Hinsdale Central: Thursday Standouts
Day three of the holiday tournament week was spent at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic. Check out what prospects shined the most on Thursday!
SG Sean Jones (Homewood Flossmoor – 2018)
Jones broke out with his play at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic. The 6’2” guard is a scoring combo that got to the rim and converted around the hoop. Smooth with the ball in his hands attacking off the bounce. He had a great play where he stole the ball, went behind his back, and dunked it on the other end. Got to the charity stripe at a high rate where he converted 7-8. Jones had 22 points. He says he isn’t hearing from any schools at this stage. Should be on the small college radar.
SG Corinthian Fields (Westinghouse – 2018)
Fields is an undersized 6’0” shooting guard that can really shoot the basketball from the perimeter. Drilled an array of mid-range jumpers and also connected from three with a feathery looking shot. Clean form and consistent mechanics on his jumper. Also got on the offensive glass for a pair of put backs. He finished with 20 points. Small college senior.
SG Core’dell Lott (Urban Prep Englewood – 2020)
Lott looked like he was going to absolutely blow up on Thursday early. He kept Urban Prep-Englewood in the game and in fact got them ahead with his scoring prowess. The 6’0” sophomore combo is an athletic guard that can shoot it from three. Drilled a pair in the first half which got his team going. Volume scorer that couldn’t find that same touch in the second half. Finished with 14 points (5-11 FG). One to monitor.
PG Ahron Ulis (Marian Catholic – 2020)
Ulis showed why he is a D1 prospect as he was the best player on the floor in Marian Catholic’s victory. The 6’1” point guard was a maestro controlling the tempo and getting others involved. Made outstanding passes throughout the entire game in transition, but was especially impressive in the half court getting it to his teammates in position to succeed. Ulis is a very high IQ guard that has an advanced feel for the game. Seems to put passes on the money over and over with his electric vision. As a scorer he is best in the open floor using his speed to get to the rack. Also a capable three point shooter that works well shooting with the ball in his hands coming off screens. He is an active defender cutting passing lanes and putting pressure on the ball. Ulis had 13 points (5-9 FG), 9 dimes, and 4 steals. He is a prospect that D1 programs should start to get familiar with in the 2020 class.
G Malik Tidwell (Marian Catholic – 2019)
Tidwell is a 5’9” combo guard that is mostly known for his scoring. The strong and compact guard can shoot the rock from three especially off the catch. Finishes with strength through contact at the rim. He can grab a defensive board, go the length of the floor, and convert at the rim. Tidwell impressed us most with the growth in his passing. Best we have seen out of him in that aspect as he showed more point guard skills than we had seen in the past. He went for 14 points and 6 dimes. D2 prospect at this stage.
PF Pavle Pantovic (DePaul Prep – 2019)
Talk about a hot start to a game! DePaul Prep junior post Pavle Pantovic was scorching out of the gate against Stevenson. The 6’6” big man is a bit undersized, but plays with great strength and physicality on the block. His skill level really shows through as well. Scored at will with right and left handed hook shots early in their contest. Mixed in a couple baseline spins and then hit a shot at the buzzer to close the half. Quiet second half, but was a beast the first 16 minutes. The post finished with 14 points (6-7 FG) and 7 rebounds. D2 prospect that should also be considered by low-major schools.
SG Jackson Qualley (Stevenson – 2018)
Qualley was the player that got Stevenson back in the game against DePaul Prep. The 6’2” shooting guard is mostly known as a perimeter shooter. Hit one from deep, but overall struggled in that area. He got them back in the game driving and attacking the basket downhill. Qualley hit runners and got to the charity stripe. Went for 15 points and 8 rebounds. Small college player.
PF Tommy Gardiner (Maine South – 2018)
This 6’7” senior post made a big impact on the game especially early. Came away impressed with his size, strength, and mobility. He is quick around the basket and is a quality athlete showing that off on an alley-oop. Flashes to the basketball for scores and makes quick decisions. Flies around for rebounds. Gardiner had 12 points and 5 rebounds. Small college post prospect.
G Tyler Cochran (Bolingbrook – 2019)
Cochran was the best of the “Big Three” Bolingbrook guards in their quarterfinal victory. The powerful combo guard used his strength to get in the lane where he scored at will. Great converting in traffic as he plays physical in the paint. Dominated in the lane with layups, runners, and mid-range jump shots. Also got on the offensive glass for a pair of put backs. The D1 prospect had 22 points and 7 rebounds.
F Terrence Shannon (Lincoln Park – 2018)
Shannon came off the bench and was absolutely spectacular in the first quarter. Impressive looking prospect standing at 6’6” with long arms. He is a lefty that displayed deep range on his three point shot. Drilled 3-6 from beyond the arc. Elevation off the floor with a clean looking shot mechanically. Handles the ball well and can score off the bounce. Defensively he snatched rebounds, was mobile defending on the perimeter, and also swatted shots. He had 23 points (9-15 FG) and 6 rebounds. If he qualifies would be a potential low-major player, but might have to go the JUCO route. We will definitely keep tabs on him!
PG Chris Roberts (Lincoln Park – 2019)
We were pretty aggressive with Roberts ranking after seeing him in the spring and summer dominate getting to the rim whenever he wanted. We might have been too low on him at #23 currently. He has so much speed with the ball. Explosive burst getting to the rim where he finishes consistently with acrobatic layups. Over and over again he just takes it right at the defense, blows past them, and scores. Didn’t shoot a three, but he didn’t have to in this game. He went for 22 points (11-15 FG) and 4 assists. Mid-major programs should have him on their radar.
F Justin Hardy (St. Charles East – 2018)
Hardy is one of the better unsigned prospects on the board. The 6’5” senior combo forward is so tough and competitive. His jump shot has gotten very consistent over the last couple years. He hit 3-3 on his attempts from deep and we saw him drill multiple mid-range jumpers as well. Not the most explosive athlete, but he gets by with his craftiness, skill, and smarts. Hardy had 25 points (10-15 FG) and 5 assists. High academic D2 programs should be all over him!