.
Tony Springmann 6’7 FW Bishop Dwenger- Springmann dominated the boards, but got lost a little bit in the up-tempo game.
Nic Moore 5’9 Warsaw- Moore showed a good looking shot from 3 pt with a defender on him. Strong although small in height.
Torrey Nibbs 6’1 Brownsburg- Nibbs showcased his explosive first step but struggled to finish the lay-ups. Made a few good passes that showed solid vision of the floor.
New
Leland Brown 6’3- Strong body, hit a good looking set 3. and also drove the ball well. I liked what I saw from Brown.
Justin Clemens 6’4 PF-A football recruit, but finished well inside on numerous trips. He also stepped out and hit a couple 3’s. NAIA type if he chose basketball instead of football.
Khristian Smith 6’4 SF- Showed some explosiveness on a nice drive. Smith also showed he could hit perimeter shots although he forced shots multiple times.
Spencer Comer 6’3 SG-Major athleticism but needs to work on ball handling and develop a consistent outside shot to be a D-1 player. Plays extremely hard though.
Keith Cochran 6’9 C-Long and thin, did some decent things around the basket. Doesn’t run very well.
Parker Stouffer 6’7 C- Big, strong, and played with a high basketball IQ. The one thing that impressed me a lot was his ability to find his teammates out of a double team.
Mason Gregory 6’2 SG- Shot the ball really well with a quick release. Hit a mid-range jumper vs. pressure and hit a 3 as well.
Phil Miller 5’8 PG- Small in height and weight. Bigger PG’s seem to bother him. He is lightning quick though.
Mitchell Patton 6’6 PF-Showed some solid post moves and good finishes before he twisted an ankle and left for the day.
Kyle Ritz PG Munster- Played very well. He looked automatic from mid-range. He made good decisions handling the ball. Someone to check out.
Jordan Manuel SF Howe- Super long, showed some handles and hit some contested 3’s with a hand in his face. Athletic but thin.
Clinton Happe PG- Does not look like a basketball player but showed some very athletic finishes including a reverse lay-up that Russell Byrd contested. Skilled and fundamental.
Greg Miller PF North Miami- Played well against Travis Carroll on both ends of the floor. Scored over and around Carroll easily a few times and made Carroll work on the offensive end for anything he got. A bit undersized for D-1 but worth a look.
Kevin Kidd PG East Central- Tiny…that’s the only problem with him. Height and frame are very small. He knocked down outside shots and finished against contact in the lane. Handled the ball very well against pressure.
Andrew Rudakas SF/PF Wheeler- Showed some things I had questioned about him in the past. He blocked a dunk attempt by Jordan Manual to show some athleticism. He showed some handles as well. At only 6’5 or 6’6, can he guard a 3? That’s what I question now. Otherwise a solid D-2 prospect.
Jordan Weidner PG Franklin Central- Not necessarily a surprise but he showed his full game. Aggressive driving the basketball and finishing. Shot the ball well. I still question if he can do it against the bigger players? Impressive day though.
Brad Karp SG Valparaiso- Undersized SG at 6’2ish but played hard and smart. Crashed the boards, showed some handles, and shot the ball from range well.
JaJuan Sarver PG- Sarver showed a good set 3 pt. Shot. Quick but failed to capitalize on a few good drives when he couldn’t finish the play.
Zach Apollos PF- Strong body that he used to finish inside well. Apollos also showed some quicks for his size. D-2 or NAIA type of player to me.
Travis Carroll 6’7 Danville- Solid as always and showed a good looking 17 foot jumper a few times.
Russell Byrd 6’8 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian- Byrd was impressive against Justin Gant. Handled the ball well and passed very well.
Kennis White 6’2 South Bend Washington- Quick, finished well, and was one of the few players who fed the post well all day. He is only a legit 6’1 or 6’2 though.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera 6’3 North Central- Took me awhile to recognize him on the floor (no roster in front of me) He was solid, hit some outside shots, showed a good change of pace drive and then finished in traffic.
Austin Burgett 6’7 Avon- Burgett made a good drive and then bounce pass in traffic for a finish that showed his perimeter skills. He’s not just a tall kid that can shoot, he is confident off the dribble. Guarded point guards and was not outmatched.
Tony Springmann 6’7 FW Bishop Dwenger- Springmann dominated the boards, but got lost a little bit in the up-tempo game.
Nic Moore 5’9 Warsaw- Moore showed a good looking shot from 3 pt with a defender on him. Strong although small in height.
Torrey Nibbs 6’1 Brownsburg- Nibbs showcased his explosive first step but struggled to finish the lay-ups. Made a few good passes that showed solid vision of the floor.
New
Leland Brown 6’3- Strong body, hit a good looking set 3. and also drove the ball well. I liked what I saw from Brown.
Justin Clemens 6’4 PF-A football recruit, but finished well inside on numerous trips. He also stepped out and hit a couple 3’s. NAIA type if he chose basketball instead of football.
Khristian Smith 6’4 SF- Showed some explosiveness on a nice drive. Smith also showed he could hit perimeter shots although he forced shots multiple times.
Spencer Comer 6’3 SG-Major athleticism but needs to work on ball handling and develop a consistent outside shot to be a D-1 player. Plays extremely hard though.
Keith Cochran 6’9 C-Long and thin, did some decent things around the basket. Doesn’t run very well.
Parker Stouffer 6’7 C- Big, strong, and played with a high basketball IQ. The one thing that impressed me a lot was his ability to find his teammates out of a double team.
Mason Gregory 6’2 SG- Shot the ball really well with a quick release. Hit a mid-range jumper vs. pressure and hit a 3 as well.
Phil Miller 5’8 PG- Small in height and weight. Bigger PG’s seem to bother him. He is lightning quick though.
Mitchell Patton 6’6 PF-Showed some solid post moves and good finishes before he twisted an ankle and left for the day.
Monday, May 4, 2009
More Run N Slam Reports
A few other top players I saw this weekend..
Alex Gauna 6'8 PF-Committed to Michigan State. Hit us with a variety of post moves and also stepped out and hit a 3 or 2 on us. He was very good.
Andre Dawkins 6'5 SG-Committed to Duke. Dawkins might have been the most athletic player I saw in the tournament. He took off from outside the lane against 2 guys and if he wasn't fouled he would have completed the dunk. Duke has been missing some athletes other than Henderson lately and he will fill that void.
Keith Appling 6'3 PG-Committed to Michigan State.The Michigan Mustangs PG was very good. He was explosive, quick as hell, and great handles. I do not remember him shooting from the perimeter though. Still a high major just with his athleticism.
Austin Etherington 6'6 SG-Struggled with his shot in the 2 or 3 games that I saw. I think some of that inconsistency might be due to the fact that he is still working his way back from micro fracture surgery.
Brad Elam 5'10 PG- An underrated point guard that can score inside and outside. Very quick and uses ball screens very well. Although on the small side, he can still shoot over people to an extent.
Aaron Bluitt 6'0 PG- Bluitt is a D-1 type of player when he is looking to take the ball to the basket aggressively rather than just settling for 3's. A good shooter but forces it from the outside often instead of getting in the lane.
Taylor Wayer 5'11 PG- Wayer had a good weekend. He is strong so when he gets into the lane he can use his body to create fouls. I would like to see him attack the rim even more.
Kellon Thomas 5'10 PG-The freshmen continues to make me a believer in him. Strong and heady, Thomas rarely makes mistakes with the ball. He is also a good shooter so defenders cannot lay off him to protect from the drive.
Alex Gauna 6'8 PF-Committed to Michigan State. Hit us with a variety of post moves and also stepped out and hit a 3 or 2 on us. He was very good.
Andre Dawkins 6'5 SG-Committed to Duke. Dawkins might have been the most athletic player I saw in the tournament. He took off from outside the lane against 2 guys and if he wasn't fouled he would have completed the dunk. Duke has been missing some athletes other than Henderson lately and he will fill that void.
Keith Appling 6'3 PG-Committed to Michigan State.The Michigan Mustangs PG was very good. He was explosive, quick as hell, and great handles. I do not remember him shooting from the perimeter though. Still a high major just with his athleticism.
Austin Etherington 6'6 SG-Struggled with his shot in the 2 or 3 games that I saw. I think some of that inconsistency might be due to the fact that he is still working his way back from micro fracture surgery.
Brad Elam 5'10 PG- An underrated point guard that can score inside and outside. Very quick and uses ball screens very well. Although on the small side, he can still shoot over people to an extent.
Aaron Bluitt 6'0 PG- Bluitt is a D-1 type of player when he is looking to take the ball to the basket aggressively rather than just settling for 3's. A good shooter but forces it from the outside often instead of getting in the lane.
Taylor Wayer 5'11 PG- Wayer had a good weekend. He is strong so when he gets into the lane he can use his body to create fouls. I would like to see him attack the rim even more.
Kellon Thomas 5'10 PG-The freshmen continues to make me a believer in him. Strong and heady, Thomas rarely makes mistakes with the ball. He is also a good shooter so defenders cannot lay off him to protect from the drive.
Run N Slam Top Performers
I came up with some short summaries of a few players that played well this weekend in Fort Wayne at the Run N Slam tournament.
Kendall Marshall 6'3 PG- Committed to North Carolina. Marshall was always in control. He led his Boo Williams team very well. He can do it all although not a lights out shooter, he is a very good shooter. He distributed the ball first and looked to score second.
Travis McKie 6'6 SF- Committed to Wake Forest. McKie will fit right in at Wake. Athletic and can shoot...does Wake Forest recruit any other type of player? He was very good in the games I saw.
Jared Sullinger 6'8 PF-Committed to Ohio State. Sullinger dominated the top ranked player in the class of 2010 Josh Smith in their match up. Sullinger is more athletic than he looks although he is not a super athlete.
Ralph Hill 6'6 Junior wing that recently committed to Dayton- My team played against him and I did not know him before the game. He had about 5 dunks in the first quarter on us. He was explosive on the drive and we had no one that could body him out of the lane. He also buried a 3 after I yelled at our guys to give him a step because he couldn't shoot.
A.J. Hammonds 6'11 Frosh- Very skilled for a young big man. Only a freshmen, once he loses his baby fat he will be a big time player. He has just enough of a mean streak to dominate.
D'vauntes Smith-Rivera 6'2 Frosh-Power guard. Done growing to my knowledge so he is a little bit different than most highly ranked players. He is also smarter than he is athletic. He uses change of pace better than most college players and then he uses his body when he gets in the lane. Needs to add range to his game to be a high major player although high majors are all over him.
Ron Patterson 6'3 Frosh-Strong and athletic but also highly skilled especially in the mid-range game. He pulls up exceptionally well for a player his age. Definitely a high major player.
Dejuan Marrero 6'7 Frosh- Athletic as you can get for a big guy his size. Runs well and can get up. Showed a mid-range jumper that could make him impossible to guard.
Rapheal Davis 6'3 SG Frosh- Shoot the ball really well in the 3 games that I saw him play in so it can't be luck right? Davis looked like he had a solid body to go along with his skills. I will follow him more in the future.
Ohio Basketball Club 16u had a bunch of 6'6-6'9 skilled players that could run and shoot the ball. I did not get any names on them though.
Kendall Marshall 6'3 PG- Committed to North Carolina. Marshall was always in control. He led his Boo Williams team very well. He can do it all although not a lights out shooter, he is a very good shooter. He distributed the ball first and looked to score second.
Travis McKie 6'6 SF- Committed to Wake Forest. McKie will fit right in at Wake. Athletic and can shoot...does Wake Forest recruit any other type of player? He was very good in the games I saw.
Jared Sullinger 6'8 PF-Committed to Ohio State. Sullinger dominated the top ranked player in the class of 2010 Josh Smith in their match up. Sullinger is more athletic than he looks although he is not a super athlete.
Ralph Hill 6'6 Junior wing that recently committed to Dayton- My team played against him and I did not know him before the game. He had about 5 dunks in the first quarter on us. He was explosive on the drive and we had no one that could body him out of the lane. He also buried a 3 after I yelled at our guys to give him a step because he couldn't shoot.
A.J. Hammonds 6'11 Frosh- Very skilled for a young big man. Only a freshmen, once he loses his baby fat he will be a big time player. He has just enough of a mean streak to dominate.
D'vauntes Smith-Rivera 6'2 Frosh-Power guard. Done growing to my knowledge so he is a little bit different than most highly ranked players. He is also smarter than he is athletic. He uses change of pace better than most college players and then he uses his body when he gets in the lane. Needs to add range to his game to be a high major player although high majors are all over him.
Ron Patterson 6'3 Frosh-Strong and athletic but also highly skilled especially in the mid-range game. He pulls up exceptionally well for a player his age. Definitely a high major player.
Dejuan Marrero 6'7 Frosh- Athletic as you can get for a big guy his size. Runs well and can get up. Showed a mid-range jumper that could make him impossible to guard.
Rapheal Davis 6'3 SG Frosh- Shoot the ball really well in the 3 games that I saw him play in so it can't be luck right? Davis looked like he had a solid body to go along with his skills. I will follow him more in the future.
Ohio Basketball Club 16u had a bunch of 6'6-6'9 skilled players that could run and shoot the ball. I did not get any names on them though.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Run N Slam
The Annual Spiece event took place this weekend in Fort Wayne. The Run N Slam always attracts the top competition from all over the nation to Indiana. This year was no different with Seattle Rotary and Boo Williams being two examples of top team from different coasts.
My Indiana Select 2010 group played well. We took the Michigan Mustangs down to the wire to lose by 1. It was a great game with a lot of energy and many great plays. It was a heart breaker to lose but I was happy with our effort and overall play. As a coach, it was a great game to get to use game strategy...time-outs to stop the clock with under 90 seconds left in the game, quick hitting plays down the stretch, out-of-bounds plays to draw up with 10 seconds left. Those are fun things for coaches.
The Michigan Mustangs' point guard was superb. Athletic and skilled is a tough combo. Lightning quick with handles and could jump out of the gym which he showed with a blow-by drive in the half court set and capped the drive off with a monster dunk. He was impressive. I wish I would have gotten his name after the game but I was upset about how the game ended.
We ended up losing our first game of tournament play to Team Cbiz out of Ohio. Ralph Hill dominated us in the first half and the first quarter mainly where he had a handful of dunks after blowing by our defenders. He then proceeded to bury a 3 after I told our guy to give him space because he couldn't shoot which he heard and took exception to. "The kid with the inside-outside game chose Dayton over Akron, Butler, Notre Dame, and Georgia Tech." He was good to say the least. We ended up scoring 101 points and losing which is tough in the time frame of a high school game. We could not stop him and when we did they had two other good players that would find the open spot and hit shots.
Defense needs to improve for us to be a good team. We are a short team but we have talent to beat good teams. We were missing our Junior All-Star due to prom against Team Cbiz. I would have loved to see if he could do anything to Mr. Hill. It would have been a great test for him.
My Indiana Select 2010 group played well. We took the Michigan Mustangs down to the wire to lose by 1. It was a great game with a lot of energy and many great plays. It was a heart breaker to lose but I was happy with our effort and overall play. As a coach, it was a great game to get to use game strategy...time-outs to stop the clock with under 90 seconds left in the game, quick hitting plays down the stretch, out-of-bounds plays to draw up with 10 seconds left. Those are fun things for coaches.
The Michigan Mustangs' point guard was superb. Athletic and skilled is a tough combo. Lightning quick with handles and could jump out of the gym which he showed with a blow-by drive in the half court set and capped the drive off with a monster dunk. He was impressive. I wish I would have gotten his name after the game but I was upset about how the game ended.
We ended up losing our first game of tournament play to Team Cbiz out of Ohio. Ralph Hill dominated us in the first half and the first quarter mainly where he had a handful of dunks after blowing by our defenders. He then proceeded to bury a 3 after I told our guy to give him space because he couldn't shoot which he heard and took exception to. "The kid with the inside-outside game chose Dayton over Akron, Butler, Notre Dame, and Georgia Tech." He was good to say the least. We ended up scoring 101 points and losing which is tough in the time frame of a high school game. We could not stop him and when we did they had two other good players that would find the open spot and hit shots.
Defense needs to improve for us to be a good team. We are a short team but we have talent to beat good teams. We were missing our Junior All-Star due to prom against Team Cbiz. I would have loved to see if he could do anything to Mr. Hill. It would have been a great test for him.
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