Jordan’s ChiTown Tip-Off 17U Standouts – Unsigned 2021s

<p>Last weekend, I was happy to get a moment out of the Florida sun and take a visit to the Windy City to watch some of the Midwest’s best teams duke it out at the Prep Hoops Circuit ChiTown Tip-Off. I spent 3 days at the Supreme Courts center right outside the city in Aurora, Illinois and watched a ton of great basketball. 18 players stuck out to me, and I will be breaking them down over my next few pieces. </p> <p>For starters, here are the 4 unsigned 2021 players who made an impact at the event.</p> <p><em>Note: All of these players play with 2022 teams, but are Class of 2021.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1105737" first="Nick" last="Pierre"], 6’3", SG, Round Lake HS/Full Package 2022</strong></p> <p>Pierre really showed out in his appearances this weekend. While Full Package struggled to put together wins in the Supreme Courts facility, Pierre was able to show out and caught the eye of scouts and coaches alike. His aggression on the court is evident every time he plays, and he was able to direct traffic in the half court and on the fast break. He’s a long and big guard that has a really good and under control physical skillset. His jumper is also deceptively good, and he’s able to light it up even after focusing his attention only on getting to the basket. He was a prolific scorer who was effective on that end of the floor. He has some work to do on the defensive end and needs to work on his IQ and shot selection, but overall, Pierre is an intriguing recruit for schools looking to fill a roster spot.</p> <p><strong>Christopher Jennings, 6’, HG, Bayview (WI)/Young Men on a Mission 2022</strong></p> <p>Jennings stood out amongst a Young Men on a Mission team who played hard all weekend. But, Jennings stood out amongst his teammates due to his composure on the floor. He was a collected, effective guard who fought hard for 32 minutes and had an explosive offensive game. Jennings led his team with 16 points in their Saturday matchup with Illinois Hoop Stars 2022 McAllister and was lighting up at the end of the game. Even when the team faced a large deficit, Jennings fought hard and was able to rattle off 11 points in the second half. He’s abnormally quick with a good feel around the rim and can even light it up from distance. He’ll fight hard on defense and can generate production on both ends of the floor.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994508" first="Jameer" last="Barker"], 6’2", CG, St. Catherine’s (WI)/Gallo Sports Center 2022</strong></p> <p>Barker was one of the most surprising prospects of the weekend. He looked like the best guy in the gym at any given moment and was absolutely electric in every game I watched. Barker put up 17 in his game against D.F. Elite on a variety display of 3 threes and 4 field goals. He is an explosive athlete who was able to get above the rim, both to finish and yam, if necessary. His game was crafty and was made even better because he could jump out of the gym. He is a lights out shooter as well who isn't afraid to pull up in the clutch and from anywhere on the floor. A well-built guard, he can take contact and muscle his way for rebounds and finishes. His work on the defensive end was evident as well and it was very hard to get by him. He’s one of the best prospects I watched this weekend and someone that coaches should keep an eye on. </p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="920949" first="Brian" last="Mathews"], 6’9", FC, DePaul Prep HS/Chicago Demons 2022-2</b></p> <p>Mathews was a mobile big man who was able to put points on the board whenever needed. A recent decommit from the University of Massachusetts, Mathews was back in action to try to find a new home after this season. His mobility and footwork were on display, showing how he can get to his spots with ease and finish on both sizable and smaller defenders. He is a decent free throw shooter and can finish on defenders from almost anywhere in the painted area. He’s a beefy forward who can really be hard to stop on the block. On defense, he’s got a good enough vertical to make him a shot-blocking problem and is a defensive anchor. He’s recovering from a hip injury that slowed down his defensive rotations, but he was able to get in the right spots when needed in order to contest shots. He’s a good late pickup for schools in need of a traditional, fundamental big man.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>