Under-the-Radar Prospects: Evanston at Glenbrook South

<p>Glenbrook South beat CSL South rival Evanston 67-53 on Thursday, Jan. 30. The Titans moved to 20-3 overall and 7-0 in conference play. The Wildkits are now 20-3 and 6-1 in conference play.</p> <p>The teams are among the best in the northern suburbs and feature several <a href="https://prephoops.com/2020/02/top-prospects-evanston-glenbrook-south/">top prospects</a>. Here are six names that may be under-the radar but that you should know from that matchup.</p> <p><strong>Stevon Boyd (2020) | Glenbrook South</strong> </p> <p>Boyd injured his ankle against Niles West less than a week before this game, and his athleticism was much-needed against the Wildkits. He had just four points, but he grabbed nine rebounds, adding two assists and a steal. Listed at 6-0, 150 pounds, Boyd still more than held his own on the glass, grabbing several one-handed rebounds in a crowd of bigger players.</p> <p>Boyd didn't look to shoot from the outside, but he finished a strong hoop-plus-the-harm in the second quarter. He's got quick feet defensively, averaging more than 2.5 steals a game, and on the other end he zips one-handed passes to teammates all over the court. </p> <p><strong>Nick Martinelli (2022) | Glenbrook South</strong></p> <p>The younger brother of player-of-the-year candidate Dom Martinelli, Nick Martinelli wasn't even on the varsity team to start the season. He's now a key member of the rotation for one of the best teams in the state, and closed the game against Evanston.</p> <p>Through three quarters, he mostly made his presence felt on the defensive end, blocking two shots from behind on No. 10 Illinois 2020 prospect <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jaylin-gibson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jaylin-gibson/">Jaylin Gibson</a></a>. But in the fourth quarter as Glenbrook South pulled away, Martinelli scored five of his eight points. He added four rebounds for the game. He's already 6-4 and shoots 90 percent from the line. One college coach in attendance against Niles West the previous week told me Martinelli could end up an even higher-ranked prospect than his brother. High praise.</p> <p><strong>Danny Pauletto (2020) | Glenbrook South</strong> </p> <p>Against an athletic Wildkits team, Pauletto provided much-needed perimeter defense with a big wingspan, and he added some key baskets around the rim. Pauletto wasn't often looking for his own shot, but he scored all six of his points in the first half. On the wing, he was comfortable on the ball and was good at finding open cutters, adding a pair of assists.</p> <p>Where the 5-11 guard was particularly impressive was on the glass, where he added four rebounds. Much like Boyd, he went up in traffic and grabbed key misses in big moments. The pair had seven total boards in the fourth quarter as the Titans pulled away.</p> <p><strong>Justin Leszynski (2021) | Glenbrook South</strong> </p> <p>Leszynski has done a little bit of everything for Glenbrook South this season. He leads the team in assists and blocks, and adds five points per game on just over 60 percent shooting. Against Evanston, he played more of a supporting role, but he's 6-5 and strong, and he looks calm and collected in big moments.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/elijah-bull/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/elijah-bull/">Elijah Bull</a></a> (2021) | Evanston</strong> </p> <p>Bull, who played for Niles North last season, plays a key role for the Wildkits. While Gibson, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/isaiah-holden/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/isaiah-holden/">Isaiah Holden</a></a> and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/blake-peters/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/blake-peters/">Blake Peters</a></a> score the bulk of the points, Bull provides much-needed defense on top opposing wings. Against Glenbrook South, this meant hounding sophomore standout Cooper Noard. Bull pressured him full court repeatedly in the first half, playing a big part in Noard's three first-half turnovers. Glenbrook South coach Phil Ralston was forced to make a change, using <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/dominic-martinelli/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/dominic-martinelli/">Dominic Martinelli</a></a> to bring the ball up the court.</p> <p>Bull is currently listed as Illinois No. 79 prospect in 2021. He's quick and strong with active hands. If he can take on more as an offensive player, he has the potential to climb the rankings. </p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/daeshawn-hemphill/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/daeshawn-hemphill/">Daeshawn Hemphill</a></a> (2021) | Evanston</strong> </p> <p>Hemphill is the fifth junior starter for Evanston and currently the No. 98 prospect in Illinois for 2021. Similar to Bull, he plays a supporting role on the offensive end, finishing with four points against Glenbrook South.</p> <p>Standing 6-2, compared to Bull who's listed at 5-10, and Hemphill often is asked to bang with bigger players. His on-ball strength forced a turnover in the backcourt, which Hemphill turned into a layup despite a lot of contact.</p> <p><strong>Rashawn Bost (2022) | Evanston</strong> </p> <p>One of Evanston's key bench players is sophomore Rashawn Bost. He hit a key three and added an assist last week against Bloom in a major win. Against Glenbrook South, he went 0-for-2 from the arc. Where he made his impact was on the defensive end, playing key minutes on Noard and Boyd. Bost has long arms and a good frame for a guard. It'll be interesting to see his growth as he continues to get minutes in big games.</p>