Highland Shootout: 2020 Illinois Evaluations

The Highland Shootout was held this past weekend and the 29th Annual might have been the best yet! It was sold out for seven straight games with an awesome atmosphere and high level play on the court. Here we breakdown the prospects at the event with Highland Shootout: 2020 Illinois Evaluations!   Luke Cox (Triad – 2020) Cox is a 6’4” shooting guard that is a natural bucket getter. The Triad senior came out firing and never stopped all day long! Cox connected on an array of threes to open up with a smooth and fluid release. He then began to score off the bounce. Quick and aggressive moves to the hoop. Pretty decent athlete that has crisp handles. Missed a few bunnies, but overall was fantastic scoring it. Also rebounded very well for a wing. He went for 31 points (12-29 FG) and 11 rebounds. Small colleges should be all over him!   Kile Crook (Triad – 2020) This 5’11” point guard put his name on the map with his perimeter marksmanship. Crook went 3-10 from beyond the arc hitting three triples that helped pace Triad to a win. Finished with 9 points.   Nate Winslow (Triad – 2020) Winslow is an undersized four man at 6’4” that brings physicality and toughness to the table. Finished well around the hoop. Sealed off his man for buckets. Tough rebounder especially on the offensive end. He had 12 points (4-5 FG) and 5 rebounds.   Caleb Zurliene (Breese Mater Dei – 2020) Zurliene is headed to Purdue Northwest as one of the highest ranked D2 recruits in the state. He flashed his D1 ability at the Highland Shootout. Excellent size and length on the wing. Big time athlete that got up for a pair of monster jams in the half court. Didn’t shoot it as well as he usually does, but it was his scoring off the bounce that was impressive. He had 13 points and 6 rebounds.   Jacob Schadegg (Breese Mater Dei – 2020) Schadegg is a scoring point guard that is headed to McKendree as a walk-on. The 5’10” lead guard is absolutely tough as nails. Excellent leader on the floor! He can also really shoot it from deep! Schadegg went 6-12 from beyond the arc for 18 points. Super confident shooting it every time the ball touches his hands. Also contributed on the glass well for his position with 8 rebounds.   Ray’Sean Taylor (Collinsville – 2020) The SIU-Edwardsville commit was spectacular as always! Taylor continues to lead his team to a 17-0 start to the season and has firmly put himself in the Mr. Basketball conversation. Taylor is a dynamic scorer off the bounce that took it right at Desmet’s high-major shot blockers. He has a burst with the ball in his hands and is so crafty getting the ball up on the glass before the help comes. His knack for finishing at the cup at a high rate was truly impressive. Struggled shooting it from deep hitting only 1-8. Gets on the glass with a quick second jump. Sound passer that makes quality decisions as a passer including a dish for the game winning three. Defensively he gets after it with his active hands and often takes steals the other way for scores. He had 26 points (10-27 FG), 8 rebounds, 5 dimes, and 6 steals.   Cawhan Smith (Collinsville – 2020) Smith hit one of the biggest shots of the day! The defense collapsed on a Taylor drive with the clock running down and Smith was waiting in the corner. He let it fly from the corner and drilled it for the win and to continue Collinsville’s undefeated season. What he did defensively was very impressive. Smith though only 5’9” is an absolute pit bull at the point of attack. He pressures the ball and gets steals. Sound jump shooter especially from three where he went 3-3. Smith went for 17 points. Small colleges should jump on him!   Keydrian Jones (Collinsville – 2020) Jones is a big man at 6’6” that has slimmed down since the summer. Wide bodied post that will be a nice small college player. He had a very quiet game in the scoring department. He did grab 4 rebounds in their win.   Jeremiah Williams (Simeon – 2020) Williams played with the most confidence we have seen him this season. The 6’5” wing was aggressive throughout playing hard and taking quality shots. Drilled multiple pull up jumpers from inside the arc getting good elevation. Smooth take he finished with a euro step. Crashed the glass with some authority especially on the defensive end. Finished with 12 points (5-10 FG) and 6 rebounds. One of the better unsigned prospects still on the board in Illinois.   DJ Steward (Whitney Young – 2020) Epic performance for the Duke commit in Steward’s battle with his future ACC rival. High level shot making from all around the floor throughout the night for Steward. Hit several deep feathery three point shots. Moves well without the ball to get open and transfers catch to shot easily. Then took it to the rack on slippery drives where he finished extremely well at the cup not missing a single shot inside the paint all night. That included the biggest one of the night to take the lead and tie the Highland Shootout scoring record. Steward had 40 points (14-20 FG) and 3 dimes in Whitney Young’s victory.   Tyler Beard (Whitney Young – 2020) The uncommitted Beard did his part in the Dolphins victory. The biggest was on the defensive end in the second half tightening up things on Caleb Love who went off in the first half. That was huge in giving Whitney Young a chance at a comeback. Beard was also confident on the offensive end knocking down several mid-range jumpers and powerful takes on his drives to the cup. Threw down a big alley-oop off a Steward lob. The top 10 senior also passed it very well we thought finding his teammates mostly the Duke commit in situations to succeed. He had 13 points and 4 assists.   Elliot Sieger (Whitney Young – 2020) Sieger started off slow with a turnover, but then had several key plays including hitting a big three for the Dolphins. The role player for Whitney Young did the little things getting on the glass from his guard spot and was solid on the defensive end. Stat line was 7 points (3-6 FG), 4 rebounds, and 3 steals.   Sangolay Njie (Whitney Young – 2020) Njie didn’t do much offensively other than a put back, but he showed why he would be a nice get at the D2 or small college level. Physical rebounder on both ends of the floor that also came up with the biggest block of the night on a three at the end of their game. Went for 2 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks.