Roundball Classic: Session 1 Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After not being held in 2020. Then following a somewhat modified schedule due to the “omicron” variant. The storied Motor City Roundball Classic returned in full force for 27th iteration. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was refreshing to hear event organizer TJ Kelly implore spectators to find a seat as it was a standing room only crowd at Ferndale High School. I attended six of the seven scheduled games. For the purposes of brevity I'll break up the schedule into two sessions. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Following are standouts from games 2-4. Games 5-7 coming shortly. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaquan</strong> <strong>Stennis</strong> <strong>6</strong>-<strong>7</strong> <strong>2026</strong> <strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Redford</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> Made a strong case on a big stage for the top spot in the 2026 rankings. Got off to a bit of a slow start but really got going in the second half. Stayed mostly in the post for the first half. Establishes deep position and plays with strength that belies his wiry frame. Is an elite athlete with a quick second jump. Used it to be a factor on the offensive glass. In the second half started to stretch his game out to the perimeter. Length allowed him to deploy a huge euro step to get around defenders without fouling. Also showed enough ball handling to run the point when needed. I was impressed with his initiative after Imaly City closed the margin late. Wanted the ball in his hands and converted a few key late buckets. Shot it well from the line. Which is good because he is going to draw fouls. Finished the game off with a dunk. Impressive performance for prospect with a significant amount of long term upside. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Derrick</strong> <strong>Kilgore</strong> <strong>Jr</strong> <strong>6</strong>-<strong>0</strong> <strong>2026</strong> <strong>Detroit</strong> <strong>Old</strong> <strong>Redford</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> While Stennis took a bit to get going. Kilgore was ready to go from the jump. Has tight handle that allows him to get to his spots easily on the perimeter. Once there has excellent elevation on a textbook jumper. Powerfully built guard with a sturdy frame. Finished through contact on more than one occasion. Not just a scorer. Was a good post entry passer who found Stennis often near the basket. Plays with a uncommon maturity. Didn't panic when the game tightened late. The future of the Raven program is extremely bright with this prospect at the helm. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1411857' first='Omar' last='Suleiman'] <strong>6</strong>-<strong>5</strong> <strong>2023</strong> <strong>Canton</strong> <strong>(pictured) </strong>The Lake Superior St commitment showed what earned this offer in leading Canton to a win over a competitive and big Walled Lake Western squad (see below) Didplayed a unique and versatile offensive game throughout the contest. Has a confident and smooth release from beyond the arc. Might need to speed it up a bit at the next level. Dropped a few runners from odd angles that made them impossible to block. Is a good enough ball handler and passer to effectively initiate offense. Long arms help him play bigger than his listed height. Finished with 14 points but it felt like more. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1140330' first='Dylan' last='Smith'] <strong>6</strong>-<strong>7</strong> <strong>2024</strong> <strong>Walled</strong> <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Western</strong> While teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1130665' first='Wil' last='Ludwig'] got off to a blistering start from the perimeter. Smith's game started to show as the game slowed down and moved to the block. Did this by showing excellent footwork and tight space agility. Especially apparent in two explosive spin moves down the perimeter. Showed the strength to finish through contact despite not having the thickest frame. Has a soft touch around the basket. Aided by big hands that allows him to easily control the ball. Length makes him a long strider who covers a lot of space defensively. If the perimeter game catches up to the post attack. Could really see his recruiting take off. Simply has that much physical potential. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1223488' first='Ayden' last='Davis'] <strong>6</strong>-<strong>9</strong> <strong>2024</strong> <strong>Onsted</strong> The most impressive overall team from the early games was perhaps the Wildcats. They stayed undefeated with a convincing victory over Plymouth. Leading the way for the balanced attack was their most high profile player. Owned the paint finishing with a double double of 13 points and 15 rebounds. Due to the margin of the game. Basically did it in about three quarters. Didn't do this against a overmatched or small frontline. For one of the few times this year (probably the only) Posted this line against a prospect with more size than himself. Plymouth featured a seven footer in [player_tooltip player_id='1650583' first='Kelvin' last='Amoako']. Beyond the offense. Davis displayed elite rim protection. Was explosive off his feet and contested without fouling. Also showed lateral quickness you would not expect from his thick frame. Good hands that you simply can't coach. Really showed the full package. Trending towards being one of the top prospects statewide in the 2024 class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->