Most Intriguing Prospects: Whitney Young vs Simeon

Scott Burgess March 11, 2020 @ 09:15 PM

With all of the craziness going on in the sports world on Wednesday there was a sense of normal with Simeon vs Whitney Young meeting in the state tournament. These are two of the premier programs not only in Illinois, but nationally. Two legendary head coaches with trophy cases filled with hardware. Both squads are coming into the tournament hot at the right time. Early on it was a sloppy game as the two teams combined 5-25 from the field in the first quarter. Then it started to open up. Whitney Young made their move in the third quarter with a monster stanza to take home the win 68-54. Here are our Most Intriguing Prospects: Whitney Young vs Simeon!   [player_tooltip player_id="528833" first="DJ" last="Steward"] (Whitney Young – 2020) Big time players step up in big time games. [player_tooltip player_id="528833" first="DJ" last="Steward"] did that! The Duke commit completely took over the game in the third quarter. The silky smooth 6’3” combo guard had it all working especially his lethal pull up game from beyond the three point arc. Understands how to manipulate ball screens and get shots up behind them. NBA range on his shot. Hit three in a row then got a steal and transition layup for a bucket. Another area I thought he made a major impact was his rebounding. Consistently high pointed boards in traffic. Steward had 23 points.   [player_tooltip player_id="761145" first="Tyler" last="Beard"] (Whitney Young – 2020) The Georgetown commit set the tone in the first half for the Dolphins. Powerful combo guard was aggressive getting downhill with his burst where he was either fouled or finished at the cup. Excellent rebounder for a guard that snatched them in traffic. Passed it very well in the half court including several cross court passes for clean looks. Defensively he was aggressive and in the face of the Simeon guards. Had an impressive steal where he beat two Simeon players to ball and took it the other way for a score. Went for 13 points.   [player_tooltip player_id="920942" first="Grant" last="Newell"] (Whitney Young – 2021) It was a nice showing out of the top power forward in the 2021 class. Probably the most complete game we have seen him play in a Dolphins uniform. The 6’7” face up four showcased what makes him an intriguing prospect. Stretched the floor for a pair of threes displaying a fluid shooting stroke. Sealed his man off for a score in the high/low. Found a weakness in the defense and scored on a straight line drive. Defensively he showed he could move his feet and swatted a pair of shots. He had 10 points.   [player_tooltip player_id="939057" first="Dalen" last="Davis"] (Whitney Young – 2023) The freshman point guard has been known as a high IQ guard that plays well beyond his years. That was true in this game. He started and shined as a passer, scorer, and defender. Handled the pressure on the perimeter, got to the foul line, and hit some key shots. Defensively he caused havoc and even blocked a couple shots at his small stature. 13 points for the 2023 star in the making.   [player_tooltip player_id="765148" first="Ahamad" last="Bynum"] (Simeon – 2021) The Simeon Wolverines go to player was on point. He is already committed to DePaul. The Blue Demons are getting a big time scorer that can get buckets from all three levels. Came out very aggressive and stayed in that mindset throughout the contest. Big time pull up jump shot from three. Pulls up on a dime and has a knack for creating space with his handles or hesitation. Strong slasher that had several scores at the cup in both the half court and transition. Finished with 19 points.   [player_tooltip player_id="771517" first="Jaylen" last="Drane"] (Simeon – 2022) Drane struggled shooting it, but there is a lot to like with this top 5 2022 prospect. Athletic and wiry combo guard with size that is at his best using his plus handles to get to the rim. Did it several times for acrobatic conversions on his way to 9 points.   [player_tooltip player_id="925193" first="Avyion" last="Morris"] (Simeon – 2022) Morris is a quick point guard that has elevated his stock as a sophomore. Despite his lack of height he regularly gets in the lane for scoop shots or runners. He did that against Whitney Young recording 10 points.   [player_tooltip player_id="916689" first="Sincere" last="Callwood"] (Simeon – 2020) Callwood came off the bench for Simeon to provide some scoring up front. Quality area rebounder that should find a nice home at the small college level. He had 7 points.