Sunday Open Run: Steve’s Standouts

<p>A coalition of basketball trainers got together on Sunday and decided to have an open run for some of the better players the state of Illinois has to offer. The run consisted of players from all classes showing off what their trainers have added to improve their games. Here are some of the top players from Sunday’s Run. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="765153" first="Louis" last="Lesmond"]  (Niles Notre Dame – 2021)</strong></p> <p>The Harvard Commit was very bouncy on Sunday. Lesmond is very fluid in his motion had a good day as he used a combination of length and timing to come up with several steals that led to flashy dunks. Louis showed his range and he made multiple three pointers from the NBA line. His motor to keep possessions alive didn’t go unnoticed as he reads the ball well off the rim and taps the ball to himself or teammates. Lesmond continues to prove why he’s a top player in PHI rankings </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="925224" first="Nick" last="Martinelli"] (Glenbrook South – 2022)</strong></p> <p>I don’t have any more words to describe Martinelli. Every time I see him play he’s just consistent at reading what the defense gives him and he makes good plays out of it. Nick gets to the rim using his stellar knowledge of the game and great footwork around the rim. He finishes with either hand so he often throws defenders off. Martinelli connected with [player_tooltip player_id="1048712" first="Tavari" last="Johnson"] a couple times on alley opp dunks showing off his athleticism. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1048712" first="Tavari" last="Johnson"] (Lyons Township – 2022)</strong></p> <p>Johnson has long arms and is shifty with the ball.  He can find guys all over the court. Tavari maybe the state’s best kept secret still since he hasn’t played a minute for his varsity team. The lead guard does damage off ball screens. It helps him get in the lane and make things happen for himself and teammates.  Johnson didn’t shoot many shots in the runs but he did get to the rim several times to finish layups. Johnson will be one of the players to track over this spring AAU season.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="939056" first="Bryce" last="Coleman"]  (St. Rita – 2023)</strong></p> <p>Coleman is that player that continues to show potential in his game. Bryce played well in that mid post area having the ability to attack off the dribble or knocking down 15 footers when defenders drop off him. Coleman at times snatches rebounds and takes the ball the length off the court. He is so heady for his age and even if he didn’t complete all of his plays you can tell he will become more consistent in the near future. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="863594" first="Xavier" last="Lewis"] (TF South – 2022)</strong></p> <p>Xavier showed a lot in his game Sunday. It started on defense by rejecting several shots including one off the backboard that even caught the players on his team by surprise. Lewis’ biggest improvement was his touch from the high school three point line and a few steps inside the arc. This part of his game can open driving lanes which allows him to become even more versatile on the court. Xavier has a good face up game that will continue to evolve if he’s hitting shots on a consistent basis. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Jonah Hinton  (Naperville Central  - 2022)</strong></p> <p>Hinton was definitely one of the better defenders in the gym. He beat guys with his feet to detour them from getting in the lane. His will to slow guys down never wavered anytime he was on the court. On offense he did a good job at handling pressure and ran through his team plays correctly.  Would like to see him grow as a scoring threat more. Seems weird to say in open gym setting but Hinton plays winning basketball and he displayed that on Sunday.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="925184" first="Damari" last="Wheeler-Thomas"]  (Larkin – 2022)</strong></p> <p>Damari was another player who got after it with defense first. He played passing lanes well throughout the day getting numerous steals just getting a hand in lanes and anticipating bad passes. Thomas has quick hands and before you know it he can have the ball in his hands getting a layup with the quickness. Damari plays hard every time I see him. He sets up his teammates well when he’s the lead guard and off screens he can get explosive and get to the rim. He showcased these things in several of the games he played. Thomas speed and change of pace sets him apart from the guards in his class and as his shot continues to improve there is no doubt in my mind he will start getting attention from colleges. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1106946" first="Will" last="Grudzinski"]  (Barrington – 2022)</strong></p> <p>My first time seeing Will and I was impressed at his motor on the court. He was constantly around the ball doing little things to get guys open or keep possessions alive after missed shots. Grudzinski showed his range as he made a couple three pointers in the run. Will projects to me as a prospect who can make a name for himself in the mid- range game and colleges will be calling for sure. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="863585" first="Xavier" last="Amos"] (Whitney Young – 2022)</strong></p> <p>Amos had a nice showing towards the end of the session. He is long forward that has the ability to do multiple things on both sides of the ball, but we didn’t get to see most of that until the runs were almost done. Xavier made a some put backs and hit a jumper or two. I don’t know if he just wasn’t familiar with most of the guys but I think he could have been just a little bit more aggressive. He did get a steal on the other side of the court and drove it coast to coast for the layup. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Dylan Schmidt (Johnsburg – 2023)</strong></p> <p>Another first for me was seeing Dylan play. He is a bouncy guard who can beat you multiple ways. Schmidt did a great job at getting to the rim with straight line attacks. He doesn’t play with the ball much at all. Another good part of his game is Dylan can find guys open even with a full head of steam when attacking.  He plays with good energy and there is more to be seen with his game continuing to improve. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="863601" first="Gabe" last="Madej"]  (Fenwick – 2022)</strong></p> <p>The long range sniper was back at it. Gabe is a shot maker and it doesn’t take much room for him to get his shot off. What I like the most about Madej is that he doesn’t settle for the three. He can catch in the corner, make a strong drives, and finish at the rim. Gabe also does a great job at battling on the boards in tight crowds. Madej should catch the eyes of coaches looking for a stretch forward this spring.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>I would like to thank the trainers Dave Aldape, Zac Boster, Sam Franklin, Stan Boateng and Clay Hendrickson for inviting me out to see this good collection of players.  You guys do a great job with those young men!</em></p>