Illinois Scouting: 1A and 2A State Final Standouts
PrepHoopsIllinois caught the 1A and 2A state final action from Peoria over the weekend. LeRoy won 1A while St. Joseph Ogden took the 2A crown. Take a look at some of the top performers from the event. SF Matt…
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Continue ReadingPrepHoopsIllinois caught the 1A and 2A state final action from Peoria over the weekend. LeRoy won 1A while St. Joseph Ogden took the 2A crown. Take a look at some of the top performers from the event.
SF Matt Chastain (LeRoy – 2016)
It is Matt Chastain’s week….we are all just living in it! Chastain is the hottest name in the state of Illinois. The 6’6” small forward in one week led his team to a state title and racked up 8 D1 offers after not holding a single before last Friday. Chastain is a long and athletic wing that is smooth and explosive with the ball attacking the rim. He glides to the hoop with a quick first step and finishes around the cup. The senior is best attacking the basket, but also shows he can shoot it when he does pull up from three hitting 2-3 in the title game with clean mechanics. Sound mid-range jumper shooter including creating separation on step back. Makes quick decisions with the basketball and is always in attack mode. Left hand needs some work as does his ability to not turn it over when doubled or trapped in the full court. Bouncy rebounder that is active on the glass. Underrated part of his game is his passing. He makes sound decisions with the ball especially in the half court including a great find for the game winner in the title game. Defensively he is active getting lots of steals and went up well beyond the rim to swat several shots throughout the weekend. Chastain had 20 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, 6 steals, 11 turnovers, and 2 assists in the semis. He followed that up with 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 turnovers in the championship game. In my eyes he is a low-major plus/mid-major minus prospect.
PG Nick Perry (LeRoy – 2019)
The 6-0 freshman point guard can really shoot the basketball. He came out on fire in the semis drilling threes off the catch. Solid decisions passing it in the half court. Struggles a little bit against pressure, but what freshman doesn’t. One to watch going forward. He had 10 points in the semifinal.
SF Darias Oliver (Leo – 2016)
At 6’6” Oliver has a strong and physical build with plus athleticism. He played well on both Friday and Saturday in Peoria. He works best on the interior where he plays from 10 feet and in using his quickness and explosiveness to score. Oliver is a beast on the boards with his second jump ability and athleticism. He was dominant on both ends of the floor snatching rebounds. Definitely a plus wing rebounder. When attacking from the perimeter he flashed some ability off the bounce including a sick baseline drive the he finished with a ferocious dunk. Jumper is a work in progress. Didn’t seem too confident shooting it hitting 1-4 from behind the arc on the weekend along with a 15 foot jumper. Missed quite a few inside the arc as well. Defensively he showed flashes of potential at the next level. Projects as a D2 prospect that could be a quality JUCO candidate to round out his game and go to a higher level. Oliver had 12 points (5-17 FG) and 17 rebounds in semis followed by 15 points (6-15 FG) and 15 rebounds in title game.
PG Darius Branch (Leo – 2016)
Branch is a tough small lead guard. The senior is quick and shifty with the rock in his hands being able to juke in and out of traffic with ease. Pushes the tempo in the open floor with his speed in transition. Throughout the weekend his jumper just wasn’t falling like it usually does. The lead guard could not buy a bucket from mid-range or three throughout the two days. His stop and pop mid-range game is usually pretty effective. He made up for it in the semi by getting to the line at a high rate and converting key free throws down the stretch. When he did attack showed some ability to score with acrobatics around the basket. Defensively is a pesky on ball defender. Finished with 18 points in the semi and 8 points in title game. Projects as a high level D3/NAIA prospect and is also another candidate that could blow up with a year at a JUCO.
SG Ross Owens (Woodlawn – 2016)
The 6’5” Owens has good size on the wing and will need to continue to add strength going forward. He is a plus shooter that creates space on his shot being able to pull up off the bounce and gets it off with ease. Owens was 4-7 in the semifinal game from beyond the arc. He was a stat sheet stuffer contributing on the boards well for a guard and is a solid passer in the half court that makes crisp dishes as well as quality decisions in the pick and roll game. He had 18 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals against Leo. D3/NAIA/JUCO prospect.
SG Logan Kohrmann (Breese Central – 2016)
The 6’2” shooting guard started off on fire in their semi against St. Joe Ogden. Kohrmann can be a lights out shooter when he gets hot and did just that early hitting a trio of early threes in a variety of ways off the catch, pull up, and off a flare. Shooting mechanics are pure and has slick footwork setting up his shot. Took and made tough shots throughout the game to try to get his team the win. Crafty handling the ball off the bounce as he will sneak by defenders that think he is just a shooter. He had 22 points in the semi. Projects best as a D3/NAIA prospect.
SG Brandon Trimble (St. Joseph Ogden – 2017)
The 6’3” shooting guard put on a complete show in the semi against Breese Central. Trimble is a thinly built two guard that came out aggressive and was in that mindset throughout the game. The junior has a knack for getting in the lane with ease and smooth acceleration to get past his man. Jumper wasn’t falling in the first half, but that didn’t matter as he was getting to the hoop at will where he finished well through traffic. Just a great one on one scorer with quickness in tight spaces and plus athleticism. In the second half the jumper started to fall in the pull up game from three as well as mid-range. Smooth mechanics with elevation off the floor. Cleared the glass on the defensive end. Outstanding free throw shooter! Trimble had 44 points (14-23 FG) (13-14 FT) (3-6 3PT) and 12 rebounds. He followed it up with 20 points and 6 boards in the championship. Looks like a D1 prospect in the junior class for sure. Look forward to seeing him more on the circuit.
PF Austin Trice (Hales – 2016)
At 6’7” Trice impressed with his athleticism and mobility on the interior. He has a strong upper body with a projectable frame. Trice was extremely active around the hoop especially against Rockridge on Friday. He is quick to the offensive glass grabbing several second chance put backs. Athletic finisher around the hoop that has quickness. Plus rebounder on both ends of the floor. He had 12 points and 10 rebounds in the semi as well as 17 points and 11 rebounds in the 3rd place game. Should be on the D3/NAIA/JUCO radar.
SG Nick McKenzie (Hales – 2016)
McKenzie was impressive early on Friday with his ability to shoot it from deep. The 6’3” strong and athletic wing shot lights out from three going 4-5 from beyond the arc. He has a quick release and great form. After a spectacular start he was hampered by foul trouble and a hamstring injury, but managed to play through it going for 18 points (7-10 FG). Flashed some ability off the bounce. McKenzie projects as a D3/NAIA/JUCO prospect.
SF TJ Martens (Rockridge – 2016)
This versatile small forward has played his best over the years at the state tournament. He showed out in the semi against Hales. The senior worked well in the high-post area where he showed he could turn and hit mid-range jumpers as well as make quick one or two dribble moves to score on the interior. Also is a sound passer with crisp dishes. Would have liked to seen him hit glass more. Martens went for 19 points (7-9 FG) in semi along with 11 points in the title game. Small college prospect.
PG Gentry Whiteman (Rockridge – 2017)
Whiteman is a 5-10 point guard who has been the go to scorer for Rockridge all year. He has long arms and needs to continue adding strength going forward. Known as a shooter his three point shot wasn’t falling in the semi, but was effective running the show and getting others involved. Whiteman’s ball handling has improved since we saw him in July. In the championship game he shot it better from the field connecting on 3-8 from beyond the arc where he finished with 18 points. Prospect we will be watching closely this spring with Quad City Elite.