Ramey Shootout: Illinois Evaluations

The 2017 Ramey Midwest Showdown Shootout this past weekend at Webster Groves High School featured some of the best talent in both Illinois and St. Louis.  PrepHoops was in the house to evaluate prospects all day.  Here are our evaluations of the Illinois prospects at the event.   PG DeAndre Heckard (Romeoville – 2018) Heckard is a 6’2” point guard that really impressed us with his play this past summer on the circuit for Hoops4Health.  We have seen him twice and each game the #10 prospect in the state has looked solid, but far from dominant.  Heckard was a complete non-factor in the first half of their game against Parkway Central.  In the second half he showed why we are so high on his ability at the next level.  Heckard came out aggressive in the third quarter drilling three mid-range jumpers and also hit a three off the catch.  Fairly consistent shooter from 15-18 feet.  Finished with 11 points.  Should be on the low-major radar for teams looking for a combo guard.   SG Eddie Creal (Romeoville – 2018) Creal stands 6’3” with a strong frame and plus athleticism.  He had a slow start to the game, but got into it as the game went along.  Got a transition score and a huge dunk off a back cut.  Didn’t do much in the way of creating his own shot off the bounce in this game.  He has improved as a shooter, but is still fairly streaky.  Drilled a pair including one pulling up.  Finished with 11 points.  Low-major/D2 borderline guy.   PF Dontia Johnson (Romeoville – 2018) Johnson was phenomenal last weekend at the Team Rose Shootout in Chicago.  He was dominant on the glass and finished strong around the cup.  Wasn’t much a factor for big portions of this game offensively.  The 6’7” forward did do a solid job on the glass snatching boards in traffic.  Starting to show some more consistency in that area.  Offensively he can be loose with the ball and didn’t finish at the hoop consistently.  He had a key and-1 late in the game.  Upside prospect that could be worth a look at the D2 level, but might be best as a developmental project at a JUCO.  He has the talent, but you just have to get it all the time.  He had 7 points.   PG Kahlil Blakney (Romeoville – 2018) Blakeney is an athletic 5’11” point guard that flashes his bounce from time to time.  The lefty had a nice and-1 finish at the cup and drilled a pull up jumper.  Finished with 6 points.  Small college point guard that could find a role at that level.   SG Destin Whitaker (Romeoville – 2020) Whitaker played the best game we have seen out of him in his young career.  He has the physical tools at 6’4” with length and athleticism.  His jump shot is his biggest weapon.  In this game that was on point.  He has a quick release on his shot and gets tons of elevation off the floor both off the catch and pulling up.  Seems when he hits his first shot or two it gives him a lot of confidence.  Potential on the defensive end getting steals and blocking an occasional shot.  He had 11 points.  Should be on the D1 radar.   SG Isaiah Barnes (Romeoville – 2021) Early in the day the breakout performer was this freshman.  Last week at the Team Rose event he barely saw the floor.  A week later he might have been the best player on the floor.  The shooting guard has good size and projectability.  He really shoots the basketball well from beyond the arc.  Let it fly from deep drilling three triples.  Handles the ball well and is a solid passer for a wing.  The freshman went for 11 points.  One that we will continue to track.  He had 11 points.   PG Chris Pugh (Bloomington – 2018) Pugh is a 6’3” combo guard that is more of a scorer than distributor.  He is quick twitched and likes to slash to the rim.  Showed that multiple times including a strong baseline take.  Can get hot from three, but in this game just hit one from beyond the arc.  He had 11 points.  Pugh is a small college or JUCO prospect.   PG Patrick Fisher (Bloomington – 2018) Fisher is a player that impressed us over the summer with the Illinois Wolves taking over some of the lead guard duties.  For Bloomington the 6’1” floor general brings a calming force at the point.  Controls the pace and gets others involved.  Not a freakish athlete, but is a good one.  He scores getting in the lane where gets buckets in the paint.  Can hit an occasional pull up jumper.  He had 17 points.  Small college prospect.   SF Tyler Washington (Bloomington – 2018) Washington has impressed us the two times we have seen him this year.  The 6’4” wing is super bouncy around the hoop being active on the glass and has potential to be a nice defender at the next level.  He hit a pair of threes off the catch showing nice rotation on his shot.  Three and D potential at the next level for a small college program.  He had 12 points.   F Rayquon Fuller (Bloomington – 2018) Fuller impressed with his toughness, energy, and athleticism.  He is a combo forward at 6’5” that gets after it on the offensive glass.  Quick second jump.  Also powerful finishing inside on quick drives down the lane.  Finished well through contact.  He had 14 points.  Upside small college prospect that will do the little things.   PF Chris Payton (Bloomington – 2019) Payton continues to elevate his stock as a junior.  The 6’7” power forward was a monster on the interior for Bloomington.  He has a tremendous combination of raw strength and freakish athleticism.  Payton was very aggressive every time he touched the ball making quick moves for scores.  Most of the time he converted dump off passes or got on the glass for put backs.  Also showed some skill including a shot fake and improved footwork around the cup.  Several huge transition dunks that had the crowd buzzing.  Defensively he was a force blocking shots at a high rate.  Outstanding timing coming out of nowhere to swat shots.  Rebounded well in traffic snatching boards with his strong hands.  He had 22 points.  Illinois State got a game changer in the MVC.   PF Raekwon Drake (Orr – 2018) Drake might have played the worst game we have seen him in four years a week ago at Team Rose event.  He followed that up a week later with perhaps the best performance we have ever seen out of the 6’5” power forward.  Drake was a man among boys on the floor against Hazelwood Central.  He came out aggressive from the start and didn’t let up.  What makes him such an intriguing prospect is his never ending motor and elite athleticism.  Both were on display.  Drake finished with power inside on monster dunks and finished through contact over and over.  So quick twitched in paint.  Flashed the skill that we saw this summer with Team Rose hitting a top of the key three and another mid-range jumper.  Those will never be his strengths, but it is a complimentary thing that will allow him to open other avenues up at the next level.  He was an absolutely dominate force on the glass securing rebounds.  He might have been even better blocking shots as he blocked and altered tons during the game.  Drake finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks.  He only has two offers on the table.  That needs to change.  Could make an impact at the mid-major level as a junk yard dog.   SF Dannie Smith (Orr – 2018) Smith has been the most consistent threat for Orr in the two games we have seen this season.  The 2018 6’5” small forward has good size and strength on the perimeter.  He knows what kind of player he is and what his strengths are.  First he is a tough junk yard dog wing that will stick his nose in on the glass and rebound.  Attacks well off the bounce with power finishing through opponents in the paint.  Catch and shoot threat from beyond the arc.  Really become a plus threat from deep this year.  Also when the game is on the line he will post up weaker defenders and pound them back to the basket for a score.  He had 19 points.  Low-major prospect that D2’s and JUCO’s should also consider.   PG Chase Adams (Orr – 2018) Adams was phenomenal a week ago in the best game of his entire career.  He showed flashes against Hazelwood Central.  The Missouri squad has some lockdown defenders, but Adams still managed to get loose a few times for his go to pull up mid-range jumper.  Likes to set up his man with combination dribbles or crossovers to create separation then stop and pop from 15-18 feet.  Passes the ball crisply especially in the half court.  Pesky defender that pressures the ball.  He had 15 points.  Adams has played well with his new team and has earned a bump in his status as he should definitely be a guy that D2 schools look at and start pursuing.   SG Emanuel O’Neal (Orr – 2018) O’Neal is kind of the unsung glue guy for Orr.  He does a little bit of everything for the Spartans.  In this game the senior wing had a couple athletic slashes, got to the charity stripe, and hit the glass well for his position.  Finished with 6 points.  Small college prospect.