Chi-Town Showcase: Steve’s Standouts
In this article:
Saturday morning Prep Hoops Illinois was in Chicago’s west loop area at one of the premier rooftop gyms in the nation for the Chi-Town Showcase presented by Xposure Runs. At the event 40 players were invited and in this article…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingSaturday morning Prep Hoops Illinois was in Chicago’s west loop area at one of the premier rooftop gyms in the nation for the Chi-Town Showcase presented by Xposure Runs. At the event 40 players were invited and in this article we discuss the standout players from the event.
Lathan Sommerville (Peoria Richwoods) 6’10
The Rutgers big man came to Chicago and walked out with a tournament MVP. Lathan was dominant in various ways. He was brutal inside scoring through contact and putting a lot of pressure on the rim with his dunks. He outpowered players for position and pulled down countless rebounds. As the game got tougher he drew double teams and hit players for assists. Sommerville was good from the perimeter too hitting multiple shots from deep. He had an all-around dominant performance at the showcase.
Angelo Ciaravino
Angelo
Ciaravino
6'6" | SF
Mt. Carmel | 2024
State
#160
Nation
IL
(Mount Carmel) 6’6
Northwestern is getting a good one with this kid. Ciaravino looked the part of a three-level scoring threat. He had several dunks in the lane mostly off fastbreak opportunities. Angelo shot the ball well hitting threes and knocking down mid-range pull-up jumpers with consistency. His motor on both sides of the ball made him a favorite to most in attendance. A few chase-down blocks and rugged rebounds showed that he is a really high major.
Al Brooks
Al
Brooks
6'6" | SF
Hansberry | 2025
State
#239
Nation
IL
Jr. (Hansberry) 6’7
“How does he only have one offer ” is what most said at the event. Brooks is starting to become a household name and he proved that he can play with the so-called top players in the state regardless of class. Al continues to do everything on the court no matter the competition. He was able to score in the open court taking advantage of slower bigs guarding him in the open court. Brooks hit shots from three and the mid-range. He had everything working for him. His best plays were on defense when he challenged guys at the rim winning most of the battles. Al left the event answering a lot of the doubts about playing against top talent.
Dekwon Brown
Dekwon
Brown
6'4" | PG
Simeon | 2024
#273
Nation
IL
(Simeon) 6’3
Brown was in a setting that he could flourish in. Some iso basketball and open-court plays are how he thrives as a basketball player. Dekwon picked the guys apart on the offensive end of the court. Breaking defense down with crossovers and strong attacks at the rim was a regular for Dekwon. He’s a very heady guard who can play in structure and freelance. When he’s in his grove hitting threes off the dribble he’s hard to guard.
Chris Riddle
Chris
Riddle
6'5" | SF
Kenwood | 2024
State
#204
Nation
IL
(Kenwood) 6’5
Riddle is a recent DePaul Commit who got to his bag at the Showcase. He’s a physically mature wing player who is powerful on both sides of the ball. He shot the ball with precision hitting bucket after bucket from all three levels. Chris didn’t stop there as players started defending him for his shot as he would drive down the lane and make strong athletic plays at the rim. Some of his dunks made spectators wonder if the rims were screwed in tight enough. He has that type of strength. Riddle’s defense was not to be overshadowed either having many blocks and challenged several players at the rim. Chris left the gym with no doubt that he is one of the best basketball players in the Chicagoland area.
Malachi Johnson
Malachi
Johnson
6'2" | SG
Rockford Guilford | 2024
State
IL
(Rockford Guilford) 6’2
Malachi is a microwave scoring guard who came into the session ready to make a statement. Johnson won the MVP of the Open Runs portion because of how efficiently he shot the ball. He is a quick twitch ball handler that can get into his shot in a multitude of ways. It felt like anytime I took my eyes off the court for a second Johnson either hit a three or finished a dunk off a fastbreak. Malachi took full advantage of the Open Runs but also continued to show he can score in a half-court setting during the tournament. I’m sure Johnson is primed for a big season. One that will have colleges making that trip to Rockford.