Romeoville Live: JB’s Key Standouts
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Romeoville Live Shootout included numerous top prospects from all around the state of Illinois. Prep Hoops was there from Friday morning until Sunday evening covering highly anticipated matchups. Many athletes proved that they are worthy of playing at the collegiate…
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Continue ReadingRomeoville Live Shootout included numerous top prospects from all around the state of Illinois. Prep Hoops was there from Friday morning until Sunday evening covering highly anticipated matchups. Many athletes proved that they are worthy of playing at the collegiate level with outstanding performances. If your curious to see who exactly stood out throughout the weekend, look no further and continue reading about a few prospects in JB’s Key Standouts.
Ciaravino impressed many throughout the course of the weekend. The 6’6″ small forward is a three level scorer with a smooth shooting stroke. He has a strong ability to drive into the paint and finish through contact, or weave around defenders connecting on tough opportunities at the rim. Ciaravino added a little flare against Peoria by displaying a nice looking jump stop into an easy layup, leaving defenders dazed with no chance of contesting the shot. In the same game, he attracted two defenders along the perimeter, split the trap, and finished with a two-handed jam. He ended the game against Peoria with 20+ points and showed why he is ranked inside the top ten for the class of 2024. After the tournament, Ciaravino garnered more attention which led him in receiving offers from Bowling Green, Towson, and Illinois State.
Gill was an entertaining prospect to watch at Romeoville Live. His motor runs non-stop as he provides constant energy and hustle on both ends of the court. He possesses a high IQ for cutting hard, and back door cutting when his defender is over denying the passing lane. Gill is a prototypical slasher on offense as he makes it seem easy to knife through defenders. In scenarios where he was the main ball-handler, or received hand offs, he turned the corner tightly gaining an advantage over his defender. Plus, Gill has ability to elevate high when attacking at the rim, and he even showcased a quick spin move during dribble penetration. In addition to his elevation, he uses his long frame to follow up missed shots and snatch rebounds. As of now Gill is ranked #4 in the state for the class of 2025, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he sneaks into the top three with his stellar performances.
The best way to describe Boland is a fundamental point guard and floor general for Loyola Academy. He portrayed a crisp shooting stroke with a quick release. Against Curie, Boland started off slow with his shooting, but he didn’t show any frustration, he just kept shooting until finally entering into a rhythm. When he finds his touch, it’s difficult to contain Boland. He nailed multiple three’s versus Curie, one where he stopped-and-popped during a fast break. He displayed a bunch of quick crossovers that opened up enough space to knock down shots off the dribble. To compliment his shooting ability, Boland provided solid head and ball fakes that froze his defender, allowing him to drive and finish with a soft touch at the rim. Overall, he had a superb tournament weekend, and I’m excited to see him lead the Ramblers this upcoming season.
Highlights
Walls didn’t provide much scoring in an OT loss to Wendell Phillips, but it was his experience and leadership that helped DePaul Prep stay close in a back and forth competition. Over the course of the game he played with a high motor, hustling from end-to-end nearly every minute he was on the court. That hustle isn’t recored on stat sheets, but it’s a great deal during close contests. Walls attacked off the dribble with authority which provided him with scoring opportunities inside the key. His all-out energy on the defensive end disturbed Phillips ball-handlers, and he has a high IQ to smartly play passing lanes and provide beneficial help side defense. When momentum shifted in DePaul Prep’s favor, Walls knew how to take advantage. In the closing minutes, he knocked down his only three, but it came in a timely manner.
Highlights
Best was another prospect who caught my attention with his constant hustle and competitive spirit. He had a knack for securing position near the basket where he either snagged offensive rebounds, or flew in and kept the possession alive by tipping the ball loose. Best isn’t afraid to get on floor, as he displayed constant effort in fighting or diving for loose balls. On the defensive end, Best flies around with his head on swivel, getting his hands into passing lanes causing steals or deflections. He is an excellent spot-up, three point shooter as well. In the game against Peoria, Best naturally flowed around on offensive, creating open perimeter shot opportunities for himself where he calmly drained at least three triples, helping him total 12+ points.