Illinois Scouting: Holiday Tournaments 2017 Part 2
PrepHoopsIllinois was all over the state of Illinois scouting and evaluating prospects during the Holiday Tournaments. Here we break down some of the top 2017 players we saw in part 2 of our look at the junior class. SF…
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Continue ReadingPrepHoopsIllinois was all over the state of Illinois scouting and evaluating prospects during the Holiday Tournaments. Here we break down some of the top 2017 players we saw in part 2 of our look at the junior class.
SF Coreyoun Rushin (Westinghouse)
Rushin has continued to elevate his game this season. We saw him in November where he was impressive showing off improvement on his jump shot. He had it all working against Hope. Rushin is a 6’6” small forward with out of this world athleticism. He is super bouncy around the hoop and is a beast on the offensive glass with his second jump ability. Junior definitely plays above the rim. He has a quick first step and explodes to the hoop. Changes directions in the split of an eye while in the lane. Hit the only three point shot he took. His passing was very impressive finding several teammates inside for assists. Another area of dramatic improvement! Defensively he is an above average wing defender with active hands using his length well. Rushin had 23 points (8-11 FG), 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Mid-major prospect that is making a run at the top 10 in the state.
PG Dwayne Rose (Crete Monee)
The 2017 point guard played the best game we have seen out of him. The 6’3” guard hit an array of jump shots including threes and pull up jumpers. Jumper has good form, but he can settle for it a bit too much at times. When he did drive showed quickness off the bounce and strength in the paint. Cuts well away from the ball. Passed it fine making several sound dishes and didn’t turn it over. Rose had 21 points and 3 assists. Low-major D1 prospect.
SF Justin Smith (Stevenson)
The 6’7” junior small forward was more aggressive in spurts. He was most effective crashing the glass where he high pointed balls with his elite athleticism. Hit the glass for several put backs. Offensively he flashed with several moves including an explosive drive right through the defense, spin move out of the mid-post, and transition finishes. One of those came off a steal. Defensively he does a nice job using his length and athleticism to alter the opponents plan. Smith had 15 points, 18 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. High major prospect in the “Super Seven of 2017.”
SG Jaylan Catledge (Richards)
Big fan of what this 6’5” shooting guard brings to the table as a prospect. He is a strong wing and an elite athlete. Catledge accelerates with the ball in his hand when taking it to a second gear exploding by defenders with ease. Very powerful driving to the hoop and finishing at the rim with big time hops. Most of his scoring was done on the interior. Plus rebounder for his position. Two biggest areas to improve are being more efficient with the ball in both his shooting percentage and turnovers as well as improving the consistency on his perimeter jumper. He has low-major potential, but is not quite there yet.
SG AJ Youngman (Peoria Manual)
Manual 6’5” shooting guard AJ Youngman was making it rain from three! He let everyone know it too with that gesture after one of his many triples. The junior shooting guard has slimmed down considerably and is in the best shape of his life. He is still best at shooting it from deep. One of the top perimeter marksmen in the junior class. In the third quarter against Oak Park River Forest he couldn’t miss! Youngman finished with 15 points (5-8 3 PT). Projects as a D1 prospect. Level is still TBD on how the rest of his game continues to evolve.
PG Da’Monte Williams (Peoria Manual)
The Manual 2017 guard totally looks the part and is a superior athlete to everyone on the floor. He had a few emphatic blocks and was a presence defensively with his speed, quickness, and anticipation. Even blocked a three point attempt. Offensively he flashed and most of his scores came on the interior or from the charity stripe. 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. Needs to cut down on turnovers. One of elite prospects in the state.
SF Romon Douglas-Watkins (Peoria Manual)
RDW continues to improve! He has great physical tools at 6’5” with long arms. He is extremely athletic around the hoop being quick to the glass. Douglas-Watkins handles the ball well through traffic and is smooth getting to the rim where he finishes. Flashes a 15 foot jumper. Defensively he could be a monster at the next level if he wants to lock in on that end of the floor. Mid-major and low-major schools need to be watching him closely. He had 16 points despite being in foul trouble.
PG Teyvion Kirk (Joliet West)
Best game I have seen the Joliet West junior point guard play. Kirk is a 6’2” combo guard that continues to develop into a point guard. The long and rangy Kirk is quick and explosive with the ball in his hands getting in and out of tight spaces with ease. He showed leadership and command of his team. Made several great passes throughout the game. Kirk is an improving jump shooter and he showed that hitting several pull ups. Got to the line on a large number of drives. Went for 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
SF Charles Payton (Bloomington)
Payton was a bit slow and tentative early against Simeon in their first game of the day. He couldn’t get into a rhythm. In the night cap against Danville it was a totally different player. The top 10 potential high major prospect came out to play! Payton is an elite athlete that lives above the rim. He had several tip dunks including a sick one to open the game. Payton finished well on the interior where he played most of the day. Uses quickness to receive passes and beat opponent to hoop. Finished through contact on multiple and-1s. His most impressive move was when he got the ball in the high post, blew by his defender, and finished an and-1. Payton had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks against Danville.
G Nico Johnson (Danville)
The 6’0” junior combo guard has a strong body, but is also athletic. He is at his best winning off the bounce and getting in the lane where he finishes in the paint. Weaves in and out of defenders and is smooth with the ball juking defenders. Next step in his development will be becomig a true point guard and cutting down on turnovers. He had 16 points against Curie.
SG Dazon Farris (Bloomington)
The Bloomington 6’2” shooting guard is a new name to the radar. He is a thin wing that is a plus catch and shoot three point shooter. Was on fire against Simeon going for 17 points. Wasn’t quite able to duplicate it in the second game we saw. One to monitor this spring to see how his game progresses.
PG Evan Gilyard (Simeon)
Gilyard is a 5’9” lead guard that pushes the rock and gets the tempo to a high pace. He makes quality decisions with the ball getting his teammates involved. Gilyard is a shot maker that can hit jumpers from three and also pulling up from mid-range. True leader and a guy that players want to follow. Finished with 16 points. Mid-major prospect in 2017.
PG Alante Pickens (Curie)
The 5’9” junior point guard has had it going this season continuing to elevate his stock each time we see him perform. His play at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament was no exception. Pickens is a quick and shifty guard that excels at shooting the ball from the perimeter off the catch. He was raining in three pointers. Pushes in transition and shows he can take his man off the dribble at times. Pickens had 20 points (7-11 FG) (5-8 3PT).
SF Terry Smith (Curie)
Smith is a prospect we liked over the summer and he has continued to progress. The 6’5” wing plays mostly inside for Curie, but is very effective. He lives above the rim snatching rebounds and finishing with explosion. Knows how to use his physicality on the interior to make things happen. Plus offensive rebounder that gets put backs. Didn’t play much on the perimeter, but does have some skill there. He had 13 points (5-6 FG) and 6 rebounds. Low-major schools should take notice of this junior.
SF Jared Scott (Oak Park River Forest)
Scott has quality size and strength at 6’5” 205 pounds. He is crafty around the hoop as a finisher and has good hands catching quick passes. Solid rebounder. Handles it well for his size and flashes perimeter skill. Needs to be more consistent at charity stripe. Really liked him early in the season and will be one to watch closely in the spring. He had 10 points and 9 rebounds against Peoria Manual.
SF Trevian Bell (Joliet West)
The 6’5” small forward is one of the most talented prospects at his position in the state. He has a strong build and can explode around the hoop. Early in their game against Benet he was having trouble finishing at the rim. As the game went on he started to get it going. Hit a pull up jumper and took it to the hole strong where he either finished or got to the foul line. Bell had 12 points (4-9 FG) and 5 rebounds. Mid-major prospect that should be heavily pursued by low-major programs.
SF Elijah Ward (Joliet West)
This was the best game we have seen the 6’4” junior wing play. He has a projectable body with long arms and is a great athlete. Ward is best in the open floor where he can handle the ball and finish. One play he got the rebound and went coast to coast for the finish with his long strides. Has potential as a scorer driving in the half court. Jumper needs to continue to progress as he didn’t really show it much. Ward stuck to what he is best at and was effective going for 17 points (7-8 FG) and 4 rebounds. Potential D1 prospect.