Show Me Showdown: 2017 & 2018 Scouting
We evaluated the PrepHoops Show Me Showdown from gavel to gavel in St. Louis over the weekend. Now it is time to breakdown the scouting reports of the Illinois prospects in attendance. Here are our evaluations of the 2017 and 2018 players that participated.
2017
SF Robert Johnson (Hoops4Health 17U)
Johnson is an unsigned senior that has raised his stock in the post season with his play at the PrepHoops Camp in the spring and then has continued that into the travel team circuit season with Hoops4Health. He is a big bodied wing that plays with a good motor and is an active defender. Johnson showed in STL a consistent mid-range shot. D3/NAIA/JUCO’s should take a look here.
SG Marcellus Hornsby (Illinois T-Wolves 17U)
Hornsby is an uncommitted 2017 prospect from Joliet Central that is super bouncy and plays very hard. He is a great glue guy that gets to the glass and out in transition with his athleticism. Can hit an occasional three. Plus defender that gets after it on the perimeter. Hornsby would be a nice small college addition late in the process.
2018
C Skylar Kooyenga (Young & Reckless 16U)
Kooynega has great size at 6’9” with a strong frame and length that plays well on the defensive end. He flashed his potential back in the fall on the camp circuit and was primed for a breakout junior year. At Warren his coach barely played him for some reason. It was a frustrating year for the post. Next year he will be transferring to Woodstock Academy in Connecticut to play prep ball. He will have the option to be a 2018 or 2019 prospect there along with being able to develop his game. He is a strong presence inside that rebounds well and is best getting on the offensive glass for put backs. Does a nice job on the defensive end altering shots while not getting fouls called on him. Should be monitored by low-major schools.
SF Dontia Johnson (Hoops4Health 17U)
Johnson has great size at 6’7″ with a college frame and athleticism to match. Biggest thing with Johnson is being locked in every game and playing with a motor. He did that in the championship game especially early. Ran the floor with a purpose. Snatched rebounds. He was aggressive with the ball. Drilled a couple jumpers from mid-range. Also had a couple aggressive takes from the high post where he showed touch at the rim. Johnson drilled some clutch free throws late to seal the win. He has low-major potential, but D2’s should also monitor him heavily.
PG DeAndre Heckard (Hoops4Health 17U)
Heckard is the highest ranked prospect in this event from the state of Illinois. The top 10 2018 in-state prospect is one of the more heavily recruited lead guards in the state. Heckard is a big combo with broad shoulders, strength, and athleticism to match. He is a scoring point guard that has also made strides as a distributor over the past year. Explosive first step off the bounce allows him to get anywhere he wants of the floor. In the second game we saw him that is what he did. Attack downhill and get to the rim. Also has a crisp pull up jump shot that he can drill from 15 feet all the way out to three. He is shooting it with a lot more confidence. Crisp passer that at times can get a bit wild with it when his team is up a bunch. Gets to the line at a nice rate where he is effective with his free throws. Mid-major point guard prospect.
SG Eddie Creal (Hoops4Health 17U)
The Joliet West 2018 shooting guard put on a show in St. Louis! Creal is a strong and uber athletic wing that is best attacking the hoop off the bounce and in transition. Elite transition athlete that is one of the best wing finishers in the state. Quick gong off the dribble in the half court as well getting by his man especially on strong baseline drives. The aspect he has been working on the most is his jump shot and he certainly showed tremendous improvement in that area. Creal drilled catch and shoot threes all over the floor. Looked a lot more confident and let it fly free and easy. Low-major prospect that is also on the D2 radar.
PG Brian Conaghan (Hoops4Health 17U)
The point guard is the fiery force that flies a bit under the radar at times for Hoops4Health. Usually a big time shooter, he was just average shooting it in the games we evaluated. What he did better than we had seen in the past was pushing it in the open floor and showing more speed. Small college guard that will provide shooting and leadership at the D3/NAIA level.
SG Ryan Saunders (Hoops4Health 17U)
Saunders is a good sized and athletic wing from Joliet Central. He is a great glue guy that does the little things, but can also go off at times on a little scoring spurt. Displayed both of those areas in St. Louis. In one game he got hot from three drilling multiple off the catch. He played with a super high activity level in the championship game. Flew around grabbing rebounds and got on the offensive glass for second change opportunities for himself and others. Potential as a wing defender with lateral quickness. Saunders should be on D2 radar along with high level D3/NAIA schools.
SG Derrion Blakenship (Hoops4Health 17U)
This was Blakenship’s first event with Hoops4Heatlh. The 6’2” Joliet West guard impressed us with another team in Minnesota a few weeks back and continued that momentum into the final weekend of the spring. He is an athletic, rangy, and active two guard that excels best in transition. Plays with a lot of energy and reckless abandon in the open floor. Bouncy to get on the glass and hits an occasional jumper. Small college player with upside!
PF Joel Adese (KC Pacers 17U)
Adese is a 6’7” power forward from La Salette Academy that plays for the Missouri based travel team program KC Pacers. The central Illinois post jumped on our radar at the beginning of the spring at the PrepHoops Camp. He has broad shoulders and a strong build in his upper body. Physical player that runs the floor extremely hard and can score on occasion with a seal/score in the post. Solid rebounder and post defender. D2 prospect with low-major upside.
SF Ian Burns (KC Pacers 17U)
Burns also attends La Salette Academy in central Illinois. He is a 6’5” combo forward that is very athletic. He is bouncy and showed that getting out in transition and finishing above the rim for a couple nice dunks. Also mixed in a few mid-range jumpers. Projectable prospect that would be a nice high ceiling small college prospect. He has a 34 ACT and wants to major in engineering.
SG Don Joachim (D Up Elite 17U)
Joachim is a 6’0” shooting guard from Joliet Central. He is a plus pull up jump shooter that can also hit them off the catch. Puts a lot of arc on his jumper. Best right now as a perimeter shooter. Would like to see more development in his lead guard and passing skills to elevate his stock more. Small college prospect.
PG Darren Williams (D Up Elite 17U)
Williams teams up in the backcourt with his twin brother for D Up. His brother is the set up man while Darren looks to score. He was more effective on Sunday getting buckets. Williams is thin and wiry which allows him to get through traffic with his solid handles. He converted several tough finishes. Plays with reckless abandon. Small college prospect.
PG Derron Williams (D Up Elite 17U)
Williams is the twin that does most of the setting up and distributing for his team. He looks to get the ball to his brother and Joachim in positions to score. Thin and wiry guard that plays with a lot of heart. At times was a bit wild with the ball against pressure over the weekend. He has a few small colleges looking at him.
PG Michael Smith (Illinois T-Wolves 17U)
Smith is a scoring point guard at Joliet West that will have to take over more of a production and leadership role with the graduation of several key seniors that led them to one of the best seasons in school history. Smith started off a little slow in the first half of the game we evaluated, but did get in the lane a couple times for a pair of acrobatic finishes. With his team down a ton he put them on his back and took them as far as he could. Smith went off in the second half scoring in a variety of ways on tough drives where he converted at the rim through contact. Also started to get hot from three. This is what he is best known for from his junior year. Quality spot up shooter that is streaky at times, but can also get really hot from deep! He was exactly that in the STL including banking in a three to send the game to OT. Potential D2 scoring point guard.
SF Charles McKinney (Illinois T-Wolves 17U)
This 6’4” small forward has a ton of upside. Great size and length for the angular small forward. He is smooth with the ball in his hands slashing to the hoop with his long strides and handles it well in the open floor. Upside here, but he has a couple of weaknesses holding him back. Doesn’t play with a very high motor and struggles finishing at the rim. D2 prospect if he can improve in these areas.
SG Jayveon Owens (Illinois T-Wolves 17U)
Owens is a Joliet West 6’1” shooting guard with major athleticism. He had a couple of big time jams! Also showed he could shoot it a little off the catch. Small college prospect.
SG Justin Myers (Hoops4Health 16U)
Myers is a 6’1” slashing wing from Ridgeview High School. He is a bit wild at times on his drives, but is effective a majority of the time. Finishes well around the hoop. Small college player that played on the 16U Hoops4Health Orange squad that played up in the 17U division.