Pitt JamFest Recap: Jack’s 2019 Top Performers
The annual Hoop Group Pitt JamFest took place last weekend at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, and one of the best April live period events in the country did not disappoint. Both Jack Herron and Adam Ayalew were there for Vantage…
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Continue ReadingThe annual Hoop Group Pitt JamFest took place last weekend at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, and one of the best April live period events in the country did not disappoint. Both Jack Herron and Adam Ayalew were there for Vantage Hoops, and with 32 courts under one roof it was impossible for them to see all of the action, but they did see a good amount of kids as Virginia had teams in the 17U Gold, 16U Platinum and 15U Platinum championship games. Here’s some of the top 2019 performers that Jack saw, and stay tuned to Vantage Hoops for all of the Pitt JamFest coverage you need!
Mike Christmas; 6’4” WF BWSL Chiz (16U): One of three freshmen that played up with BWSL Chiz, Christmas fundamentals are outstanding and he plays much bigger than his 6’4” frame. He can guard and play both forward positions, rebounds well and is becoming a three-level scorer with his improvement in his jump shot. He still has some work to do, but he’s a promising prospect.
Dajour Rucker; 6’5” WF BWSL Chiz (16U): The reclassed freshman was outstanding for Chiz, and presents a mismatch problem for any team he plays because he can bang inside with bigs and has great feel on the perimeter. He has a nice stroke from deep off the catch, can score in the middle on pull-ups and can finish around the rim. He has to get his body right, but his high motor and skill set bold well moving forward.
Ashley James; 5’11” PG BWSL Elite: One of the fastest guards at the entire tournament, James used his speed on both ends of the floor to make plays. In his first game, he finished with 10 steals, and the defensive pressure was seen all weekend. He also did a good job in transition making players commit and finding open teammates. He has to hone his craft, but James is intriguing moving forward.
Chase Coleman; 5’10” PG BWSL Chiz (16U): Much like his brother Matt, Chase loves playing the best competition and is an absolute rock at the point guard position. He doesn’t have the size or explosiveness of his brother, but he shares the same high IQ as him and can already shoot it with better range and consistency. Expect him to trend upwards, especially if he grows like his brother did.
DeArvae Heard; BWSL Graves: Heard was a mystery that we wanted to solve, as it was our first chance to see him play. The 6’3” two guard has a great frame, and he knows how to use it to fend off defenders and finish in the lane. He has a scorers mentality, and is always looking for his next shot. As he continues to play more, his IQ should reach the level of his ability and that will be a scary thing to watch.
Alex Fitch; Spectrum Wheeler (16U): One of the biggest surprises early in the summer has been the efficiency of Fitch, who’s playing up as a freshman with Spectrum’s 16U group. The 6’3” guard is deadly, and I mean deadly, from deep. He has a quick release, good footwork off screens and attacks closeouts well. He’s still growing, and once he fills out he should be able to score in the paint as well as he does on the perimeter.
Antonio Bridy; 6’0″ PG BWSL Graves: Talent wise, Bridy is at the top of his class. He’s a good sized PG with a natural feel for the game, and when he’s engaged he’s one of the hardest players on the court to stop. He can score it from all three-levels, has good vision and a knack for making plays. If he continues to work and makes good decisions on and off the court, he’ll be a high level prospect in a couple of years.
Tim Montgomery; 5’10” PG BWSL Elite: On a team loaded with guards, Montgomery impressed with his ability to get in the lane and consistently make the right play. A strong guard that can fight off contact, he was effective using his size and athleticism on both ends of the floor. As he grows into his body, expect to hear more from the young Virginia Beach guard moving forward.
Jamon Battle; 6’3” WF BWSL Elite: Battle, referred to as “Doc” by his teammates, showed versatility as he had to play multiple positions on his guard heavy team. Battle is an athletic wing that runs the floor and can finish above the rim. He can guard multiple positions, rebounds well and is a streaky, but effective, shooter. He has a chance to be a good division one prospect if he continues to work and develop as a player.
Oscar Tshiewebe; 6’8” PF WV Wildcats (16U): Like most of the Mount Mission players, Tshiewebe is a foreign exchange student that plays harder than anybody on the court. He’s a strong kid that moves well for his size and is explosive off of his feet. He rebounds the ball well, has good hands and plays as hard defensively as he does offensively. He’s still raw, but his ceiling is very high.