Jordan Abdur-Ra'off - Jan. 19 vs. Chester H. S. (Chester, PA) - Gonzaga College H. S. (Washington, DC), 6-7, SF, 2014 - Looks something like Arizona's Nick Johnson. Liked him a lot. 16 points and 13 rebounds.
BeeJay Anya - Jan. 19 vs. Hudson Catholic H. S. (Jersey City, NJ) - DeMatha Catholic H. S. (Hyattsville, MD), 6-9, 275lbs, C, 2013, North Carolina State commit - Saw BeeJay last year at the Hoophall and talked to some DeMatha old-timers back then who told me that BeeJay had lost 30-40 pounds since the previous year and had a real good body. It was very disappointing to see him this year and see his lack of progress. I think he looks heavier and softer than last year and out of shape. To say he doesn't run the floor is to give him credit. He barely jogs the floor. Can post up strong, but rarely tries to use his weight effectively. He had an ankle injury recently and maybe that contributed to his shape (I doubt it). I would have thought the young man would have worked his tail off this past summer and optimized his talents. He's going to feel like he's being killed once he gets to the NC State practices. DeMatha used to be THE high school program, but lost their first 3 games this year, are young, and only a little above average. That won't get it at the Hoophall. BeeJay shot only 4-5 FG & 4-8 FT with 6 R for the game. The only impressive part of his game this year were the 6 blocks. Like most back-to-the-basket, play in the paint big men, he doesn't leap well, but with his 7'9" wingspan he can block a lot of shots. All in all, I was very disappointed to see his lack of progress from last year.
Jordan Bell - Jan. 19 vs. Whitney Young H. S. (Chicago, IL) - Long Beach Poly (CA): 6-8, 205, F, 2013, Oregon commit - He'll be a PF in college, but he had no chance against the 270 lb. Jahlil Okafor. Jordan is a 6-blocks a game leaper, but I was surprised he was able to block 3 today considering the presence of Okafor. He should have run all over the floor and made Okafor chase him and tire out, but didn't happen. Had 10 points and 8 rebounds to go along with his 3 blocks. Glad I saw him in several games last month in the City of Palms so I could see the real Jordan Bell. Don't judge him by this game.
Reggie Cameron - Jan. 21 vs. DeMatha Catholic H. S. (Hyattsville, MD) - Hudson Catholic H. S. (Jersey City, NJ): 6-8, SF, 2013, Georgetown commit - Not real athletic. A little slow footed (not as slow as the Kyles - Anderson and Wiltjer). However, he is versatile with a high basketball IQ (I didn't see his basketball IQ test score, so I'm just guessing here). Has a pretty jumper from the wing and is big enough to score inside. Stats: 7-10 FG, 2-5 3's, 20 Pts, 7 R, 1 F, 0 A, 1 TO.
Nick Emery - Jan. 21 vs. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA) - Lone Peak H. S. (Highland, UT): 6-2, PG/SG, 2013, BYU commit - Plays the point, but this lefty is definitely everything you want in a SG. Shoots from range, has no conscience, and will drive it right at you. Nick has decided to delay his enrollment in BYU until he finishes his 2 year Mormon Mission in Germany. Wonder if he can hook up with Dirk for some pickup games! You gotta catch the Lone Peak H. S. bunch! Stats: 8-14 FG, 4-8 3's, 20 Pts, 5 R, 3A, 3 TO, 3 S.
Brannen Greene - Jan. 21 vs. St. Anthony H. S. (Jersey City, NJ) - Tift County H. S. (Tifton, GA), 6-7, SG, 2013, Kansas commit - Brannen, even at 6-7, plays a lot of PG for his team. Looks like he is now trying a little bit on D and not just standing straight up. He looked to have some problems with his stomach this game, and would put a shirt on during time outs. Flu? Still dribbles too much, but Bill Self will fix that pretty quickly. With coaching, will be a real good 2-3 year player. Stats: 4-10 FG, 4-6 3's, 2-2 FT, 14 pts, 5 R, 3 TO, 1 A, 2 B, 1 S. Not one of St. Anthony's better teams, but the funny thing is: Bob Hurley can beat you with his team, give you his team and take yours, then beat you again. The guy can flat out coach!
T. J. Haws - Jan. 21 vs. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA) - Lone Peak H. S. (Highland, UT): 6-4, 175, SG, 2014, BYU commit - Saw this skinny sharp-shooter play 4 games at the City of Palms and the more I saw him, the more I liked him (except for his Duke flop). His brother, Tyler, is a current 20 ppg sharpshooter at BYU and T. J. will be following after next season if he doesn't decide to take his Mormon Mission before. Was a little off on his shooting today. You gotta watch this kid and the other excellent players on his Lone Peak H. S. team. Stats: 8-19 FG, 2-6 3's, 18 Pts, 6 R, 3 A, 5 TO, 5 S.
Kasey Hill - Jan. 21 vs. Findlay College Prep (Henderson, NV) - Montverde Academy (Orlando, FL): 6-1, 183, PG, 2013, Florida commit - Handles the ball and controls the offense. Can score, but I wouldn't call him a "scorer." I don't really have an opinion on his defense, but apparently it is very good. However, he picked up his 3rd foul with 5:56 left in the half! Tired? Bad game? Or was it Nigel Williams-Goss? Fouled out with 5 points and 3:57 left in the game and his team up by 11. At that point, Washington commit and 4 year Findlay Prep player Nigel Williams-Goss took over, eventually hitting a buzzer beater to win the game by 3!
Tadric Jackson - Jan. 21 vs. St. Anthony H. S. (Jersey City, NJ) - Tift County H. S. (Tifton, GA), 6-3, SG, 2014 - Said to be recruited by a lot of schools, but I don't think UK is among them. Saw him play 4 games at City of Palms and they looked to be one of the worst coached teams in the Classic. Here it is a month later and they look much better, having a clue on O and actually playing some D. Tadric, a lefty, has a nice high-arching jumper and will shoot from range (not often successfully, this game). Overall, he looks much better than he did last month. Stats: 5-14 FG, 1-6 3's, 2-4 FT, 13 Pts, 2 TO, & 9 big assists.
Rondae Jefferson - Jan. 19 vs. Gonzaga College H. S. (Washington, DC) - Chester (Chester, PA): 6-7, 200, SG-SF, 2013, Arizona commit - A fun player to watch with his long strides in the open court. Unlike most high schoolers, works hard on D and just may be the reason he made the USA Junior National Team for this summer. 7-18 FG, 0-1 3's, 20 Pts, 9 R, 4 TO.
Kris Jenkins - Jan. 19 vs. Chester H. S. (Chester, PA) ? Gonzaga College H. S. (Washington, DC); 6-6, SF, 2013, Villanova commit - What do you say when you first see Kris on the court? Too heavy! And that he is, but the kid has a real good basketball IQ (serious, what kind of test measures this???) and can score. No doubt Jay Wright will get Kris's weight down next year. Till then he'll just continues stats like he had against Chester: 9-19 FG, 3-8 3's, 2-2 FT, 23 Pts, 6 R, 4 F, 2 A, 2 TO, 3 B, 1 S.
Moses Kingsley - Jan. 20 vs. New Hampton School (New Hampton, NH) - Huntington Prep (Huntington, WV): 6-9, C, 2013, Arkansas commit - I really enjoyed one of Kingsley's game at the City of Palms and was looking forward to seeing him again. After watching this game I had to wonder if he was ill or just worn out from his team's monster travel schedule. He split time with Baylor commit Dominic Woodson and was invisible this game. For someone the size of Kingsley, it isn't easy to be invisible. Stats: 1-1 FG, 1-4 FT (puts WAY too much arch on these), 3 pts, 4 R, 0 F, 0 A, 1 TO, 3 B (good shot blocker), 0 S. I still think you're going to love/hate seeing him in the SEC with the Razorbacks.
Ausar Madison - Jan. 19 vs. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, CA) - Whitney Young (Chicago, IL): 5-10, PG, 2013 - I have no clue who is looking at this kid or where he will go, but would guess some mid-major. I am mentioning him because I saw him play a couple of times at the City of Palms last month and have learned to look past his very dark hair and thick goatee to really like his ability at the point. He handles the ball, runs the team, and just DOES NOT turn the ball over. The 5'10" is probably legit, but looks smaller on the same floor next to Okafor! Will sneak into the paint and shoot some kind of floater, usually after a subtle pump-fake. Scored 11 today on 4-5 FG, 6 assists, and only 1 turnover.
Terrance Mann - Jan. 20 vs. Vermont Academy (Saxtons River, VT) - Tilton School (Tilton, NH); 6-5, F, 2015 - I didn't make a lot of notes about this Sophomore, but believe I would like to keep an eye on his progress. Only had 11 points on 5-17 shooting. Was looking good early, but then more or less disappeared. Only a Soph, I tell myself, but can't remember what I saw that made me make some notes on him.
Charles Matthews - Jan. 19 vs. Lake Clifton Campus Athletics (Baltimore, MD) - St. Rita H. S. (Chicago, IL), 6-5, PG/SG, 2015 - Won't be deciding until he is a Senior, but getting interest from OSU, MSU, KU, Missouri, Arizona, Illinois, DePaul, SMU, and Providence. Sees the floor really well and had PG instincts. Coach said he usually gets a double-double, but his numbers weren't good today, with 7 points on 9 shots, 5 rebounds, and 5 TO. He looks much better than these stats indicate.
Chris McCullough - Jan. 20 vs. South Kent School (South Kent, CT) - Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH), 6-9, SF, 2014, Syracuse commit - Ready for the next level now, so wouldn't be surprised to see him re-classify and put Rakeem Christmas on the bench. Lousy game against an overmatched South Kent School out of Connecticut that must have missed 15-20 layups. Like many Orangemen, McCullough is long and has lots of hops. Handles the ball well and often. Surrounded with many good players. Ended the game with 21 points, which included some monster slams.
Eric Mika - Jan. 21 vs. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA) - Lone Peak H S. (Highland, UT): 6-10, 225, C, 2013, BYU commit - One of 3 players on this team headed to BYU basketball (a 4th headed to BYU football). A back-to-the-basket, true center. Great college future. I believe he is going to BYU one year, then go on his 2 year Mormon Mission. Is that the Utah version of "one and done"? As he did at the City of Palms in December, Eric won the Slam Dunk Contest at Hoophall. Stats: 4-8 FG, 2-4 FT, 10 Pts, 12 R, 0 F, 1 A, 1 TO, 3 B, 1S.
Roschon Prince - Jan. 19 vs. Whitney Young H. S. (Chicago, IL) - Long Beach Poly (CA): 6-6, 210, G-F, 2013, USC commit - Just doesn't seem to be making much effort. Is not assertive with the ball even though he is supposed to be the 2nd best player on the team. Pushes off with his left when driving. 13 points, 5 R, and 3 TO. I wonder if he is going to stay committed with the USC coach out.
Wayne Selden - Jan. 20 vs. Vermont Academy (Saxtons River, VT) - Tilton School (Tilton, NH); 6-5, G/F, 2013, (re-classified), Kansas commit - Saw him as a Soph last year, on the UK radar, and a teammate of Nerlens. Definitely plays with more confidence and under control this year. A man's body and very athletic. Good passer, threw down some dunks, and went flying over the press table after the ball. Didn't like some of his plays on D, like trying to take a charge from under the basket, but if there is anything all high school players lack, it is the D intensity and effort required at the next level. Stats: 10-18 FG, 2-5 3's, 26 Pts, 7 R, 1 A, 2 TO, 1 B, 1 S. They'll love this kid after his first season at KU.
Noah Vonleh - Jan. 20 vs. Huntington Prep (WV) - New Hampton School (New Hampton, NH), 6-9, F, 2013 (re-classified), Indiana commit - Didn't get to see much from Vonleh as he was in foul trouble before eventually fouling out. I guess that's what guarding Andrew Wiggins can do to you! Vonleh picked up his 2nd foul with 4:18 still left in the first, sat out a lot, then picked up his 3rd near the end of the 2nd quarter. Picked up his 4th with 5:12 left in the 3rd quarter. What Tom Crean must not have liked from his seat at one end of the court is that 4 of the fouls were of the "stupid" variety - twice hooking his defender, charging, and trying to take a charge against Wiggins. He hit 2 of his 5 3's and finished with the same number of rebounds as fouls ? 5. Good jumper, but today he played like a junior.
Ishmail Wainright - Jan. 20 vs. St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, NJ) - Montrose Christian H. S. (Rockville, MD), 6-6, G/F, 2013, Baylor commit - Baylor seems to recruit some big bodies and Ishmail is no exception. This guy looks like he should be an OLB on the football team. MUSCLES! Really cut, but doesn't play "stiff." Very nice all-round game. Handles the ball, sees the court, and passes well. Finished with 14 points on 6-12 shooting and 10 rebounds against a really, really, good St. Benedict's Prep out of north Jersey.
Devin Williams - Jan. 21 vs. Findlay College Prep (Henderson, NV) - Montverde Academy (Orlando, FL): 6-8, 230, PF, 2013 West Virginia commit - Bob Huggins was here to look at his warrior. This guy works hard every time I have seen him (5 times) and is a monster on the boards (14 rebounds). Now I am seeing confidence and improvement in his offense (16 points with a couple of 3's). I have no idea what teams are in what conferences any more, but I'll bet Petino is hoping he is no longer in the conference with WVU. Stoops should have gone after Devin!
Troy Williams - Jan. 21 vs. Simeon Career Academy (Chicago, IL) - Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA), 6-6, SG, 2013, Indiana commit - Oak Hill was without their injured PG, Nate Britt, who is headed to UNC, but Tom Crean wasn't there to watch him anyway. Williams played out on the wing, but was not a very effective shooter this game. To me, it looks as if he likes to make plays that will make the human highlight films instead of making the simple plays. Very erratic this game. Stats: 4-12 FG, 1-4 3's, 2-4 FT, 11 Pts, 8 R, 4 F (do all IU recruits foul?), 5 A, 5 TO.
Nigel Williams-Goss - Jan. 21 vs. Montverde Academy (Orlando, FL) - Findlay College Prep (Henderson, NV): 6-4, PG, 2013, Washington commit - I saw Nigel play here last year, but did not notice how good he was, focusing mostly on his dread locks pulled back in a ponytail. This day belonged to the new, short-haired Nigel! Ran the offense, scored, fouled Kasey Hill out, took over the game, and hit a 3 pointer as time ran down for a 3 point win. The highlight play of the Classic. Moves the ball around, will drive the lane (usually to the left), real nice right-hand floater. Washington has a good one, but who the heck ever sees Washington play??? Stats: 8-11 FG, 9-10 FT, 26 Pts (18 in the 4th quarter), 1 TO.
This post was edited on 1/28 5:54 PM by UKPhilly
BeeJay Anya - Jan. 19 vs. Hudson Catholic H. S. (Jersey City, NJ) - DeMatha Catholic H. S. (Hyattsville, MD), 6-9, 275lbs, C, 2013, North Carolina State commit - Saw BeeJay last year at the Hoophall and talked to some DeMatha old-timers back then who told me that BeeJay had lost 30-40 pounds since the previous year and had a real good body. It was very disappointing to see him this year and see his lack of progress. I think he looks heavier and softer than last year and out of shape. To say he doesn't run the floor is to give him credit. He barely jogs the floor. Can post up strong, but rarely tries to use his weight effectively. He had an ankle injury recently and maybe that contributed to his shape (I doubt it). I would have thought the young man would have worked his tail off this past summer and optimized his talents. He's going to feel like he's being killed once he gets to the NC State practices. DeMatha used to be THE high school program, but lost their first 3 games this year, are young, and only a little above average. That won't get it at the Hoophall. BeeJay shot only 4-5 FG & 4-8 FT with 6 R for the game. The only impressive part of his game this year were the 6 blocks. Like most back-to-the-basket, play in the paint big men, he doesn't leap well, but with his 7'9" wingspan he can block a lot of shots. All in all, I was very disappointed to see his lack of progress from last year.
Jordan Bell - Jan. 19 vs. Whitney Young H. S. (Chicago, IL) - Long Beach Poly (CA): 6-8, 205, F, 2013, Oregon commit - He'll be a PF in college, but he had no chance against the 270 lb. Jahlil Okafor. Jordan is a 6-blocks a game leaper, but I was surprised he was able to block 3 today considering the presence of Okafor. He should have run all over the floor and made Okafor chase him and tire out, but didn't happen. Had 10 points and 8 rebounds to go along with his 3 blocks. Glad I saw him in several games last month in the City of Palms so I could see the real Jordan Bell. Don't judge him by this game.
Reggie Cameron - Jan. 21 vs. DeMatha Catholic H. S. (Hyattsville, MD) - Hudson Catholic H. S. (Jersey City, NJ): 6-8, SF, 2013, Georgetown commit - Not real athletic. A little slow footed (not as slow as the Kyles - Anderson and Wiltjer). However, he is versatile with a high basketball IQ (I didn't see his basketball IQ test score, so I'm just guessing here). Has a pretty jumper from the wing and is big enough to score inside. Stats: 7-10 FG, 2-5 3's, 20 Pts, 7 R, 1 F, 0 A, 1 TO.
Nick Emery - Jan. 21 vs. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA) - Lone Peak H. S. (Highland, UT): 6-2, PG/SG, 2013, BYU commit - Plays the point, but this lefty is definitely everything you want in a SG. Shoots from range, has no conscience, and will drive it right at you. Nick has decided to delay his enrollment in BYU until he finishes his 2 year Mormon Mission in Germany. Wonder if he can hook up with Dirk for some pickup games! You gotta catch the Lone Peak H. S. bunch! Stats: 8-14 FG, 4-8 3's, 20 Pts, 5 R, 3A, 3 TO, 3 S.
Brannen Greene - Jan. 21 vs. St. Anthony H. S. (Jersey City, NJ) - Tift County H. S. (Tifton, GA), 6-7, SG, 2013, Kansas commit - Brannen, even at 6-7, plays a lot of PG for his team. Looks like he is now trying a little bit on D and not just standing straight up. He looked to have some problems with his stomach this game, and would put a shirt on during time outs. Flu? Still dribbles too much, but Bill Self will fix that pretty quickly. With coaching, will be a real good 2-3 year player. Stats: 4-10 FG, 4-6 3's, 2-2 FT, 14 pts, 5 R, 3 TO, 1 A, 2 B, 1 S. Not one of St. Anthony's better teams, but the funny thing is: Bob Hurley can beat you with his team, give you his team and take yours, then beat you again. The guy can flat out coach!
T. J. Haws - Jan. 21 vs. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA) - Lone Peak H. S. (Highland, UT): 6-4, 175, SG, 2014, BYU commit - Saw this skinny sharp-shooter play 4 games at the City of Palms and the more I saw him, the more I liked him (except for his Duke flop). His brother, Tyler, is a current 20 ppg sharpshooter at BYU and T. J. will be following after next season if he doesn't decide to take his Mormon Mission before. Was a little off on his shooting today. You gotta watch this kid and the other excellent players on his Lone Peak H. S. team. Stats: 8-19 FG, 2-6 3's, 18 Pts, 6 R, 3 A, 5 TO, 5 S.
Kasey Hill - Jan. 21 vs. Findlay College Prep (Henderson, NV) - Montverde Academy (Orlando, FL): 6-1, 183, PG, 2013, Florida commit - Handles the ball and controls the offense. Can score, but I wouldn't call him a "scorer." I don't really have an opinion on his defense, but apparently it is very good. However, he picked up his 3rd foul with 5:56 left in the half! Tired? Bad game? Or was it Nigel Williams-Goss? Fouled out with 5 points and 3:57 left in the game and his team up by 11. At that point, Washington commit and 4 year Findlay Prep player Nigel Williams-Goss took over, eventually hitting a buzzer beater to win the game by 3!
Tadric Jackson - Jan. 21 vs. St. Anthony H. S. (Jersey City, NJ) - Tift County H. S. (Tifton, GA), 6-3, SG, 2014 - Said to be recruited by a lot of schools, but I don't think UK is among them. Saw him play 4 games at City of Palms and they looked to be one of the worst coached teams in the Classic. Here it is a month later and they look much better, having a clue on O and actually playing some D. Tadric, a lefty, has a nice high-arching jumper and will shoot from range (not often successfully, this game). Overall, he looks much better than he did last month. Stats: 5-14 FG, 1-6 3's, 2-4 FT, 13 Pts, 2 TO, & 9 big assists.
Rondae Jefferson - Jan. 19 vs. Gonzaga College H. S. (Washington, DC) - Chester (Chester, PA): 6-7, 200, SG-SF, 2013, Arizona commit - A fun player to watch with his long strides in the open court. Unlike most high schoolers, works hard on D and just may be the reason he made the USA Junior National Team for this summer. 7-18 FG, 0-1 3's, 20 Pts, 9 R, 4 TO.
Kris Jenkins - Jan. 19 vs. Chester H. S. (Chester, PA) ? Gonzaga College H. S. (Washington, DC); 6-6, SF, 2013, Villanova commit - What do you say when you first see Kris on the court? Too heavy! And that he is, but the kid has a real good basketball IQ (serious, what kind of test measures this???) and can score. No doubt Jay Wright will get Kris's weight down next year. Till then he'll just continues stats like he had against Chester: 9-19 FG, 3-8 3's, 2-2 FT, 23 Pts, 6 R, 4 F, 2 A, 2 TO, 3 B, 1 S.
Moses Kingsley - Jan. 20 vs. New Hampton School (New Hampton, NH) - Huntington Prep (Huntington, WV): 6-9, C, 2013, Arkansas commit - I really enjoyed one of Kingsley's game at the City of Palms and was looking forward to seeing him again. After watching this game I had to wonder if he was ill or just worn out from his team's monster travel schedule. He split time with Baylor commit Dominic Woodson and was invisible this game. For someone the size of Kingsley, it isn't easy to be invisible. Stats: 1-1 FG, 1-4 FT (puts WAY too much arch on these), 3 pts, 4 R, 0 F, 0 A, 1 TO, 3 B (good shot blocker), 0 S. I still think you're going to love/hate seeing him in the SEC with the Razorbacks.
Ausar Madison - Jan. 19 vs. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, CA) - Whitney Young (Chicago, IL): 5-10, PG, 2013 - I have no clue who is looking at this kid or where he will go, but would guess some mid-major. I am mentioning him because I saw him play a couple of times at the City of Palms last month and have learned to look past his very dark hair and thick goatee to really like his ability at the point. He handles the ball, runs the team, and just DOES NOT turn the ball over. The 5'10" is probably legit, but looks smaller on the same floor next to Okafor! Will sneak into the paint and shoot some kind of floater, usually after a subtle pump-fake. Scored 11 today on 4-5 FG, 6 assists, and only 1 turnover.
Terrance Mann - Jan. 20 vs. Vermont Academy (Saxtons River, VT) - Tilton School (Tilton, NH); 6-5, F, 2015 - I didn't make a lot of notes about this Sophomore, but believe I would like to keep an eye on his progress. Only had 11 points on 5-17 shooting. Was looking good early, but then more or less disappeared. Only a Soph, I tell myself, but can't remember what I saw that made me make some notes on him.
Charles Matthews - Jan. 19 vs. Lake Clifton Campus Athletics (Baltimore, MD) - St. Rita H. S. (Chicago, IL), 6-5, PG/SG, 2015 - Won't be deciding until he is a Senior, but getting interest from OSU, MSU, KU, Missouri, Arizona, Illinois, DePaul, SMU, and Providence. Sees the floor really well and had PG instincts. Coach said he usually gets a double-double, but his numbers weren't good today, with 7 points on 9 shots, 5 rebounds, and 5 TO. He looks much better than these stats indicate.
Chris McCullough - Jan. 20 vs. South Kent School (South Kent, CT) - Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH), 6-9, SF, 2014, Syracuse commit - Ready for the next level now, so wouldn't be surprised to see him re-classify and put Rakeem Christmas on the bench. Lousy game against an overmatched South Kent School out of Connecticut that must have missed 15-20 layups. Like many Orangemen, McCullough is long and has lots of hops. Handles the ball well and often. Surrounded with many good players. Ended the game with 21 points, which included some monster slams.
Eric Mika - Jan. 21 vs. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, CA) - Lone Peak H S. (Highland, UT): 6-10, 225, C, 2013, BYU commit - One of 3 players on this team headed to BYU basketball (a 4th headed to BYU football). A back-to-the-basket, true center. Great college future. I believe he is going to BYU one year, then go on his 2 year Mormon Mission. Is that the Utah version of "one and done"? As he did at the City of Palms in December, Eric won the Slam Dunk Contest at Hoophall. Stats: 4-8 FG, 2-4 FT, 10 Pts, 12 R, 0 F, 1 A, 1 TO, 3 B, 1S.
Roschon Prince - Jan. 19 vs. Whitney Young H. S. (Chicago, IL) - Long Beach Poly (CA): 6-6, 210, G-F, 2013, USC commit - Just doesn't seem to be making much effort. Is not assertive with the ball even though he is supposed to be the 2nd best player on the team. Pushes off with his left when driving. 13 points, 5 R, and 3 TO. I wonder if he is going to stay committed with the USC coach out.
Wayne Selden - Jan. 20 vs. Vermont Academy (Saxtons River, VT) - Tilton School (Tilton, NH); 6-5, G/F, 2013, (re-classified), Kansas commit - Saw him as a Soph last year, on the UK radar, and a teammate of Nerlens. Definitely plays with more confidence and under control this year. A man's body and very athletic. Good passer, threw down some dunks, and went flying over the press table after the ball. Didn't like some of his plays on D, like trying to take a charge from under the basket, but if there is anything all high school players lack, it is the D intensity and effort required at the next level. Stats: 10-18 FG, 2-5 3's, 26 Pts, 7 R, 1 A, 2 TO, 1 B, 1 S. They'll love this kid after his first season at KU.
Noah Vonleh - Jan. 20 vs. Huntington Prep (WV) - New Hampton School (New Hampton, NH), 6-9, F, 2013 (re-classified), Indiana commit - Didn't get to see much from Vonleh as he was in foul trouble before eventually fouling out. I guess that's what guarding Andrew Wiggins can do to you! Vonleh picked up his 2nd foul with 4:18 still left in the first, sat out a lot, then picked up his 3rd near the end of the 2nd quarter. Picked up his 4th with 5:12 left in the 3rd quarter. What Tom Crean must not have liked from his seat at one end of the court is that 4 of the fouls were of the "stupid" variety - twice hooking his defender, charging, and trying to take a charge against Wiggins. He hit 2 of his 5 3's and finished with the same number of rebounds as fouls ? 5. Good jumper, but today he played like a junior.
Ishmail Wainright - Jan. 20 vs. St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, NJ) - Montrose Christian H. S. (Rockville, MD), 6-6, G/F, 2013, Baylor commit - Baylor seems to recruit some big bodies and Ishmail is no exception. This guy looks like he should be an OLB on the football team. MUSCLES! Really cut, but doesn't play "stiff." Very nice all-round game. Handles the ball, sees the court, and passes well. Finished with 14 points on 6-12 shooting and 10 rebounds against a really, really, good St. Benedict's Prep out of north Jersey.
Devin Williams - Jan. 21 vs. Findlay College Prep (Henderson, NV) - Montverde Academy (Orlando, FL): 6-8, 230, PF, 2013 West Virginia commit - Bob Huggins was here to look at his warrior. This guy works hard every time I have seen him (5 times) and is a monster on the boards (14 rebounds). Now I am seeing confidence and improvement in his offense (16 points with a couple of 3's). I have no idea what teams are in what conferences any more, but I'll bet Petino is hoping he is no longer in the conference with WVU. Stoops should have gone after Devin!
Troy Williams - Jan. 21 vs. Simeon Career Academy (Chicago, IL) - Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA), 6-6, SG, 2013, Indiana commit - Oak Hill was without their injured PG, Nate Britt, who is headed to UNC, but Tom Crean wasn't there to watch him anyway. Williams played out on the wing, but was not a very effective shooter this game. To me, it looks as if he likes to make plays that will make the human highlight films instead of making the simple plays. Very erratic this game. Stats: 4-12 FG, 1-4 3's, 2-4 FT, 11 Pts, 8 R, 4 F (do all IU recruits foul?), 5 A, 5 TO.
Nigel Williams-Goss - Jan. 21 vs. Montverde Academy (Orlando, FL) - Findlay College Prep (Henderson, NV): 6-4, PG, 2013, Washington commit - I saw Nigel play here last year, but did not notice how good he was, focusing mostly on his dread locks pulled back in a ponytail. This day belonged to the new, short-haired Nigel! Ran the offense, scored, fouled Kasey Hill out, took over the game, and hit a 3 pointer as time ran down for a 3 point win. The highlight play of the Classic. Moves the ball around, will drive the lane (usually to the left), real nice right-hand floater. Washington has a good one, but who the heck ever sees Washington play??? Stats: 8-11 FG, 9-10 FT, 26 Pts (18 in the 4th quarter), 1 TO.
This post was edited on 1/28 5:54 PM by UKPhilly
