CBG ECE 24 Wing Standouts
The Commonwealth Basketball Group put together their East Coast Elite 24 Camp, which brought together some of the top prospects from across the east coast to train with and compete against each other for college coaches on a live stream.…
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Continue ReadingThe Commonwealth Basketball Group put together their East Coast Elite 24 Camp, which brought together some of the top prospects from across the east coast to train with and compete against each other for college coaches on a live stream. The event brought together players from NJ, PA, MD, WV, DC, VA, NC and SC, and was a super high level and talented event with kids that were eager to compete and play hard against each other.
There wasn’t a dud in the group, and here we take a look at the top wings from the event.
Tyrell Ward Tyrell Ward 6'7" | SF DeMatha | 2022 State #56 Nation MD | 6’6” | DeMatha (MD) 2022
Ward set the tone early in the event, as he played in the first game and came out on fire as he showed the complete package at his size as far as scoring, rebounding and making the right play consistently. A nationally ranked wing that has really come on in the last couple of years, Ward is a complete and all-around wing that is athletic and brings it on both ends, he can score in a number of ways whether he’s on or off the basketball and has three level scoring ability when he gets it going. He needs to fill out moving forward but he has all the tools to play at the highest level moving forward, and at the rate he’s improved over the past few years he has a chance to be an all-league guy one day. His first game was unreal as he was 9-for-12 from the field and 3-for-5 from deep scoring 22 points to go along with 4 rebounds and 3 assists, and he finished the camp averaging 16.5 points and 4.5 assists per game.
Darren Buchanan | 6’6” | Woodrow Wilson (DC) 2022
Buchanan is one of those players that’s just on the verge of being a nationally ranked, everyone offers type of player, and from his showing at the ECE 24 I’d say it could happen this summer when he’s playing with Team Durant. He’s an extremely strong wing with great energy and a good motor, he’s a walking mismatch that can play on the perimeter or in the post against smaller wings and he’s versatile as he can score it, rebound and make plays for others. He plays the game the right way and even in a camp setting was one of the best competitors in the building. He finished the camp averaging 11.5 points per game and was one of the most efficient guys in attendance shooting 77% from the floor and 60% from deep.
Alphonzo Billups Alphonzo Billups 6'7" | SF Varina | 2022 State #154 Nation VA | 6’7” | Varina (VA) 2022
Billups is one of the guys I have seen the most in the camp as he’s right out of Richmond and played in almost all of the CBG events this fall and winter, and over the last three or four of them I’ve seen him start to turn the corner and he proved he’s one of the best in the region as he was fantastic throughout the ECE 24. The long and versatile wing showed an improvement in his ability to make shots from deep, he showed his playmaking ability off the bounce and his athleticism with his ability to finish above the rim and rebound on both ends. He was much more aggressive to score than I’ve seen him in the past, and when he’s making shots he’s so tough to guard because of his ability to put it on the deck and use his length to score at the rim and shoot the pull-up. He was one of the top scores in the camp, averaging 16.5 points per game.
Justin Taylor Justin Taylor 6'5" | SG IMG Academy | 2022 State #156 Nation FL | 6’6” | STAB (VA) 2022
Taylor came in as one of the highest ranked prospects in the camp, and he’s known as one of the premier shooters on the east coast with prototypical size for the next level. Well, Taylor didn’t shoot it very well from deep, but instead of just giving in he took the opportunity to show that he’s molded himself into much more than just a shooter, as he showed the ability to play in transition and finish above the rim, as well as his ability to be a secondary ball handler as well. Taylor has good feel on both ends of the floor, and showed the ability to change direction and create space with his crossover regularly, and he played with great energy running the floor and playing hard the entire time he was in the game. He finished the camp averaging 13.5 points per game and shot 56% from the field despite making only one three-pointer the whole time.
Jaden Daughtry Jaden Daughtry 6'6" | SF Benedictine College Prep | 2022 VA | 6’5” | LC Bird (VA) 2022
Daughtry came into the event as one of those guys that’s just on the verge of receiving the higher level looks and scholarships as some of the other guys, and he showed that more schools need to be involved with him moving forward with his mix of size, athleticism and high motor. Daughtry is a big wing that can put it on the deck and get downhill, and he thrives when he stays 15 feet and in and uses his motor to hit the offensive glass and he always has a knack for being around the basketball. He has a good base skillset that should continue to get better with time, and he showed he can compete on both ends with some of the best in the area. He had a great first game going for 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, showing all of his versatility.
James Patterson James Patterson 6'5" | SG Carmel School | 2022 State VA | 6’4” | Carmel School (VA) 2022
Patterson was possibly the most unknown guy in the camp outside of the Richmond area, as he was the only player in the camp without a division one offer. However, he came in ready to compete and show that he belongs, and he showed everyone why he deserved to be in the camp and deserves to be recruited at the division one level. He has a great frame and plays with a good motor, he has quick hands and good feet on the defensive end and he’s a hard nosed athletic wing who stays in attack mode and has a solid skillset that continues to improve every time he steps on the floor. He finished the camp averaging 6 points, 3.5 assists and 4 rebounds and led the camp with 2.5 steals per game.
Shawn Simmons | 6’6” | Life Center Academy (NJ) 2023
Simmons came down from Philly with a couple of other guys from that area, and we knew he was a nationally ranked player in the 2023 class but we weren’t quite expecting the big time performance that we got from him throughout the day. Simmons is long and athletic, has a skillset that includes the ability to shoot it from deep and post smaller wings, he’s an athletic freak that finishes well above the rim regularly and the scariest part about it is that he’s just scratching the surface with how good he can really be! He can play on the ball and create shots but really thrives off the ball where he’s constantly moving and understands when to cut, float or spot up, and he’s extremely efficient with his touches when he’s locked in. He led the camp in scoring at 20.5 points per game, and he shot 60% from the field and 57% from deep.
Steve Stinson | 6’3” | Trinity Episcopal (VA) 2023
Stinson was one of the local guys who came to the event, and while he doesn’t have quite the name recognition as some of the bigger guys he still showed plenty of grit and skill to his game. He’s an all-around wing who can play on or off the ball, he’s a big time rebounder for his size and he has a great feel to his game on both ends of the floor that makes him an impact guy in many ways. As he continues to grow and get better, expect him to build on an already impressive set of offers that he has a young prospect.